Sunday photo.

"Thanks for all you do for me. Love, Dad"

Date night.

Earlier in the week, my parents volunteered to have the kids spend the night Friday. Jumping on the opportunity of a night to ourselves, Kyle asked if I wanted to go to Grand Rapids for a "date night". After looking at the calendar I realized I had book group Friday. I love my book group girls, but a real night out in the city with my husband won my affections last night. (Sorry girls...I know you all had fun without me!)

Kyle and I began our evening at the GRAM – Grand Rapids Art Museum. The museum hosts "Friday Nights at GRAM" with later visitor hours, live music and cocktails. I love art museums, and having one like this, just an hour away, is really nice. (Being able to look at art while enjoying a glass of wine is even nicer.)

The reflection pool at the GRAM.

Our reflection, in the reflection pool.

Funny. A request for a $5 donation with a $2 bill inside.
(Well, also kind of sad.)

Once we left the museum we were trying to take a self-portrait with the camera on my iPhone. A passerby asked if we'd like her to take the picture for us. Pollyanna that I am, I quickly handed over the phone and posed. The picture didn't really turn out (see below) but thankfully I got my phone back. After taking the photo, the woman began asking us a bunch of strange questions, then went into a story about how she didn't have any money and her kids were stranded a few towns away (all while holding my phone). We gave her a couple of dollars – it's always hard to know the right thing to do. I guess you give the person the benefit of the doubt. It's on their conscious if they don't do what they promised with the money, right?

After a short, brisk walk, we ended up at Rockwells Republic for a fantastic dinner. I had posted a question on Facebook asking for a few dinner suggestions. We have our favorites in GR, but wanted to try something new. This was the perfect choice. The atmosphere was jovial, there were 20+ beers on draught, and our food was delicious – Kyle had the Roasted Hawaiian Ono while I enjoyed the Smoked Tuna Ravioli. So yummy.

It really was the perfect night. A little culture, great food, and a handsome, sexy date. (Even better...we were home by 11pm and slept in until 8:30am. Bonus!)

RECIPE: Mummy Cupcakes

On our way to yoga this morning, Amy and I were discussing the "treats" we'd be sending to school with the kids on Monday. I was going to make owl eyes out of dried fruit (Ok...maybe NOT a big hit with the kids on Halloween.) Amy told me about these guys. Last night she made a batch of full-sized cupcakes with M&M's and mini chocolate chip eyes. They sounded adorable, so after picking Josie and my niece Natalie up from school, the three of us decided that making a trial-run batch of Mummy Cupcakes was necessary. (It was.) To give the little guys at least one redeeming quality, I made pumpkin cupcakes instead of traditional cupcakes.

The ingredients.

RECIPE: Mummy Cupcakes

Ingredients
Chocolate cake mix
15 oz. can of pumpkin
White frosting
Mini M&M's
Small tube of black gel frosting (not pictured)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Mix together the cake mix and the pumpkin. Fill the wells of a mini-muffin tray 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven, and while still warm, press two M&M's into each cupcake for the eyes.

After allowing them to cool completely, use a flat tip and a bag of frosting and go back and forth over the mummy faces until they are covered. Using the gel, plop a tiny dot onto the center of each eye.

Oh, and if anyone cares, I figured it out and they are 90 calories each. Not too spooky!

Laughing my *#$ off (LMAO)...

 
My friend Wendy sent me THIS LINK yesterday morning. I didn't have time to read it until the girls were in the tub and I could sit in the bathroom and browse around on the iPad. (On the wooden stool next to the tub, watching the girls. Not the other stool found in bathrooms.) I was laughing so hard there were tears running down my face and I was seriously two more 1977 JC Penny photos away from peeing my pants. (Hmmm...maybe that other stool would have been a wiser place to sit.)

As the blog post states, "Strap in, shut up and hold on."

Enjoy!

Text message.

Every Monday after preschool, Josie spends the afternoon with Aunt Marge so I can work. This Monday I received the following text messages from Marge while she was at lunch with Josie:

Marge: You are right! She's gonna be a wild one! We are eating at the Mexican restaurant in Whitehall and Josie told me she wishes there was a band here!

Me: What? Mariachi?

Marge: AND she's playing her air guitar. You guys are in trouble. I love it.

Me: Phew! At least it's not the air maracas!

Marge: She's funny. She's also worried about what our "Spanish" waiter is doing. "He's not supposed to be watching TV" she said, "He's supposed to be baking."

Me: Kyle and I are laughing so hard while reading these, we're in tears!

Marge: She DID mention a tambourine, so maracas are not totally out of the question. (She demonstrated by slapping her hand on her hip.)

Me: I want to be there, it sound like a lot more fun that work.

Marge: I'm sure it is. She's funny. She acts old. LOL.

Saturday night fun!

