Ah, Monday

It has been a while since I wrote in this blog...but it has been a bad week for me and my friend Running.  I feel so much guilt when I haven't laced up my shoes in a few days.  It is like I have been meaning to call or get together with a good friend, and we just haven't connected.  Ugh.  I made a promise to Running that I would try to keep up with my end of the lovely relationship we have.  I owe it to Running, but more importantly, I owe it to myself.

It is just so cold outside.  I think I may have to start doing some running indoors in these approaching winter months, if I am going to hang on to regular runs until February.  I have never been a fan (and that is putting it mildly) of running on the treadmill, but I think I am going to have to force myself to do it, even if it is just during the school week, when I have access to the treadmill.  I will venture out on weekends, but that darkness that accompanies the cold during the week is a deadly combination for me and my growing belly!!

so excited--a card that plays music!

I am excited, as today is my baby's birthday.  He isn't a baby anymore...he is actually the older of my two fantastic sons, but, (here comes the cliche) he will always be my baby.  I cannot believe that exactly four years ago I was paining through labour with him (I am trying not to remember that part with the labour pain that is imminent in my near future).  I cannot believe that there was a time when I didn't know him.  From his first moments in our arms, he has been our little Elliott--cute, wise, and cheeky.  He has spent countless hours out running with me in the BOB, and now holds "races" in the yard or the house, complete with the "ready, set--GO" and imaginary medals at the "finish line".  He dances like his Papa, and loves cuddles with books.  I couldn't ask for a better big brother for Milo.  I know, I am proud :)

Elliott and Papa--one day old in 2006

He ran out of his room this morning, and said, "Mama, is it really today?  Am I really 4 years old?!"  How can you not LOVE that?!  He was so happy and proud, and I almost cried when I had to leave for work.  Ah, well.  He will still be happy and excited when I get home from work later today.  I love you, Elliott!

I am hoping to squeeze in a run before dinner (we have already been eating cupcakes for days!) so here's hoping the wind isn't crazy this afternoon!

Happy (birthday) Running!

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Today was a mild day for November, but with the mild temperatures came rain.  I was really hoping for a nice after-school run today, but I am choosing to be a fair weather runner these days, so I skipped the run and played with the boys inside where it was nice and dry :)

So, it is official.  I have accepted the fact that having a growing family means having enough space in a car to drive around with all of my children (including the soon-to-be-born).  I took the plunge last week and purchased a new, bigger car.  I love love love my VW Passat wagon.  It is cute, comfortable, great on gas, and (most importantly) it is easy to park. Unfortunately, it only seats 2 adults and 2 car seats.  This makes me sad :( We decided to keep the Passat (my husband will drive it) and buy a larger car to tote the boys around in.

This is just a web-photo--I will add a real one soon

The Ford Flex became our new car as of Saturday when I picked it up.  It is big.  Not scary big, but bigger than I have driven in a lot of years!  I drove my dad's truck when I was in my late teens, and this car has a slightly different feel.  The pick-up truck was not quite as accommodating to my small frame--I had to sit on a pillow to reach the pedals--but I did enjoy rolling through town in it.
This new car doesn't feel huge when I am behind the wheel, and I have successfully parked it several times (including parallel parking) with success! phew!  I also am excited that I can fit the boys, their stuff, and the double BOB! (even though we'll soon need a triple?! ha ha)

I am hoping I am not too excited to drive around in my new wheels, and that I do get out on the pavement on foot for runs (ha ha) throughout the next few months!  I have an inspiration race in mind for this spring.  The Oakville Mercedes 10k on May 8th.  It will be something to strive for (or struggle for?) after the baby is born in March.  Here's hoping this baby isn't too overdue, so I can gear up for an extra week or two of training in April?

Happy Running...it is supposed to cool off this week, so bundle up!

I know I have said this before...

But some things are just worth repeating.  I am the luckiest person I know.  No, I don't win things often, (or ever!) or swim in piles of cash and jewels.  I have a life so full of wonderful people that I love, that luck must have something to do with it.

I feel lucky to have the best, most supportive parents anyone could imagine.  I have siblings (and sibling-in-laws) that are so great to be around.  Family events (and with the way my family is growing, they are events these days) are so full of laughter, stories, and fun.  My parent's house is so welcoming and full of life and I hope that one day I will have a home that my children want to come home to with their families so willingly!

