Catching Up

Hello. Is anyone out there? Anyone who hasn't given up on me and still checks in from time to time to see if by some miracle I've posted?

So much life has been lived since Todd posted on May 4th!

Here are the posts I'd like to write in the following days to catch myself up. We'll see how I do.

~Big Sur!
~Frederick Half Marathon
~Swim Team
~St. Michael's/Fourth of July/Robin&Buff's boat
~Swim Team Banquet
~DISNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~DISNEY CRUISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~death
~DEEP CREEK LAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~First Day of School
~Homeschooling
~Kyle's Birthday

I'm sure there are more to be written inbetween some of those but who am I kidding... I'll be doing well to just manage to post a couple of those.

Of course there are the running updates and the Freedom's Run Marathon that I'm training to run on October 1st. And the Army Ten Miler that I'm running on October 9th. I'd like to quote Pop-Pop regarding the Army Ten Miler: "Is that the race that has me driving all the way around the beltway to get to church?"

Yes, Pop-Pop, sorry about that. See the race starts at the Pentagon and goes through D.C.

Oh and then there is Meredith's and my bucket list!!! We decided that we will run a race in every state in the U.S. before we... you know... kick the bucket.

So far I have Maine, Maryland, California, and Virginia checked off the list. West Virginia and D.C. will be added to the list after October 9th. We are especially looking forward to Hawaii and Alaska and (by the way) did you hear that the Bahamas now has a race or two to be run??? Pretty cool way to see the country, er... the world, huh?

Tomorrow we are off to the Baltimore Science Museum for a little homeschooling field trip!! Should be fun provided noone decides to jump into the harbor as we walk to the Museum.

ONE AMAZING WIFE

My wife ROCKS. More specifically, she rocked Big Sur this past weekend!! I could not have been more proud of her. I am sure she will recount her experience here for you soon but I want to tell you how amazing she is first. Big Sur is a picturesque, hilly (more on that from her) (and 26 hills to be exact) marathon route. It literally and figuratively takes your breath away with how beautiful it is and how physically demanding it is. Michelle completed the marathon with her sister and had a smile on her face to boot. It was fantastic to watch her run this race. She amazes me with her dedication to running and it is a pleasure to support her in this endeavor of hers. I love you!

Todd

Big Sur and a new running partner

This is crazy!!! I did not publish this post as one long paragraph. Blogger won't let me edit!!! Agggghhhhh!!! We are now under 2 weeks away from Big Sur!!! I'm getting over the fact that the race route has been changed from point to point to an out and back. I no longer bother dreaming about myself running across the Bixby Bridge. Just FYI when I started training for this race I bought a Big Sur calendar with pictures from previous marathons. There is a picture of that bridge in more than half of the pictures. Half way across the bridge is the (oh excuse me... WAS the) halfway point of the marathon. Now the start of the race will take place where the finish usually is and we run south to just north of where the road washed away... which is just north of the Bixby Bridge. Then we turn around and run north back to the finish. As my nephew Danny says, "Oh my gosh, darn, fricken!!" So we don't even get near it. I wonder if I'll see it off in the distance taunting me. Beckoning me to come back another year when the road is repaired... As for training... I feel so much stronger this time around. I'm not even all that sore now after my long runs. 20 miles came and went without all that much fuss. Last fall I would lay around in a lazyboy for the rest of the day acting like I'd lost the ability to use my legs after a long run. Now? I'll be a bit tender going downstairs for maybe 24 hours but nothing more than that. Last fall I battled blisters constantly. I remember after our 18 mile long run I actually had a blister that wrapped completely around one toe. I did eventually end up losing that toenail... nice, right? Now? I have none of that!! Halleluia!! Meredith and I have been running the hills in her neighborhood. I know this makes me sound crazy but I'm secretly proud of how much I feel like I just might need to vomit when we reach the top of a hill. Then when we level off and I get my breath back I get this proud feeling. Who knew that I would like hills so much? Not me that's for sure. Today I gained a new partner. JULIANNA!!! She ran with me for a 1.3 mile loop in our neighborhood then she went home and I finished my 4 miles for the day. She was so cute. She chattered away the whole time about the pretty flowers we saw and how much fun she was having. When she got a stitch in her side we walked it out. I was so proud of her. She did really well for her first time out there. I'd say that she ran for about the first half mile then we alternated walking and running till we returned her to home. She kept saying how much fun it would be to run a race with Aunt Meredith and I. I'm sure that by the time she is up to running several miles her long legs will take her farther and faster than I can handle but for now I'm going to love this time with her!

the new jakey...