5K+ trail race, on semi-lighted cross country trails, after dark, while being surprised and occasionally chased by human "spiders" hanging from the trees, werewolves, and men with chain saws. Sound like fun? It was.

Saturday night, Amy and I ran the Scardey Pants Adventure Race at the Winter Sports Complex in Muskegon. Participants were given a map of six different check points. The goal was to get all six check points punched on your passport and make it back to the finish in the least amount of time. There were more than 200 runners .We competed in the ladies 2-person team category, with 30 other teams.

The race was a blast. Amy and I kept commenting on the fact that we had enormous smiles on our faces the entire time. The comradaree between racers was like nothing I've ever experienced. Racers were assisting each other with directions, giving tips about the upcoming terrain, and shouting warnings of "surprises" to come.

One of my favorite parts of the night was when Amy and I were running from checkpoint 6 to checkpoint 5. There were two little girls (maybe 11-12 or so) dressed as Thing 1 and Thing 2 from the Dr. Suess books. They were unsure of what direction to take to their next stop, so we suggested they head in the same direction as us. They ran ahead 100 yards or so before stopping dead in their tracks at the top of a hill. When we asked if they were okay, they insisted that they "were done!" Just as they said this I noticed a chain saw weilding "mad mad" pacing back and forth across the trail at the bottom of the hill. I ran ahead while Amy grabbed one girl with each arm, gave them a quick pep talk and headed down the hill. Once past the freaky chain saw man, the two girls bolted up the next hill, leaving Amy standing at the bottom with a blue "Thing" wig under each arm.

Kyle and Amy's husband Chris were supposed to wait for us at the finish line to get a few pictures. Unfortunatley (or fortunatley) we were a little faster than any of us expected. The guys were still in the beer tent when Amy and I crossed the finish at 37:13. Once the overall results were posted an hour later, team "NewEra-licious" was doing more than just smiling, we were jumping for joy because of our scarey-pants-kicking third place finish. (Missing second place by just 30 seconds – seconds we gladly sacrificed helping Thing One and Thing Two!)

Post-race, showing off our 3rd place trophies.

My trophy – front and center in the kitchen!

Scaredy Pants Adventure Race

Amy TenBrink and Me - Team NewEra-licoius!

Our outfits for the Halloween-themed trail race – "Team NewEra-licioius". I don't have much time to post today (three huge deadlines looming over my head), but a little hint: we kicked scaredy butt!

The weekend – bring it on.

As much as I love spending time with my husband, I also enjoy the time we spend apart. Book group, a girls' night out – they are all good for the soul and a necessary part of my sanity as a wife and mother. Now, "fair" is a word that is thrown around here quite often these days. It's only "fair" if Ellie and Josie both have a second cookie. It's not "fair" that Ellie got to go to the pediatrician and Josie didn't (never mind that Ellie was sick as a dog.) It's all about "fair".

It wouldn't be fair if I got to spend a few hours here and there with my girlfriends and Kyle wasn't allowed the same escape. Last night, after dinner, Kyle and a few of his buddies drove up to Ludington to hang out in their friend Neil's garage. You know, stand around a semi-dismembered car, drink a few beers and talk about who knows what. (Think I could convince the book group girls to do that next Friday instead? Doubt it.)

Once they said goodbye to Daddy, and Kyle hit the road, it wasn't 45 minutes before the girls were both tucked into bed. I spent a half and hour or so picking up the house, then sat back and enjoyed the silence – a long, hot shower, my comfiest of comfy pants, a cup of tea and a good book. Once my eyes started getting tired I switched the TV on and watched whatever I wanted until I dozed off around 10pm.

This morning, Ellie didn't come upstairs to wake me up until 7:30am, Josie shortly after. Being able to sleep in is a miracle in itself. Both girls are well rested (as is their mother), Kyle and I both got a little "me time" last night, and Grandma Mox is coming over after lunch to spend the day, then watch the girls while Kyle and I go out tonight. I think it's going to be a great Saturday.

TIred.

Tired (and not just Josie). I've been in bed by 8:30 or 9:00pm every night this week. This cold has me feeling pregnant tired – that barely keep your eyes open feeling. (I'm not pregnant.) I haven't gone for a run all week. I skipped yoga this morning. The housekeeping around this joint has been marginal at best. But...I think all this lying-low has been the right choice. As of 2pm this afternoon I'm beginning to feel like myself again and less like a zombie-version. I love how energized you feel when the fog is gone, it's as if your entire being is celebrating the exodus of whatever germ was causing you such misery.



Ahhh...just in time for the weekend!

Happy Friday!

Princess games.

Just when you think it's "too quiet" for anything good,
this is what you find as you turn the corner.
Two perfect little angels...

The cost of motherhood.

You nurse your sick kids back to their old selves, and *wham mo*...it's your turn. Nothing that a little illicit sinus medication, a neti pot, lots of herbal tea and plenty rest can't cure. Any other suggestions?

