Running weekend

This weekend has been on the calendar since October when I signed up for the Shamrock Marathon.  I started training in December and each week have been crossing off another week of running. Brent and the kids would clean the house each weekend on my long runs. It was really nice to come into a clean house at the end and sit on the couch the rest of the day. I could not have done it without their support. 

 

The boys school did the final mile race again and Colin has been staying after school for the run club to practice.  He would run 4.5 miles each Tuesday and then an hour later go to basketball practice. 

I signed Norah up for the Leprechaun Dash (26.2 yards) and she wasn't so sure of all the crowds and especially the costume bear walking around. 

Ant Ant ran with Norah while Brent and Mary stood at the finish line and I took the boys to their starting point.  She cried the whole time.  But is very proud of her medal.

You can put tennis shoes on her but that doesn't mean she's going to run. (I'm sure she'd run the race where you get a Tifiny diamond necklace instead of a medal)

Colin finished second in his school.  He ran a 6.48 mile.  So fast.  So proud of him.  We weren't sure how Joel would do.  I told Colin to wait with Joel at the starting line but after they started he could just book it.  So Colin ran his heart out.  4,441 students plus all the teachers and parents running is overwhelming.  Joel doesn't like big crowds but he didn't want me to run with him so I took them to the starting line then went with Brent, Sarah and Mary to watch them cross the finish line.  So we saw Colin and then I was expecting to wait a while for Joel but less than two minutes later Joel came by.  He stopped and looked around when he heard us yelling (some friends from church who also go to our school were standing with us waiting for their daughter so there were a lot of people yelling his name)  He couldn't figure out who was yelling so he kept going.  And finished strong.  And I've never been prouder.  I had asked the principal a few weeks ago what happens if Joel freaks out and the PE teacher and other teachers were looking out for him but he finished well ahead of them.  Brent said it was his proudest moment of Joel.

He overcame his fear and did it and did it well! 

 

So proud of my little runners! 

 

Bethany and Kristopher came into town to watch me race.  It meant so much because they live in Maryland and drove all that way to watch me.  Bethany was going to run with me but got sick during training so deferred to next year.  Sarah stayed to watch me too. It was fun having my own cheering crowd and meant a lot that they were there for hours waiting to see me run by.  Mary and I were running Sunday morning she ran the half then I ran the full marathon. 

My cheering section.  They had to wait around for hours to see me at the halfway point and the finish line.  At one point I sent sarah a quick text at 20 miles that just said "20 dying" because at that point I knew I had gone out way too fast and wasn't sure I would make it to the end.

 But I made it.  And a lot faster than I thought I would. At one point I felt like I was running but not going anywhere. And every part of my body aches today.

Colin ran me in - literally. He had his hand on my back and everyone at the finish was yelling for him to run his momma in.  Colin wanted to stop and turn around but I told him if he stopped I would stop and he wasn't allowed to leave me!  He was embarrassed by all the people cheering for him so I held his hand.  And I cried when I crossed the finish line. All the weeks of training and all the work that went into it.  I was surprised how emotional I got.   I tried not to let Colin know so he didn't think he did something wrong by running with me but it was such a great moment. 

Sarah's always run a race then the following year she talks me into it.  First the 10k, then the half, now the full. I told her if she does an ultra or more she's on her own. 

Siblings

It's been years since Sarah, James, Mary and I have spent a whole day together. I think the last time was on our family vacation to massanutten almost 6 years ago. James has meetings all week so I drove up and met mom and dad and we picked up Sarah then met Mary and James in DC. 

I went back and forth about bringing the kids but the boys had just gotten back from their boys weekend and Colin actually threw up at school Friday in front of the whole cafeteria so they stayed home. And i love my kids and they would've loved seeing uncle opie but it was more relaxing and fun to have just the adults this trip. 

We walked around the monuments, ate and talked. 

Went into a few museums. 

It was so fun and also went way too fast. Next time we are hoping Angela and Isaiah can come too!

Hugs

It's just me and this sweet girl this weekend. Brent and the boys are off on their basketball boys weekend. 

Norah and I were playing in the fort she made.

Norah: I like Colin.

Norah: Colin gives me hugs. I like hugging Colin.

Me: do you like Joel?

Norah:

Norah:

Norah: Joel go to basketball game 

Hahaha! but she is missing both her boys and keeps asking today when her boys will be back so she can hug them both.

More snow

So last week wasn't normal. It started snowing Tuesday so schools were closed Wednesday. Then we got more snow Thursday. So maybe this week will be a full week of school? 

This girl is over the snow. 

Done. With. Snow.

One good thing with the snow sticking around is that I dont need to take ice baths after my long runs. I can just sit down in the snow instead! Brent laughed and took this picture but then he's never run for hours in 20 degree weather then come inside and taken an ice bath. Three more weeks until my race. 

more snow pictures

We had fun on our week off but glad to get back to normal this week.

 I asked them who wanted to go back to school and Joels hand shot up.  Such an answer to prayer that he loves school so much.  Colin was not excited to go back to school.  He had friends over a few days, went to another friends house to play one day and then all the sledding we did.  He would love another week off!

