Preschool Graduation 2013

We officially have a Kindergartner in the house.

A few photos from last night's graduation...

On a bear hunt...
for a bear with BIG green eyes...

...and a bushy tail!

Getting her certificate from Principal Morse

Wearing "C", her favorite Zoo-phonics letter.
(News to me!)

The end of the song "The 12 days of school"

Posing with cousin Neil.

A little less posed.
(She had the same fake smile all night!)

With Mrs. Rabe

Finally...tickling a real smile out of her!

Sisters – Eleanor wanted in on the camera action.

Team "Red Hots"!

Team "Red Hots" at their last practice

Our first soccer season is officially over. If I had to describe the experience in one word, I'd use the word "unpredictable". We had one game and numerous practices cancelled due to rain. One game in the snow, the following week it was 65˚ and sunny, the week after that it was 32˚ and windy. Ellie's participation was equally unpredictable. She loved going to practice, and would try her best to follow the ball, but once she was on the field during a game, she was more interested in picking dandelions than assisting her team mates. I learned that no matter what the sport or the age level, parents yell at their kids from the sidelines (us included). I also learned that I'm not really cut out to be a soccer mom, but you do what your kids want no matter how much gas you burn running into town five times a day. Will we do it next year? Probably. Will we know that you permanently pack the car with chairs, blankets, hats and mittens? For sure!

Think she's embarrassed to have
a boy put his arm around her?

This is how our Peanut plays soccer...

This is how the parents play soccer! (See Kyle in there?)

Great season, Red Hots!

Tuesday's training report

That says it all. Sunday's 8-mile trail run was an epic failure. In retrospect, I'm sure it was the combination of a few things: lack of carbs the day before, three nights of lousy sleep, 85˚ temperatures and seriously uncomfortable "lady" problems. It all added up to the perfect storm – the worst run I've ever struggled through. Ever. Including the 13.1 miles in an ice storm. Thankfully I had Amy to run/hobble/swerve dizzily next to me. Had she not been there I would have sat my sorry butt on the side of the road and called Kyle to come drag me home. Instead, we cut it short to 6.5 and she reminded me that we all have bad runs. One bad run does not define you. "Giving up on your goal because of one setback is like slashing your other three tires because you got a flat". Exactly!

Last week's plan:
MONDAY:  rest done
TUESDAY: strength work done + 3 easy miles
WEDNESDAY: 5 mile tempo run done
THURSDAY: 3 easy + strength work done
FRIDAY: strength work skipped
SATURDAY: 8 mile trail run ran 6.5 Sunday instead
SUNDAY: 3 easy miles ran this Tuesday
Goal: 19 miles | Actual: 17.5 miles

This week's plan:
MONDAY:  3 easy miles
TUESDAY: strength work
WEDNESDAY: 6 mile trail run
THURSDAY: strength work + 3 easy miles
FRIDAY: strength work
SATURDAY: 9 mile trail run
SUNDAY: rest
Goal: 21 miles

Monday stuff

On our way to scope out the relay route terrain.

It's almost 9pm and I'm finally getting a chance to settle my mind on something besides work and life chaos. We had a really great (and really busy) weekend – soccer game, wedding and reception, exploratory road trip up north with the neighbors. All the things that make a memorable summer weekend. Then Monday starts with a bang (and keeps banging) until well after 5pm. The joys of being self employed.

So...I promised a winner for the Nuun, and a winner I have: Beth!

A Happy Little Giveaway: Nuun

Nuun (it's pronounced "noon")

A few things first...
1. I thought it was time for a giveaway.
2. I've been drinking a lot of Nuun lately.
3. I must have had a perfectly hydrated brain yesterday when it occurred to me that I should give away some Nuun.

So... what is the stuff? From the Nuun website:
Nuun Active Hydration is a line of electrolyte enhanced drink tablets designed to keep you optimally hydrated wherever your active lifestyle and athletic endeavors take you. You sweat, Nuun replenishes. Packed with electrolytes, light flavor, no sugars or carbs, and portable, Nuun Active Hydration is the perfect sports drink. The electrolytes found in Nuun will help alleviate cramps, help muscles function, communicate and burn energy efficiently.

