The Walk

So, I think that most of you know I recently walked the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure and all I can say is WOW. It was truly an incredible experience.

A group of my teammates and I drove to DC on Thursday. We arrived in time to enjoy some great pizza and a walk to Georgetown for a cupcake. We split one that night, and bought others to enjoy the next morning for our pre-walk breakfast.

Mmmm, cupcakes.

After a somewhat restless night for everyone, we got up early to catch our 5am shuttle that took us to the opening ceremony location. As soon as we checked in, I knew it would be emotional. The signs on people's backs in honor or memory, the opening ceremony itself, the survivors circling a flag of remembrance. I truly felt lucky that I had the ability to walk 60 miles. Throughout the next 3 days, I would often think that this was way easier than chemo. Or losing a breast. Or losing a loved one.

Our team at the opening ceremony.
(The guy with the pink beard behind us is actually not a part of our group!)

One of my favorite signs.

Then we walked. And walked. And walked some more. On Friday, we did 20.5 miles throughout D.C., even stopping for a moment as the Prime Minister of Jordan passed by us and his Secret Service made us stop. We headed into Georgetown, and made it to Maryland. All along the way, they have pit stops where you can grab a snack, refill your water bottle, stretch, use the porta-pottie, etc. The event logistics are amazing to me, and must take a dedicated staff and incredible volunteers. After we had walked on Friday, we were bussed to our campsite for the weekend ... a huge farm in Maryland.

Part of our row of tents, complete with appropriate decorations.

There we could pick up our luggage, set up our tent, enjoy a hot shower via mobile shower tractor trailer units, and eat dinner. One important note ... plastic utensils make steak very hard to eat, but I enjoyed every bite. The campsite has a 9pm lights out policy, but I think everyone is so tired by the point, it is an easy rule to enforce.

Saturday, our schedule was 24 miles and this time we actually started the walk to camp and no buses were involved. This day we stayed in Maryland and had great support from cheering sections, and also just people set up in parking lots. I almost cried at every large cheering station as the people are thanking you for walking for their Mom, Wife, Sister, etc.

This was one of our favorite cheerleaders and he was out on the course all weekend, cheering on his wife. She is a survivor and had done many Komen walks and was walking in 3 walks this year! Plus, he had chocolate and a cool wig.

On Saturday night, Nancy Brinker (Susan G. Komen's sister) who started the foundation in honor of her sister spoke and it was such an inspiration to hear her story. Again, lights out at 9pm and I found that chicken was easier to cut with plastic.

We were up at 5am on Sunday so we could take down our tents, put our bags in a truck, eat breakfast and hit the road. We were bussed to another area of Maryland and we walked to DC. The Dupont Circle cheering section was great and we got to see some of the sights ... complete with a walk past the White House.

Day 3, still smiling, and ready to go!

Our team nearing the end of Day 3, in front of the White House.

As we finished the walk, we were cheered on by crew members, volunteers, onlookers, other walkers ... you name it. There was music, cheering, clapping. It was incredible and emotional. Our team linked arms and came in together. We started together and that's the way we wanted to finish. Each and every one of us walked every single step and our feet showed it. Lots of blisters, but you literally could feel the strength of all of us combined.

We stayed in a holding area until all of the walkers were in, then we all lined up together to walk to the National Monument. This was exciting to have the entire 2,000+ people together since we had been spread out most of the weekend. The survivors followed us, wearing special pink tee shirts.

The closing ceremony was just as emotional as the opening, with good speakers, music, and of course the survivors raising a flag. One of our team members who is a survivor was asked to be on stage! Even though we couldn't see her from our point, we were thrilled that she got to have that special experience.

The one shoe salute for all of the survivors as they walked into the closing ceremony.

At lunch on Day 3, our team captain asked if someone offered to donate the amount that we had raised if we would walk again the next day, and I can definitely say that I would. I really felt like I had made a difference, and it was incredible to witness it. Individually, I raised over $2,800; our team raised nearly $27,000; and the D.C. walk raised $5.3 million. Incredible.

With our team captain and my tent roomie!

A huge thank you to my family and friends for their love and support throughout this amazing journey.

I'll be walking

and walking, and walking some more.

It's almost time to leave for the Susan G. Komen 3 day walk for the cure and I'm still amazed that it's here.

I was scared that I couldn't meet my fundraising goal, but I did.

I was scared that I wouldn't have time to train, but I did.

I've been amazed at the generosity of friends, family, and friends who I've never met, but have gotten to know through blogging who have supported me. Whether through financial donations, or through emails and talks, I know that I will be carrying the love of many people with me and that is why I know I can walk 60 miles.

Our team has raised a collective $26,000 for breast cancer research and community programs and I am inspired by each and every member.

I'm way behind on blogging, but promise to do a big post with photos and a recap when it's all over.

I will tell you know that my PINK LL Bean duffle is almost packed and I've probably never packed more pink clothes for one weekend in my whole entire life. See you next week!

Hey, is this thing on?

Yes, I'm really here ... just not here.

Life is good. I went to Portland, OR last week for a Junior League conference. Portland was great. We were able to squeeze in an epicurean walking tour of the city. If you go to Portland, please try the Pearl Bakery's fresh croissants and Hot Lip's pizza. Both were wonderful, in my book. The tour didn't take us there, but we did try VooDoo Doughnut. It's definitely a hole in the wall, but not my favorite doughnut ever. It probably is worth a visit to check out their off color menu options.

Also while I was there, I took two very scary public speaking workshops. I know they are good for me, but I don't know if they were good for my blood pressure.

So, I'm back from the trip and trying my hardest to get back on EST.

Lately, my life has been consumed with:

• Junior League meetings
• Work, and going through a merger
• More Junior League work
• Getting ready to walk 60! miles next weekend
• Pulling out pumpkins, witches, and ghosts ... oh my!
• Fun and adventures with two 2 year olds. The latest, a meltdown on the playground today because the swing that Libby wanted wasn't available. She had the choice to pick a new swing or go home, and when she practically threw herself on the ground, we decided to go home. I think I have officially become "that Mom" at preschool.
• Slightly obsessing over a pair of Dansko boots.
• A dead battery in my camera. I've heard it's cheaper to replace the camera, so I may be shopping tomorrow.
• A desperate need to buy shoes for my children.

That is all ... I'm around and checking your blogs, just ignoring my own. I promise I'll be back.

Disturbing

On so many levels.This is a picture of a shoebox with 6 sets of "princess" shoes that someone gave Maddy and Libby when their daughter outgrew it, but with 4 of Maddy and Libby's babies shoved into it. The princess shoes are disturbing enough, but the babies kind of creep me out ... especially when their are groupings of them and I look over and they are all staring at me. I find them in sporadic places around the house ... placed into plastic pitchers, sitting in the stroller, thrown down the steps, sitting in the high chair, shoved in shoes boxes, etc. You get the idea.

I always loved my dolls growing up, especially Xavier Roberts adoption dolls and Cabbage Patch Kids, but the amount of dolls that M&L have been given this year is getting a little out of hand. It almost reminds me from the scene in Sex and the City when Stanford is dating the guy with the crazy doll collection and they have to take them all off the bed and carefully place them around the room before getting down to business.

Just hoping that 10 dolls don't turn into 100.

Oh, and yes, all of our dolls are twins. Keepin' it real.

Brain Dump

I had a college professor who would assign free-writing assignments every week. You were to open your notebook and just write whatever was on your mind. It was a great way to just start writing or get over writer's block. From all the gibberish, there were usually a couple of good topics to develop.

Some days, I feel like I need to do this, but I usually can't even wrap my head around what I want to say.

This week would be a little like this ...

