Letting the Cat Out of the Bag

Today was soccer game day for the week and our first game was at 8:30. Since I worked until 10:30 last night and was tired this morning I didn't get up to run and now I have to do it on my lunch hour. Fun!
Between the first and second game we went to breakfast and found a kitten. Of course we had to take her home! So now we are a proud cat family, I am way excited because I love cats!! And she is a cutie pie!

Friday Five - The Crazy Week

It's been a really busy week. We are back in full swing this week - soccer, soccer picture, school, school pictures, and a field trip, as well as me working late instead of early today.

1. I didn't get my long run in yesterday since I went on a full day field trip with mini me. I planned to do it today after I dropped the girls off, but got lazy an only did 2 miles.
2. I got my hairs done today, I've decided to just keep going lighter and let it grow. Not sure how long or light I'll go, but for now the plan is to get more blonde and see how long it will get.
3. Target is a time and money suck! I went in with a list of 9 items and didn't emerge until over an hour and $200 blown! I got lots of great stuff, but I have no idea how the heck I spent so much. Although, if I'm being honest it was a great time and my obsessive purchasing of large quantities of every flavor of GoGo Squeez Applesauce (and a new flat iron and razor blades) may have something to do with the cost. I love Target and would like to live there for a few days.
4. Chaperoning field trips (especially with gifted [aka opinionated as heck!] first and second graders) is exhausting! Any time I think I should go back and finish my teaching credential I need to remember these fun, but hard days. We went to an Oak Preserve and went on a great trail walk and had a scavenger hunt and performed scientific studies. By the end of the day I was filthy, sweaty, and spent. Mini me fell asleep on the 30 minute bus ride home, so I am pretty sure she shared my sentiment.
5. I love being a dance mom and meeting other dance moms, but I hope to never meet any crazy dance moms like the horrible women on "Dance Moms," or have a scary teacher like Abby!! I adore my trash tv (including "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" and "Toddlers and Tiaras") but I want it to stay in the tv!!

I have kept the streak alive and am enjoying a bit of new muscle definition in my arms thanks to Jillian Michaels so I'm feeling good about my exercise efforts!!

Not sure why this didn't post until Saturday, but here it is nonetheless.

Weight(y) Matters

I have been trying really hard not to weigh myself very often. There are a few reasons - 1. I obsess about the numbers if I'm not careful, 2. I know logically that my weight isn't the most important measure of my health and fitness, and 3. I feel like I will be disappointed if I don't like the number I see, because of #1 and despite #2! This morning I felt the urge to weigh myself after I finished my Rodney Yee's Power Yoga DVD (what can I say, yoga makes me feel long and lean). And I was quite pleased with the number I saw. I had let my weight creep up to 138, which I was not pleased with, and this morning it was 131! This number thrills me, I know it isn't the be all end all, but it makes me feel like my fitness and food efforts are paying off. So it is a happy Sunday!
Even better, I have been writing this post in the iPhone app while waiting in line at Starbucks (trenta unsweetened green tea is my best friend!) and when I just got to the window it was FREE because the wait was so long. Double bonus, sitting long enough to write a blog post and free tea! Yay for today it rocks! Hope you are having a great Sunday too!

Friday Five

I always mean to do a 3 Things Thursday or a Friday 5 so I'm going to give making this my weekly thing a try.

1. I'm obsessed with Law & Order: SVU. I watch it on my phone every night in bed and every time I run on the treadmill. I have no idea why I love the show so much, it gives me the creeps and gives credence to my idea that everyone is a sicko and a skin wearer (please tell me you know what I mean by that... Buffalo Bill).
2. Also obsessed with paleo podcasts. I listen to them any time I'm in the cat without the kids. It's very interesting listening.
3. I spent my lunch yesterday getting a pedicure with my mom, it was great. I really hate seeing my toes without polish, running has made them ugly! But at least my feet are still pretty, as far as feet go.
4. Mini me likes to sleep in dog beds. My friend gave us a toy dog bed from Build-A-Bear and I found her sleeping with her head in it last night, it was so funny!!!
5. I'm not looking forward to this weekend, all summer holiday weekends suck for me since everyone that has the time off comes to act like a child at my place of work. Yay fun! But at least I got out of half the day today because my big girl was sick. She's got a sinus infection and we had to go to the doctor.

