Three Things Thursday

1. James' appointment at the peds neurologist was surprisingly anticlimactic. Yes, he's on the spectrum. Yes, we're doing everything we should at this point (except for continuing services through the summer - will work on that next year). Yes, who the hell knows how this will manifest itself in the future. Maybe he'll be "normal" (whatever THAT is) and maybe not. Here's an order for a chromosomal test which may or may not tell us anything.

I HATE how freaking gray autism is. Sucks. Sometimes black or white would be nice.

2. I had an absolutely LOVELY evening with Jenna yesterday. All she wanted for her birthday was to go to a real salon and get a mani-pedi and her hair done. So that's what we did, a bit early, so she can unveil her new look at the birthday party Saturday. It was so nice to just chill out with her, and her hair looks adorable. Seriously. Love.

3. My house is a freaking mess. Sometimes procrastination does NOT pay off. Gotta go!

More Surprises

Yesterday, after dropping off my oldest son at basketball camp for the week (*sniff*), I went to my sister's house to hang for the afternoon.

Have I told you recently how much I LOVE that I can do that?!?

So this morning, I was in full on procrastination mode. I stayed up too late waiting for my hubs to get home from his late meeting, and I couldn't get out of bed this morning. I hate that. I was wasting time on the computer. I can waste a LOT of time on the damn computer.

But.

Someone from the running club posted on our page.

She had a free entry code to the Chicago Rock-n-Roll half that she couldn't use.

"Up for grabs!" she said.

Oh HELL yeah!

I snatched that up! Before, I was super bummed to not be running it this year - it was my first half ever last year, but I couldn't afford it now.

But for FREE!!???!!

WAHOO!!

Sometimes procrastination pays off...

Who else is running it?

(expect lots of radio silence this week - I'm cool, but planning our annual kids' birthday bash for Saturday. I'll pop in when I can no longer stand the cleaning...)

TCM Training Week 5 (Along With A Winner!)

I seem to have skipped weeks 1 through 4, huh? They were mostly recovery weeks - I didn't worry for a whole month about getting in anything I didn't FEEL like getting in. It was nice. I DID get a decent long run in each week (week 2 was 6 miles, then 9 miles, and last week I ran a 10 miler) but outside of that, it was pretty laid back. So this was the first week I was back in "training" mode. Leave it to me to start up hard during a heat wave. Ugh.

Monday: rest

Tuesday: 5.5 hot miles (first 1+ with my girls) (average pace: 11:26)

Wednesday: rest

Thursday: 4.5 hot early morning miles (average pace: 10:57)

Friday: storm induced rest

Saturday: 4 hot miles (average pace: 10:32)

Sunday: 8.1 evening miles (average pace: 11:10)

Week total miles: 22.1 (it only goes UP from here...)

On to the WINNER! Random.org chose lucky number 2 which means Christy gets the gotein! Email me your info (bandthejs@yahoo.com) and I'll get it in the mail. Thanks for playing everyone!

Surprises

Lately, as I mentioned in my last post, I've been cranky. In a bit of a funk. Just feeling off.

Last night, it stormed like crazy madness starting at 3:55. My son immediately demanded my presence. My daughter joined soon after. When my husband checked up on us a bit later (after checking in with my older son, who is always a bit freaked out in a storm) I told him my alarm was going off in 10 minutes. At that point, I pretty much knew that there'd be no early morning run for me. *sigh*

James and I were up for good shortly after 7. Everyone else wandered slowly out one by one after that, with Jenna getting up just in time for lunch. It rained all morning (which we desperately needed, but I was still pouting about my missed run).

Just after Jenna woke up, the Fed Ex truck showed up and my doorbell rang. I hadn't ordered anything, so I was immediately curious. I thought maybemy nuun had finally shown up - I ordered it to arrive before Grandma's, and it got lost in USPS limbo somewhere. But when I looked at the box I knew that wasn't it. And when I looked at the return label from Allied Medal Displays I got all jumpy and excited. You see, I'd been lusting after these since I first saw one given away on a blog way back when. I try to enter every time I see them offered. I've yet to win one, but I've dropped lots of hints around my family about how awesome they are and how I totally NEED one.

Still, I had no clue who'd sent it. I tore into the box, to find the most KICK ASS display that says "ROCKSTAR" and a note! From Kim! Oh how I love surprises! Completely out of the blue and unexpected. It made my day, and I haven't stopped smiling. Here's a crappy picture - I'll post a better one when I hang it...

