Happy Mother's Day!

After spending the weekend pampering me, Michael has taken all 3 kids to Lowe's so that I can blog!  Yay!  Yesterday I woke up and went for a run, and my energy has slowly declined ever since ~ turns out that when your sick 2 year old spends all day (and night) coughing on your neck, ears, and directly into your mouth (yup, not gonna sugar coat it ~ 2 year olds are G R O S S), chances are your immune system will give in eventually.  Fortunately we had a low-key weekend planned already so being under the weather hasn't been too terrible ~ I even took a nap this afternoon with the previously mentioned 2 year old :)  I told Michael that I didn't want to waste Mother's Day sleeping, but a quick nap recharged me enough to enjoy the rest of the day with my favorite people :D

After asking nearly every day for weeks when we could plant the garden, all of Charlotte's dreams came true yesterday :)  She planted several rows of corn and will be (im)patiently checking for seedlings every day I'm sure!  Maya chose peppers as "her" plant, and Milo is in charge of the beans.  We also planted zucchini, basil, cucumbers, peas, and tomatoes. A newly fenced-in yard plus a rabbit fence around the garden will *hopefully* mean we are the only ones eating the fruits (and veggies!) of our labor this year!

And now, as always, pictures :)

Flowers from the hubby and the kids :D

Michael added an ice cream stand to the kids' playset ~ I have eaten so much fake ice cream, you guys.  It's totally not whole30 approved.

Those eyes.  They slay me.

These ones, too.

"Open your eyes more, and show your teeth!"

"No, look at the camera buddy"

"That's better ~ now open your eyes all the way"

Perfect, lol

I promised Charlotte that if she looked at the camera *and* smiled, I would let her take a picture of me.

Not too shabby, kiddo!

Milo insisted on taking a picture, too.  His was more "artistic"

My handsome hubby ;)

Garden!

The One About Running

Y'all knew this one was coming, right?  I run 4-5 days a week, which is significantly more dedicated than I am to most other things in my life (excepting family and friends and such, obviously :)).  At the beginning of the year I set out to run 1,000 miles by December 31, 2013.  Today, November 23rd, 2013, I SURPASSED MY GOAL!!! Yay!!!  I also secretly decided to run a marathon (didn't want to officially share that one until I was pretty sure it would happen...I told Michael in January but I think that's it until about 3 months from the race).  I ran and *completed* the Akron Marathon in September.  There is little else that I can compare to the feeling of reaching a goal for which I have worked so hard.  Running a marathon was so different than I expected, but also, in hindsight, what I should have.  I now realize that for a first marathon you should have no expectations.  I have goals for what I want to accomplish next time (oh, yes, next time ;)) but for this one I'm glad to have finished, to have run 99% of the time (only walked at the water stations), and to have not thrown up or passed out.  Next time, though, I'll have a time-goal, and also a goal of fueling ahead of time and during the race so that I don't feel nauseous for 3 days post-marathon...live and learn, right? :)

I often hear from friends, acquaintances, random people on the internet, that they are not "good" at running.  Well it's your lucky day, folks!  I am probably one of the least athletic people I know.  In middle school I played softball and actually got progressively *worse* as the years went on, until the final season I played in which I struck out every.single.time.at.bat.  I am not lying.  Phys Ed was the only class in all of my high school career where I did not get an A.  Did you know you can get a C in aerobics because "I know you were trying as hard as you could, but other people were trying just as hard and doing better."  Thanks, high school gym teacher, my confidence was super high so that one didn't affect me at all ;)  So, until I was in college, I didn't run.  When I started running?  I realized that I could run!  I didn't look super amazing (still don't) and my arms probably do weird things, but all it takes it putting one foot in front of the other on the pavement and moving as fast or slow as you want.  There are things you can do to increase endurance and speed and all that good stuff, but the basics of running are simple enough for even me to figure out!  Not wanting to run?  I get that...but if it's something you really want to do, don't tell yourself you can't! :)

This is the part where I say how amazing Michael is for all the support and encouragement he offered me, and thank him for the many Saturday mornings he woke up to Milo freaking out that I was no longer laying next to him.  I'm pretty sure he thought my Saturday morning runs would end after that marathon...ha!  Thanks, babe :)

TRAINING

After my 18 mile training run.  I was laying down on the side of the bike path, ignoring the bugs and who-knows-what-else because I kindof couldn't stand up anymore!

Testing out the Blue-Line for my 20 mile training run

pre-race dinner...carb-loading FTW!

EXPO

 

Night before the race...my stomach was in KNOTS!

RACE DAY

#shamelessselfie (that's what I'm supposed to say, right???)

Adrianne and Eric very graciously let me ride with them to the race, which was awesome because I'm not sure I'd have made it myself! #nerves

Just about to start!

7 miles in and still feeling pretty good :)

Text sent to me at 22 miles, after I texted that I was fading.  I have such an awesome brother-in-law!

Just passed 26 miles and saw my family and friends rooting for me!  Would have totally been crying except I was so dehydrated at that point that there were no tears possible :)

AND FINALLY...

This morning's run!!!  I hit 1,000 miles around mile 4.5 :D

Patrick's Race

On the morning of the Akron Marathon, Patrick (my brother-in-law) asked Maya if I was going to win.

Maya: It's not like that, it's...well I don't really get it.

*****************************

Two weeks ago Michael and I packed up the kids and headed to Newark/Columbus for the weekend to cheer on Patrick in his very first half-marathon!  If you are friends with me on facebook, you will know that I am SO STINKIN PROUD of him.  Selfishly, it's nice to have another runner in the family (though I'm training the kids, they're not quite to race distance yet ;)).  Unselfishly, I was just completely overwhelmed with pride for his accomplishment.  Running a half-marathon is no small feat!  The training is intense in both time and physical endurance, it's mentally tough to convince yourself you can do it, and you have to make a long-term commitment to something that most people around you probably don't really fully understand.  I think this video sums it up well (there is a bit of bad language in the last 20 seconds, be warned):

Patrick tells me that he's going to keep running, and I'mma hold him to it!  First up is the Turkey Trot at the end of this month, yay!  The girls are also signed up for that one and are both ridiculously excited. I've promised to make Charlotte a tutu for the race (she saw some of the runners at the C-bus marathon in tutus and wants one, too :))

Pictures:

We made shirts for "Team Patrick" :)

Patrick's adorable girlfriend Kayla.  She ran the C-bus half a couple years ago and finished in 2:37.  She challenged Patrick to beat her time.

Hey Sarah, here's an idea, have everyone stand right in the glare from the window!  That will make an awesome picture!

Laura's awesome shirt

Michael, of course!

I LOVE his expression in this one!

Proud mama :)  Her shirt (at Maya's insistence) said, "Oh my little son.  I love you." and on the back "Momma's Very Proud"

awwwwww :)

HE DID IT!!!