• A collective 18 miles (ran 6, walked 12) = longest distance I've ever done in one day.
• Extra 5 pounds from all the crap I think I can eat when I move my body 18 miles in one day.
• Dialing for dollars.
• Overdue highlights.
• Overdue pedicure.
• Need to pack
• I was "that" Mom carrying two screaming toddlers down the sidewalk at school. I really hate being that Mom. I will admit that I probably showed my ass by raising my voice, but it makes me crazy when I have no control over 2 little girls who are running into a parking lot. Not cool.
• Dog hair.
• Need clothes, but don't want to shop.
• Self control
• Looking forward to movie night with the girls.
• Mom's radiation is over. Big hurray! Now, one more monthly medication/treatment until April to worry about.
• My Meme's house sold yesterday. This is where my Mom grew up and where some of my first memories are from. Sad that I wasn't there to say goodbye.
• Who knew that when your BlackBerry goes crazy, the Verizon guy will just tell you to take out the battery and reinsert.
• Invisalign.
• Money Trees.
• I have to walk 60 miles in 3 weeks!
• Pumpkins
• Recipes, and Weight Watchers
• Big girls forming cognitive thoughts ~ Libby, while pointing to her leg. "Boo-boo." Me: "Yes, you do have a boo-boo." Libby: "I fall down."
• Down pillows, down comforter, and a fan. Night, night.

Mad Men

Are you watching?

I am and I will admit that it is all over the place this season, but when Henry rammed his car into Don's boxes that had been left in the garage, I thought about what an unclassy thing it was to do, but how good it must have felt.

But, Don still had the last laugh as he put the unopened boxes straight into the dumpster.

I fell asleep before the last 5 minutes were finished, so I need to go back and find out if Don's 2nd date ended as surprising as his 1st.

Where were you?

I know for most Americans, including myself, 9-11 is still such a negative number. I think I will always remember where I was, what I did, and how I felt on that day. I can only liken it to the Space Shuttle disaster that happened when I was young, or how my parents must have felt when JFK was shot.

I was the Marketing Director for a shopping center and was sitting at my desk checking email. Since we actually worked in the mall, we had Muzak piped into our offices, but I always turned on my radio so I could listen to music, news, or CD's.

The DJ's came back on and started reporting this horrible news that didn't even sound real. A plane crashed into one of the Twin Towers?! What? I ran into our conference room where we had a TV and told our Secretary to come in. We told everyone in our office to come watch what was happening, and while we were watching the news, everything just started unfolding around us. 2 more planes, and a slew of footage that is still haunting to me.

I called my then boyfriend at the time and asked if he had checked on a friend who lived in DC, and luckily everything was fine. His friend worked near the Pentagon, and ex boyfriend had just moved from DC, so it was more than a little surreal.

Malls are notorious for never closing because they don't want to lose the sales, but we quickly heard from our home office that they would be closing all of their shopping centers across the country.

I just remember driving home thinking that something else was going to happen and wondering what would be next. I had serious doubts that any of us on US soil would wake up the next day and I don't think I've ever felt fear like that before.

Thank you to the men and women who fight to protect our country every day, and to the men and women who lost their lives that day, we will never forget.

Preschool!

There are some days that I still can't believe that I am the mother of two 2-year-olds. Seriously, someone tell me how this happened.

Ok, ok, I know how it happened, but someone please tell me where the time has gone.

Maddy and Libby started their 2 year old preschool class on Tuesday. I really love their teachers ... no nonsense, laid back, loving, fun, and kind. Since they are on the ease in schedule, on a couple of days, we've been able to go to the playground for an hour after school and play until it's time for lunch.

There is so much more structure than their last class and I really think it's good for them. Libby was already showing me where they line up to go outside and promptly hopped on the circle. Today, she was bringer of snack and got to stand on the star, so I'm sure she was thrilled over that.

I thought they grew up and learned so much last year, so I can only imagine what this year will hold.
Sigh. My babies are growing up.

Half #3 by the numbers

Hours it took to drive to Virginia Beach ... almost 5.


Hours it took before we actually got on the road to leave ... almost 4.


Trips to the Doctor before we got on the road ... 1.


Trips to Rite-Aid once we made it to Virginia Beach ... 2.


Trips to the half marathon Expo ... 2.


Number of running t-shirts purchased ... 2.


Meals that consisted of carbs ... too many to count!


Race Day wake up time ... 4:15am.


Pots of coffee on race day for our group ... only 1.


Number of runners who were ready to get out of our cars and yell at the nice policeman who almost wouldn't let us out of the neighborhood to drive to the start because our road was supposed to be closed for traffic at 4:30 am ... 15!


Number of policeman who decided he didn't want to deal with 15 women ... 1.


Porta pottie trips pre-race ... 2.


Number of Elvis' seen at the race ... 3.


Number of pace bands worn for the race ... 2.


Number of times on the pace bands that I actually hit ... 0.


Number of miles that I felt good ... 4. (Miles 1-4)


Number of miles that I had leg cramps ... 4. (Miles 9-13)


Finishing time of the day ... 2:21.


Number of minutes faster than last year ... 6.


Number of minutes slower than my typical training runs this summer ... 6.


Number of ice cream cones eaten post race ... 1. (Best hot day, post run treat ever!)


Number of naps taken over the weekend ... 3. (Two short ones by the pool, one decent one inside with the fan.)


So, all in all, it was an OK race. I did beat last year's time, but the leg cramps? Who knows!? All I know is when the 2:15 pacing group passed me and I could only stay with them for a few minutes, I knew I was in trouble. I think it mentally defeated me and I slowed down. I tried to speed up towards the end, but just didn't feel like I had it in me and I couldn't seem to get rid of the cramps ... I ate, I drank, I stopped and stretched on a curb, but nothing helped until I stopped running.

I also think that any of the Rock & Roll races are well done. This is my 3rd that I've participated in and you can always count on a good course with lots of support, a big expo with lots of great vendors, bands and entertainment, and good after race supplies (Va. Beach has icy towels, popsicles, water, and Cytomax at the finish, along with bananas, a food bag, and of course your medal.

About half of our group had PR's and the other half wasn't overly excited about our times, but we did it and that's the important thing.

Now to really figure what races will be numbers 4 and 5 this year!

Run, run, fun

We leave tomorrow for our big race. It's really hard to believe that we've been training for 16 weeks ... 334 training miles that included a 13 miler and 15 miler, plus a lot of miles in between, with the majority of those miles starting at 5:30 am. Lots of those miles included some great conversations, some good songs on the iPod, a few blisters, one not so fun run with a surprise porta pottie visit (Thank, God.), some brutal hills, some familiar trails, a love of running that has grown, and even a few sub 10 minute miles.

The heat and humidity has been brutal all summer, so hopefully it will pay off when we're running at the beach. We've been keeping an eye on Hurricane Earl, decided to delay our departure by a day, and hopefully we will arrive to sunny skies and nice ocean breezes.

Here's to my 3rd half marathon of 2010 and not worrying about #4 and #5 for at least a couple of days!

Cubbies, stars, and weather bears ... oh my!

Maddy and Libby are starting in the 2 year old preschool class next week and last night was the parent orientation.

Wow, what a big difference from their last room. We have cubbies, colors and shapes of the month, leaders of the day (with a star to stand on and the weather bear to dress!), Dixie cups to drink out of, a potty!, and no high chairs to be found.

I've heard great things about their teachers, and they seemed great. Full of energy, but also with a laid back attitude - probably perfect for 2's. I can't wait to see how much Maddy and Libby will learn and grow this year. We were sad to see that their last class was separated with many of the kids going to the Older Toddlers because they hadn't yet turned 2. We do have 2 little girls that they knew last year, and a set of boy/girl twins that will also be in the class.

Today, is the orientation for the children, so I'm hopeful that they will be as excited as I am!

Stubborn

So, in March, I put this goal out to the internet of running 5 half marathons this year. So far, I've run two and my third is this weekend.

It's the 4th and 5th that are wreaking havoc on my life and turning me into an obsessed woman.

I've been planning on running a local half marathon in October, but the clincher is that it's the weekend after the Susan G. Komen 3-day walk. When I talked to my running coach about it, she said absolutely no way should I run it.

I have found two other half's that are nearby, they are both Sept. 18, and both look pretty hard. (One goes up a mountain, and the other is in the mountains/foothills of NC ~ described as "mainly flat, but remember that we are in the mountains.") Also, I'm debating if should I really run another one that close to the Virginia Beach half. Or, I can look at it that I'll still be in half marathon shape, and should just go for it!

Of course, I have no idea how I'll feel after the Komen walk, or what kind of blisters I could have, so I'm tempted to go with one of the September races so I can get #4 out of the way, but I like the idea of having a little more time in between races. I have found 2 choices in December that will work with my schedule, so hopefully that should take care of #5. What to do, what to do?