Off to soccer practice now!

Let the Games Begin

Soccer is officially in full swing, our first games were yesterday. I'm a bad mom and didn't take any pictures of the two bigger girls, I was just a spaz! I didn't get to see more than 5 minutes of the big girl's game since it started 30 minutes before the two little girls game that I coached. Big girl scored a goal, which she doesn't usually do because she tends to play defense more often. The little girls did great!

Pre-game cuties

You gotta stretch

All of my little ones played hard and had a lot of fun! The league is non-competitive so they don't keep score or have a winner, but I do and we won! Buggy's game started over a half hour late, which meant that I only got to see a little more than one quarter before I had to leave to go to work (boo!!). I'm really excited for games, it's just so much fun to watch the girls run around and have fun.

Today I we went to see The Odd Life of Timothy Green before work, I really enjoyed it, it was a lovely story and was a nice way to spend the morning. I've been really good with my eating but today I got a sugar bug,  BAD! I'm blaming PMS! I went with it and had a cheat night, but tomorrow it's back on track! The run streak is still going strong. Tomorrow morning I'll get up and do 30-Day Shred, I'm already thinking about what I'll do next and I'm just not sure...

SongPop Stole My Free Time

I discovered a new game app the other day and it was a really bad thing! It's called SongPop and I'm OBSESSED! I can't stop playing! I love "Name That Tune" so this is right up my alley! I've been playing a lot, which means when I have a minute to sit down I do that instead of blogging. Not that my life is jam packed with interesting things that everyone is waiting to read about! 

Things have been good, 9 days into the school year and I feel like we're getting back into a good routine. Although, it's been a much more laid back few weeks than they will be soon, dance starts in 2 weeks, my bug has dance 3 days next week, but no dance for anyone else. Little bitty had her back to school night on Tuesday and it was interesting to go and see the teachers and principal since we haven't had any kids at this school before. The bigger girls have their B2S next Thursday.

I started my volunteering duties (self-imposed) yesterday, I went to the bug and little bitty's classes. It was fun, today I've got mini me's class. Not sure if I'll be working in my big girl's class or not because she has two mom's that volunteer at least twice a week so her class doesn't have as much need. 

Workouts have been going well. I did skip my 30-Day Shred yesterday because I was a bum! But I got my mile in so the streak continues. I ran outside again today and it was about 5 degrees cooler so I actually enjoyed the run, I still went less than 4 miles, but it was nice. I plan to go farther next time, although it won't be next Thursday because I'm meeting my mom for lunch and a pedicure then (yay!!).
Soccer games start Saturday, that's my favorite thing about the season, the games are so much fun! We are the "Stars" this year and our jerseys are a very pretty light pink, love them!! I can't wait for fall and the start of games make that so much more real! We are already looking at Halloween costumes and we've booked little bitty's birthday party at Chuck E Cheese's (it will be the first time we do a party on a weekend, scary!!).

Puke in the am, Sushi in the pm

I woke up feeling pretty gross this morning, dizzy and nauseous, but I headed to work since I'm the first one in so I have opening duties at 5:45. But I ended up puking so I went home after the 6:45 people came in. I then proceeded to lay on the couch like a lump and watch Law & Order: SVU and God Bless America (which I really enjoyed). Then I napped and forced hubs to make me pâté, which didn't turn out like usual because some uninitiated woman (me) bought beef livers instead of chicken livers (who knew it would make so much difference.
Then hubs begged and pleaded for me to go shopping with him (seriously), so I got up and ran a mile to keep the streak alive and showered and felt semi-human so we headed out. Before we left town I whined enough that he took me to get a Kombucha (I'm so hooked!!) Then we hit Nordstrom Rack looking for polos for him and pricey jeans for me and we both came out empty handed and I was super annoyed with how fat and gross I felt, ugh!!
So we went and had seafood for dinner (which seems really smart when you've had an upset stomach, but I live on the edge). OMG, it was so amazing!! We had ahi tuna poke and sashimi for appetizers, wow so wonderful! Then I had pan seared trout with roasted cauliflower, almonds, and green beans. I'm so full and happy now! I'm blogging on the fly while hubs drives home. I'm pooped and ready to climb in bed before my dark and early wake up call.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

One Week (almost) Down

I fell asleep before posting this last night, so if it sounds a day behind, it is.

