Daddy's Friend Car

The yellow Mustang is out of our garage but not out of our hearts.  Laci still points to every yellow car she sees and announces that it is "Daddy's Friend Car".  We went to a "Touch a Truck" event at the mall a few weeks ago full of every kind of truck you can imagine (garbage, firetruck, moving truck, dump truck, etc.) and she was most excited to see a yellow Cobra - Daddy's Friend Car.  Today we were driving and I said "I missed the window" - meaning the window of opportunity to turn left.  She announced that she misses her window too - the little window in Daddy's old car. 

A reminder of the little things

Last night I was stroking Laci's hair as she was laying on the bed.  Whenever I do that, I am reminded of a post a friend of mine posted on Facebook awhile back.  This friend lost both of her parents too young, too soon.  She said that she misses her mom the most when she is stroking her daughter's hair.  I think of that and am grateful for my mom.  And I am grateful for my daughter.

The Sprinkler Run - A Rite of Passage

Sunday afternoon, Laci played in the sprinkler.  Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures.  I was enjoying watching her too much to get a camera.  She started off in her clothes.  Then, as she began stripping, I figured she should probably put a swimming suit on.  I always wonder what goes on in her head when she is playing.  She played with an umbrella in the sprinkler.   At one point, she had some buckets on her head, hitting it with a toy shovel saying "Thar' she blows".  ? I have no idea what that meant.  It was cute.

One mistake we made was she played in the sprinkler right after Charlie mowed.  So she was covered in grass clippings.  Her clothes were covered with grass clippings too so I left them on the deck to dry.  Later, I looked at and didn't see them.  I commented that it looked like her underwear had blown away.  Charlie said that sometimes he sees stray articles of clothing on his runs and wonders how they got there.  Don't worry - we found them on the other side of the deck.  After Charlie turned the sprinklers off, Laci ran off.  I walked around the house but didn't see her.  A few minutes later she popped up and said Calvin was crying - she had just gone in and checked on him.  Sure enough, there was a direct line of water and grass clippings from the door up the stairs into Calvin room.  Yeah.  I'm glad she waited until after we swept and vacuumed the house to do that.  :)

I dragged her outside to clean her off.  She moved a big stone marker on the flower bed exposing a huge pile of ants and she insisted on digging them a hole.  Now she is wet and covered in grass clipping and ants.  I finally convinced her to get away from the ants and she let me clean her up to allow her back in the house.  Oh to be 3 again!

10k? Success or not?

Was my 10k successful or not?  I am not sure.  Before I get into the run itself, let me say a bit about the event.  It was a great event put on by a good family that had something terrible happen to them.  They lost a child.  My coworker and I have worked together in the past and have always gotten along very well.  Our daughters are the same age, born within a month of each other and when we worked together, we talk about our kids a lot.  I haven't worked with him in awhile.  Our sons were supposed to be born within a month of each other too.  But his never had a chance and was still born.  I can not even imagine what they have gone through this past year.  Unfortunately, they are not the only family I know that have gone through that.  This morning as I was feeding my one year old son, I got a little choked up that they do not get to feed their son. 

The event was great.  There was a good turnout from the office and a good overall turnout.  They even had to start it 20 minutes late because there was a long line to get into the park.  Before the run, they had a balloon liftoff and honored all the babies that were lost by reading their names as their families released their balloons.  It was hard not to be effected. 

The course was hilly.  I do not do hills.  I started slowing down on the first hill.  What comes up must come down so I was just waiting for the downhills!  I started to realize that this would be slower than I hoped.  But it was a good cause.  I got to mile 3, still on pace for my slow goal.  I had thrown my fast goal out the window by this time.  And then it all went downhill.  Figuratively - I did not get to actually run downhill.  Someone started telling us to turn.  Big mistake!  I was with a group that got lost.  Suddenly I was on a unmarked trail.  It didn't seem right but we all just kept going.  After awhile, a group of us stopped and didn't know what to do.  Every other race I have ever done was so clearly marked.  I was in the middle of a wooded area hoping not to fall.  Suddenly I didn't care to finish the race, I just wanted out.  It was awful.  We just kept going.  Up and down bridges and stairs.  I wanted to see the path!  We finally made it out.  We asked a volunteer and she said we had less than 2 miles to go and by taking that wrong trail, our finish would be about 6.5 miles.  By this time, I was in a group of about 6.  We just ran to the finish.  I don't know how long we ran but our time was 59:58.  I started talking to other coworkers and everyone doing the 10k got lost.  And not in the same way!  People were running all over the place.  We shared stories of the goofy loops we made and the crazy paths we were on.  Some people estimated they ran 7 or 7.5 miles.  Some people were guessing 5 miles.  I looked at the map of the course after and my guess was that I did about 5 miles.  Unfortunately, I was upset and disappointed about it.  It wasn't anyone fault.  But it means that one of my 3 running goals has not been achieved.  I am 0 for 2 so far.  My third goal (400 miles) is still very achievable.  I have 100 miles to go.  I know of a 10k near my house in November that I am planning to do to recoup this goal.  All in all it was a successful event for a good cause for a good family. 

