Five Kids and Junk Food

Last night Travis returned home from his trip and Izzie was sitting with us in the kitchen talking about kids.

"Why didn't you have 5 kids?"

"Because I can only handle 4 of you by myself and if I had 5 I would have had to have 6. (disclaimer: I like even numbers)

"I am going to have 5 kids and you know what?"

"What Iz?"

"I am going to feed them junk food every night for dinner, yes I am!"

Both of our heads shaking and Trav's response, "That's just great!"

Love you Izzie, Happy Friday everyone!

Three Things Thursday--Curious Edition

1. Do you ever wonder who reads your blog? I am always curious. I mean do you read it to because you are interested in my life running or as the mom of 4? Do you like the to read about the craziness that is my life? And after you read it do you move on to the next blog or do you tell people about it? Maybe feel sorry for me for a second or maybe want to tell me to suck it up. Sometimes I complain, but honestly not very often. I try to live my life without bothering people. Also, the beauty of a blog is that it is like a journal. While I get that it is public (although mine is not anymore) I would hope when you read it, you would get that it is what is going on in my life today, not everyday, but that day in general. Maybe before you would say anything you would think about that.

2. Do people think about what they write in the comment section on Facebook? Just curious?

3. Finally, what do you think the general consencus is of stay at home mom's at there? Is it that we are lazy? Sit around all day? Just curious....I can assure some of my friends who go to work say that they would not want to do what I do all day. That it would be hard for them or that they would go crazy. Generally, I don't feel that way. Is it hard? Yes. Am I lucky though? Yes, my husband owns his own business and wanted me to stay at home with our kids. We don't want for anything because I don't "work" outside of the home and most of the time I am content. Do I "run" away from them sometimes...of course, but like my friend Ginny said to me once "I always come back."

Happy Thursday everyone! Here's to a good run at some point today!

Hit the Pool

I went swimming today. First off, I am not really a swimmer. I have attempted to swim before for exercise. There was a point in my life where I thought that I was going to do a Tri, but hated riding my bike. Anyway...back to the swimming. Finally, after some persuasion...I put on my suit, grabbed my goggles and swim cap and hit the pool. When my new goggles fit right on with no adjusting I started to get a good feeling about the swim. It took me a few laps to hit my stride, and I will be honest the first 30 minutes were painful. My mind kept wandering and I would catch myself drifting in my lane. I told myself that I would only do it for 30 minutes, then 30 became 40, 40 became 50 and all of a sudden it became an hour. WOW!!! I could not believe it. I did it and I actually felt good. In fact I felt like a superwoman. I was walking on air. Woo Hoo!

The best thing about it, is I realized that there is something else besides running especially while I nurse this hip injury. Next up, my first trip to the chiropractor tomorrow. Hoping for good results.

August Races...hmmm....

I am sitting in my living room going through Active.com and looking at races that I want to run this year particularly three races in August...the Falmouth Road Race, Beach to Beacon in Maine and Gloucester 7 mile road race. The Falmouth Road Race is chosen by lottery. I have run this race before and I ran for Children's Hospital. IT is imposible to get in, I swear that lottery is rigged:) Beach to Beacon is not a lottery, but registration begins at 7 am on March 15th. I already have it in my Google Calendar and I could sign up for the Gloucester race now. My husband is laughing at me because as you know I am hurt right now and I really can't run. I mean I have run a couple of times, but have decided that I am going to have to take up swimming for a bit. My one race that I have to get through is the Princess Half because I am not missing that race. The beauty of that race is that I am not trying to PR. My friend and I are going to stop and take our pictures throughout the race etc...(she is injured too).

My husband has made a couple of funny comments this week although I don't know how funny they are. Silly comments related to running and how it might not be so good for my body etc...Really? Seriously? This from a guy who popped his achilles while playing volleyball at work. ( I know it sounds weird, but they do it all summer.) Last night I finally broke and told him enough was enough and to stop with the comments. I then went on to tell him he is just jealous because he doesn't have something that he loves like I do. (hmmmm....I don't know if that is true or not, I was just frustrated.) Anyway, he dropped it, I waited awhile and then hit him up for Chicago registration fee. The look on his face was priceless. It was then that he told me that I would be waiting until next payday. ( or until I "borrow" his card out of his wallet).