I adore it!! Seriously, it's such good quality, and so pretty. THANK YOU KIM!!!

And then! My nuun DID come in the mail. YAY! And strawberry lemonade is so so yummy!

And just like that, my outlook and attitude are better. And my family is happy because of it. Don't you just love surprises!? Happy Friday!

(BTW!! My Gotein Giveaway ends Monday, and your odds are excellent at this point!)

Thursday 13: Sometimes A List Is Easier...

1. Yesterday, my oldest son, Jack, turned 10. It's tough to believe that he's in double digits already. He had his last day of summer band, they had a little concert, he went to Harry Potter, we went to Red Robin for dinner, it was a good day. Love that kid...

2. I've been trying to write something coherent for a  good week now, but it seems I've lost my muse. I mean, how many times can I write "I ran?" It isn't like there's nothing happening - I just can't seem to find the words. Or the desire to type the words. Summer funk I guess...

3. Running has been similarly stale. I have a tough time getting motivated. It's fucking hot. I run. Sometimes. But not as often as I should. Blurgh.

4. BUT! On Tuesday BOTH my girls wanted to run with me. Yes, it was a gazillion degrees. Yes, I'd rather have gone later to beat the heat a little. But how could I turn that down? We got ready and headed out. Julia (who is almost 6 and a MAJOR whiner) and Jenna (who is almost 12) ran the first loop with me. It was 0.58 miles, and Julia ran most of it, not really melting down until the very end. We dropped her at home and ran it again. Jenna wanted to go to fast, and ended up with a cramp halfway through. I tried to explain the benefits of going slow at the start to her, but she still "thought" she should be running faster. We took a couple breaks, and sprinted to out driveway. I was so PROUD of them both! How COOL to be running with my girls?!?

5. After dropping my girls off, I ran sprinkler tangents for 4 more miles. Holy crap, it was hot. I must have crossed the same street 5 times just to hit every possible water source. I had to beg a kind woman washing her car for a handful of water because I had so much sweat in my eyes I could barely see. She took pity on me, thank goodness.

6. James has been on my last nerve lately. He actually asked me this morning if he could go to school today (hence, his problem). We have an appointment with a pediatric neurologist next week, to try to get to the root of things. We'll see - I am hopeful...

7. Is it time for school yet? Anyone else's kids trying to kill each other this summer?

8. Thank goodness for the pool. It has saved my sanity countless times. Seriously. And James jumps right in (with his life vest on) and swims around like a fish. So for the first time in YEARS I can swim with my kids without one of them attached to me. Bliss!

9. With all this heat, I am reminded constantly of how thankful I am that this is NOT the week we had no power. I think I'd have cried. For real.

10. We scheduled flooring for the basement. So now we have a deadline. Which is a good thing.

11. Money has for years and continues to be a constant source of stress for our family. Honestly, my funk lately is probably more related to money woes than anything else.

12. So when I got an email from a recruiter with a job I am ridiculously qualified for, I asked John and then threw my name into the ring. It scares the SHIT out of me, as the logistics of a full time job for me with 4 kids is mind-boggling.

13. BUT. This is a contract job. And I have to have a lot of flexibility to make it work. Otherwise, forget it. It isn't worth it. We'll see if they are willing to be flexible. I'll keep you posted...

Gotein Review and Giveaway

Like a gazillion other bloggers, I was contacted by Gotein to do a review of their product and a giveaway. I was thrilled to be offered the opportunity, as I had yet to discover a protein shake that I actually liked.

 For those of you who've yet to read about it or try it, Gotein is a single serve tube of protein powder that you mix into bottled water, shake and drink. It's convenient for use on the go. It comes in 3 different flavors (chocolate, vanilla and strawberry).

My review? Gotein IS convenient. It's easy to mix, easy to drink, and you can have it anywhere. All flavors are 110 calories or less and contain 16 or 17grams of protein. They are pretty low carb (6g or less) and vanilla and strawberry are gluten free.

I started with chocolate, which would normally be my favorite, but I ended up liking it the least. I moved on to strawberry, and last I tried the vanilla. They were all OK, to me. But that's coming from a girl who doesn't love protein shakes, so take it for what it's worth. They DID provide a quick easy recovery drink, and also a mid-afternoon way to curb my munching, keeping me full til dinner. I found that I needed to mix them a LOT and drink them as cold as possible to get the most enjoyment out of them.