I am a teacher, and I teach students that sometimes feel incredible amounts of pressure to be someone that they are not, ("My son is going to be a doctor" is something that I do hear often) and I am truly grateful to my parents for getting to know who I was as a kid, to know me well enough to encourage my strengths.  I know they were frustrated with me and my teenage antics at times, but I feel like I am the person I am today because of all of their support and love through those years.  I wasn't that good at playing baseball as a kid, but my parents didn't miss my games.  I was never afraid to show them my report cards.  They fought with me to finish dinners that I didn't want to eat (character building?!) and showed up at graduation ceremonies, big races, and snapped photos with pride.  How can I not feel lucky?!

I know, sappy stuff.  I feel that because I have this blog, I can say whatever I want, no matter how sappy it is.  So that is all I have to say for today...nothing to do with running, I know, but sometimes you have to write about just what it is that you're thinking about while out in the fresh air, running along.

It's in the air...

When my brother and I headed out this morning for a run, it was out there, all around us.  The smell of winter.  It was cool and the wind was a bit more than I wanted.  As we ran along, I remembered all of the things about winter running that I had forgotten over the heat of the summer.  I will list a few...

1.  It is harder to hear one's running companion's conversation with strong winds and hats covering the ears.

2.  It is next to impossible to obtain the perfect combination of layers.

3.  The dead of winter always guarantees at least a few long runs with frozen gatorade.  Mmmm.  Nothing is more pleasant on a -18C run than a gatorade slushie drink!

4. Dark.  It is sooo dark so early in the evening, and so late into the morning.  It really makes us all wish we could 'dream' our runs from the warmth of our beds!

5.  Cold cheeks (and I mean all cheeks!).  For some reason, no matter how many layers, a morning run out in the cold is a sure-fire way to have a frozen butt for the rest of the day :)

6.  Nothing is more perfect than a calm evening run when the snow is falling gently.  So peaceful and full of beauty.

7.  Coming home from an early morning run in the cold give one quite an accomplished feeling.  Knowing that you had the courage to face the cold before starting the day is something to brag about, really.

8.  Winter is all about comfort foods.  Comfort foods are all about calories.  Enter the winter runner.  The runner that is brave enough to head out and burn those calories!

9.  Breathing in all of that cold, fresh air makes for some good sleep at night.

10.  Winter road races always seem to have the most humorous and created 'costumes', such as Santa Suits, kilts, etc.

Thank goodness the bad comes with the good in winter running.  I did mention to my brother this morning, that I predict I will use this pregnancy as an excuse not to go out on those super cold days...

Happy running!

TGI (almost) F

November is a long month.  We are almost half-way through it, and it feels as though a long time has passed since we strolled the neighbourhood with our little trick or treat bags.  Thank goodness the weather has been so beautiful.  Going out for a run in short pants and few layers is such a treat at this time of year!

I feel silly thinking about pulling out my snow tires, but I know that old man winter is just around the corner somewhere.  Speaking of snow tires, last year I strongly considered buying snow tires for my running shoes (yaktrax).  I didn't get around to it (did I really think winter would not come again--duh?!) and I suffered out on group tempo runs on streets with packed-down snow, and the Egg Nog Jog was challenging due to the same conditions.  I think that this year is the year I should invest in those little spikes to avoid slipping.  My balance will be a bit off due to the belly as well, so anything to help keep me upright on those snowy roads will be a benefit!

snow tires for my feet?!

Ok, time to stop talking about depressing things like snow.  For now I should focus on the good things...tomorrow is Friday, and I am excited to take the boys to Grandma and Grandpa's house this weekend for a little visit.  They both just love spending time with "G & G" and I feel so lucky to be able to see them often.

Happy Weekend (almost)!

Sunny Running

I feel so lucky that we have been enjoying such beautiful weather in the last few days.  That, combined with an extra hour of sleep (in theory) makes for a lovely Sunday morning long run!  I got geared up, and filled up my water bottle.  Just before heading out the door, I grabbed my running buddy, Garmie.  When I hit the start/stop button to search for satellites, nothing happened.  I tried again.  Then again, and a again.  Then the panic set in.  Nothing was happening.  This little gadget that I have grown to love over the last couple of months is letting me down?  How could this be?!