Anyone walked a 60 mile/3 day event before, then run a half marathon the next weekend? I don't want to get injured or do something stupid, but I've also realized that I'm more stubborn than I thought and really want to make this goal a reality this year.

Moving to the country, I'm gonna eat a lot of peaches

Peaches have been so good this season ... it really doesn't seem to matter where you buy them. Farm stand on the road, farmers market, Harris Teeter, or even (gasp) Wal*Mart.

I really love to eat them with my cereal, and my cousin gave me a handy-dandy peach pitter and slicer from Williams-Sonoma. This thing works like a charm unless you have an overly ripe peach, and then you get a big, squishy mess.

I think I may tend to like a little cereal with my peach as witnessed this morning.

Wednesday Ramblings

Oh, my posts just keep getting fewer and further between.

So, here are today's rambling thoughts ...

1. I surpassed my minimum fundraising goal for my upcoming Komen 3-Day walk. My latest donation pushed me over the $2300 mark! So excited that the "hard" part is done ... now to walk 60 miles!
2. I lost my third toenail of the year. It's always the same toenail that I lose and I just went up another half size on my shoes. I can't figure out what is causing it. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the toe"nail" underneath is a pinkish shade, so it almost matches the rest of my painted toes.
3. I started this blog almost 4 years ago! Can you believe it. Here's my very first post. Obviously, I had no idea what I was doing back then either. It's funny that some things remain the same ... Hubby's still cooking dinner, we're still running, Zeus and Zoe are still around, and I'm still volunteering with the Junior League.
4. My Mom cracked me up today. By the way, she is doing well ... she's done with chemo, is now halfway through radiation, and will continue to receive another anti-cancer drug every three weeks until April. I believe that she will do another scan after the radiation to check things out. Oh, and how she cracked me up ... She told me that her hair was coming back, but unfortunately her facial hair was coming back as well. Nice and coarse, Mom told me. She's always made me promise that I won't leave her in a retirement home with whiskers coming out of her chin.
5. I had my mammogram yesterday and talked with my OB about a lot of different things ... possibly having genetic testing to see if my Mom had the Braca gene and possibly passed it on. It is the gene for breast or ovarian cancer. That is something that I'm not even able to wrap my head around and think about right now.
6. Note to self: When you eat cake three nights in a row, and Feeney's twice in one weekend, and you hop on the scale on Monday morning, don't question where the extra 4 pounds came from. Apparently running 15 miles DOESN'T give you the ability to eat anything you want!
7. Oh, I found blue crayon marks on the sofa. Joy. Thank God for washable crayons and washable slipcovers. Too bad it's on the body of the sofa, so the whole big slipcover is going to have to come off.

15 miles and Feeney's

Well, I did it. My half marathon plan called for 13 miles on Saturday, but there were several people who were going up to 15 and I wanted to see if I could do it and I did it. 15 miles ... whoo-hoo!

It was actually a very good run, with the exception of the last mile or so. Someone told me that your body wouldn't know how to react once you went past 13 (or whatever mileage is your highest) and that was true. I could feel myself slowing down and really had to think about what I was doing so I wouldn't get sloppy. But, I did it and felt pretty good.

I was surprised at how quickly the miles went by. We got to mile 7, then to 10, and it hit me that I was really going to do 15.

My Garmin froze at 11.66 miles, so that stunk, because I'm a little OCD about using the Garmin for miles/pace, etc. My time kept going, but no pace and no distance. The guy who I ran with had the same problem, but he was able to restart his so that made me happy.

Now, it's taper time and in 2 weeks, race day. Wow.

I also discovered another new love ... Feeney's frozen yogurt. A self serve froyo bar with lots of yummy fresh fruit, chocolate candies, gummy worms, sprinkles, sauces, etc,etc. So, so good. Great flavors and let's just say that I was worried my cup was going to cost $18 (you pay by the ounce), but luckily it didn't. Here's to hoping that $3.50 isn't bad. I am glad that it's not too close to my house, but I can definitely tell that this may be my new addiction. Yum.

ending with cake

Yesterday, I worked, came home and did Mom duties until 6:30, then went to a meeting at 7pm that lasted until after 11. So, I got home around 11:30, read for a few minutes and tried to go to sleep as quickly as possible.


I woke up about 5:15 to walk 5 miles with some teammates at 5:45, came home at 7am, showered and got ready for work. I worked, came home and did Mom duties, and did enjoy 30 minutes of light dozing while Hubby read books and played with Maddy and Libby.


I am exhausted and ready for bed. It's only 8:34 PM. Plus, I have to get up a little before 5 to meet my running girls for 6 miles at 5:30. This is the point in the training that I am over it ... especially these early morning runs 3 days a week.


But do you know one good thing? Both days ended with cake. Yummy cream cheese frosting, strawberry filled cake. Carb loading, right!?
More days should include cake.

Proud parent

I'm so proud of my girls and their different accomplishments ...

Maddy has gone to the bathroom on the potty for two nights in a row. Yeah, Maddy!

Libby has been counting to 10, usually missing the number 6, but she gets the rest. Yeah, Libby!

It's funny ... I don't think Maddy has any idea what she has done, even when we applaud and basically act like idiots over her achievement. However, Libby, while sitting on her potty tonight, pointed to the other potty and said "Sister potty." Then, she clapped.

A little look

After I get home from running on Saturday mornings, Maddy loves to put on my socks. Kind of gross, but it's so cute to see my ankle-length socks come up her calves. Yesterday, she put on both my socks and shoes. A future runner, perhaps?

When I'm lucky, Libby and Maddy will give kisses. I was just surprised to see that they would give one to each other. I guess it doesn't matter that 3 hours earlier, they were probably biting each other.

Growing up

I know I've said this a thousand times and you all are sick of hearing it, but some days, I just can't believe that my babies are growing up. I swear they change overnight.

For instance, Libby has counted to four recently. On her own, not with me badgering her. She had placed 4 bathtub rings on her arm and as she took them off, she counted "1-2-3-4." They can both count higher if you ask them to repeat, but I was surprised that she did it on her own. She counted "1-2-3" as she walked up 3 steps tonight.

Also hearing them put together little sentences just amazes me. "Libby, shoes, outside." or "Here Mama, shoes." Maybe my girls are still a little obsessed with shoes!

It's been fun to see them start to pretend play more. Lately, they have been blowing bubbles with their spoons, making dinner in their pots and pans and looking for someone to sample their creation, and mothering their baby dolls.

While they can be very sweet to each other, they can also be quite mean. The sweet things have been patting each other backs, bringing one another blankies, doll, etc. Some of the mean times have included biting and pinching, so both of them have been spending some minutes in the time out chair. Once when Libby was in the time out chair for biting, Maddy brought her a toy. Think she'll be our sensitive child?

Enough rambling and sorry for no photos ... I need to charge camera batteries and maybe I'll get around to posting on a regular basis soon!

You know you're training for a half-marathon & Komen 3 Day Walk for the Cure when ...

You do more laundry of running clothes than anything else.

You seriously analyze which Gu flavor tastes the best, and make sure you stock up on them.

You don't think twice about having conversations about blisters, icing, foam rollers, Body Glide, port-a-potties, chafing, or calf stretches.

6 miles doesn't seem like that long anymore.

Your favorite pre-long run dinner is something with pasta.

You give strangers your opinion of the hand held water bottles in REI, without them asking.

Your latest shoe purchase are running shoes, and not cute sandals.

You just spent $17 on socks, but if you don't get blisters, then it's all worth it.

I had no idea

Did you know that SPANX made t-shirts for men? I guess they need to feel sucked in and smooth, just like we do.

I think I need a full body SPANX suit today. I don't think I'm helping matters that during the week I've eaten fried dill pickles and tater tots. Two different meals, but still.

I will have to say that the dill pickles were so worth it, and I'm glad that I'm running 11 miles tomorrow. I can't believe that my 3rd half marathon of the year will be here in just a few weeks. These hot temperatures haven't made training any fun at all and who knows how hot it will be at Virginia Beach for the actual event.

I have been using the Frogg Togg chilly pad and they are pretty amazing. They come in a big square and I've cut them in smaller pieces to carry with me. I've also been filling my water bottle about halfway, then freezing it overnight. Then, I fill it the rest of the way in the morning. Too bad that it didn't last as long as I had imagined, but at least the water stayed cold and not lukewarm like it typically does.

