Asics - Try These Running Shoes on For Size

 



Okay, is it weird to adore shoes?  Cuz I adore these Asics running shoes.  They are by far, so far, my favorite.  They weigh nearly nothing and I almost feel like I'm running on air.  I don't want to stop running when I'm in them.  Extreme, I know.  We usually buy new running shoes every 5 months or so, depending on budget and how worn our current shoes are.  I've flipped between Asics and Saucony.  I'm back to Asics after this pair.  I want to go ahead and get my next pair because it seems we hardly see the same shoe twice at Academy when we go.  If I get them now, I don't have to worry about the tears and heartache that would come if I weren't to find them again.  Okay, really extreme now!  Seriously, great shoes.

Let's Catch Up!

Been too long. Everytime I go to sit at the computer, I decide I'm too brain dead to try to put things into words. Not to mention, that on an open blog, one can really only include so many words. Remember that "big brother watching" thing. One day, maybe I'll do an 'invitation only' blog. Doubt it. Here goes my life thus far. Luckily, can't complain. God is still not only good, but faithful in the busy and crazy times.

I went on my semi-annual scrapbook retreat a couple weekends ago. BTW, I'm proud that this is one of my hobbies and know my children will sooooo appreciate and enjoy it as well in the future. I can't imagine not leaving them with something so concrete. Beats all the money in the world or any computer/disk or other techno form...IMO - which I am well aware is not asked for. (unless of course, that's the way you enjoy doing it or if busy days, busy kids, busy lives don't allow for the concrete stuff....totally understandable, no offending intended - after all, I only have 1st year for each kid) Okay, done with the rant. Anymore, the time away is not soley about getting books done (although we do work LATE into the night/early morning). It's become so much more of a ladies' social, strengthening, encouragement, just plain fun time! And they let me act like a kook(?) as much as I want. What more could you ask for? Well, this time, they outdid me. I don't know if you remember 'the stuffed pheasant' from the last several stays there. It's part of the decor in one of the rooms. Why it's part of the decor, I'll never figure out. Anyhoo, the joke between my grand friend and me is to hide the ugly bird in the other one's belongings. It shows up in the darndest places. This time, a few of the ladies decided to go on a walk. I asked them to take my camera to take some pics of the wildflower fields and whatever. My mistake. They took the 'whatever' to the max. They took the pheasant along for the walk. I've only included a small number of the large number of pics they took of the bird's adventure. I was laughing so hard when I saw the pics, I had tears.





While I was gone, Jim texted me that Ian lost a top front tooth. You all know that when Ian 'loses' a tooth, he literally 'loses' it. About 20 minutes later he texted again with a picture, revealing that he had by that time lost both top teeth! Ian told our friend that he swallowed them. Hmmmmm????
Benjamin had his ARD meeting with the school last week. It went fine. He just had his last session with ECI (Early Childhood Intervention) and will start in his PPCD class on Monday...the day after he turns 3. OMG! I will cry. He's my baby.....and quite the mamma's boy at that. I've also included a pic of yet another black eye. Yes, right before his bday party. No one's sure what happened. Avery told us she accidently fell on him with the chair. All we know is there was bleeding and crying. But, he recovered, as you can tell by the adorable smile.

Last Friday I had a procedure done at my GYN's office called an endometrial ablation. Read about it if you'd like. I'm sure most have heard of it. I'm hoping I get the results I'd like. It was not a big deal to get done. My wonderful MIL took me. They put an IV in to knock me out. Next thing I knew, I was awake, groggy, being given instructions, and heading home. I slept most of the day and took one pain med and ibruprofen for cramping all day. By the next day, I felt fine. By yesterday, I was running (in great weather BTW).

These 3 pics are the reason I should get mom of the year. :) These are 3 reward/extrensic motivators we use. The pizza is to work on toilet training with Ian. You know, to bribe him to stay dry and to pee and poop ON THE TOILET. When he fills up the pizza pie, he gets to order a pizza. Now, if he poops on the potty, we skip straight to ordering a pizza. The two charts are for Ian and Avery. When they do something 'above and beyond' to make us proud, they get a smiley face. If they get 3 by the end of the day, they get a treat. The little board maker cards are 'treasure box' cards. If they have at least one card left by the end of the day, they get to choose something from their treasure box. With all these, we still also use spankings when needed and time out. Life seems like one big game of reward/discipline.


The sandbox is compliments of my wonderful FIL. He built it for the kids! He's so awesome!
This is a random pic from Easter, just cause I like it.