Hold on tight!

I guess Josie didn't want the kitty to fall off the 

horses back like she did at Uncle Phil's. 

Creative use of pipe cleaners though.

Fairy houses.

A few weeks ago, my grandma Payne gave the girls three 

ceramic houses that she found at a yard sale. 

We decided they would make perfect Fairy Houses!

The girls spent well over an hour after dinner making

the houses comfortable for any travelling fairies

that might stop by for a rest.

Each house is complete with it's own sign,

a path of grass to lead them to the door,

and lots and lots of little girl love.

Sign reads: "Josie

Sign reads: "Welcome Faries"
(Spelled the way Ellie did)

Sunday photo.

I know, I know, another fall leaves picture. 

I couldn't help it – the backyard looked so pretty.

70,513...

Josie: "Look Mommy! I made 'Josie'! J-O-S-I-E!"

Me: {Holy crap...she's only three. How did she figure that out?}

Later she "wrote" Ellie in numbers as well.

Wheels.

Last week, Ellie was practicing on the scooter she got for her birthday when Kyle decided to bring out his skateboard – circa 1980's. Immediately, Josie wanted to give it a try. It wasn't long before Kyle tried a few of his old "moves". Unfortunately, I don't think his body moves in the same way it did 20+ years ago. (He blamed on it on the work boots.)

To prove that he did have some "moves" back in the day, Kyle dug out these old pictures. To quote my husband "I'm grinding the lip of the 15-foot bowl at the Rotation Station in Milwaukee, WI." {I believe you, Kyle, and I'm totally impressed. Seriously!}

Sweet fanny pack!

Last night, I found this fanny pack in our upstairs hall closet. I remember buying it at TJ Maxx after college and being so excited to have found such a cute LeSportsac pattern. I wore the heck out of this thing, walking, running, riding my bike. Not only could I pack my gigantic Walkman CD player, but tissues, chapstick, money, extra batteries...

I put it on in the closet and wore it into our bedroom last night. I acted totally excited when showing Kyle. "Look what I found! It will be perfect for Disney!" I was kidding, of course, but he was a little unsure of what to say. "No you're not." wasn't hard for him to get out.

We needed a laugh last night. The girls have been sick and we're both a little weary from lack of sleep. What started as a cold has turned into bronchitis for Eleanor and a hacking cough for Josephine. They are both much better now (24-hours of breathing treatments did wonders for Ellie), but Monday and Tuesday nights were not fun around here. Whenever Ellie is sick enough to have coughing fits, she always, always ends up puking in her bed. It happened both nights. The poor kid would stumble into the living room with lunch and dinner stuck to her pajamas and dripping from her hair. (Nice visual, huh!) Tag-team parenting kicks in and one of us showers off the child while the other gets bed duty. I'm really not sure which is worse. Between Little Miss Vomits-A-Lot and Josie having an accident in her bed, I feel like I work at the Holiday Inn – anyone need their bedding laundered and their sheets changed? I'm a pro!

Anyway, fanny pack. I know it's not exactly "trendy", but honestly, the thing is pretty darned practical. Don't worry. It's going on eBay. I told Kyle I know I can sell it – it's considered "vintage" by now I'm sure!

RECIPE: Apple Crisp

This is one of those recipes that I must make once or twice each fall. Apples, oats and brown sugar. So simple and delicious.


RECIPE: Apple Crisp

Ingredients
5 cups sliced, peeled apples
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup whole oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter

Directions
Cover the bottom on an 8"x8" pan with apples. Toss in white sugar and cinnamon. Stir to combine.

In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar and salt. Cut in 3/4 of the stick of butter. Using a pastry blender, mix it all together until crumbly.

Dump the oat mixture onto the apples. Thinly slice the remaining 1/4 stick of butter over the top of the oats.

Bake at 350˚ for one hour.

Me – Another Mother Runner!

It's me (Josie and Ellie too)...at the bottom
of the Another Mother Runner website. 

Cool.

Color tour.

After (most) of our chores were done Saturday afternoon, we loaded up the Jeep and went on a color-tour. We drove a few of my running trails, found a new two-track or two and packed a bag filled with snacks.The trees in Oceana county are more beautiful than I've seen in years. Combine that with the air temperature in the 70's and it was a perfect fall afternoon.

Sunday photo.

Colorful.

We took a quick trip to Muskegon this morning. I've been carrying my camera a lot more lately, you never know when a great autumn photo will appear in my sights.

Today's date is October 8th. Instead of autumn, we found a lot of this today...

I'm not much for lawn ornaments, but this little guy is cute as a button...

A few pipe cleaners and a little imagination made waiting for lunch fun...

Blurry, but you can see we joined in the fun!

Now, outside to enjoy this beautiful, colorful, fall weekend!