So if you like protein shakes and are looking for something quick and easy to have on the go, Gotein is a good choice. It IS on the expensive side, but they have a convenience club on their facebook page here which can lower your cost.

If you are interested in trying it for yourself, here's your chance! You can win it! Just become a follower and leave me a comment. I'll choose a random winner on Monday 7/25.

Disclaimer: I was given the product to try for free, but the opinions expressed are my own.

So. Freaking. Behind.

So. I was officially without power from 8am Monday until 2pm Thursday. I was JUST starting to recover from the impromptu Minnesota visit for my Grandmother's service, so to say I'm a bit behind now is the understatement of the century.

I don't even know where to start.

Last Saturday was our semi-annual trek to the dentist. We still go where we used to live, so we all go on a Saturday morning and take over her office, which is about an hour and a half away. It was monumental that day, since James sat for his ENTIRE cleaning without hardly even fussing. I was over the moon! After that we met some old friends for a picnic in the park, and then all went for ice cream. It was an exhausting but SUPER fun day.

I had a lovely spur of the moment long run on Sunday. I wasn't even going to run (I totally thought I deserved a day to sleep in for once), but Kim tested me at 9:30 the night before asking me if I wanted to go. My husband laughed at me as I argued with myself (yes - out loud!) and texted her back saying I was in. For 9 miles. I hadn't run more than 6 since the marathon, and I'd eaten NOT like I was running long that day, so I had no clue how it'd go.

We met at 6am, since it was supposed to be a hot one, and it was so nice to chat with her. It'd have been even nicer if my stomach had decided to behave, but oh well. It was to be expected. I walked often the last 3 miles to avoid any unfortunate accidents, but it all ended up OK. Kim is always patient with me, thank goodness. It was a fun run, and I was home before anyone in my house was even awake. LOVED that. I spent the rest of the day in the pool. LOVED that too.

Then, Monday morning, the storm blew through. It was a scary, super quick storm, that turned my backyard upside down, picked up my huge gas grill, and tossed it on it's head 6 feet away like it was nothing. The power went out. Jack was screaming that it was a tornado, and I had to talk him down off the ledge. Trees and branches blew everywhere. After a couple hours, we bailed and went up to see my Dad. When we came back, John's Dad was busy hooking up our generator.

So basically, it was 4 days with no power. Monday sucked since it was 90 degrees outside. BUT. We had the food under control. Tuesday it cooled off beautifully, so much that we opened all the windows and went to the zoo. Wednesday night, I actually SHUT windows because I was cold (!!!). Other than everything getting dark at 9pm, and not being able to do laundry, we were fine. Sure it was a pain, but it could have been SO much worse. Some of my friends are still powerless. Our neighbors on both sides have huge trees in their yards. We are all just fine. It was in the grand scheme of things, a minor inconvenience.

But I'm REALLY behind. Time to catch up!

We Interupt This Broadcast...

I haven't had power or phone since 8am on freaking MONDAY.

I am a teeny bit frustrated with the whole situation.

I am ridiculously grateful that it cooled off so much yesterday.

I'll be back as soon as the lights go on :(

Miss you all...

Glossing Over Important Stuff So I Can Catch Up

I've been MIA, and I'm sure most of you guessed why, and you were probably correct. I've been trying for 2 days now to figure out how to put the past week in words, but really? Words can't do any of it justice.

I'm tired and uninspired, so I'm just going to lay it out here and then move on.

Saturday morning I set out on what was supposed to be a 6 miler. It sucked from the minute I set foot out the door, but I made myself give 3 miles before bailing. At 3 miles I was dying in the stifling heat, blaze on sun, and 95% humidity, I said eff this shit and ran home. It was early, but obviously not early enough - I should have gotten up sooner. Almost an hour later, I was still sweating buckets. Gross.

Right after getting back from the slog, my Mom called. They'd just seen my Grandma, and she was still breathing steady. She hadn't eaten or drank since Monday, so it was just a matter of time. I hung up, got in the shower, and then when I came downstairs, she called again. Grandma was gone.

