I DID IT!!

13.1 miles in 3 hours and 8 minutes.  What I was not expecting is I actually jogged almost the entire thing.  My knees HURT tonight and have some pretty nice blisters but I did it. 

My friend from Phoenix came up and her Mom drove from Michigan for this race.  Next stop, Las Vegas 1/2 marathon December 2012 followed by Phoenix 1/2 and Disney Princess 1/2 2013.  Long time away  but are my 3 I want to do the year I turn 40.

 I don't think any of my neighbors who were cheering on their family's saw me so no action shots :(  Boo!

Rock and Roll Marathon...t-minus 6 days

My first 1/2 marathon is set to go this Sunday in downtown STL.  I have been training for 11 weeks and since that time, I have participated in 2 5k runs.  I will be walking/jogging this 1/2 marathon but my goal is to run a full 1/2.   Thinking maybe the Disney Marathon in January 2013.  I think I would look wearing a tiara!

Chicago weekend

Jim and I were able to get away for a long weekend to Chicago while the kids stayed with my parents.  Craig nor Cara have ever been away from both of us overnight.  They did GREAT!  It was a much needed vacation.  Since the kids did SO well, we will not wait another 7 years, thinking more like every 6 months!

Here are some pics of the kids w/my Dad and Penny...they were spoiled rotten!  First day was spent at the pumpkin farm w/Aunt Becky and cousins Alex and Ava. 

Another family loss

My cousin Austin Nau passed away today.  He was 17 and a senior in HS.  He was involved in a car accident yesterday morning.  I have no idea how parents deal with the loss of a child, especially one so young.  My heart goes out to his parents, his three sisters and his aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins. 

How time flies! 

Connor:  Continues to excel in school.  He does great in all subjects but you can see he loves math.  Mrs. Harrison seems to be a GREAT fit!  Connor and I have been busy with our Smurf Village (our new obsession). 

Craig:  He has been doing great in pre-school.  We are so grateful we found Pat and Jack.  I realized a few days ago that Craig was recognizing letters.  I was really surprised so I let school know about it and he is now writing letters as well. 

Cara:  We have a walker!!  She is my little love!!  Ah, I already miss her and she has only been in bed for a few hours.  I think she is cutting 4 teeth so she has been hit and miss with grumpiness but not too bad overall.   She lets me do her hair, she LOVES to get into my makeup and really liked being in a tutu.  So crazy how completely different she is than the boys were.  She also loves to snuggle on me which neither of the boys ever really did. 

I really don't know what they were doing but cute!

Cara found the Cheetos

These two are becoming friends. Love watching them play together.

Yup, she's a walking!!

I am now 4 weeks away from the 1/2 marathon.  Training is going great and I have now started running.  I am doing a 5k this Saturday.  The last one I did was 25 years ago and I placed LAST...ugh, no pressure.

Jim and I are celebrating our 11th anniversary by getting away to Chicago for a weekend.  It will be our first time getting away with no kids in about 7 years.  Dad and Penny will LOVE having them there all to themselves however, I'm sure they will take a LONG nap after they leave :)

Ah, life is getting back to normal.  Connor has started 2nd grade and seems to enjoy his new teacher, Mrs. Harrison.  So far, I have been impressed with the way she works.  I will get to meet her next week, looking forward to it.  He has received several 100%, great jobs and perfects. 

Cara is scooting around and will stand independently with no issue.  Won't be long before she is taking that first step.  However, she has yet to crawl and it would appear she may not ever.  My brother Mike never crawled either and scooted the exact same way. 

Craig has been sick this week w/the craziest thing.  He threw up at daycare so was sent home.  He spent the next 36 hours w/no issue, eating, playing, sleeping and as soon as he stepped back into DC, he threw up again.  Here hoping he can make it through tomorrow.  This has made Jim and work different shifts so my training has been put on hold for 2 days now.  Here's to a super work out day tomorrow.

Here are some pictures from our first trip to Grant's Farm

Post Grant's Farm dinner

My first time giving Cara a "fountain".

Ended her day with her first ice cream

1/2 Marathon Training (walking) day 1

30 minute easy walk...complete.  Damn, it's hot out!  Also, beware of nosey neighbors who may see you talking to another person and yell at you from them car loaded w/McDonald's that you should be moving and not chatting.  :)

What a summer we have had so far!  We have been swimming, had play dates and been to Holiday World.  Heading to Chicago in a week in a half for our last "vacation" of summer.  Only 3 nights but enough for us right now.

