days to come

I know in years to come she won't remember any of this.  She more than likely will be another angry teen who hates her mom.  The memories of riding bikes to the park, to do art in the shade of the big tree,while watching fish jump, eating watermelon and pasta salad…and sipping ice tea…it will not even be a memory to her.  She will remember her mom worked all the time, yelled a lot and was horrible at planning birthday parties.

Ilin is moving on to his big teen years.  Driving and not talking.

Olive...

She's almost 8 and all ready a handful.

I guess I'll just keep on keepin on.

xo

m

Summer in Colorado

It"s here.  Not quite so hot you can't do anything but still hot enough that excertion at mid day will melt you.

Longmont, Colorado sits right at the base of the foothills so we often have a nice warm breeze.  This time of year brings the everyday 30% showers, which I love.

We have made a deal with each other and Kris B and family that we  WILL attempt to enoy our surroundings this summer.  

Hike once a week

Bike instead of drive

use all the patios in town and at our houses

and camp.

This was our first week of summer  

xo

a few wonderful things happened.

As with any last child, the effort just isn't there like it was for the first.

I'm older, slower, smarter and possibly more drunk than with the first.

I have come to the realization that almost everything happens in time.  Seriously, pretty much all kids walk eventually, they eventually eat something other than plain spaghetti with butter, and most learn how to read.  it all happens in time.  

with that said…..

my daughter has finally gone 6 days in a row with out wetting her night time pull-up !!!!!

Party in the house!  She is almost 8.  She sleeps 12-13 hours a night without a budge.  So, you can see the problem.  I can barely go 5 hours with out the potty.  

Back to the good thing.   When she finally stops wetting she gets to get her room painted and a real bedroom set.  

Along with this accomplishment, I also mastered the art of bribery yesterday.  

She wanted an Archie comic book.  I said, "sure I'll get it, but you have to try to ride your bike …on the sidewalk."  she thought about it and said ok.

By the time we got home she had decided that wasn't a great Idea and said , No…then i said no Archie.

After a short screaming match she apologized and we headed to the park.

We have been attempting 2 wheels for 3 years now.  She wont do it.  BUT yesterday i said to her, " you are one inch taller, this should be a breeze (knowing she has no concept of height or what would make anything easier)"  She hopped on her 1967 Schwinn, basket, bell and all…and off she rode, squealing like a piglet.

See, good things do come to people who wait.

vitamin D and Facebook

I just came home and my teen is on his lap top, with his phone turned onto netflix, which is sitting in front of his laptop, talking on a headset to someone else!!!!  

WTF?  

remember the days when we would wait for some one to call us on the phone? 

then we would drag the looooong cord into the pantry and talk in a hushed voice amongst the applejacks and triscuits?  I believe my son's skin may not even know what vitamin D is?  maybe facebook should figure out how to emit vitamin D out of the light from the computer screen.  

As my sweet friend just announced to me: we are raising a bunch of wussies.  

Yeah, but we can't even help it.

what's wrong with us?

liquor ?

guilt?

or poor parenting?

enough said.

xo

m

running, a love hate relationship

this is what I look like after I run 5 miles.  

look at those sexy pits.

Face is red.

jeez

Running,  love hate relationship. 

 So unlike beer, which is a love love relationship.  

But in order to eat and drink I must first run or workout.

The thing about running is that it is a competition with your self.  It really is the strangest thing.

You run, then you think, "man, this sucks.  I hate this.  I really am not enjoying myself."  run a bit farther. " Man, it's hot"  

"I have to poop"

"ok, maybe I can run to the next bathroom."

At this point, for me, it is a catch-22.  I know have to run or crap myself.  I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this mantra for running.

Run so that you can find a place to poo.

or pee…usually it's poo.

runners bowels.

As I run, I also often wonder if it gets easier or more enjoyable.  After 3 years of running I still don't jump out of bed, slap on sunscreen and announce, "I'll be out enjoying my run!"

I usually try to put it off as long as possible then think of excuses as to why I shouldn't go.

BUT….

running is one of the most rewarding things I've ever done for myself.

I started with Couch to 5k.  I had never run…ever….not even to escape a snake in the road.

I kept at it and did it.

My legs have never felt stronger.

my stomach/core has never been flatter or stronger.

there is no more super seat spread when i sit down in the car.

It's amazing.

Give it a try.  

It costs close to nothing, you can do it anywhere

just remember…

slow and steady wins the race.

if you have a hard time slow down, you are only racing with yourself.