We've made it through the first four days of school with few tears and little blood shed! Most tears are at night because everyone is overtired and not adjusted to thinking all day yet. The blood shed was caused by one jump roping accident and one trip over a lunch box. All the girls are enjoying their teachers and are happy to be in school. While I miss the girls during the day on my days off, I LOVE having a schedule back in place. I've been having lots of fun making lunches, cutting sandwiches and veggies and cheese into fun shapes.

One of my lunch masterpieces!

All three of the big girls got glasses for reading, I was quite shocked since I've never worn them and neither has my ex-h (although chances are we probably both need them, which could explain away some of my horrible headaches...). We picked up the glasses after school and (2 out of 3 of the) girls were pleased.

Big girl (not so pleased)

Middle girl, VERY pleased

(please ignore the WT beds, I was in the process of washing sheets)

Little girl, also VERY pleased

And a picture of Little Bitty just because she's cute

The biggest perk of the kids being back in school is that I got to go to Target alone yesterday and it was amazing! I wandered aimlessly for over an hour and no one ever asked me to buy something for them, it was bliss! But, like a glutton I've signed up to volunteer in all the girls classes every week, who needs days off!? Not me, I guess!

The workouts and the streak are still going strong, I even went running outside for the first time today in the heat. I felt great, but it wasn't my best idea, it was 88 when I left and the air quality is horrible right now, I gave hubs a right scare, he was convinced I'd drop dead right on the sidewalk from the heat!

See hubs, not dead!

And with a semi-decent time too!

I have also recommitted myself to paleo. I even tried something new today, that I see on so many paleo blogs, kombucha. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I loved it! Which, is very unfortunate since every bottle is $4.45, eek! Although I spend that much at Starbucks without batting an eye...

I love you fermented mushroom juice

I was attacked!

Last night happened to be one of my favorite nights of the year, Ice Cream Zoofari! For the uninitiated it is an event at our zoo where you get all you can eat local ice cream as you wander the zoo! We LOVE it! But it was 107 degrees when we arrived at 6 pm, which sucked!! But we pushed on and worked on stuffing our faces. Sidebar, I planned for this and knew I was eating outside my paleo plan, but I love ice cream and this is one night a year so I (over)indulged, I got my run in dark and early too so I felt good.
But as I was enjoying ice cream and squealing with the girls over one of my favorite animals, the Blue Duiker (a mini antelope, how does it get any cuter) a horrible thing happened. A June Bug flew into my hair, I was pretty cool about it, I only jumped around a little and I didn't scream! But that is honestly one of my biggest fears, I HATE June Bugs, the clicking and buzzing is so creepy. I survived the attack and went on to enjoy 5-6 more servings of ice cream.
Tomorrow school starts, let the madness begin!

Post from the Beyond

Summer has taken not just my desire to workout and eat right, but also my desire to blog. Although, they could all go hand in hand. And the Olympics may have something to do with it as well.
But this week I'm back with a vengeance! I started eating right again on Sunday, after my worst migraine EVER Saturday drove me back into the arms of healthy food and away from my forbidden love, sugar. I also started 30-Day Shred and a new running streak on Monday. I've been consistent this week and am feeling good. I'm even feeling good in the 107-110 degree heat.
My jump back into fitness and health goes along with my push to get the girls ready for school on Monday, schedules must be resumed! We are far too busy to let any time slide during the school year! I am excited for the new year and new experiences for all the girls!
I'm back and ready to rock!!

