third time wasn't so charming.

Rock N Roll.

2012.

Defeated again.

I cannot seem to conquer this course.
(meaning finishing the run in under 4 hours).
This is my third time running it.

And this year they switched it up a little...

and it sucked.

Big time.

I wanted to quit at mile 15.

But somehow tricked myself into thinking 11 more miles wasn't that much further.

At mile 23 I was begging to have a seizure.

No dice.

However, there is no greater feeling than crossing that finish line.

Of course, by the time I ran the 0.2 miles, straight up a hill, to the finish line, I really couldn't feel anything at all.
But I am sure that means it was great.

Why do people do these again?

And I will most definitely do it again.

I am an idiot.

the name game.

When we were deciding what boy names we liked, before the arrival of 'the boy', Ryan and I could not agree at all.  We had a girls name...no problem.  But a boy's name was quite the battle.  I stressed, agonized, lamented, OBSESSED over it. 
 I loved the names Miles, Simon, Amos, Calvin, Theo, Sawyer, Dexter...
Ryan said those were the names of kids that are picked last at the playground.
And beat up on a regular basis.
I said those are the names of boys who play the guitar, love their mothers, wear glasses, are intellectual, go to Harvard, and open doors and pull out chairs for girls.
His reply...'and that's why they are beat up'.
Well, now I am kicking myself for listening to him.
Because here is what a Miles/Simon/Calvin/Sawyer would look like...

And here is what a Carson looks like...

Think it's too late to start calling him Miles...and put him in piano lessons?

redhook.

Redhook is our Cheers.

Where everybody knows our name.

And they're always glad we came.

Okay, so maybe that's not so true.

They haven't a clue who we are and could care less if we are coming or going.

But we are always super glad when we go.

And this time we were even glad we had the kids.

Say what?!

Although, it would have been a lot more fun if instead of Hadley & Carson we brought Norm & Cliff.

And if we would have been seated by Diane and served by Sam.

kids.

Hadley comes out of her room, slams the door, and looks at me completely exasperated.

She throws her hands in the air, juts her hip out to the side, and shouts:

"My kids are the most annoying kids in the entire world."

I looked at her and said:

"Wanna bet."

so long preschool.

She entered as a 3 year old...

And left as a 22 year old...

She's officially a preschool graduate.

When she grows up she wants to be a Nurse, a Teacher, a Librarian, and a Firefighter on the weekends.

Oh, and a Mama.

Hads, you make me smile so big my face hurts.

Kindergarten bound...and I couldn't be more excited for you.

loving on our dad.

Started the morning off making cards for our Pops.

Carsie even got in on the action. 

So did his face.

Waiting for Dad to get up and see all of his loot...

We let him sleep in.

Sad that 'sleeping in' is 8am.

But Ry was thrilled.

So thrilled that he ditched us the rest of the day for a bike ride.

(smart man).

Ry, we think you are grand.

And we love you ridiculous amounts.

Thank you for being our rock, our voice of reason, our protector, our lawn mower, our dog poop picker upper, and our car seat putter-inner.

XOXO.

bullied by my own kid.

Tuesday morning convo:

Hadley:  "Mama, how come Auntie Val is WAY funner than you?"

Me:  "Funner isn't a word.  It's more fun."

H:  "Mama how come Auntie is WAY more fun than you?"

M:  "You are crazy.  What are you talking about?  How is she more fun?"

H:  "She takes her kids to do stuff.  Fun stuff.  All day.  Every day."

M:  "I take you to do stuff."

H:  "I know, but you do boring stuff, never fun stuff.  And you never have snacks.  Auntie Val always has snacks.  Lots of snacks."

So we went to the zoo.

With a wagon full of snacks.

And it was fun.

Way funner than Auntie Val.

(Val, thanks for adding a little competition...but I will wave my white flag now.  

I don't stand a chance against ya).

Everything he saw was a 'doggy' or 'da-doo', accompanied by this face.

my prediction.

I predict that she will have training wheels on her bike until she's 30.

And that she will redefine cool.

And if I were a betting woman...I would put all my money on the training wheels.

Hads...

You're a dork.

no worries.

'No worries' is the name of Nana & Pa's boat.

It is perfectly named.  

We rode the ferry over to Kingston.

The kids 'played' video games for 20 minutes and were pleased as punch.

Then we met Nana & Pa for some sun, food, and drinks.

And we had absolutely no worries.

(except I always worry a little that both of my children are going to drown, and that one of my nurse friends from airlift will be at the scene, after we frantically call 911, and as they fly them to Childrens, they will scold me & say...'what were you thinking letting your kids be by the water?".  Nurses don't like water).

But no one else had any worries.

We could have stayed there all day.

Oh wait.

We did.

It was fabulous.

ruinin' my game.

This kid is a total 'blog-block'.

I am constantly intervening to save his life.

Each week I just thank my lucky stars that he's still alive.

And each night I toast to him for making it another day.

(and to myself for keeping him in one piece).

Then I pass out from shear exhaustion.

Or too much booze.

I am not sure which.

memorial day weekend.

Lots of walks.  Lots of coffee.  Lots of rain.  Lots of treasure hunts.  Lots of books.  Lots of naps.

Lots of fun.