I didn't know how I was supposed to feel. This was a recurring theme throughout my weekend. I was going to miss her like crazy. But I was happy that she got the death she wanted and chose. She died with dignity surrounded by love. Who can ask for more than that? So I honestly felt strangely when people offered me their sympathy.

We continued on with the plans we made for Saturday, and I waited til later to tell the kids what happened. (My oldest daughter has a lot of drama queen tendencies.) As is was, we just kind of eased into the conversation and it was all kind of just "there." In the meantime, we did a lot of this:

We had friends over, we grilled, we took down an entire watermelon, it was a great day. The only downside was James' face - I mistakenly put Jenna in charge of sunscreen. She did the best she could with a boy who fights everything. It turned out like this:

Poor kid - he had stripes and fingerprints and spots that were perfect and spots that were NOT. It didn't seem to bother him, but I felt bad (and so did Jenna).

Sunday there was no 4 mile race - instead it was a mess of packing and laundry and shopping for funeral clothes. But, I did manage to squeeze in one of my best 6 mile runs to date - what a difference a day makes. And Monday, we got up at the ass crack of dawn and headed towards Minnesota. After an uneventful (albeit WHINY courtesy of Julia) 7 and a half hours, we were checked in to our hotel. We chilled for an hour, changed clothes and cleaned up, and headed for the wake. Not exactly the typical 4th of July celebration, but that's the way it worked out. It was the first time in I can't remember how long that I missed fireworks.

We were back to the funeral home right away Tuesday morning, then processed to the church for mass. I was a pall bearer for the first time. Caskets with tiny ladies in them are still really heavy. I did a reading, Jenna did too, they tried to involve as many people in the mass as possible. My sister and my uncle did the eulogy. I cried a lot, but not out of control sobbing. It was perfect. We headed to the cemetary and then on to a luncheon. It was a GORGEOUS day. My children were OUTSTANDING. I was full up with love and sadness and pride and joy all at once.

After lunch my kids were getting to be less outstanding, understandably so, so we bailed.  Just before leaving, my Dad made me bawl uncontrollably. It was only once, and it was quick, but what he gave me touched my heart in an inexplicably momentous way. I am blessed.

More swimming. More sort of sleeping in a crowded unfamiliar place. More driving.

Back to laundry. Bla bla bla.

Back to normal.
But I'm still feeling a little sad and empty. Sorry if I'm a bit quiet - I'll catch up soon...

July!?! How The Hell Did That Happen So Fast? (Midyear Goal Check In)

I am copying from my January post, and addressing each one...here goes:

1. I already mentioned that I joined Tall Mom's 1000+ mile club. I really want to run MORE this year. I'm not quite ready for speed workouts yet, but I want to up my base mileage. When I told my husband this goal, he looked at me as if I had lost my mind - that's TWICE the mileage I did in 2010 - but if I do 2 marathons per the training schedule I have, and if I manage to stay injury free, this is very doable.
-June mileage was 69.16. That's way down from the past few months, but that's got my jacked up taper and my marathon recovery in there. Year total so far? 478.73 miles. I am SO going to run 1000 miles this year! AND I have been doing speedwork too :)

2. I want to lose 8 pounds this year. That will put me right at 150, which is a really good weight for me. I can do this by changing my diet up some more to include less junk food and more veggies and fruits. This will have the added benefit of helping my cholesterol improve.

-I am down another pound. Only 2 to go! AND my cholesterol is behaving nicely. WIN!

3. I want to run a marathon in UNDER 6 hours. This is also very doable. And if things go well, we'll talk 5:30.

-OH YES I DID!!! 5:02:28!!! We'll see if we can go sub-5 this Fall! (can you tell I'm still glowing about this? Ha!)

4. I want to be a better, more organized housekeeper. I suck at this. My plan is to pick 1 room a month to completely overhaul. That's manageable, in addition to keeping up better with day-to-day chores. I have a tendency to let things go til I can no longer stand it and then go crazy but do it all half-assed. If I can keep up, this will no longer happen.

-Sadly, I still suck at this. *sigh* Hoping that summer helps me get a better handle on this one.

5. I want to spend more one-on-one time with each of my kids. James gets a ton of me, but I need to give more to my other kids too.
-This has been going really well, and summer will only help...

6. MORE CROSSTRAINING. Seriously.

-Um, no. NEED TO FOCUS HERE.

So, I'm making good progress, but still have work to do. Getting there!