We fiddled around with it to no avail.  I didn't want to let it hold me back from the beautiful morning waiting for me, so I headed out the door.  I was bummed, but I know I can run without it, so why depend on it?  I really do love being able to look down and track my pace from time to time throughout my run, but   at this time of year, when I am not gearing up for a race, it isn't totally necessary.  As I passed the one-mile mark on the country road I usually take, I heard a car pull up slowly.  It was my hero, along with his little mini-heros.  My husband had fixed the problem with my beloved watch (the screen froze and he just reset it) and decided to pack up the boys (still in their jammies) in the car, to deliver it to me.  How sweet :)

I headed back on my way, and was reminded of his sweet gesture every time my watch beeped to tell me another mile had passed.  I proudly kept a steady 9 min/mile pace throughout the 10k (6 mile) run.  I think 10km is about my maximum these days.  I am feeling great as I run along, but my bladder has had about as much as it can handle by that point.  Unless I make a loop that runs past my house, I may just settle in for the next couple of months at this comfortable distance.  I wish I had the time to run 10k for daily runs, but for now I will have to be happy doing 6/7km for daily runs, keeping the 10ks for the weekend :)

In other (more) exciting weekend news, my husband and I become Godparents of my nephew Ralph.  He was quite cute through the baptism, and the family time afterwards was wonderful.  I love visiting with my family.  It was great to see everyone (and eat yummy refreshments!).

Happy Monday!

25 Things about Me

Due to the fact that I don't have a lot to say about my recent runs, (which is not intended to slight my most recent running buddies--my husband and the boys this morning) I thought I would shake things up a bit and write down some (quite random, really) facts about me.  Just for fun.

25.  I grew up on a farm, but almost failed my "soil science" course in University (much to my dad's disappointment).

24.  I was the shortest kid in my class almost every year of elementary school.

23.  I backed into a parked car on the first day I had my license.

22.  I always back into parking spots, thanks to the incident mentioned in number 23.

21.  The first time my husband met my family was at my Grandmother's funeral.

20.  I was always in trouble for talking too much in class when I was a kid.  Now I am a teacher that talks too much.

19.  I hate crumpled paper.  Or crumpled napkins.  Or...the worst. thing. ever: crumpled tissue. ick.

18.  I secretly hope my kids will sleep in every morning.  This rarely ever actually happens, and I have to make a real effort to be cheery for them at 5:45 or 6am

17.  I hate the taste of mint.  I use fennel flavoured toothpaste exclusively.

16.  I love apple juice.  I could drink a litre of it in one sitting easily.

15.  I dislike the sound of whistling.

14.  I will watch reruns of Friends at every opportunity.  I laugh out loud (literally) at most of the lines from the show, even though I have seen it countless times.

13.  I wish I could travel back in time to the 1940s and 1950s.  Just to experience my parent's childhoods.  They tell me stories, but I really wish I could live it.  Even just for a day.

12.  Regardless  of how many races I have been in, I still get butterflies every time I register for a race.

11.  Often while I am driving in my car, I imagine myself running that same route.

10.  My younger son looks much like I did as a baby.  He also acts the same way (the good and the not-so-good).

9.  I love baking, but really dislike cooking (although watching the food network is fascinating to me).

8.  My older brother and sister would "tickle torture" me as a kid.  I hated it.

7.  I really love nice landscaping, but really don't have the energy for gardening.

6.  I never took swimming lessons, but I have put it on my imaginary "to-do" list.

5.   I feel very lucky to have amazing family and friends in my life.  I am thankful every day for this!

4.  I have always enjoyed daydreaming, and I wish I had more time to do it these days (thankfully I have car rides)!

3.  I love the way morning runs feel, but I also really love the way my bed feels in the morning.  The bed almost always wins.

2.  I knew I would marry my husband within a month of knowing him.  Three years later, it came true.

1.  Some days I am afraid I will smother my children because I hug and kiss them so much.  I am trying to get as much in now as I can before they embarrass more easily.

That's it.  That's 25 things.  I am so happy to have yet another weekend day tomorrow, to enjoy a nice long run and some extra family time.

Halloween Fun

Halloween was one chilly day!  M and I started the day with a long run, which was really smart considering all of the candy we would consume later in the evening!  I am so proud of the two of us, out there in the cold with our growing bellies.  We braved some fierce wind, and some hills that seem to be growing in size as we grow in size :)  Our boys love trick-or-treating together, (well, they love doing anything together) so we agreed to meet up after dinner for the big trick-or-treat fest of this year.  They have been going out together on Halloween since our oldest boys were just one year olds.  So exciting!

Because my husband had to work (I feel so bad that he missed out on such a great evening) I had the always amusing task of getting the boys all costumed up and ready to go.  Milo was not looking forward to his costume, so I had to force him into it in the end.  He did get over his sadness when the candy and treats started flowing!  All of the boys ran from house to house, Milo yelling, "Come on, Mama, Party Party!".  So cute for such a little guy.

My little mummies had a great night, and we were all exhausted by the time we reached home again.  I am so happy to have our little Halloween tradition with the kids!

Two batmans, Two mummies, ready to head out and get some loot!

I should be heading out to start to burn off all of the candy I have 'looted' from the treat bags the boys brought home!!