Monday Again

I had a pretty great week last week- work was fine, hubs loves his new job, the big girls survived camp and I got 3 workouts in.
My weigh in this morning was pretty great too, I am down to 135.8 and feeling good. I got my run in, 3.5 miles and I enjoyed it. My new treadmill love is watching Pretty Little Liars while I run, so amazing!!!
Last week the girls let me play beauty salon with them, we did lots of fun braids. They also played lots of dress up and dance recital, I was treated to many wonderful new dances, they can be choreographers when they grow up!

So Much For Free Time

In my mind summer = free time, I know that I still have to work, but I still dream about lazy days spent at home. Thus far we haven't had one of those days, NOT ONE!
There have been days where all there was to do was work and one activity, but there have also been days when we've run all day!
The highlights (and lowlights) of the last week have been -
- My bug made performing group (this is a high and a low)
- Bug making performing group means we started summer dance on Tuesday, two days of class, just for her.
- 4th of July was lots of fun and meant a day spent at my parents. It also meant running a 10k in the morning. The 10k went well considering I've been a major slacker and it was even hotter than last year. My time was 1:02, not my best, but not horrible.
- 4th of July also brought a low point, our dog got scared of the fireworks while she was home alone and broke out! She still isn't home and we are all sad!
- Our kitchen floor is done! But the dishwasher doesn't fit!!
- My big girl is gone to camp for the week, good and bad because I miss her but know she's having a great time.
- I got to be part of a video promoting Environmental Sciences yesterday, it's just for the local schools and shown to 8th graders, but it was still cool.
- Last, is a very good thing, hubs started a new job today. This job has tons of potential for growth and he's really excited!

Photo dump time

Deadly combinations

Mixing my extremely weak (as of late) exercise and good eating habits with a home repair crisis is in a word, deadly! Our dishwasher has apparently been leaking like a sieve into the subfloor in our kitchen until we had a slump in the floor. We are now in the process of ripping it all up, letting it dry and trying to find the time and money to replace it all. I am definitely excited to have a new dishwasher and floor, but the timing could have been better!
I also had to keep the girls busy during the morning so they were out of the way, logically I decided to take them for donuts, which means I ate one too. Stress, me and food don't mix!!
Today is a new day and I'm feeling better about the house repairs and my eating, so that is a plus!

Weekly Weigh-In

Since I signed up for Jess's lose a marathon (half in my case) last Monday, that makes today weigh-in day. I will say that my week went pretty well, I ran on Monday and Wednesday and did cross training on Tuesday and Thursday. I ate really well every day, except Saturday when I fell completely off the wagon (recital rehearsal and two recitals made for no time and I used that excuse to eat badly!). I woke up and weighed myself first thing this morning and was pleasantly surprised to see 137.2, which is down 2.6 pounds!! Yay! I was supposed to run my 10K today, but I haven't done it yet, I overslept and not sure if there will be time now, today was the last day too! Darn working late (and having to watch two episodes of True Blood after work...)
Tomorrow is a new day and I will run my 10K then, virtual run or not.

Spaz Alert

Hello, my name is Nicole and I am a HUGE spaz! I freak out about little things, I have an over active imagination, I am a major klutz, and I cry about nearly everything. Yesterday I cried like a big baby for a half hour because i was having a bad day (really it had only been annoying for a couple of hours...). I am convinced there are monsters, zombies, and ghosts everywhere. And I pretty much think there are murderers, stalkers and serial killers around every corner! I am a walking spaz. Why am I admitting this to the entire blogosphere (or to the 10 people who read my blog), I don't know. I want to blog daily or at least semi-daily to keep myself accountable and just throwing out that I ate well yesterday, and so far today, and got my cross training in seemed anticlimactic. So I thought I would throw some useless knowledge about me out there for you. You're welcome!
Day two is feeling pretty great! I did a core strengthening balance FIRM dvd that I enjoy. Tomorrow is my virtual 5K and I'm gonna run my butt off!

Are you a spaz too? Let me know and we can form a support group ;-)

Disclaimer - I am not as crazy as I make myself out to be, I'm just silly and oversensitive, but sometimes that makes me feel crazy!