Happy Friday, everyone.

Movin'

We're moving to NYC ... Ok, ok, not really, but we'll be living there for 5 days this fall. Does that count? Yeah, probably not, but I'm pretending.

Hubby is running the NYC marathon again this year and we decided to make a little vacation of it since it's also near the time of our five year anniversary.

We were looking at hotels, debating if we wanted to return to where we stayed last year, and on a whim, decided to look at vbro.com

We've used vbro in the past and have had good experiences. Once, we rented a neat architect's home in Key West, and another time we stayed in a condo at Wrightsville Beach. We found two apartments that we liked and found out yesterday that the one we really wanted was available.

It's kind of exciting to feel like you're actually living in that location and not just visiting. We'll have a doorman, a great city view, 2 blocks from Central Park, close to the museums, shopping, etc. Plus, who doesn't love drinking coffee at "home" each morning, as opposed to dropping $10 each morning at Starbucks. Maybe I'll be like the scrunchie girl from Sex in the City who thinks that Carrie and Berger actually believes she lives in NYC.

Random Monday Ramblings

• I've run 500 miles so far this year. My total for 2009 was a little over 500, so it feels pretty good to beat that already. Not sure if I'll make it to 1,000 ... I'll have to get in some serious miles in the next 5 months to do so.
  
• I was starving this morning when I got to the grocery, so I did the trick that I see parents do for their kids all the time. I found a snack (Luna Blueberry Bliss bar), opened her up, and inhaled it. I saved my wrapper and gave it to the check out person who looked at me a little oddly. I felt like she was going to tell me, "You know, you could have shoved that wrapper in your purse and we would have never known."
• When I was leaving the grocery, I had a man ask for 80 cents for the bus and he would unload my groceries for me. I had exactly no cash money on me, so I had to tell him no. Not that I would have let him unload my groceries for me, but I might have been willing to give him a little change. How sad is it that I didn't have 80 cents? Do you think bus fair is really 80 cents, or I wonder in the land of begging for money, if people are more likely to give you a dollar if you ask for less. I'm sure there is an art to the salesmanship of it.
  

Learning to deal with independent twin toddlers. Alternate title: Trying not to lose my sh*t.

Currently, Maddy and Libby go to preschool 3 mornings a week and they absolutely love it. For the past month, we have been walking to and from the car to the classroom instead of using their stroller. I know this may not sound like a big deal, but when you have two little ones to get out of the car, up the stairs, past the playground, into the church, down the hall, and into the classroom, it can sometimes be a challenge.

Mornings are usually a piece of cake. They will wait on the sidewalk for me, they don't pay attention to the playground, and they typically walk right to their room. OK, sometimes Maddy wants to push the stroller by the crib room, but typically we are OK.

Afternoons are a whole other world. At first, they were OK. Then, they wanted on the playground, so I started going another way. Then, they wanted to check out other hallways. Then, they wanted to climb into the bye-bye buggies that were in the hallway. Then, they wanted to sit in the little chair outside the school director's door. Then, they would refuse to walk to the door and I would end up carrying screaming children (often with the help of a teacher, or school director) to the car.

Today, on the last day of school, 3 bye-bye buggies were parked outside of their classroom. I cringed. I brought the stroller today, because I knew we would have extra items to carry (leftover diapers, emergency clothes, etc), so I thought maybe I would be alright.

Of course, they both end up sitting in the buggies and whenever I would tell them that it was time to go, or actually pick them up, I was met with a screeching toddler, yelling "Nooooooo!" I finally just ignored the screaming, told them it was time to go, and had to force them into their stroller. Of course, they splayed their legs and arms out making this difficult so I really felt bad pushing them into their seats. Two other Moms tried to help out, but it was really just a nightmare.

I ended up carrying Libby, while pushing Maddy in the stroller, both were sniffing from crying, and I was hot and flustered from everything.

So, what is the solution? You want them to become independent and it's hard to tell them not to climb in the buggy when it's something they do every day. At 2, do they really know the difference? Or do they know the difference, and just know that they have the upper hand? We are usually on a schedule in the afternoons and I have to be back at work, so I don't have time just to let them play for a few minutes. Should I start looking for books on raising headstrong children, or how not to get pushed around by your toddler, invest in the back pack leashes, or just result to dragging them down the hallway?

We have a month to come up with a good solution since school is out until after Labor Day. So, readers ... get to work so I'm not known as "that Mom" at the preschool.

grilled cheese

I made grilled cheese sandwiches for Maddy and Libby tonight and all of a sudden, I was thinking about fall and everything that I love about it.


Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for dinners, cool fall days with enough sun to warm your face, pumpkins, fall festivals, glasses of red wine, leaves on the ground, my favorite Japanese maple tree turning fiery red in our backyard, sitting outside on patios during those perfect days where it's warm, but not too warm to sit outside, bonfires and sharing meals with friends, hayrides, scarves around your neck, the perfect long sleeve white tee shirt, those days where you can still wear shorts, opening the windows and letting fresh air in your home, running on a crisp fall morning, hiking in the mountains, cuddled up and reading a book under a blanket, hot apple cider, the anticipation of Halloween and hearing the laughter of children in the neighborhood, watching college campuses come to life, wearing your favorite boots for the first time, needing a sweatshirt on a cool morning, feeling the warmth of a coffee cup in between your hands.


Then I stepped outside and it was still hot and humid, so I calmly shut the door and went back into the air-conditioning.

Sigh.

I love fall, but as I re-read my list, everything is about food or clothes. Oh well.

Irony, or my karma is shot.

We aren't potty training Maddy and Libby yet, but I did pick up two potties and decided to keep them out in the bathroom. I thought we could ask them before going to bed, before a bath, if they'd like to try to go. Lately, both Maddy and Libby will remove their diapers and bring them to us. Sometimes wet, sometimes dry. I'm not sure if they are doing this because they have new babies whose diapers comes off, or if they just wanted a new one, or just want to drive us crazy.

So on Saturday, it was bath night and we asked them if they wanted to sit on the potty. Maddy sat on it for a few minutes, but nothing happened. We asked Libby and she immediately said "no." As soon as she stepped in the tub, she did go potty. Hubby and I just laughed. We went ahead and gave them a bath ... I figure it was probably mostly water anyway, right?

So, we were nearly through with their bath and all of a sudden, I hear Hubby say "Shit." Literally. Someone had pooped in the tub.

Who needs a potty when you have a big ol' bathtub?

Clean livin'

We've been trying to eat healthier, more local, and a bit cleaner/less processed here at the D. household. By no means are we perfect ... Goldfish crackers still invade on a weekly basis and I'm not sure who eats more of them. I love supporting the local farmers at our farmers market, plus the produce is so much better than what we can find at our grocery stores. I really don't think I can buy eggs at the grocery store ever again, because the quality of the local/farm-fresh is so much better.

I tried to bring this style of eating into my running fuel. I find myself needing a little boost on longer runs and I've always used Gu products before. Same with post-run, there's nothing like an ice-cold cup of Gatorade to quench your thirst.

I was at my local running store and picked up some Stingers. These are organic, made with honey, energy chews. I liked the taste and the texture, but they just didn't seem to give me the extra "boost" that the Gu Chomps do. I think I was missing the caffeine. I'll definitely try them again and see if maybe I need to eat more of them than I do with the Chomps.

I think my biggest fail was the natural sports drink I heard about from one of my running buddies. It's called Recharge and was available to Earth Fare, our "healthy" grocery store. She had actually found it for a $1/bottle at Big Lots so I stopped by to pick up a few. Yuck. Not good and I'm definitely not giving up my sugar laden Gatorade for this. Has anyone else tried it? Do you have any good sports drinks that you would recommend? I know that Gatorade is supposed to be the Kool-Aid of Sports drinks and while (I think) it tastes good, I don't know if it's doing anything to replenish me after a long run.

So, as I prepare for 10 miles tomorrow, I'm packing my bag with Gu Chomps and sticking a bottle of G2 Gatorade in the fridge.

Little Gym and discovering orifices

I decided to try out Little Gym today with Maddy and Libby. They had a good time even though they didn't come to the red mat and introduce themselves like all the other kiddies. Mine were too busy playing on all the equipment leaving me to sing "Twinkle Twinkle" by myself. They had a good time and I think they could really get into it after they learned the ropes a bit more. Some of the kids there were totally fearless and you could tell that they had been coming for a while.