Why do I drink it?
Water is my favorite way to hydrate, but often it's not enough, especially after a run when I can feel the salt drying on my face. I need to replace the salt in my body, and a salt lick doesn't sound too appealing. There are sport drinks I could consume, but they are so high in sugar and calories that they negate the calories I just ran to burn. (And those calories are usually being banked for something other than fruit punch.) Each Nuun tablet contains electrolytes – sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. Nuun is refreshing, not too much flavor, and barely sweet. Plus, it's easy. Drop a tablet in a bottle of water and a minute later...voilá...lemonade (or tropical, orange, grape, cola...the flavor options go on...) There’s no sugar in Nuun, no corn syrup, and no artificial colors or flavors. (The traditional Nuun does contain sorbitol, a naturally occurring sugar alcohol, the other varieties contain stevia.)

Want to try some for yourself?
I'll send one of you a four pack of Nuun. With 12 tablets in each tube, you can hydrate yourself and your family 48 times. To enter, simply tell me what your favorite beverage is. Kyle's answer would be Founders Centennial IPA. I do love to chug H2O all day, but a strong margarita is a close second.

I'll draw a winner Monday afternoon.

What you'll win: 2 Tropical, 1 Orange and 1 Kona Cola flavored Nuun

Josie's a "Firework"

I've cut the 3 minute + song and performance to just over sixty seconds. Although I'm sure everyone would love to watch Josie's self-choreographed dance to Katy Perry's Firework, I wouldn't want to spoil the entire thing for you, just in case you are lucky enough to watch it live someday. Enjoy!

Mother runners

A few months ago, the ladies at Another Mother Runner challenged mother runners to compete in a "Virtual" 5K on Mother's Day. Those that completed the training (or continued their current training plan) and ran would receive a "BAMR" decal. All you had to do was run on Mother's Day and send them a photo of you and the race bib.

So...that's what I did.

(Photos from yesterday's AMR slide show)

And so did Nicole...

Tuesday's training report

 

Mid-trail

The top of my second trail

Last week's plan:
MONDAY:  rest done
TUESDAY: 3 easy miles done
WEDNESDAY: 1 hour of strength work done + 3 easy miles
THURSDAY: 4 mile tempo run done
FRIDAY: strength work skipped
SATURDAY: 7 mile trail run ran 8 instead on Sunday
SUNDAY: 3 easy miles ran these Wednesday 
Goal: 17 miles | Actual: 18 miles

This week's plan:
MONDAY:  rest
TUESDAY: strength work
WEDNESDAY: 5 mile tempo run
THURSDAY: 3 easy + strength work
FRIDAY: strength work
SATURDAY: 8 mile trail run
SUNDAY: 3 easy miles
Goal: 19 miles

Weekend Highlights

Neil and Josie in front of the Bald Eagles

Petting the Star Fish

We enjoyed a fun (yet really cold) trip to the zoo Friday. Josie and I rode with my cousin Beth and her son, Neil. Even though the weather wasn't ideal, the company was!

Ellie's line: "You're king of the Universe!"

Friday was also Grandparents' Day at school. Grandpa and Grandma Mox drove over to spend the day with us. My mom also made it to the luncheon and performance of "Malice in the Palace". Kyle, Josie and I were able to watch the evening show.

Saturday brought a cold morning soccer game followed by a playdate for both of the girls. While Ellie and Josie were with their friends, Kyle and I made quick trip to the grocery store. On the drive home we drove through....snow. In May. Insane.

Saturday afternoon my friend Nicole stopped by for an hour or so with her two kids. The grown ups visited while the kids played outside for a while – in winter coats, hats and mittens. A few hours later, our friends, the Houttemans, stopped over on their way home from Ludington. I felt very spoiled by visits from some of my favorite people – two women that I don't get to see often enough.

Bringing me a fresh cup of coffee

Sunday morning I was surprised with breakfast in bed, as well as a couple of lovely hand-made Mother's Day gifts. We spent our morning lounging around together, I went for a trail run after lunch, and before dinner we drove over to see my mom for an hour or so.

Who is having more fun – Kyle or Eleanor?

The "grand finale" of our weekend, was watching Kyle give the girls rides on his Honda CT70 (fresh out of retirement in our basement). While our dinner smoked away on the grill, and I sat bundled up, soaking up the sun, Ellie and Josie took turns laughing and yelling as they made laps around the house with their father. It was an absolute perfect way to end my Mother's Day weekend!

Sunday photos

Enjoying a dust bath in the backyard.

Want one?

I'm sure they'd make room for one more.