Sunday Drive



Sunday after church, we decided to take a drive up into the mountains and see if the leaves had started changing colors. We packed some snacks, I packed a book (that never got read because the kids were too needy), and stopped along a stream for the afternoon.

 

The leaves were beautiful, and the air just cool enough for a jacket. I had fun taking pictures of the kids and Brooke and Blake had fun exploring. I set up our little baby tent for Porter (can you believe we set this up for Brooke in this exact same spot? Man, that seems like yesterday). It wasn't too long before both kids were in the tent laughing together. Then Porter decided he had enough of the tent and wanted me to hold him the rest of the time. So much for my book...sigh.

Confessions of a Wannabe Runner

I have been a wannbe runner since middle school. Sadly, my first experience with competitive running was coming in dead last at my 8th grade middle school track meet. That kind of dampered my spirit and I didn't really try again until high school. Throughout high school I attempted to run track (then quit) then joined the team again until I dropped a 100lb weight on my foot my junior year and that put the kabosh on running for a while. The thing is, while I liked the idea of running, I really didn't enjoy actually running. What's to love? It's hard, you're sweaty, and endurance does not come easily to me, so building miles was REALLY hard. After I got married, I pretty much stopped running altogether. 

Then when we bought our first house, I met my good friend R. who wanted to get back into running and asked if I would run with her early in the morning before her husband left for work. I agreed and felt really proud of myself when I was able to run 2 miles without feeling like I was going to pass out. In 2007, Blake's family  decided to run a half marathon in honor of Blake's brother who had recently passed away. Motivated and not wanting to embarrass myself too badly on the course, I set out to run more than 2 miles. I'm not going to lie: IT WAS HARD! I wanted to give up so many times, but knowing that I had committed to this race was a great motivator. When I crossed the finish line at the end of 13.1 miles I can honestly say I had NEVER been more proud of myself than I was at that moment. I have always been a nerd, so getting good grades and even graduating from college was just something I always knew I would do. But running 13 miles just for the heck of it?! I never dreamed I would do that. 

I pretty much stopped running that day in April of 2008. I knew I was pregnant with Brooke before the race, and used that as my excuse to just stop. After she was born, I didn't really get back into running. It was too hard to run with a baby, I HATED running with her in a jogging stroller, and Blake's weird work schedule made it difficult to find time to fit it in. 

Fast forward to Sept. 2011. I was pregnant with Porter and watched Blake and my mother-in-law finish the half marathon our town puts on. I felt those familiar feelings creep up inside me. I told myself, "I am going to do this next year" Little did I know how hard it would be to start training for a race again after taking the last 4 years off from running and also recovering from having a baby. YIKES! I was slow to start, slow to build my miles, and anytime Blake would say, "Don't go run tonight, just stay home with us." I would say OK! I had to run in the evenings so Blake could watch the kids. He was a champ at giving baths and putting them to bed. Several times Blake came to look for me in the car when it started to rain or when it got too dark outside and I was still running. He would drive patiently behind me with the hazards on so I could finish. There is NO WAY I could have trained for this race without Blake's support. On my last run before the race, I decided to run 2 miles. On the way home I ran past the cemetery where I had started my training in July. I had tears in my eyes as I decided to a couple laps around the cemetery. Just a few months ago, it was a struggle for me to run just 3 laps around. Now, I was running 10 miles and still feeling good. When I rounded the last corner of the cemetery, I saw a purple blob running towards me. It took me a minute to realize it was Brooke and Blake was pushing Porter in the stroller behind her. They came out to support me on my last run before the big day and it meant the world to me.

 

Finally, after all that preparing, it was race day!Blake, the kids, my mom and in-laws were so great to stop at various points along the race course to cheer me on.

If you notice in most of the pictures of me running, there is a guy in a yellow shirt and a girl in purple. They were right on my heels almost the whole way. My goal was to never let them pass me and they didn't!

Still smiling at mile 11...

I finished 13.1 miles in 2 hours and 27 minutes (I am not sure about my official time and like to think that maybe it was really 26 minutes)

 

My mom said when I would run by, Porter would get this look on his face like, "What?! You're not going to stop and hold me?" He was pretty happy to see me.

And this is the morning after result: a bruised and very sore big toe. I really hope the nail doesn't fall off.