Does anyone else have husbands who are weird about their running or is it just mine? Any advice?

Now You Know What it Feels Like....

I received an e-mail from my MIL asking me about my hip. I sent her an e-mail back and gave her an honest assessment of the situation. It hurt. I was in PT. My goal was to get back to running ASAP. Her response, "Now you know what it feels like to get old." Anyone out there witht a MIL knows that that is not what you want to hear from her. My mother got it, when I started to cry she knew exactly what to say, but then again she was a runner. (She is now a walker because she has arthritis in her knees, but that is a story for another day.) It also got me thinking about getting old. I mean, I am not old by any means. I'm 38. That is not old and honestly I feel better now than I did in my early 20's. (except for my bum hip.) At the same time 2 of my 40 year old girlfriends told me that I need a baseline mammogram, I guess you are supposed to get that before you are 40. Funny my doctor never mentioned this. Then Barbara Walters told me that I need a baseline EKG in case I have a heart attack. Really, a heart attack. Things are definitely not looking good for me. Between the hip, a mammogram and an EKG I guess I have a lot of things to do in the next 18 months. Holy smokes, maybe it is not good to get old.

3 Things Thursday.....Snow Edition

Ben and Andy in the driveway!

1./ My kids have finally gone back to school today. Siri has a 90 minute delay, but for 5 hours it will just be me and Izzie which is fine. I plan to get my run on for at least 5 miles. Fingers crossed.

2./ We have so much snow that it is officially up to the swings on the swing set in the backyard. You can't even see at the corners because of the way they have plowed. I love my Enclave, but am wishing that I had bought an SUV at this point just so that I can see.

3./ My friend K sent me a weather article by a guy from Accuweather who said that this is how winter will be for the next 20-30 years and that we are headed down a path of cold and snow like it was in the 1970's. Really, really? I want temps in the 70's like the bloggies down in VA. As much as I loved my cute winter running clothes in the beginning I am already sick of them. I want to throw on my skirt and t-shirt and head outside. Please let it be warm when I am in Florida.

It's Snowing Again

It is snowing again in NH. 3 out of my 4 kiddos are home from school. Izzie and I just made a batch of blueberry muffins and next we are making yummy Chocolate Chip Banana muffins. (Thanks Pam!) I thought that the stress of the snow day would push me over the edge today, but it didn't. I have remained calm, cool and collected. It is kind of scaring me, this is not my usual personality. I have decided though that I can't let it get to me. I am going to embrace that the kids are home with me, cook with them, play in the snow maybe and not worry that my house is getting messy, the clothes are not folded and Siri's room is a mess. (it is always a mess whether my house is spotless or not). It will all get done, it always does.

I went to PT yesterday and my hip and butt killed after. By last night I had to take Motrin and use the heating pad. It HURT! My mother was telling me that it is probably getting irritated by the PT. I don't know I thought that it is supposed make me feel better hmmmm...

On an exciting note I have decided to do 2 fall marathons. I am going to run Chicago with my 2 Amherst running pals G and M and then I am going to run the Richmond Marathon on November 12th with my pal G. (I think that she is faster than me, but I can watch her run away from me:) I am so excited that I have two things to look forward to.

Happy snow day everyone.

P.S...I did not post this right away because I wanted to post some pics of the kids, but I can't get my camera to download. I will tell you that my laid back attitude changed by 1:30 when I left with the kids to pick up a book at Barnes and Nobles and then to get Siri. Everyone had a meltdown including me...You know when people talk about their heads spinning off of their bodies, mine did I think. Oh well....you can only keep it together so much. Say a prayer for me, the kids are home from school again, my husband is working from home and we are expecting a foot of snow. This should be great.