Last thing. I went out running last night on my usual route. I noticed a bunch of emergency vehicles ahead of me in the neighborhood. I knew whatever it was, they weren't going to let me pass, so I changed routes. We watched the news and found out that a gang related shooting death took place.....20 minutes before I went out to run! Just the fact it happened in our neighborhood (actually about 1 mile away) was enough to freak me out. But then when I think I could have been running by as it happened really freaked me out. Jim is definitely getting strict on not letting me run later in the evenings.

Well, I hope you made it all the way through this. I know it was long. Hopefully I won't wait so long next time!

10K

Jim and I did our 10K run together last weekend. It was great fun. Seriously. Jim decided to get us a hotel room so that we (well, I) wouldn't have to get up at 5:00am (which would take me at least an hour to try to do, leave (no getting ready needed), and find a parking place. He's so sweet. I'd love to say he was thinking of me, but truth be told, he probably just didn't want to be late. :) So, we got a room (quite the dump, but served it's purpose) 2 blocks from the starting point. I'm a night runner, so a 7:30am race just doesn't settle well with me. However, to my surprise, I did quite well at waking up and feeling ready to rock.

We met our goal, which was to finish in under an hour. We weren't really too worried about that since we do it in under an hour on our usual runs. I was a bit worried about the role hills would play. There were some, but not as intimidating as I imagined. He kept my pace, but I could tell he was wanting to go faster. So about the last 1/4 mile, I told him to take off. He's now ready to do a half marathon. Actually, he's quite stoked about doing one. He could probably just go out and do one, no problem. Me, well, I'd have to work a bit harder before doing one. But I'm looking forward to it.

After the race we chilled out, took showers, went out to lunch, and picked up the kiddos.

NEWS BULLETIN: IAN JUST CAME UP AND TOLD ME HE WAS READY TO GO TO BED! LOVE THOSE WORDS!

"Make Me Proud, My Love"

These were the last words Jim said to me before I left to go for a run Friday night. (He calls me 'my love' - sweet, isn't it?) So, I decided to take him up on it. Oh, but first after I got a little ways from the house, I decided I needed to go to the bathroom and couldn't wait. So, I stopped at one of our neighbors on another street and thank goodness they were home. (Aren't you glad you're not my neighbor?) By the time I finished my pit stop, I had spent about 10 minutes being gone.

On with the run. It was a mighty good one. It didn't rain...that's a plus. I started hitting my wall at about 4 1/2 miles. I kept hearing Jim's voice, "make me proud, my love". So, I kept going. Thanks to Todd Agnew, my MP3 voice of choice, I made it 6 miles running. I knew Jim had to be worrying at least a little, cause total I was gone over an hour (including my warm up walk and pit stop) and I run in the evening, so it was dark (I know, shame on me). So I turn the corner to our house and sure enough, there's my sweetie in street looking around for me. Next thing I hear is, "Lady!" (That's what he calls me when he's a wee bit frustrated). So of course, I reminded him of what he said before I left. So sweet that he worries. Was he proud?

Yep. 6 miles in under an hour.

So, I decided to do the same last night. Got rained on a bit, but again Todd Agnew and his great praise songs kept me going. Especially when God is so good to have it start raining (1) when I'm almost home and (2) when Todd sings "Grace Like Rain".

Next step....Jim plans on buying me pepper spray. He'd rather convert me to a morning runner, but my body just won't cooperate in the morning!

Signed Up

Well, I'm now committed to a 10K run with my wonderful husband. I know I mentioned in one of my past blogs that I had started running again. I'm proud to say (if that's okay) that I'm still faithful to it. I go at least 3 times a week and run between 4 - 5 miles each run (occasionally I hit a wall at 3). Jim goes at least 3 times a week and he's up to 6+ miles each run. So, we decided it was time to sign up for an organized run. It's great just doing it on our own, but there's always been that certain something....oh, it's called competitiveness...about an organized run. The last one we did together was a 10K about 8 or 9 years ago.

This one is at the end of the month and the even better news is we get the night before without kids. We've decided that would be our Valentines weekend.

On another note. As I was typing this entry, I had sat Benjamin on the potty to see if I could get anything out of him. I just heard an "uh-oh". So, I go in there to find his "W" book in the toilet. HOWEVER, along with that "W" book was a toilet full of poop! Yea, Benjamin. That makes 6 times over the last 4 months or so. Poor Ian has only gone once - period. Hopefully this means Benjamin won't have a phobia about letting "it" go.