Got gum?



Got gum in hair.



Got gum out.



Got no hair!!!


hmmmm... Got BIG ears!

12 weeks down!! 6 to go!!

I can't believe it! If this were a pregnancy I would be starting the last week of my first trimester! The time goes by so fast!

Yesterday Meredith and I ran 18 miles... our longest training run in our preparation for running Big Sur on May first. (We were supposed to do this last weekend but we had to tweak our training plan because I was away last weekend and felt it would work better for me to miss a 13 mile training run instead of the 18.)

My quads are so sore and it is pretty hilarious watching me try to go down the stairs. This past week I started incorporating hill work because Big Sur has BIG hills I'm told. This meant that my legs were still sore going into the run. By mile 15 I was like,"Three more miles?? Are you kidding me??" My legs were killing me! I dug deep and slowed down considerably but refused to stop till I reached the 18 mile mark.

Afterwards Meredith and I were comparing how we felt and she said that she was trying to assess how, if this had been the marathon, how much she would have had left. I told her that at mile 15 I truly felt like I had nothing left and really had to dig deep to get to the 18. So if this had been the marathon already I doubted I could have finished.

However, being that it was a training run, I was so proud of myself for running the whole thing! I realized that since running Richmond I really have not had and "I'm proud of what I just did!!" moment.

Yesterday was it for me!!! I felt like I dug deep, gave every ounce I could give and didn't stop till I accomplished my goal. I left everything I had out there on the road. There wasn't any point where I felt like I didn't give it all I had and that feels so good.

All this to say... The training is going GREAT!!!! So far.

Now...

All you highway workers out there on Route 1, I'm cheering you on. Please, please get my marathon route fixed!!!

TMI

WARNING!!! and please do not say that I didn't warn you... because I am warning you...
If you shy away from candid discussions of body parts with children... more accurately candid discussions about MY body parts with a 3 year old Jake then look away my friend... LOOK AWAY NOW!!

It all started last night when Jake and I needed to rush out of the house to pick up Julianna, Drew, and Kyle better known by Jake as "my kids". (yes Tiercy right after I hung up with you!)

I needed to go to the bathroom and was in such a rush that I didn't close the door properly. In all of 2 seconds Jake sashayed into the room to join me. Now I should probably tell you that we are in the thick of potty training with him and he is VERY curious about how the whole going pee and poop works for different individuals.

He peeks between my legs and says, "You going pee pee with your penis, Mommy?"
"No, honey, Mommy doesn't have a penis. Only boys like you and Daddy have a penis."
He peers closer. (I am getting stage fright and trying with all my might to end this quickly!!) "What's that?"
"Hair. When you get bigger you get hair there. Daddy has hair there too, remember?"
"NO HE DOES NOT!! MY DADDY NOT HAVE HAIR ON HIS PENIS!! THAT'S NOT FAIR!! DON'T YOU TELL ME!!!"
He storms out of the bathroom. (Not sure what that was all about because he showers with Daddy fairly often.)

Naively I think this is over. Right? This will never be brought up again, right?

Please?

This morning Jakey comes up to me and smiles at me so sweetly that I am about to kiss him right on the tip of his cute button nose.
"Mommy? You got a hair penis?"
(cue needle scratching across record album)
"No... honey, I have a vagina. Girls like Mommy and Julianna have a vagina and boys have a penis."
"NO!! JULIANNA HAS A PENIS!!" (Mind you, he has never seen his sister naked.)
(Julianna shrieking from somewhere in another room) "I DO NOT!!"

So anyway, like I said, I warned you.

Now it's your turn. What crazy discussions have you had with your kids lately?

Scrapbook Challenge

The other night I watched the movie Julie & Julia for the first time.
I loved it!
I found myself wanting to go out and buy Julia Childs' cookbook and cook my way through it too. I like the idea of a challenge and pushing myself just to see if I can do the thing (whatever the "thing" may be). The amusing thing was that while I was watching the movie I was trying out a new recipe. A beef soup recipe that had cilantro and lime as ingredients. I have to admit that I am a sucker for any recipe that has cilantro and lime in it. Mmmmmmm!!! I'm getting hungry just remembering how wonderful that soup was..... but I digress.

Where was I?
Oh yes! A cooking challenge!

But that's not me. Me? I like to run. AND scrapbook.
So I got to thinking. I'm waaaaaaaaaaaay behind on our family scrapbooks. I mean I still haven't finished Julianna's baby years! That means I'm like 10 years behind. That's a lot!