Tired of Starting Over

I'm back! I am so tired of feeling tired, my migraines have been back with a vengeance, and I've gained a few (x3) pounds. So, no more giving up! I've signed up for a virtual race, a local race and a weight loss challenge to keep myself accountable. I hate summer, I'm a big baby about heat so it is hard for me to stay on track when it's hot, these challenges will help.

Jess has a weight loss challenge that started today. It's a marathon challenge, but I'm doing the half marathon weight loss option because I can't lose 26.2 pounds, especially in 13 weeks! I weighed myself this morning and was not happy with the number, I am starting this challenge at 139.8 pounds. In order to lose the weight and feel better I'm starting 80/20 paleo again, less sugar and carbs really helped with the migraines and the tiredness last time, I have felt pretty crappy since I fell off the wagon!

I'm running a local 10K on the 4th of July, it will be the second year I've done it and I'm hoping to have a better time this year, but I've been a slacker loser so it will be hard. I ran today, just 30 minutes and definitely not fast, but I'm working my way back into 3-4 days a week of running and 2 days a week of cross training, whatever I want to do those days to keep me moving. I may do a day of yoga too, but I'm playing that one by ear... I'm also running Toni's virtual 5 and 10K this week. I'm planning to do the 5K Wednesday morning and the 10K next Monday morning.

As far as life goes everyone is great. The girls started their second session of swimming lessons today, they all moved up and are actually swimmers now, imo.

We are going to give beginner water polo a chance next week, I'm so excited about it, I loved playing water polo! This week is dance recitals, it's going to be busy busy with rehearsals and the actual recitals, but the girls have worked very hard and I am excited to see their performances. I will be glad when it's done for the summer. We are trying to plan a small trip or two for the summer, a short beach trip and a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth. We are also going to try camping at my lake one day.

I will be posting more to let you all know how I'm doing, hopefully some of you are still around to help me keep myself going.

HUGE Wednesday Whine

Wednesday is my Saturday and it's usually glorious and today should have been even better because it's the first Wednesday that all the girls are out of school for summer. But alas, my job got in the way. I had to go to a 4 hour training, 4 hours (one way!) away. So my day was quite long and not spent doing fun things with the girls, boo!! The training was useful and in a pretty place and it's mandatory every year so I'm glad that's done for another 12 months.
I also started the day off pretty pooped! Yesterday little bitty was dropped off in the morning and promptly puked ALL OVER!! So, she and I stayed home until hubs got off work. There was no puke all day and then she came into our bed at 12:30 this morning and puked on hubs. She came in again during the night and we all got very little sleep. She's been fine all day today, so hopefully that's done and none of the other girls get it.
Since there was little sleep and a very long day ahead of me I didn't run this morning, which is kinda crappy since it's National Running Day. But, such is life. I'll run tomorrow.
I guess my whine wasn't so huge because that's all I've got. Life is good!

Saturday Stuff

I can't believe it's June! I don't know where time has gone, it's crazy!! Today is my buggy's birthday. She's 8. I remember the day I went into labor with her almost like it was yesterday. She was an impatient girl, coming the day I hit 37 weeks and coming less than an hour after we got to the hospital. She's always in a hurry to get things going even now!
The girls are all out of school. They finished last Friday and are now officially 5th and 3rd graders! Mini Me finished yesterday and she is now officially a 1st grader! Kindergarten "graduation" was very cute, I can't believe my baby is so big! I am quite impressed with myself that I didn't cry at the ceremony, or when we hugged our favorite kindy teacher goodbye for the last time as one of the girls teacher.  Little bitty also "graduated" this week, from preschool. She even had a line in the graduation and did great saying it. I am really proud of how smart and funny my girlies are becoming!

The last week of school I went on a field trip with my big girl to Columbia to gold pan. We got to look at authentic gold rush era buildings, eat candy and ice cream that was amazing and just have a really neat day. It was a really fun day, but a long ride on the bus. I want to take the whole family back sometime soon.