It worked out that Hubby could meet us for lunch and we decided to get pizza at Cici's. Yep, it's cheap, but I will say that those people are working hard, the store had a 100.5 health code rating, and they are constantly asking if you need anything. Not too shabby even if the pizza is just OK. Maddy and Libby loved the pineapple, pasta, and breadsticks so everyone left happy.

While we were there, we looked over to see Maddy with a finger up her nose. Then, Libby stuck hers in her nose. While Hubby and I tried hard not to laugh, we just couldn't help it. Of course, they thought this was hilarious and refused to remove their fingers. I almost took a picture, but I decided against as I didn't want to encourage them anymore. Their interaction and "teamwork" always makes me laugh and scares me a little. I have a feeling I'll be doing whatever they demand in a few years when they tag-team me.

A few more questions

I have a few more questions to answer, but I wanted to take a break to ask if anyone else has seen the amazing looking strawberry layer cake in the current issue of Martha Stewart Living? I can't find the recipe online, but I may have to post this deliciousness.

If I can really get serious and make this sucker, that would be even better. Too bad Martha didn't include it in last month's magazine when our fresh strawberries were really at their best.

They also have a frozen peanut butter/banana/graham cracker recipe that looks wonderful, too.

Can you tell I'm entering higher mileage in my training and all I want to do is eat? I really can't believe that it's almost time for my 3rd half marathon of the year in about 7 weeks. How did that happen?

Answering ... high school, college, and how I ended up here

Emily asked what high school and college were like for me. This is feeling a little bit like therapy, but I guess I'll write it down anyway.

High School ... I had been attending a private school that was K-12 off and on since 1st grade. I attending 1st grade there, then switched to a public school for 3 years, and then went back to the private school in the 5th. I don't really remember how all of this transpired, or why, but that's what happened. I think my Mom personally knew my 2nd grade teacher and really wanted me to have her so we made the switch. So, I was in 9th grade and told my parents that I wanted to switch back to public. My thinking was that by attending a school where I had 20 in my class, I was never going to be able to cut it when I went to college and had classes with hundreds of people.

So, they let me switch, but sent me to the "good" high school that wasn't in our zone. Not that we were in a bad area, but there were plenty of people at my supposedly "good" high school that were doing the same things that everyone at the "not so good" high school were doing.

I had friends, but I was also a bit of an outsider. I was in my punk rocker/bad poetry/hair in my face phase and just didn't know exactly where I fit in. I enjoyed English and Art, tolerated History, and struggled through Algebra and Chemistry. I ended up being friends with the cheerleaders and the popular girls even though I'm sure I didn't look like them or listen to the same music that they liked. I always liked school, teachers liked me, I stayed out of trouble even though I do remember forging late notes from my Mom in the parking lot when I was late for school. I did Sub Debs, went through Presentation and all of that. I ended up meeting a guy and having my first real boyfriend when I was a Junior. He went to a different school and was a year younger, so when I graduated he was still finishing up his Senior Year. Yes, I went to Prom as a college freshman. Say it with me, La-0-ser. But, I did have a great dress because I was so much older and wiser than all of those college seniors.

High School seems so far away now, but I have good friends and memories that I still cherish. I remember being nominated for our "Friendliest" superlative, but lost out by a few votes to a girl named Brandi. Sigh.

Onto college. All my friends were going away to to the larger schools in TN or in Kentucky and I was planning to go away to college in KY with one of my good friends, Beth. At decision time, I decided to stay and attend college in my hometown, where my Dad had graduated from. Not to mention, I had the boyfriend.

Freshman year was probably no different than my senior year of high school. I lived at home, dated the boyfriend, worked part time, and that summed up my life. Sophomore year rolled around and I decided to go through Sorority Rush, my friends that went away to college in other cities all came home, I ditched the boyfriend, and moved in with my oldest friend and now sorority sisters.

This was a little more what college should be like. It was still a bit of a mixed experience. I didn't live at home, but we didn't live on campus. My friend that I lived with had a condo that her Dad owned (and it was AWESOME). I was a good student, but probably not as serious as I should have been. Looking back, I cringe when I think about some of the grades I made when I could have done better, but sometimes wine and cheese mixers at the Pike house took precedent. I majored in Communications, with a minor in English and really loved my classes and professors. My sorority/women's fraternity (Chi Omega) was definitely a big part of my life and I served in several leadership capacities, including Chapter President. Some of those ladies are still my closest friends today and I am glad I made the decision to join.

Do I regret not going away to school? Sometimes. Do I regret not doing things like studying abroad? Definitely. I had a good experience, but there are definitely things I would do differently if given the chance.

Laura C. asked how I got to Greensboro.

After college, I attended graduate school in Chattanooga, TN with one of my best friends. We had always said that we wanted to attend college together, but it just wasn't feasible, so grad school seemed like the next best idea. During our 2nd year, she got married and moved to Alabama. I had taken the first semester off to travel, so I finished out the second semester and started applying for jobs. My thought was that I would get a job and go to school part time. I really felt like I wasn't ready for grad school since I had no real world work experience. I interviewed for a job in High Point, NC, got the position, and moved to Greensboro in May 2008 sight unseen. My other plan was to go to work in Yellowstone National Park again for the summer and enroll in the Masters of Corporate Communication program at my alma mater. Yellowstone is a whole other part of my life that I should really write down. As cheesy as it sounds, it was pretty life changing for me and was my first time living on my own. I probably grew up more in those two summers than I did all of college.

Greensboro has been a great city for me and for our family and it's hard to believe that I've been here for over 10 years. I left briefly when I was transferred with my first company, but returned after about 6 months. Hubby likes to call it the biggest smallest town you will find. We have plenty to do, Raleigh and Charlotte are nearby if you need a "big" city, plus the beach and mountains a few hours away too. I'm involved in my community, we know our neighbors, we have good friends, it's a great area for our family, plus I honestly like the area.

Answering ... must have baby registry items

Sweet Sarah who is expecting a BOY asked about must have baby registry items.

Well, my experience may be slightly different because I had two, but I'm sure that a lot of the items would translate well for anyone.

Items that I couldn't have lived without ...

Some sort of baby chair/bouncer seat. Not only is this a good spot for napping when they are little, it provides a safe space where they can sit and look at toys around them, and you can use it to sit and feed them when they are starting rice cereal, solid foods, etc, but can't sit in a high chair. We had a Boppy brand and one that was Fisher Price papasan style that we borrowed from a friend. I liked them both.

Swing. I know that some Pediatrician's are against the swing, but there were some days that this was the only thing that made my babies happy. We had the Fisher Price papasan style ... both a new one and one that we borrowed. Loved, loved, loved them both.

Dr. Brown's Formula Mixer Pitcher. This rocked. I nursed/pumped for eight months, but we also had to supplement with formula. Since I had two, this pitcher came in handy because I could make up a larger quantity, the mixer really took care of any clumps, and then the formula was in the fridge, ready to go. We used all Dr. Brown's bottles and had good success with them so I never tried any others.

Medela Breast Pump. It ain't a pretty sight, but if you need to pump, Medela's are the best and you can find the hospital grade models easily too.

Halo Sleep Sacks. My daughters still sleep in a sleep sack. Yes, they do go up to an XL that goes up to 36 pounds so I figure that we still have a little more time for these. They liked being swaddled when they were small, but once they got too big for the swaddle blanket, they would never keep a blanket on them and I was always freaked out about suffocation. This way, they stay safe and comfortable at the same time.

BOB stroller. I can't say enough good things about this stroller. We bought it when Maddy and Libby were 6 months old so I never used it with the car seat adaptor. It's good in neighborhoods with lots of curbs and for long runs, too.

Snap & Go stroller. I loved this when the girls were little and still in infant car seats. Like the names says, you could just snap them in and go.

Cloth Diapers. While I didn't do cloth diapers for little bums, we used cloth diapers for burp cloths, to clean up spills, and Maddy and Libby actually sleep with one of their cloth diapers as a blankie each night. I actually prefer the larger, thinner ones over the thick ones. They have adorable lovies, but what they always want is their blankie. You can also tie it around their shoulders and play superbaby, or around their head and play baby with a do'rag!

Sound machine. We didn't use anything fancy, but actually a clock radio of Hubby's that has a "wind" setting on it. It definitely helped to mask noises during nap time and night time.

Board books. Books have been a favorite of Maddy and Libby for as long as I can remember. We made reading stories to them part of our nap and nighttime rituals. Board books are great because they will take more abuse (chewing, drool, etc) than the regular books.

If you want to make your own baby food, and as tempting as the Williams-Sonoma model may be, all you need is a stick immersion blender and silicone ice cube trays. Then just visit wholesome baby food and you'll be all set.

Good car seats. We had Graco's as infants and now we have Britax. Love the Britax.

Baby Jail. Ok, this may not be politically correct, but once Maddy and Libby were mobile (crawling), this thing saved me. I was working from home at the time and it was the only way that I could keep an eye on them while I tried to do a little work. It's huge and if you can get over looking at primary colors all day, then it can save your life!

We've had a few things that were trial and error. I thought I had to have Baby Bjorns, but I really didn't use them all that much, but I had friends wore their babies all the time. Also the Bumbo seat was kind of a bust for us. They seemed to be too small/too unsteady at first and then the next thing I knew, they had outgrown it. However, other people that I know loved theirs. Same for the Diaper Genie. We use a Diaper Champ that just uses grocery store bags and it seems to be so much easier than using something that requires a special refill.

Other must haves that I think were vital to our sanity:

A schedule for meals/sleeping and sticking to it. If it was nap time, then I was at home ... not out trying to get my babies to sleep in a stroller. Not judging those Mom's that can do this, but a schedule was sacred at our house.

A non-quiet house. Huh, you ask. I vacuumed when they slept, flushed the toilet, dogs barked, phones rang, music was on and everyone turned out OK. Granted, I didn't have a party while they slept, but they got used to household noises and now can typically sleep through one another waking up, dogs barking, storms, etc.

Please feel free to leave any more "must have" baby items in the comments and we can all share ideas. I can remember doing our baby registry over several visits because I would just get overwhelmed with all of the stuff. Plus the fluorescent lighting and concrete floors in most of those stores are no fun!

Answering ... motherhood

MER asked, "What surprised you most about being a Mom? What's the hardest part and what's the most rewarding?"

I think the instantaneous bond that I felt with my children surprised me the most. I had no idea that I could feel the love that I feel for my children. I was never one of those crazy baby people. I've always liked babies, but I didn't grow up around lots of babies, didn't ogle stranger's babies in the grocery, but when I first held them, something shifted in me that I still can't truly describe.

The hardest part ... Well, the early stages before they were sleeping through the night was definitely hard. Now, it's truly a blur and I honestly don't remember how difficult it was, or how sleep deprived we were. We had a system, we put the babies on a schedule, and we just kind of powered through it. I have some hard days now. Two at two is hard. Heck, I guess one at two would be hard, and I'm sure two at three will also be hard, but there are days when you have tantrums, or screeching, or you've just gotten hit with the Elmo phone for the 2nd time, and I want to lose it. I'm not proud to admit that I've lost my cool and yelled when it wasn't necessary, but I've done it. I've also walked out of the room during screaming and gone back in 5 minutes when I could better handle it. There are days that I'm glad I work, but there are days that I look forward to Friday (when I typically don't work) and we can have special outings together.

The most rewarding parts for me comes in little snippets throughout the days, weeks, months, and years. Lately, it's been when I'm walking Maddy down the stairs and she asks, "where sister?" because Libby was already downstairs, but she didn't know where she was. Or when Libby gives me a kiss when I ask, or when Maddy's upset and Libby brings her a toy to make her feel better, or when you can hold a freshly bathed, PJ'ed, damp curly haired child in your lap and read a book about meerkats, monkeys, and giraffes and adore the interaction. Or asking them 8 different animals and they get them all right. Or seeing your husband hold/play with your child and see a different kind of love that is so endearing. Those are some of the best moments for me.

Answering ... dogs and babies

MER asked "How long have you had your dogs? Is there a special story behind how they became part of the family? How did they adjust to the twins since they were your first babies?"

We have had the dogs, Zeus and Zoe since Hubby and I were dating. Everyone called them the engagement dogs and joked that Hubby bought the dogs instead of a ring. Truth be known, we bought and paid for them separately from the same breeder in Lake Norman, NC, paid our own vet bills, etc. They have always lived together as I couldn't have a pet at my apartment at the time, but since Hubby (then boyfriend!) had a house with a fenced in yard, it just made sense for them both to live with him.

Zeus and Zoe were on our save the date cards.

Hubby wanted a dog and invited me to go along to see the puppies. I loved dogs and had a weakness for labs, so as soon as we saw 10 little black and chocolate pups, we started throwing around the idea of having two. Gluttons for punishment, don't you think?!


Zeus and Zoe have always been good around Maddy and Libby. Zeus used to rest his head on my belly when I was pregnant and I always felt like he sensed something was going on. We were so worried at first that they would do something naughty, but they really have been good. Zeus will let the girls pet him, lay on him, pull his ears, and put toys on his back. Zoe is a little more aloof around them and likes to come around during snack/meal time, but doesn't enjoy play time as much. She typically just goes in another room if they are playing too close to her.

Emily asked "What do you want most for your girls? And how in the heck do you tell them apart? Really? Is there something about each that makes it clear?"

Wow. Where to begin and I'll start with the "easy" part of this question ... how do I tell them apart.

The first and easiest is that Libby has 3 hemangiomas. Two are on her back and the one on her hand is now very light, but that used to be the easiest way to distinguish them.

Libby is slightly taller (about an inch) and weighs more (about 1.5 pounds), but that is hard to see on them unless you can get them to stand still.

Maddy's face is a bit more round, and Libby's is more oval. Maddy's face is also a little more petite. See, can you tell? Maddy is sitting on Libby's lap in this picture.

Personality. Libby is typically more a "people person." She wants to be with people, checking things out, seeing what's going on. Maddy is too, to an extent, but she is also content to do her own thing more than Libby.

What do I want most for Maddy and Libby? Happiness, independence, laughter, to be challenged, love, education, success, good families, good memories of their childhood and families, a good heart, good character, a sense of humor, safety. I could go on and on. I think as a parent you want everything for your children and of course, that is ridiculous, but I really do find myself wanting them to have everything they could want and even more. Not in a selfish, greedy way, but in the "the sky is the limit, just go for it" kind of way. I want them to take risks and learn from mistakes, be genuine, be true to themselves, and always know that they have parents and family that love, support, and are there for them every step of the way.

Let's give a shout out to Emily who not only took this wonderful photo above, but is scheduled to welcome Baby TT today at 2PM! Cannot wait!

Answering questions ... summer supper & cocktails

Barefoot in the Park asked about my favorite summer supper, and Laura C asked about the fave cocktail.

As far as summer suppers go, I am a huge fan of pimento cheese sandwiches. They remind of me of visiting my cousin Judy (older cousin, more like an Aunt) and she would serve pimento cheese, chicken salad, and cucumber sandwiches by her pool. Of course, she managed to make it all seem elegant and I'm sure there was a pitcher of iced tea involved. Also in this same theme would be a simple tomato sandwich. White bread, sliced tomato, Duke's mayo, and salt and pepper. Hmmm, or a BLT sandwich.

To me, these are always easy, satisfying, and you typically don't have to "heat up your kitchen" as my Meme used to say.

My other option would be something from the grill (fish, meat, chicken, hot dog), served with fresh vegetables, corn on the cob, etc. Hubby just bought a new grill so I want to start making packets of potatoes again. Basically, cube up new potatoes, add other yummy veggies ... you can do anything from squash, zucchini, peppers, onions, add a little EVOO, ground black pepper, wrap them in foil, and let them cook on the grill. Yum.

For the summer cocktail, I'm partial to a good gin and tonic. I don't change it up much and while that may be considered boring, I consider it what works for me. I like a good gin like Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray, or Hendrick's. A good beer is always nice in the summer, too. I tend to lean towards something light like Skinny Dip, Hoegaarden, or Natty Greene's Wildflower.

Oh, and since it's food related, MER asked if I prefer croutons or bacon bits. I would have to say that real bacon trumps bacon bits and croutons, but Ruby Tuesday's croutons may trump any other salad topping.

Laura C. also asked "how do southern ladies wear heels and skirts and makeup and all that with the hot weather and not sweat like pigs?"

I had to laugh at this, because while I guess I am a southern lady, I am usually sweating like a pig when the temperature reaches 90. I used to have a co-worker that anytime we had an appointment, it was sweltering and we would always have to park far away and walk just so we could end up sweaty and gross for our meeting. For one, we stopped in the bathroom, put cold paper towels on our necks and tried to dry our shirts Madonna AKA Desperately Seeking Susan style. I do think that skirts can be cooler in the summer because you can get a little breeze by fanning your skirt. Of course, us genteel southern ladies know that we would never do that in mixed company or in front of a gentleman! *Please insert your favorite southern accent to that last sentence.

Answering questions ... running

What fun! I wish people would ask me questions every week because it just feels more exciting to answer them, rather than write about what just pops into my head.

I'm going to try to group a few of them together where there is a common theme.

Barefoot in the Park asked me what made me get into running.

I have been running off and on since college. My Mom also ran when I was young, so I remember going with her to races, or waiting on her to finish her daily 6 mile run. She was ahem, much faster than me and often brought home trophies from winning her age group.

I started running one summer during college and started out by running from one light post to another, then walking to the next light post, and repeating. I did this over and over and finally made it up to 3 miles of running. I guess it was my own version of the "couch to 5K" program that is so popular now. I ran pretty consistently in college and grad school. This was back in the day when I carried my hand held CD player, wore a cotton t-shirt, and didn't know anything about Gu, Fuel Belts, or Garmins.

My problem back then was always consistency and really up until 2 years ago, it still was. When I met Hubby in 2003, he was training for a marathon and it was a good way for me to get back into running, because I had someone to run with. From then until 2007, I would train for a race, run the race,then "lose" my running shoes for several months. Then, the ordeal of starting over was always hard and I just couldn't get back into my running groove. I got pregnant in 2007 and hadn't been running consistently so it didn't make any sense to try at that point. After I had Maddy and Libby in June 2008, I decided that I wanted to run again because I missed it. I started in January 2009 and really haven't taken more than a few weeks off since.

I am proud to be a runner. It makes me feel good even when the last thing I want to do is put on my shoes and and go. Even though I'm not setting any records, or winning any races, I know that it helps me be a better person, wife, and mother.

If you still want to read more, here is a post that I wrote about why I run for my running group. last year.

B - buh - boring!

Sorry for the lack of content in posts, or lack of posts lately. Or did you even notice? Anyone? Anyone? Buhler?

Like everyone else, life is busy ... work, kids, running, etc and I just haven't had a lot to say.

I could write about an unprofessional person that I have to deal with, but I think that is really better saved for private rants with my co-workers.

Or I could write about Libby going to the bathroom two seconds after I took off her diaper last night. On the floor, right before bath time, but honestly ... aren't you a little tired about reading about diaper/potty posts?

I could write about the teeny tiny single serving Edy's ice cream that Hubby brought home last night, but then that just makes you want one of your own and it's not really fair when you are stuck at your office on a Tuesday morning and can't get to the grocery. Oh, wait ... maybe that's just me.

So, dear readers ... any burning questions? Anything on your mind? Anyone else feeling the same way? I don't think I've ever opened it up before, but here goes ... ask away! I can't promise that I will answer everything, but I would love to hear your questions and thoughts. Plus, I need something to get me over this writers block / bout of b-buh-boringness!

Happy Independence Day!

Here's my attempt at patriotic star cookies for a cookout later today. Libby hurt my feelings by proclaiming "flowers!" when they were cooling. Yep, she's right ... my stars spread out into flowers, but they are still yummy sugar cookies nonetheless.

Happy 4th of July, everyone!

Date night

Hubby and I haven't seen too many date nights in the past two years. Yep, I could probably count them on two hands I'm sure. We've actually had two dates in the last three weeks, so maybe things are looking up ... or maybe we're just shelling out money for a sitter + dinner that we really shouldn't spend, but we know that it may equal sanity.

We have a local restaurant that has a great patio/deck area and on certain Friday nights during the summer, they play movies on a large screen out on their patio. The dinners are themed around the movie and we've always talked about checking it out and we finally went last night.

First, the weather was gorgeous and actually cool by the time we finished dinner. Amazing for the beginning of July.

We watched Bottle Shock, which is a great movie about how Napa Valley wines came to be known back in the 70's. Lots of good actors and we really enjoyed it. Better yet, the dinner included five courses and four wine pairings. Each pairing included one California wine and one French so everyone there had to guess which was which. Lots of wine and great food. Lucky for me, I had already done my long training run on Friday morning so I didn't have to worry about getting up for a 6:30 AM run. Lucky for me I had a little extra sleep to ward off any after-effects of four wine pairings.

So, here's to date nights, fun wine dinners, cool weather in July, and good memories.

Thankful

*Now before I get started I realize that the range of thankfulness varies greatly.

• Mom has her last round of chemo tomorrow. She ended up only needing to have 11 treatments, so we are all glad that they are almost through. She is scheduled to have radiation, but we are all looking forward to the chemo being finished.
• A simple summer supper of Carolina BBQ, BBQ slaw, baked beans, and one of my Mom's twice baked potatoes.
• Running 4.5 miles at almost a ten minute pace today. That hasn't happened in a long time and I didn't feel like keeling over every minute. Maybe just every five.
• Finding awesome Southwest airline deals for our trip to New York this November. Hubby and I are both flying for roughly $200.

Priceless

Bouncy inflatable house for birthday party weekend ... $200

Seeing so many friends and family (my Mom included) go down the slide and have fun ... priceless.

Maddy sliding.

Me sliding.

Mom sliding.

Libby sliding.

Guess who's here?

It's Grands (aka my Mom!)

Complete with 4 foot tall sock monkeys and bubbles after breakfast. I think it may be a fun weekend.

Libby playing in our makeshift bubble blower.

Waiting for Maddy and Libby to wake up. I think we need to choose names.

Midnight Mayhem

Well, it was actually 2 AM mayhem ...

I awoke last night to the sound of Zoe barking. Not her loud, someone's at the front door bark, but short barks that didn't stop. I stumbled out of bed to find her standing in the living room. I was actually worried that maybe our house was on fire and she was actually telling us to get out.

Then, I find Hubby sweeping the floor and noticed that our garbage was all over the floor. Apparently, she and Zeus were having a little midnight snack in our trash can. Gross. This is when I wish we had a compost pile and I didn't have gross things like banana peels, coffee grounds, pineapple rind, avocado peels, and egg shells in my trash. Guess who's mopping for the 3rd time this week?

No idea why she was barking unless she was just mad that Hubby was cleaning up her mess. He let them out in case they needed to do their business and we all tried to go back to sleep.

That's when Maddy woke up, but luckily it was short lived. After tossing and turning for about an hour, I finally fell asleep. When my alarm went off at 5AM so I could go on a run, I promptly turned that sucker off to catch more zzzz's.

Two years ago

I know I've been saying this every few months for the last two years, but I really am still in shock that Maddy and Libby are (insert age here)! Today, I am still in disbelief that they are 2! Where did my babies go and who replaced them with independent toddlers?

I looked back at the blog and read what I posted the day after they were born, as well as the posts I wrote last year that talked about the days leading up to and the day of their birth.

6 days old. Maddy - Libby

I heard someone say that days with children are long, but the years go by in a flash and I understand that now. Every day, Maddy and Libby do things that make me smile (calling each other sister, giving kisses, feeding the baby doll "bites" of food, playing chase with each other and running around the room), but they also do things that make me lose my patience (running away from me at an outdoor shopping center, not sitting down in the bathtub, throwing Cheerios on the floor.)


They have brought more to my life than I really ever imagined or thought possible. I truly had no idea how having children would change me, but it has.



Happy Birthday, Madeline Kate. You are my first-born, my spider monkey, my mischievous peanut, and my sweet girl. You are curious and constantly trying to figure things out and how they work. I sometimes think that your goal in life is to find a warm lap and someone to read you a book. You like to snuggle at night and listen to stories, but lately we don't get much snuggling time because you are too busy. When someone holds you, you hold on tight with your arms and legs and have figured out how to not get put down - you just hold your legs up so they will continue to hold you.