Cara turned one on 7/6 and what a big girl she is becoming.  She has not started to crawl yet which secretly I'm okay with (mobile baby means big changes); however, she is pulling up and can army scoot all the way across the floor.  She can get what she wants!  She did such an amazing job while were at Holiday World.  She did not fuss or cry once.  She was content to be in her stroller checking out the scene.  

The biggest step as been her transition to her crib.  She had been sleeping in her co-sleeper in my room since she was born but she was just getting way too big.  So, last weekend I finally put her to sleep in her crib.  So far, she has slept through the night since she has been in there (ok, funny she just started fussing as I wrote this!).  In all honesty, it was MY biggest step.  I liked her near me but it was time and she is doing great. 

Craig is the funniest little boy I have ever known.  He is funny, rowdy, mean, playful all rolled together.  He makes us laugh every day without fail.  I need to start recording him for his little voice is precious and the things he says are just hilarious.  He is doing things that Connor never did so it is very cool to watch him go through this stage.  He loves to sing and can remember the words to just about any song.  He will mimic dance moves as well.  He can also play the "poor me" role.  Seriously a funny little man.

Connor has been to theY's summer camp for a few weeks.  He has been roller skating and swimming just about every day.  He has a huge fear of the water but between the Y and a few times at Aunt Dee's pool, he has really come into his own.  We went swimming today and he jumped right in.  Proud does not come close to what I felt for him.  He amazed me.  Took some tough momma love but he did it and I could not be more happy! 

Connor's reading amazes me as well.  It suddenly dawned on me he had no big boy books, only our Disney kind of books.  I took him to Walmart and he got to buy his first big boy book, "The Diary of a Wimpy Kid".  I will sit and have him read to me and will be amazed how well he reads.  It was like a flip of a switch for him and now, there is no stopping him.

We are looking forward to a few days in Chicago.  We are going to Lego Discovery, Shedd's and Brookfield Zoo if time allows.  The zoo may be a last minute decision for I would like to go to Navy Pier since I have never been.  Before we go, Jim has to travel so I will have these monkeys all to myself since I also have no daycare during that time.  3 kids for 4 days straight, 24/7....hmmmmmm....this should be interesting!!  After Jim comes back we head to Chicago and then I have to go back to work but since we still have no daycare, Jim is going to take the kids to his parents RV down in southern MO for 3 days.  3 adults and 3 kids in an RV.....hmmmmmmm....that should be interesting :) 

Here are a few pictures since my last post:

Cara's Birthday cake

 Connor losing his fear and jumping in!!

Oh Craig, really?

7/6/11...birthday tutu 

Sparklers w/the neighbors 

Our local Fox station does 1st birthdays...Yup, I'm a dork!  

1st botte of real milk...she loved it! 

This girl LOVES her big brother Connor! 

Looks serious 

Why you don't lay on our floor.  

-As usual, it has been crazy busy.  Connor's last week of school is this week.  Had to believe he is going to be in 2nd grade already.  He has done AMAZING this year.  His report card has been getting better each time.  Reading has just come to him and once he started, he has not stopped. 

-Craig has been talking up a storm.  It has been fun to be able to hold mini conversations with him.  Craig is also my super helper, he wants to do anything we ask.  Today alone, he ran to get me diapers and wipes, helped Connor dust and was able to find the remote and give it to me.  The other thing about Craig is his manners.  He says please and thank you consistently.  I am quite sure he got that from daycare for even though we enforce that, it is not 100% of the time.

-Cara continues to grow like a weed.  She has been sick again this week.  I have now missed more days of work for her than the other two combined.  She had RSV earlier this year which she was miserable for a week.  Now she has a virus and an ear infection that had her up moaning/thrashing for two nights.  She wouldn't eat or sleep.  Her temp is what scared me when it would not break w/Tylenol.  It was staying between 100-103.  Her little body felt like it was on fire.  She has basically slept for the last 2 days (thank goodness) and tonight was eating like her old self w/nothing coming back up....and I thought breastfed babies were supposed to be super healthy!! 

Cara has not yet started to crawl but she is getting up on all fours and I'm sure it is only a short matter of time before she is on the move.  Last count of teeth is 6 but after this last week, she may have more but I have not wanted to upset her to look. 

-We are looking forward to our summer plans.  Holiday World in a month and Chicago in 2!!

Some recent pics

 Craig was at home when Connor was getting on the bus and Craig thought he should go to. 

Connor is such a love w/his sissy

My baby girl in zebra

Mother's Day 2011 at the Zoo

They seem to be the same size.