Hubs had a birthday this week, he's 41 now, he didn't want cake so we had cookies and ice cream, which was yummy and I ate way too much!
Swimming lessons start next week and I can't wait to watch the girls become even better swimmers. They enjoy the water so much.

Dance pictures were this weekend. Making my big girl's jazz skirt was a trial, not because it was difficult, just because there was no time. I really dislike that the jazz classes don't buy costumes, I'd rather pay than have to make costumes! Her class is doing "I Feel Pretty" so we made a circle skirt, which didn't take long (I didn't do any work, a family friend made it for me since I was swamped this week). We all survived so that is one more thing down.

Until this morning I hadn't run since last Wednesday. I can't seem to find my run mojo. It seems to have disappeared a few weeks ago and has yet to make a reappearance. My next race is on the 4th of July, a 10k and I really need to get some miles in between now and then! I did get my butt on the treadmill this morning and eked out 2.5 miles. I'm planning to do sprints tomorrow.


I got a new super cute dress at Kohl's for $4.50! I love a great bargain! I got a camera case for $1 the same day and now I don't have to worry about the camera getting destroyed when it's in my purse. I love a bargain so this was a big deal for me!


Our washer died on Wednesday and I was freaked out!! Not having a washing machine in a house with six people is a big thing! Hubs came to the rescue and figured out the problem and fixed it for less than $100 (SCORE!!) in less than an hour! I usually do at least one load of laundry a day so I had a lot of catching up to do, but I'm almost there, only the sheets are left for the week and I'm not a huge fan of that anyway since bunk bed sheets are the devil!!


Picture catch up

My group of girls drinking sarsaparilla in Columbia

Big girls on their last day of school

Kindergarten graduate

Preschool graduate

Last day of school

"Fashion Barbies"

French Maid from Beauty and the Beast

"Be Our Guest"

Mom's Day

Mother's Day is today and I worked. It was a really nice day at work, there were tons and tons of people and they were all happy and nice, which is a rare thing and it was lovely!! After work I picked the girls up and we came home and I opened presents. The girls all made things for me, they were really sweet and wonderful! My mom also got me a gift from the girls, a new pair of Toms (since the ones hubs ordered for me didn't fit and were then back ordered). Hubs bought me yummy candy and a very sweet card. Then we had ice cream and cleaned out one of the girls closets (partially). Now we are relaxing and catching up on some tv.
Tomorrow it's back to moving my butt in the treadmill in the morning. It is going to be a VERY full week so I'm hoping to get through it all without losing my mind!

Three Things Thursday

1. I can't wait for the girls to be out of school! With the combination of all of the end of the year activities and the cost of the end of year activities and the cost of summer and fall activities that we have to pay for now we are going broke and running crazy! I'll be glad for the break that summer will bring!

2. The sink issue is not resolved! The dinner dishes are still sitting next to the sink that won't freaking drain. I am so done with the issues. Hopefully tomorrow we will get it fixed.

3. I don't think I'm running the half I was planning to this month. With the crazy running around and the aforementioned brokeness (just made that word up!) from all the kid activities I'm thinking it's a no go. I'm really ok with it too, I will be ready for the next one in the fall.

That's all I've got today.

Whiny whiny Wednesday

I'm super whiny today! So whiny I can hardly stand myself! My excuse is that I just started my period and I have horrible cramps and that is in addition to the sinus headache I have thanks to allergies that have been killing me for the last few days.
I slept in and didn't run or do any sort of exercise today, but I did run Sunday, Monday and Tuesday so I'm ok with taking a break. But, that doesn't excuse my horrible carb binge today, waaa!
This afternoon I was cleaning out some leftovers and dropped a huge chub of pork in the sink. Being lazy I just ran the disposal and promptly created a HUGE clog, which I only made worse by dumping drain-o on it. Hubs got it taken apart and while clearing the clog realized that there was a crack in the pipe (which makes me feel much less crazy because I kept thinking it was wet under there!!). Luckily he has a good friend who is a plumber so he is here right now at 9 pm replacing it. Yay!!

Sunday Catch All, with a new 5K PR!

It has been a fast week in our house, literally!

