A New iPhone!

Well, Jim and his wonderful work contacts manged to land us (well, ME, he says) a brand new iPhone. This is the signature bag and this picture is taken with the new phone. I'm going to download movies to watch while a the park with the kids! Hooray for husbands everywhere!

7 AM

Biked for 15 miles, than I ran for a short 1.25 miles. 2 weeks to Triathlon and counting!

Day Off

Yesterday we went to the dollar movie (actually the $3 movie) and watched Curious George. Today, after a full week of fun fun things to do, we took a day off. I didn't even get up to run. We had no plans and no one to meet. We slept in! When Emma got up at her normal 5:45 time, I sent her back to bed without a second glance. She slept until 8! I chatted on the phone and stayed in my pajamas until 9:30 - an UNHEARD of luxury! The girls WATCHED TV. When my tea was gone and the phone was hung up, I was immediately bored. No where to go, no one to see, nothing on the docket for the whole long day spanning before us. The answer to that was......

Wrong! That was Zoe and the girls from Wednesday's Music in the Park (before it rained). I strapped roller blades on my feet and the girls got on their scooters and we went for a Wheel Walk! Hooray for wheels! We didn't last very long. My roller blades are OLD - pre pregnancy - so they are too small. Half way around the block I had no feeling left in my feet whatsoever. Mary gets tired on her scooter - the poor little bird is not even 3 yet, after all. So I tired to push her while skating. It would have been fun, if she didn't freak out and try to jump off every time - too fast, she said. She is not going to be our roller coaster girl, that's for sure. I did get the benefit of seeing a few neighbors - always fun to look like the active, cool Mommy on the block (or the crazy, out of control one, depending on your perspective). But we had a fun 1/2 hour. Then the girls spent the rest of the day playing with the scooters in one form or another.

I intended on mulching in eggshells and coffee grounds for some of the poorer looking rose bushes, and I had potato salad to make for the family gathering tomorrow and meatloaf to put together for dinner. Instead, I took a long, much needed 2 hour nap snuggled up with Emma. If you can't take a moment and lay down, what good is summer break? The meatloaf and potato salad still got made, but the roses will have to wait until tomorrow. And we had an unexpected last moment guest for dinner, which was odd, because I've never had anyone accept like that, standing at my front door trying to sell me things and accept a dinner invite. It was odd but yet neat. Turns out the young traveling man is far away from his wife and little girls and was grateful for some company. The randomness never stops!

Tomorrow I'm planning to get up early as usual and try a 20 mile bike. You should know, Internet, that I am signed up for a Triathlon on the 14th of July. That's only 2 weeks away. I've been swimming, biking, and running to beat the band these last two weeks and I can't stop now. Then lots of family gatherings this weekend from out of town relatives, so it will be run, run, run in more ways than one!

Dinner!

I made this fabulous Salmon dish the other night and just had to share. Check out the recipe for Honey Glazed Salmon with Black Bean and Fresh Corn Salad. One of the best salmon recipes I've tried yet!

Family Fun in the (not so much) Sun

This week I've been committed to doing things with the kids that they would enjoy. So, Monday we went for a bike ride (they love that). Tuesday we met Zoe and her Mommy at the spray park. I brought a blanket, water, a few snacks and lunch. The girls immediately (at 10 AM) wanted to eat. This was right after they consumed all of the water I brought, claiming extreme thirst. So they ate. Then Zoe showed up and they all ate some more. Finally, they played. In the sandbox. A blistering 92 out and a whole park full of sprinklers and they spent 2 hours playing in the sandbox, which is not unlike the sandbox we have at home. And then they ate some more. Today we met Zoe and her Mommy in the main park in Plymouth for the weekly Music in the Park.Based on yesterday's success with food, we decided to get there early and have a picnic. That went fabulously, except Emma thought the hot dog stand had Popsicles and there was a period of time spent obsessing over those. And, then, just as the concert started, so did the rain. There were 2 drops and then the skies opened. Mrs. Bailey was quick thinking and inverted her handy vinyl lined blanket over our collective heads (which seemed to be more fun than picnics even) until the concert goers all decided to run for the covered farmer's market across the street. Mrs. Bailey suggested we call it a day, even IF the storm was going to blow over. We did, and it did not blow over. It continued to be blinding rain all the way home. Mary asked me how we were going to find our home if we couldn't see out of the windows at one point. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I was sure I didn't know. Now, however, as I sit and write this and my soggy children are passed out from all of the excitement, it is sunny and beautiful out.

Good thing I watered my flowers this morning.

Running Anyways

I said that school as ending, so I am sure there has been anticipation and excitement, knowing that any MINUTE now I would post something. I certainly understand that sentiment. I have officially been on summer vacation 1 week today, and let me tell you - I don't understand how I have effectively added 10 hours to my available daily time yet I still cannot get everything done in the span of a day. It's not that I'm slacking - I've been up at 5:30 running almost every day, even weekends. The girls have had playdates, pool fun, bug hunts and field trips, not to mention puzzle time and stories with Mama. I'm flummoxed. Now, there have been days where I've planted for five hours to get flowers in that should have been done in May, and I completely understand those days. It's the endless laundry and cleaning that have bested me.

In random kid events, My little Mary uttered a dirty word. She was maneuvering a particularly difficult section of a self imposed obstacle course and uttered "Oh, shit". I said, "Mary, what did you say?", she replied, "Um, I said..... O......cean". So she also knew to change the word when confronted. Emma's newest expressions are, "Oh, HEAVENS!" and, "This thing HATES me". Both of them send me into fits of giggles.

The things these kids learn!