P.S.  Calvin has successful moved up to the 13m - 18m room at daycare.  But he is sitll not walking.  Standing better and oh so close to walking.  Any day now...

If Mom made it, don't eat it

I saw on facebook someone posted a quote "If Man made it, don't eat it."  I think my children's rule of thumb is "If Mom made it, don't eat it."  We are in a dinner rut!  I am completely out of dinner ideas.  I think that all families should have a 10 or so meal repertoire of dinners that their family likes.  That is a couple of weeks of dinners.  I go through phases where I feel like we are having good dinners for awhle.  But now I feel like I am in a 4 meal rotation!  I am completely out of ideas.  I want to be more creative and cook more but sometimes I feel like "what's the point?"  Whatever meat I cook, I cut up for Laci and she just dips in ketchup.  What is the point in trying to play with flavors and sauces if she is just going to dip it in ketchup?  Charlie isn't much better.  He uses A1 - so much classier and grown up.  Calvin was doing well eating but he is on a carb kick.  And bananas.  He has had bananas the last couple of nights.  Calvin's choices are partly my fault because I am terrible at finger food ideas for a toddler.  He has refused meat the last few nights.  So I head for the goldfish and teddy graham standby.

To add to my dinner woes, I always come home from work starving.  I am the type of person who eats a little often, instead of 3 big meals.  So if I don't eat a snack at work (and sometimes even when I do eat a snack) I am starving when I get home at 5.  I am cooking dinner as fast as I can.  Lately Calvin has been really clingy.  I am not sure if he is hungry also or what.  I call it his "needs his mommy" time.  So we cuddle.  It's difficult making dinner with a baby on your hip.  I try to give him a snack on his high chair or on the floor.  But I don't want to do that because it might spoil his dinner.  But since he isn't eating dinner, what does it matter. 

Okay - enough venting my frustrations about my dinner woes.  Tomorrow is Thursday - spaghetti night.  Laci and Calvin love the garlic bread.  At least I know what I am serving and that they will eat something. 

The Rules of life - By Laci

The top 2 worst things you can do.
1. Biting
2. Putting your finger in the fan

The top 2 best things you can do.
1. Hold your ballerina pose
2. Give lots of love and kisses

Sounds simple enough to me!

The Zoo - the things we go for our kids

I always read about people's adventures on their blogs and facebook.  Sometimes I feel bad that we don't go on many adventures - like the zoo or children's museums or play dates, etc.  It's hard when I am working because the weekends are filled with errands, laundry and cleaning.  It's hard to find the time to go on these adventures.  The daycare was closed today for teacher training.  Tomorrow is the first day of the school year.  I decided to take the kids to the zoo.  Of course, last week Laci had her final field trip of summer camp at the zoo.  She was our guide for the day. 
I have always disliked double strollers because they are so enormous.  Fortunately, Laci is old enough that we have not needed a double stroller.  But since I was going by myself, I did not want to have to worry about her running off or whining that she was tired.  I borrowed my neighbors double stroller.  That was a great idea.  It was great having them both sit in the stroller and not having to worry about Laci taking off.  She got out when she wanted to but was content to just ride and look. 

I had to take the Vibe today.  This is another reason why we never got a double stroller. 
It didn't fit in the back and had to go in the front seat.

Look how nicely they are both contained!  She barely fit but it worked for one day.
She loved the map.

Calvin wasn't too interested in the animals.  I think he was just tired and wanted a nap.  He was mildly amused at the dolphin show.  Laci enjoyed it but it was a bit of a repeat having just been there a few days ago.  On the way home, I asked her what her favorite part of the zoo was.  Her answer - Dora Popsicle and the playground.  I could have done that at home.  But the big adventures are important to do sometimes.  Even if it is the little parts that make the memories.

The slide - the best part!

Tony, Laci and the Cheetah

This is about as excited as he got.  Except for the slide.  He also loved the slide!

Later, after naps and rests, we walked down to the pond in our neighborhood and fed the fish.  I love doing that with the kids.  This is our real life and what I truly appreciate in our busy life.  Tonight, Laci named the turtles John, Blon and Lon and the catfish Targon.  She told me stories about the turtles and what they do when we aren't there.  I love her stories.  When we got home, she insisted on wearing her Monkey costume from two years ago that barely fit.  She and Calvin ended up eating bananas for dinner and barely anything else.  It was so cute watching her cut up his banana just like I do and she fed him saying the same words I do. 

The point of today was a big adventure.  But I was reminded that the real point of today was to enjoy my children.  All of the errands were done Saturday and the chores were done Sunday.  Today was about spending the day with my kids without the distractions.  Maybe that was the real reason why the daycare was closed today.