Running

As some of you may know I recently started up running again. I had not been running since senior year cross country. So almost eleven years ago. I have run a few races since I started. I ran the Susan G. Komen race for the cure in the beginning of October. I ran that 5k in 32:20. Then I ran in the Huntsville 5k while Matt ran the half marathon. I ran that in 31:14. Since then, Matt has talked me into training to do a half marathon (13 miles) over Christmas break. So last night I decided that I would step up my distance from just running 5 miles to 6 or 7. So after Matt got home and we got the kids fed and ready, we set off for a run. Once we got in the North Spring subdivision, Matt asked if I wanted to go straight or left. I decided to go left. This was a bad idea. We were about a half mile into the run when a little yappy dog ran over and bit me just below my calf. It was nothing too bad, but he had broken the skin a little. The wound is about as big as my thumb nail. As my mom would say, "It's far from your heart, so you'll survive." We kept on going after I reviewed the damage. We ran around three of our neighboring subdivisions. Matt left it up to me as to when we should turn to go home. The loop we ran came out to be 8.6 miles and I ran it in 1:35:44. I felt good up until I stopped running. I still felt good, but my legs felt like Jello. We walked around the block to cool down. I have a month and a half to add 4 and 1/2 miles to it. If I go the pace I was running last night, I will finish the half marathon in 2:25:40. Wish me luck.

Happy Halloween

Zack was an elephant. I got this costume on craigslist for $10. We got a lot of compliments on how cute he was. This picture is of Zack and baby right before it was time to change out of the elephant. On Friday, we went to the ward trunk-or-treat and then on Saturday we just trick-or-treated around our neighborhood. We had fun. It was fun seeing Zack running from house to house. He would never say 'trick-or-treat' to them but he would between houses.















Zack trying to hide from getting his picture taken.













Zack running away from picture time.


















Zack


















Drew was a frog.


















This is a picture of Zack on his first Halloween.


















Zack being silly.













This year's weather was cool enough that having the big fluffy costumes payed off. They are so cute.

The boys

Drew loves sitting in his booster chair to eat or just play with his toys. He likes this one because when he bites on it, it vibrates his gums. It gives a nice tooth massage.










It had been a while since we had finger painted, mostly because the during the last time Zack did not want his fingers or hands to be dirty. He was a little hesitant this time also. So I started drawing stuff and then he got into it. He was having a blast.









I just put an old shirt of mine on him and used a chip clip to tighten it.












I was in the kitchen when I heard glass being clinked together. This is what I found.












It had been raining and this was the first day it had not. so Matt let the cats and Zack out into the back yard. The lawn was still wet, so Zack was trying to get on the fence.
















Instead of playing outside, Zack decided to play in the doorway.












One morning, Zack wanted to hold Drew while I got Drew's bottle ready. I don't think Drew knew what to think or he was still trying to wake up.











Drew being a big boy on Zack's chair. He is also playing with one of Zack's little cars.












Drew loves flying in the air and it doesn't matter whether you just toss him in the air or throw him back and forth between people.

One year older

Matt and I pawned the kids off onto Josh and Xan so we could go out for my birthday. Since my birthday was on a Wednesday, we went out on the Saturday before. We went out to dinner at Nino's. It is this great Italian restaurant downtown. It is a little more expensive, but they have the best cheesecake in the world. It has now been a tradition of ours to go out to dinner at Nino's and a musical for my birthday. This year we went and saw Mary Poppins. We had a blast. This is a picture of us at the house before we left. It had been cooler so I was debating on if I should bring a jacket. Matt said he would wear his suit coat and then I could steal it later. We had to take a picture as this was the first time since our wedding day that Matt has worn his suit. It has only been 7 and 1/2 years.
On my birthday, we went over to our friend Rose's house for dinner, cake, and ice cream. This is the frog cake that she made for me. It was a little warm in her house, so the frog's eye lids ran a little. She was not happy about it and kept on saying she was sorry. You know me- I did not care.














Everyone sang happy birthday to me. As you can see I turned four again. Either that or there was not enough room for all 29 candles.
















Zack helping me cut the cake.













Drew was so partied out that he missed cake and ice cream time. He hardly ever just falls asleep anywhere. After he was done eating, I just left him on the couch to play. When I came back to check on him, this is what I found.

Camping

We went camping with our friends one Friday night. We went to Lake Livingston. It was about an hour and a half north east from us.
















Zack playing with glow sticks that Lori had brought for her girls. She was a lifesaver and had one for Zack also.

















Zack taking a picture of my butt while I roasted his hot dog.












Glow sticks.


















The boys and I in the morning keeping each other warm.












Zack and Josh sharing breakfast.



























Drew sitting in Zack's chair.













Zack and Maddie.













Drew and Maddie.













Zack riding Josh's bike with a little bit of help.

Cooler weather

With colder weather comes the joy of more kitties in our bed. It is a good thing we have a king size bed now. But that means more room for more kitties and not more room for us. There are eight kitties in bed with us.















Gracie and Pip sharing a pillow. This one was a little of a shocker since Pip is not big on cuddling with anyone except Matt and me.











Missy found the grocery bags to sleep in.














Box found Cricket to cuddle with.

Andrew

While Matt was busy mowing the neighbor's back yard and Zack was watching him, I was playing with and taking pictures of Drew. Here are just a few of the faces of Drew.

Service

Matt is such a great neighbor to have. About three weeks ago I looked out Zack's window and saw the forest that was the yard behind ours. I told Matt and he took a look. We had not seen anyone there for a while, so we figured that they moved out. Then one afternoon, we were sitting in the backyard with the boys and the cats when Matt got the desire to mow the forest. He did not want to walk all the way around the block with the lawn mower, so he had me help him lift it over the fence. Matt mowed from about 5 until 7:30 when it started to get too dark to mow. He was not even half way done. So the next day when he got home from work and the forecast said it was going to rain a lot the next few days, he decided to finish mowing the forest. He started at 3:30 and finished at 6.




























Zack watched Matt from the top of the ladder.



























Before (you can tell the parts I mowed- they're at the bottom of the picture)

Most of the "grass" was about 2+ feet tall- up to my knees and thighs













What he got done on the first day.













After- What isn't pictured is the 3 1/2 tanks of gas it required and the 32 fire ant bites on my ankles. It was quite the reward.