Last night I sat down and completed a 2 page spread/layout in our family's 2001 photo album. While I was doing this little Jake came up to see what I was doing. "Look at baby Julianna!" I said to him. He looks up at me with those big brown eyes and asks, "Where is baby Jakey?" My heart twisted inside my chest. I quickly found some pictures of him as a baby for him to Ooooh and Ahhhh over and he skipped off to play oblivious to the guilty Mommy he had left behind. I looked down at the pages I had just completed in my album and I thought to myself, "That was fast and easy! If I could do that each and every night then I bet I could get caught up in one year's time! Then there would be a whole album of baby Jakey for him to look at!"

My scrapbook challenge was born!

Here are the facts:
2 pages a day for a year means 730 pages completed!!
If each of my albums holds 45 pages then that is 16.2222222222.... albums!!
I'm figuring on trying to keep it to one year per album but that might be too conservative considering how many pictures I have. So that extra 6.22222... albums gives me a little "wiggle" room.

So, is scrapbooking your thing too? Do you, like me, need to "get cooking" on your album projects? Care to join me in a little scrapbook challenge?

I am accepting my own challenge to complete 730 pages on or before January 25th of 2012. With 2 pages down that's 728 pages to go!

If you do decide to join me and find yourself needing supplies... well you can go to my website www.mycmsite.com/michellebumgardner and take a look around!

Excuse me while I go scrapbook!

Happy Scrapping!
------------------------------------------------------------

***UPDATE***
I have decided to name my challenge "Let's Get Cookin' on our Albums" in honor of the movie Julie & Julia that inspired me.

Do you care?

I'm a geek I know!
Today I have spent a few hours organizing my scrapbook station and am almost done with my 2 pages for today. I might even have time to do some more!

Again, Happy Scrappin'!!

So, I'm angry

This morning I was running on my treadmill as Todd was getting ready to leave for work. We are, as you know, in the midst of basketball season. Last night he had a game which means he got home late and we really didn't have time to talk before we went to sleep. His team won in overtime by the way!! Pretty cool!!

So, like I said, I'm on the treadmill and he is getting ready to leave for work. He came down and broke some bad news that almost made me fall off my treadmill. News that is not mine to share, so I won't, except to say that it has to do with yet another loved one battling cancer.

I HATE you cancer.

It made me recall a saying on the inside of a card that I got years ago from someone else who was battling cancer. I thought I would share these words as they brought me a small amount of comfort this morning.

Cancer is so limited...
It cannot cripple Love
It cannot shatter Hope
It cannot corrode Faith
It cannot destroy Peace
It cannot kill Friendship
It cannot suppress Memories
It cannot silence Courage
It cannot invade the Soul
It cannot steal eternal Life
It cannot conquer the Spirit
-Anonymous

I hope these words bring you peace today.

Week One... check!

Last week marked the beginning of the end.

The beginning of the end of 2010.

The beginning of the end of the holidays.

The beginning of the end of Todd's winter break.

The beginning of the end of Julianna's first decade of life (sniff, sniff).

AND... the beginning of the end of 6 weeks of rest from training runs.

The day after Christmas was day one of week one of training. Talk about getting right into it after all the holiday feasts. (and in case you were wondering I DID NOT take my last post seriously... lots of healthy eating going on around here!! more on that later.)

So here I am reporting in on my first week of training for the Big Sur Marathon.

Sunday(26th)- rest

Monday(27th)- rest

Tuesday(28th)- rest (what can I say we were away on a little trip)

Wednesday(29th)-3.1 miles (I can't do just 3 miles anymore. When my goal is 3 I have to do the extra .1 to make it a 5K)

Thursday(30th)- 5miles + yoga to stretch

Friday(31st)- 3.1miles

Saturday(Happy New Year)- 8miles

I have to say that I was surprised at how easy all the runs for last week were. I wasn't very sore at all. Saturday's run was hard at times but I think that was mostly because I was so tired from staying up late to bring in the new year. I found it harder than usual to hold a conversation with Meredith without gasping for breath. I guess I need to relearn how to run and talk at the same time again :)

So here we are after running 8 miles:

I think my hat makes me look bald.

Eating Tips for the Holidays!

I got this e-mail today with tips on eating through the holidays.

I personally like #9. We need to be VERY careful about setting standards for ourselves through the holidays! :)

Happy Eating!

***HOLIDAY EATING TIPS***

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Holiday spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare... You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Holiday party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one> dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Remember this motto to live by:
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand and wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Have a great holiday season!!