While I think I am done with my 10 milers for now, I still hope to keep running and maybe even try to beat my time at next year's race :)

Ketchup with my Thoughts

I have had so many thoughts recently that I have wanted to write them. Some of them are random, but some I actuall want to record in our family journal. 

I have been thinking about socks lately. Both Brooke and Porter needed new socks for fall. While at the store I was wishing I had someone to talk to about the socks I saw:

• Why would socks for 0-6mo need the rubber grippers on the bottom? Do you know any 0-6 month olds that can walk?
• Porter now needs a bigger socks, and I was confused as to why the next size up in most brands is 6-18mo--doesn't that seem like an awfully big leap to you? I was happy when I found that Hanes makes a 6-12 mo size.
• And Brooke, who usually hates socks, was happy when I bought her some fun pink, striped, polka dotted, flowery socks (they are sized 3-5 years...another big leap if you ask me).

I took Brooke one last time to the Splash Park over Labor Day weekend. We met some friends there and had the whole place to ourselves, it was awesome.

 Brooke and her friend, K. They are 9 months apart. K. planted a kiss on Brooke when she was 18mo. Can't wait to tease them about that when they are older ;)

Blake and Brooke reading before bed..

 Brooke started preschool. This is her second year since H. started in her preschool last year, even though she was technically too young.

 Porter doing yoga poses in his sleep...

 "I'm so glad when Daddy comes home! Glad as I can Be..." Blake is a good sport, he's getting his hair pulled by Porter and Brooke is jumping on his back, trying to ride him like a horse

I can't believe September has come and is almost gone. I am already a month into teaching again. I LOVE teaching half day. It's so nice to only teach 3 classes and then be home with the kids the rest of the day. The down side is paying for childcare on only half the salary I am used to. What a headache! I feel like I am getting close to the end of my teaching days, which will be sad because I do really love it so much. But, at some point, I am going to have to choose what is going to best for our family and I know that is me being in the home.

As Blake and I have gone through some recent struggles, I am so thankful for the blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know our struggles are small compared to others I know, but no matter how small or big, I know Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers. This last little bit, I can honestly say that Blake and I have grown closer together and have really tried to focus on what's important: the Gospel, each other, our children, and living simply. We are excited for the change in seasons, and the focus on Christ the end of the year brings.

Little Man's newest tricks

Time slow down! As each monthly milestone passes, I am getting sadder and sadder that my baby is getting bigger and older. I don't want his first birthday to come! I am enjoying my smiley, chubby baby so much. He is now 7 months (I literally can't believe it). I am too lazy to make collages of all these pics, but had to include them all on the 'ol blog.

 

Blake's good friend Jason, and fellow hunting buddy, and his wife picked this outfit out for Porter. Blake has been itching for Porter to get big enough to wear it. Last week while I was working and Blake was watching the kids, he didn't hesitate to pull it out and try it on. I must admit, Porter looks adorable in his hunting outfit:

 Gotta love the bum flap :)

 At 7 months Porter is eating solids for 3 meals a day and is loving it. He has also mastered sitting up. He is still a little wobbly and we have to watch to make sure he doesn't suddenly take a head-dive into something hard. He is loving sitting and up and playing and watching. He will cry if a toy or something he wants is out of reach or if we take away something that he was playing with. He is still my early to bed baby (usually around 7pm) and early riser (around 5:00-5:30 to eat, then sleeps until 7-ish). He also takes about 3 naps during the day--which is nice and frustrating at the same time. Porter seems to be taking after his sister on the tiny feet department, which is funny after the fuss that was made when he was born and how long they were. He still fits onto his 3-6 month clothes and his church pants are actually 0-3 months (but i blame that on weird sizing)On Sunday Blake was trying to teach Porter how to crawl and I yelled, STOP IT! I am not ready for that yet. I can already tell that once Porter gets moving he will be on the go all the time. He is already so curious about everything and reaches and grabs everything he can get his chubby hands on! We will have to do some MAJOR baby-proofing.

 This is what happens when the camera cord got too close...

 

 I also have to add that his is Porter's first pair of jeans he's worn. Doesn't he look like such a big boy?

 Yummy grass...

Brooke and Porter got into their first "fight" the other day. Brooke had a paper that was ner nap (map) and Porter got ahold of it and put it in his mouth and ruined it. Brooke was mad, but then came up to Porter and said, "I'm sorry, bud, for getting mad" and gave him a kiss and said, "Mom, now we are friends again! I'm not mad anymore!"

Porter in real time: