Catching up

Somehow another week has come and gone since Will's big partnership news (and my last blog update).  Don't worry; his new status hasn't gone to his head.  Yet.  In fact, this is a more accurate portrayal of how he ends each day:

Dramatic interpretation, of course.  I'm thinking he should keep his day job.

It's considered a victory just to make it home before the rest of us are in bed.

****************************************************************

We celebrated Frances's 6th birthday with an indoor pool party at our local gym.

They did a fantastic job, complete with a clown, games, cake, party favors, and lots (and lots) of swimming.  We sent 10 very tired children home to their parents--our gift to them!

****************************************************************

True to form (for some torturous reason?), I ran a race the morning of Frances's party.

2013 Richmond Half-Marathon.  Happy to have that over!

The kids and Will surprised me at the finish line, which really was a perfect way to end.  I usually insist they stay at home because of the confusion, cold (and this year, rainy) weather, and generally non-family friendly atmosphere.  But I have to admit, it made my morning to see these three faces cheering for me during that last 'sprint.'

******************************************************************

When Nana visits, everyone gets new clothes.

Marshall, our now hairless dog (due to an overzealous groomer), has a new winter sweater.  I'm wondering in what other ways we can humiliate this poor boy between now and Christmas.

******************************************************************

First daddy/daughter dance at Frances's school!

And as it turns out, it was neither a dance nor just daughters.  But according to both parties involved, it was still a great evening at the school gym--games, desserts, and lots of Frances's adorable little friends. Frances may be shy like her mother, but she is a true social butterfly.  I admire her ease at making and keeping wonderful friends.

*******************************************************************

George, our resident clown.

The other evening, Will and I went into another room (away from the children) to talk about something in private.  When we returned, Frances asked what we were talking about.  I replied, "We were just talking about adult things, sweetheart."  George asks, "What; like, 'underpants.'"

Proudly (and quite manly, I'd say) wearing his sister's sunglasses.

Life with a boy.

******************************************************************

Frances has a new crush this year.

Connor was the only boy from her school invited to her party.  I'm guessing the secret is out, but just in case it's still a secret you didn't hear it from me!

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Running and partying

I know what you're thinking--isn't that title redundant?  Running IS like a big party and partying is kind of like running a marathon.  But this weekend, against all rational judgment, I actually did both in the same day.  And I am still recovering.

This year, after a three-year hiatus because of my bum knee, I ran the Virginia Ten Miler in Lynchburg.  It felt great to be back on one of the toughest courses in the state, but it felt even better to be running it with these incredible ladies:

Karen, me, Cyndi, and Catherine

Karen, Cyndi and I ran a race together in April and had so much fun we made plans to meet back in our hometown for their big annual run.  Catherine (on the far right) is a Lynchburg native, too, who went on to become a professional triathlete and runner.  Needless to say none of us actually ran with Catherine; but it was fun to pretend.

My time was fine--not my slowest, not my fastest (which I find myself saying a lot these days as I approach the big 4-0).  Cyndi, who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah and runs many races in high altitude said this 10-miler was her toughest of the year.  I kid you not I could have kissed her when she said that.  The course is notoriously hilly and in years past has deterred many elite runners from participating because of what will surely be a slow (for them) time.  So knowing all of that, I almost always run this race with the goal of having fun, seeing friends and family, and not killing myself.  Check, check, check!  It was a great time.

After the race and some catching up with the other runners, I drove back to Richmond in time to get ready for this big boy's birthday party.

We had it at Romp n' Roll (the same place we had Frances's 4th birthday) and they did a fabulous job.  An hour and a half of jumping, dancing, bouncing, climbing, singing, and running.

Some pizza and cake to finish the evening.

And no party would be complete without cousin love:

Cousin Maggie

Justin and Trey

It felt great to celebrate our baby (sniff!) and to send his friends and family off completely exhausted, fed and ready for bed.  

And so was Momma.

Happy Monday, everyone!

Our Week

I’m so sorry I’ve been MIA for a few days.  We’ve been running around like fools here and my computer time has been severely curtailed.  But I can’t complain – family time is so limited these days that when it does come, it’s nice to take a break and soak it up.

And speaking of running, Will and I ran our very first race together:

The local Monument Avenue 10k.  It is a huge race (they anticipated upwards of 40,000 people this year) and I typically bow out of because of the numbers, but Will decided months ago to attempt the 6.2 mile run and I couldn’t resist the idea of our first day date road race.

After!  And much more smiley.

He did great – I was beyond proud of him.  His silent goal time (that I didn’t even know about until after we finished) was to run it in under an hour and he crushed that (in 56 minutes to be exact).  To put that in some perspective, this was his first time ever running more than 5 miles on those long, lean, and sometimes trick-kneed legs of his and he never once slowed down.  It’s all downhill (in a good way) from here, Will!

********************************************************************

After a seemingly endless Spring Break, the kids are finally back to a normal routine—Frances is in school and George is resuming his favorite status of “only child.”

This one has it so hard.

*******************************************************************

Picture day at dance:

This might just be my favorite picture of Frances to date.

George searched my purse to find his own costume—my sunglasses.

I'm a bit frightened that they actually fit his (large) head.

********************************************************************

Marshall helping me with the five loads of laundry currently taking up real estate in our mudroom:

Almost as helpful (and as cute) as George helping Daddy with the lawn:

*********************************************************************

Frances’s school class attended a Richmond minor league baseball game last week.

Is it at all surprising that she was head-to-toe Braves attire?

**********************************************************************

One of my race photos from the Charlottesville Half Marathon:

Downhill, sunshine (it was freezing that day!), and an overly-excited man next to me—no wonder I’m smiling.

***********************************************************************

Finally, we wrapped up this weekend with a Rhode play date/cookout at our house:

Frances, George, big brother Andrew, and little bro Bryan.

The weather could not have been nicer—sunny and 75 degrees.  We played outside for nearly the entire 6 hour visit, which means we all have a little bit too much pink on our faces today (whoops).  But it was worth it, particularly to George who you will notice has an empty plate in front of him that minutes before held about a dozen cheese and sausage balls.

And I wonder why he is the size of an average 6-year-0ld.

Happy Monday, everyone!  It’s so nice to be back to blogging : )

Charlottesville Half Marathon

The kids and I are back from our Lynchburg vacation happy, exhausted, and enjoying our final day of Spring Break (hellooooo ten days of school break.  Why couldn’t they have done that when I was little??).  And while Frances and George had a full night of Nana and Pop time, I was able to escape an hour north to meet up with these lovely gals:

Karen, me and Cyndi (short, shorter, shortest)

Karen, Cyndi and I all went to high school together.  And frighteningly enough, I had not seen them since we graduated a mere 19 years ago.  Somehow, however, I look to have aged 19 years and they look exactly the same.  I’m not sure where the justice is in that little fact, but I have a sneaking suspicion my wrinkles have a lot to do with the two rug rats I left behind at my parents’ house that night.

My adorable little youth-zappers

Through Facebook and blogs, the three of us came to realize that after nearly 20 years apart we all enjoyed the same masochistic hobby of running races.  So about six months ago we started planning a race to run together and the Charlottesville Half Marathon hit at just the right time and was just the right distance for us.

The race was tough (hills, hills and more hills) and was by far my slowest 13.1 miles; but the course was incredibly beautiful and it was so much fun to start and end a race surrounded by these two smiling faces.

Post-race!

While we were in the area, we stopped in on another high school friend, Bryce, who had just had her fourth (yes, FOURTH) child.

And now for some complete injustice—how is it that the beautiful blonde has a three-week-old as well as three others?

We had a great time catching up and since we were all frustrated by our times, I’ve made an executive decision that the two of them must come back and run the Richmond Half Marathon sometime in the next year or so.  Fall weather, flat course, 8am start time (as opposed to the 6:30am start of the C’ville Half Marathon!)—how can we not try it again?!

Thanks so much girls for getting together!  Here’s to a November 2014 running reunion!  

Bits and pieces

Frances’s dance teacher accidentally on purpose left the door open the other week during her class.

Little brother was mesmerized.  I can’t blame him though; I was, too.

___________________________________________________

My first race after my latest knee issue.

Richmond Half Marathon

Not fast, but I was thrilled to pieces to finish without so much as a knee twinge.  And the recovery since the race has been so far, so good—no swelling or pain.  But I’ve learned the hard way never to take my health for granted, so I’m thankful for every run hereafter.

______________________________________________________

We had house guests last weekend.

JD and El

As you can see, they were very popular with the kids.  And popular with us adults, too, because they might just go down in history as the “Easiest House Guests Ever.”

Will and JD have been friends since college, which may have also been the time that Will’s legs grew to the length of an average pair of snow skis.  Sheesh.

_______________________________________________________

Sweet Marshall.

This is how Marshall spends 75% of his day--sound asleep nestled deep into one of the many throw pillows on our sofas.  The other 25%?  He now spends reverting back to puppy-hood by chewing up (and often eating) the children's plastic toys.  I take pictures like this to remind me how much I love him on those days I find myself locking him into the mudroom to the background music of Frances frantically crying over the loss of yet another stuffed animal's eyeball.

_______________________________________________________

George and me on an average day:

Checking out the mall’s Christmas decorations

Pretending to ride the kiddie car

Getting a much overdue haircut

Enjoying as much as we can of the outdoors before it turns too cold (although I'm beginning to realize that it is never "too cold" for an active three-year-old little boy)

And, along with Marie-Grace, waiting for Frances to get home from school.

Because that’s when the fun really begins.

Happy Thursday, everyone!