Happy Birthday, Elizabeth Lucy. You are my second-born, my giggler, my chatty-cathy, and my little leader. You are talkative, friendly, and funny. You love your books, and definitely have an opinion about which book to read, which cup to use, or which pants to wear. You still enjoy snuggling at night, giving sweet kisses, but sometimes when I ask for a kiss, I'm promptly told "no."

I can't even beging to imagine what this year will hold for us. Potty training? Big girl beds? Trigonometry? I look forward to experiencing everything and learning from you and teaching you, all at the same time.

Love,

Mama

Random Thursday Ramblings

• Our upstairs AC went out yesterday. Luckily, we have a guest room and two cribs still set up downstairs. Just last week I mentioned to Hubby that we should probably take down the downstairs cribs. Thank goodness we didn't get right on that task over the weekend.
• I came downstairs this morning to find Libby sitting on top of our table, and Maddy sitting in one of the chairs, checking out the laptop. Nearly 2 = super busy and curious.
• Talk of marathons was heard on my run today. One of the girls in our group has run one full, and is training for another. Apparently, several others are debating running the Disney Marathon in January. I was thinking of possibly putting a full on my list, but for Fall of 2012 ... not January of 2011. Hmmmm ...
• Greek yogurt with blueberries is my new love.
• I really need a manicure and pedicure, but no time to go. I wish someone would make house calls! So my invention would be a house call person who will change your car's oil, fill your gas tank, give you a mani/pedi, and deliver your groceries. Where's my business plan or my personal assistant!?

high fructose corn syrup = crack

Why is it that I have a kitchen full of bananas, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, grapes, blackberries, and peaches and I am choosing to stick my hand into the bag of Starburst? Multiple times? Then hiding the wrappers in the mud room garbage can?

Plus, the Starburst are inside another bag that is tied in a knot and I have to untie the knot just to get into the bag.

So, my theory is that high fructose corn syrup + the taste of the rainbow, (wait ... that's Skittles) are = crack.

Saturday

8 mile run with Maria
Pit-stop in Food Lion (don't ask)
Ice cold gatorade and water balloons, post run
Farmers Market for blackberries, peaches, and eggs
2nd Breakfast of the day ~greek yogurt, granola, and blackberries
Trip to the pool
Naps for the under 2 age group
Cleaning of the catch-all basket where I found credit cards that expired in 2006 that are in my maiden name. Clean much?
Playing around with blogger's new template ... what do you think?
Bill paying
Clothes washing
Birthday party weekend planning ... somehow one party is turning into two. Have I told you who this party is for? (Hint: They aren't turning 2!)
Now pondering dinner ...

passion

I think most of you know that I'm part of my local Junior League and we recently held our leadership retreat. It was a great weekend of bonding, learning, laughing, and pondering the future of our organization.


We were asked to fill out a short survey that will later be published in our local magazine as an introduction of our 2010-11 leadership team.


One of the questions is "What are you passionate about?"


I had quickly filled in so many other answers ... family, children, education, hobbies, favorite holiday tradition, but this one made me stop in my tracks.


What am I truly passionate about?


I have many "things" that I feel passionate about, but so many of them aren't serious enough to include in this survey. Chocolate mint ice cream, Nike tempo running shorts, my CHI flat iron, a great night-time moisturizer, a good glass of wine, and a leisurely dinner where you can talk for 3 hours.


I'm passionate about my children, my family, my friends, and my faith, but isn't everyone?


Some people are passionate about their favorite sports teams, their cars, or their lawn. While some of those resonate with me, I can't say that they get me out of bed in the morning.


I'm passionate about trying to give my children the best experience and start to their lives that I can. Whether this is through teaching, loving, or just having fun, I hope that they will look back on their childhood fondly and that we will have a good, honest, trusting relationship.


There are certain experiences that I've had that made me passionate. I'm passionate about premature birth prevention & research, finding a cure for breast cancer, suicide prevention, rights for people with disabilities, but I can't say that I stand up every day and "preach" about these things ... my passion is much more quiet, and more internalized. I guess I find myself wondering if passion should be quiet.


I have found that it's OK for your passions to change, develop, and grow over the years. Thank goodness I grew out of my passion for Cabbage Patch Kids, ESPRIT tee shirts, puffy stickers, and paint pens. Thank goodness I didn't grow out of my passions for books, writing, or running. My career used to be my #1 passion, and while it's still important, my priorities have definitely changed.


So, what are you passionate about? Do you wear your passions on your sleeve or would I have to get to know you to truly understand your passions?

Books ...

I picked up a couple of books last week. Thanks so much for your suggestions.

One is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. My book club is reading it and we meet next week, so I better get to reading.

The one that I have actually started and don't want to put down is One and the Same that Laura C. recommended. WOW. This is an eye opener for anyone with direct relation to twins, whether you are a twin, have twins, or just are friends of twins. It is written by an identical twin, and even though I'm only on the second chapter, I know this will be one that will stay on my bookshelf to refer to for many more years.

This one never made my list

I worked from home today and after our sitter left, I put the girls down for their afternoon nap.

I proceeded to eat lunch and get ready to do a little more work, when I heard a lot of chattering and asking "where paci go?" over the monitor. I decided to go back upstairs and hopefully solve any problems and get them settled back down.

I did paci distribution, two diaper changes, more kisses, and wishes of sweet dreams.

I went back downstairs and did some work, but kept hearing chatter every now and then over the monitor. I decided not to go back upstairs, because I figured they would quiet down and I would just make it worse.

About two hours after they normally go down, I could still hear someone moving around so I decided to go inspect.

I was shocked at what I saw next.

Two totally naked babies who had thrown all of their clothes, diapers, blankies and books into the floor. The funniest thing was that Maddy was wide awake (with a puddle in her crib), while Libby was sound asleep, snoozing with her bum up in the air.

I really wish I would have grabbed my camera, but I was in such shock, I really didn't know what to do first. Needless to say, sleepsacks at naptime are going to have to be reinforced. Yes, they make them big enough for 2 year olds (and even older.)

So, if the 3's are supposed to be the new 2's, then what are the 2's? Causation for early afternoon drinking?

blink of an eye

I was gone on an overnight retreat this weekend and I swear that Maddy and Libby grew while I was gone. One night = taller, bigger, more words, putting together sentences, crawling up into tall chairs, etc.

Can you believe we are on the countdown to 2? In two weeks!?

I leave you today with a little cuteness, in my opinion.

Hydrangea love.

I love hydrangeas. I used them in our wedding and thought they were perfect.

When we looked at our house, I will admit that I was so excited to see 4 different hydrangea bushes around the yard. I would still love to plant more, along with more peony bushes, and daffodils.

We didn't cut them back last year like you are supposed to, so they are probably a bit overgrown in "proper" hydrangea standards, but does it really matter when you look out and see their beautiful blooms?

These particular bushes have changed colors since we've lived here. I really remembering them being a greenish shade, then they moved to white, and now part of the bush is blue. It's really amazing and the color is supposedly based on the soil acidity.

I wish they would bloom all year round, but I guess I wouldn't appreciate them as much if they did.

On my list

Has anyone read the New York Times article of the new book, "Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man?"

I was intrigued by just reading the article and can't wait until it releases next month. It almost feels wrong to want to read a story about someone spiraling out of control, but I am fascinated by taking a look into Bill Clegg's life. I loved "A Million Little Pieces" too, and I don't care whether it was real, or embellished.

What are you reading this summer?

Bad phone photos = Wednesday rambling blog post

I have always loved the color lime green until I saw this today.




Really? Why would you choose this color for your Jag?! Or for any car?


Later, I caught Libby trying out my shoes. Yep, I probably walk that slowly in some of my shoes, too.

I also had to share a comment from one of our baby sitters this afternoon. I was holding Maddy after huge meltdowns from both Maddy and Libby over water in sippy cups. It was mayhem and our sitter stayed around until the chaos calmed down and everyone was happy again.

I had walked into the kitchen while holding Maddy when our sitter grabbed a tissue and said "Excuse me, let me get this. You have a huge booger on your shoulder." Nice, huh? Have I mentioned that glamour is my middle name?