We will go back to Thursday for my catch up (since that's as far back as I can remember). It started off like a normal morning, getting everyone up and off. Then I climbed on the treadmill to do a nice long walk and then a short run. 20 minutes into my incline walk (and Law & Order: SVU) my calendar dinged at me, dentist in 1 hour!! Eek! My dentist's office is about 40 minutes away! So I rushed and got ready to go. I made it with 5 minutes to spare. I needed a filling because my tooth colored fillings are not standing up well to my teeth grinding while I sleep and they are getting fractured. The fractures mean lots of tooth sensitivity!! One is bad enough that it warranted a new filling. I HATE the numbing shot and the numb face, especially because that ALWAYS makes my face swell, so I went without and it was really no big deal.  I have to go back in 2 weeks to have another filling replaced.

That afternoon I took the two biggest girls to get some new sandals today and was SHOCKED when my big girl couldn't get a size 6.5 on her foot! So we had her sized and she's a 7.5 (remember this child is 10)!! OMG! She is going to have huge feet like her mama!! Then my buggy picked the most gaudy sandals ever!!

Friday flew by! Yesterday was the cancer run, the same race that was my first ever last year. I was feeling good and ready to run! I really wanted to get 26:xx. Of course my Garmin died about half a mile in (which it did last year too) so I ran on feel alone. I definitely need to work on running by feel because I suck at it!! I started off fast and then couldn't get my rhythm. I rounded the final corner and when I could see the clock it said 26:59, ugh!! I crossed the line at 27:07. I was so mad at myself for not pushing harder! I could have done it! I ended up 4th in my age group and don't feel horrible about my time, I just wish it were 8 seconds faster!! I didn't get any pictures so this is a naked post.

It's Tuesday and I'm tired!

Yesterday passed in a blur, I don't even know what I did besides go to work and feed the kids and go to bed. Today was crap in the morning, work, Open House at the big girls school and finally cake and ice cream for my birthday. Now I'm just pooped!!
You may have noticed that there is no mention of exercise or eating recently, that is because I've simply been lazy! I ran Monday and last Wednesday (although both were lazy ass half run/half walk). Then my eating has been abysmal!! Tomorrow I am going to start another Whole 30, I felt great and then I just got lazy and it was SO easy to backslide! I feel like a sloth!!
Here are the pictures in no particular order.

Officer Buggy

Buggy the Astronaut

Running littles

Birthday me

It's my birthday and I'll blog if I want to

I am 33 years old today!
It has been a great 3 days. Friday I went with my buggy to the Natural History Museum and the Science Center on a class field trip. It was tons of fun!
Then, I took the weekend off work and did lots of fun stuff with hubs. We went fishing yesterday morning, actually I read and got sun while he fished.
After we got off the water we drove down to Disneyland. We spent the day there today acting like kids. It was a ton of fun! It was weird to be there without the girls, but we had fun.
I'll be back tomorrow to post some pictures.

Paleo People Review

I was lucky enough to stumble onto a paleo blog (which I have been reading tons of lately!) that reviewed Paleo People's all natural grain less granolas and had a 10% off code for my own purchase. I decided to give it a go because I am a granola freak and have been trying other brands. These granolas are gluten and wheat free. They are filled with nuts, raisins, seeds, coconut, and honey.
Laura, the owner of Paleo People, was amazing to work with and shipped extremely fast!! I ordered to four pack so I got to try all four yummy flavors.
Cacao Nut - This flavor had cacao nibs and cacao powder added to it. It was yummy, but my least favorite flavor of the four, I enjoyed it, but could take or leave it.
Apple Crisp - This tasted like an apple crisp! So very yummy! I really enjoy this, it is the perfect snack!
Banana Nut - OMG I loved this! Especially mixed with a sliced banana and almond butter! This would be great with almond or coconut milk for morning cereal.
Cappuccino Crunch - This was my absolute favorite flavor!!! This is right up my alley with whole coffee beans mixed in! I loved it! This is the flavor I would pick if I could only pick one!!