 Norah wants to go back to her class too (the library story time) I forgot to sign her up for the winter session and it filled up so now we are waiting a few more weeks to sign up for the spring session.  She prays every night at dinner for her library class.

 "Ice skating" races in the back yard.

she learned quick to just fall down and she would go sliding along the ice.  And then laughed the whole time. 

ICE ICE BABY

Well it snowed... then sleeted... then got above freezing.. then went to single digits ...so it ended up being an icy mess that turned our yard into an ice skating rink. I think we got about 3-4 inches of snow and then a few inches of ice after that.

But as my friend holly mentioned - it's been the spring break of February with a week off of school.

The ice made for some great sledding. We went the first day down to our neighborhood sledding hill and then the second day met some friends and went sledding on one of the golf courses. 

They didn't hit the tree :) We also had to teach what the word "bail" meant at the hill near the pond because they would sometimes end up almost in the pond. 

It also came in handy when the boys were at the golf course and all the kids piled onto a sled and went so far and fast they almost ended up on a busy road...a few moms and I were yelling bail out and stop!!! And thankfully they did. But while the boys thought it was awesome  I almost had a heart attack

Sweet girl just wanted to build Olaf but it's too icy 

The lazy icy days kept us inside most of the week and this girl is (I think it's safe to say) officially potty trained! We just went for it and she's even wearing underware all night and staying dry. She has yet to poop on the potty but is great at peeing. But I'll take it! The boys are funny with it - Joel has taken it upon himself to encourage and thinks he gets a piece of candy too each time she pees and has even made a chart for himself to check off for helping her and then when it's full he said he should get to pick out a Lego prize! Ha! Yesterday a few friends were over and one of the boys came to me and said "I just went potty" and then stood there smiling at me a few minutes until I understood and asked if he wanted to pick a piece of candy from our treat box! Haha this boy has been potty trained for 2 years! Haha but whatever keeps Norah going. 

One good thing about the ice days is the tired out kids from sledding and playing outside. They've been going out everyday for hours and it's fun to pull them around on our Boogy boards (beach kids sleds) on the ice and it wears them out: 

Hot chocolate milkshake...

We are all hoping for warmer weather and that this weekend the icy will melt. I think it's the first time in years the snow is still around and not melting right away. 

February beach days

We were all hoping for a big snow to come our way this winter...until today when it was a high of 68 and sunny. Now instead of snow we are wanting more days like today. 

The north can keep their snow...we love February beach days. 

Long six months

Sweet girl has had mrsa since August. 4 times and multiple boils lanced and drained. We've done everything, googled and read everything we could online. Hibiclense, bleach baths, essential oils, you name it we've tried it. It's not fun and also overwhelming at times. Our Peditrician in December recommended we see an infectious disease doctor since we can't seem to keep her from breaking out. The infectious disease dr said they couldn't see her until she had a boil ready to lance and drain. So we waited and unfortunately today took our sweet girl into the infectious disease doctor. 

I was more than a little freaked out by the infectious disease waiting room. Didn't want to pick up anything else. Joel walked out of the car with those white gloves. He wasn't taking any chances either. 

Joel was really funny today. After he got off the bus I told him we were taking Norah to the doctor today. He asked if the dr was going to pop Norah's butt and I said probably but not to tell Norah since she's now terrified of doctors (and rightly so) Joel said he didn't want to go and hear Norah scream (it's blood curling at times when we have to hold her down and they lance and squeeze) 

So we ate lunch then drove to chkd. On the way over Joel kept bringing up every possible thing Norah has committed against him. Remember when Norah took my piggy bank money and gave it to everyone else but me? Remember when Norah broke my Lego creation? And on and on...and on. The list lasted the whole drive over. Almost like he was justifying it in his head that Norah deserved what was coming to her at the dr office. Oh Joel! Made me laugh.  He even got this really cool truck set from the nurse. When Norah was screaming another nurse walked in and saw Joel in a corner with his hands over his ears and took him out with her and he came back with his toy. I'm pretty sure Joel is hoping we have to go back there for Norah soon. 

I was hoping for answers today and unfortunately walked out very discouraged. That doctor was not helpful. Add to it our insurance doesn't cover it and it's even more disappointing to pay a lot of money for nothing.  But she's on antibiotics again - a stronger dose and they lanced and drained two boils. I'm praying this is the last of it. The dr did say we need to get her fully potty trained and that will be harder I think than the boys. She was almost potty trained in August then when she broke out in boils it hurt her to sit down and it seems like right when she's ready to try again she breaks out in boils. Hopefully the motivation to not have any more boils work for her. I'm honestly not sure how much more I can take and can't imagine how awful Norah feels a each time. 

This was when I told her we were going home and no more doctor. She got a toy too. A teddy bear and frozen bracelets. But unlike Joel she doesn't think those are worth going through the lancing and draining 

Balloon game

We got this balloon game last Christmas and Colin and Norah love it. You push the sticks in and try not to be the one who pops the balloon. Joel runs from it. Last year he wouldn't be in the same room with it but he's getting braver and the other day actually played it. But with eyes closed, ear muffs and as far from the balloon as possible to still play. 

Tutus

When your Ant Ant comes to visit and brings her matching tutu...it's the best day ever for my tutu ballerina princess girl. 

If it's not going to snow bring on summer!