Fire Fiends

Just looked outside to see my children, minus Ireland, who have built a fire in our backyard. Looks like a great start to Christmas break.

Update..Went upstairs to make sure they had put it out per dad's instruction. They are all 3 gathered round and I ask Shem why they hadn't listened, he started defending the fire making frenzy explaining not only was Landon using proper scout protocol, but had his fireman chit! WT...
So I had to yell at them to put it out. Always the bad guy I tell ya.
Wow!

Fam

Family

Wipeout!

There is something magical about running before the sun comes up. There's just you, the pavement, the wind ripping the fall leaves from the branches of the nearby trees and in my case, my dog.
Now, I never believed it was good to run in the dark, but I was convinced when the sound of my feet against the pavement were a solitary sound added to the morning noises.
Imagine my surprise when this morning the sound of my feet against the pavement, weren't so much against the pavement, but very near and becoming one with the pavement. I felt myself trip on what I can only guess was uneven pavement, and start the long descent down. Of course it felt like forever as I tried to regain my balance and then thought for a moment, "you've got this" and then almost simultaneously, "give up already, you're going down." Well, needless to say, I gave up. Now I have a road rash, bruises, headache and a bruised ego as I slid along until rolling flat on my back and uttering an, "ugh." The dog was very supportive and did a great job in waiting it out with me in the intersection of what was thankfully two very slow streets.
I called Shem to come get me while I judged whether or not to finish, and now I think I'll go back to the old fashioned way of working out.......my treadmill!

It's Somethin'

Is this girl beautiful or what? I have to say with pure unadulterated brag, I have the most beautiful kids. Thank goodness for that when they are total stinkers!

I have been a little slacker with the whole blogger deal, but c'mon, who's got the time!?

Landon had his first dance right after school. That's right, a middle school dance where mom showed up and embarrassed the crud out of him, but by the time dad showed up to get him, he was in the center of a girl mosh pit and obviously wanted to stay.

Abby is hilarious! She has a reputation in school for being the only one who actually will be sarcastic back to the teachers when they are being silly with her. They tease and she gives it right back.

Then there's Ireland who declared, "You're a genius!" one day when I was able to successfully remove a splinter from her foot. I then turned around to put the splinter in the trash and knocked over a glass of water. She puts her head down and almost inaudibly says, "that's retarded". I said, "what?" and she looks up smiling and says, " I said I love you!" Smooth, but I'm onto you.

I have to say, the most funny thing out of Shem's mouth recently was today on the way to church when he said he got to help feed the homely next week!!

I know it was a slip of the tongue, but you know me and how easy it is to entertain me.

Looks like a lot of us are eligible for free food next week!

"I just kept running"

Landon and I ran our second 5k this year on July 17th. He was a little irritated this time and was not happy halfway through the race. The last one he finished around the 28 or 29 min mark, but this one he (once again left his mother in the dust when the gun went off) let me catch up to him. When he saw me coming, he kicked it up time after time and then gave up. I slowed and asked him if he wanted me to run with him kind of cringing at the idea, but he looked at me with a look so vicious and said, "no" very politely. I guess he thought he'd get me in the end.
I am not as humble as some other people I know, and so I have to say, I TOOK SECOND PLACE.
However, there are a few factors that MAY need to be considered here.

1. It was for my age group
2. It was a very small racing group
3. I'm pretty sure there weren't very many people behind me, especially in my age group.

Who cares! I'll take it! I am now the proud owner of a fake silver medal that says 2nd Place and then on the back says, "female, age 30-39", something about that takes away from a medal you know?

We are gearing up for the next one in Florence, needless to say, I think these sporadic 5k's are the only exercise I'm getting this year. 3 times in 3 months isn't bad, right.

Hailey opted out of this one, but all of the fam cheered me and a friend of mine (who raced her very first time on that day and did GREAT!) on from the back of the pickup. It was awesome! We goofed all day, and I have to say this is the most laid back and wonderful summer ever.

Runners Ure

July 4th. Landon, Hailey and I ran their first 5k. I ran it last year along with a few others, but this year the kids wanted in on the fun. It was sooo much fun. After spending the entire evening before at a double feature at the drive-in and getting home a little after 2am, we woke up to get to the race by 7:30am. I told the kids they could run as fast as they wanted to ahead of me, but that if they needed to rest, I would not leave them behind. Words that would make this the most painful/peaceful run I've ever had.
Landon took off and I never saw him again until we crossed paths while he was on his way to the finish. Hailey on the other hand (who, by the way has run with me before over 3.5miles) made it one mile and complained the entire rest of the way. I found us walking about 3/4 of the rest of the way. I finally had to bribe with running to the next street sign and walking to the next. I changed from "I won't leave you behind" to "We will not finish last, even behind the walkers!!" By the time we ended and she started hearing the random people who were cheering us on she was beginning to feel a little better and stopped complaining about her heart (which was near her right shoulder), her legs and even her feet. She remained ticked until we made it home and then she began feeling invincible. She and Landon played with their prizes of water bottles and cherished their running bibs and when Hailey said, "I can't wait till next year," I knew we would run a little more together beforehand.
We continued with parades, BBQ's and hanging with lots and lots of friends who didn't condemn us too much for inappropriate behavior on the sabbath. Landon also received 2nd degree burns that night from some fireworks I still cannot talk about. Not our fireworks, not our house, not self inflicted. He thinks it's cool. Mom is not impressed.