Now Laura has given you this chance to try Paleo People's amazing granolas yourself with a 10% discount. Just use the code "give paleo a chance". If you do buy this and try it, let me know what you think!

Hot Hot Heat

It is so hot here! I am not ready for this. It was 99 degrees at noon. Despite the heat I spent a couple of hours reading to kids today at work. Reading out loud to kids is one of my very favorite things to do so this is one of the events I look forward to each year.
After that we had our 4-H mini member meeting and it was lots of fun watching all the little ones plant flowers and decorate the pots.
Tomorrow I will be back with a review of Paleo People grain less granola (spoiler, I adore it!!!)

Wednesday Whine

The last few days have been busy and great. Lots of plans, and none came to fruition! Hubs and I planned to go to dinner and a movie Sunday and ended up doing nothing because we were both tired. We planned to go to the Farmer's Market yesterday and didn't make it. There is just so much to get done and only half of it is really possible!!
I took the bug to the doctor yesterday because she's had a rash for over a week, to me it looked like hives (which I am prone to) and the pediatrician said it probably was that and some other type of skin rash combined. She's got some cream for the remaining patches and can't take scalding hot showers any more (she's the only one who is like me and wants her skin practically burned off in the shower!).
After the doctor for bug I came home and had a short run, just a couple of miles. Then, the highlight of my day, I went to the dentist because I have been having some tooth pain. Turns out it's not a new cavity, what a shock that was, it is two (of course it couldn't only be one) of my previous fillings that have fractured from my teeth grinding. I guess the tooth colored fillings are not very strong, so I'm getting two new silver fillings next week. What a fun way to spend my day off and a bunch of money!
Today my plan was to get out and get a nice 15 mile run in. I got the girls dropped off and came home and headed out. The first 3 miles were great, I felt good and my pace was good. Then the need to go to the bathroom hit and hit bad!! I had to go, I know this is TMI, but I'm so bummed, so badly I had to walk for about a half a mile. I got to a store and went and felt better for about a mile and then it hit AGAIN! So I made it home and I'm done! Just over 6 miles done. Blah!! Now I'm going to just shower and be a bum with my tummy ache.

Who Has 2 Thumbs and PRs on a Trail Run? This Mama!!

The trail run was amazing!! I LOVED it! I can't wait to do it again and I'm on the hunt for a 10K trail run! That being said the weather was not the runner's friend this morning!! It was nearly freezing, right about 40 degrees, super windy and SO MUDDY! Getting dirty wasn't the issue with the mud, it was the slipping! I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before, but I am CRAZY CLUMSY!! Like seriously a klutz!! AND, this wasn't just mud, it was mud mixed with cow pies, what fun to fall into. I didn't fall, but I ended up slowing down quite a few times to keep from falling, and twice I came VERY VERY close to going down. The trail was also so narrow in some places that passing was nearly impossible, unless I wanted to go out into the tall grass, but I was too afraid to twist an ankle to pass. It only happened twice, but I know that it slowed me down a bit. The poor people with my huffing butt behind them must have been annoyed (I am a loud breather!!).
I don't have any time breakdowns, because I pulled my best dork move and forgot to start my Garmin AGAIN (I also lost one of my Yurbuds covers for my headphones somewhere)! I think that not knowing how far I am into the race and my actual time might help, I only knew my pace at the second I looked down so I just pushed myself. I may try going naked for my 5K next month and just going all out!!
I finished and stood around freezing with everyone else, and then it started to rain (sideways because of the wind) but there was no way I was leaving because they had awesome door prizes and I needed to know my time. I didn't win a door prize (boo), but I did get third in my age group and a nice little 12 second PR! I got a nice medal and a baby Blue Oak to plant.

Before the race, entering the preserve

After the race - freezing, wet toes that don't

look as muddy as you'd expect

The beanie is not a great fashion statement,

but it did it's job!!

After I got back from the race I ran to the fairgrounds to see my big girl's 4-H projects. She got 1st on 2 of them and 2nd on the other. I'm so proud of her!!

She made that memory board from scratch!

Now I'm headed to lunch with a friend and then off to work!