We've been busy since I last posted, it seems like whenever there is a nice day, we take full advantage of it.
Last Sunday Rory, Rage and I made the trek down to New Ulm to visit my dad. It was Take a Kid Fishing Weekend, so we planned to go fishing, it was the first time for my kiddos. We did a lot of fishing growing up and I have many great memories, so I was excited to get some fishing memories started with my kiddos. The weather wasn't super cooperative, but we found about 45 minutes to get out to the pier at Clear Lake and see what we could catch. We got a bullhead, carp and sunfish and I think the kids had a great time.
On Tuesday evening, we ventured out to Lake Elmo Park Reserve for a picnic and some time at the playground. Rain cut that trip short as well, but we had a good time. It is so nice to have such a wonderful park so close by.
Friday evening we went to the Manitou Days Parade in White Bear Lake with my sister in law and her family. Last year, I ran the 5K before the parade, it was my first official race. I decided not to run it this year because it wasn't organized all that well last year and I didn't feel like paying the registration fee. It was nice just to enjoy the evening with our big ol family.
I love parades. I always have and probably always will. My kiddos share my love of parades and it is so much fun to see what they get excited about. I hope they never lose that.
Here are a few pictures and a video from our evening
Rory getting the Vulcan "V"
Before it got smudged everywhere
Oskar and James
Me and Oskar
Rage dancing
Sleep last night was a bit rough and all of the kiddos were CRABBY today. It was a really rough day in the parenting department for me. I took the kiddos to Super Target today to get some groceries and it was brutal. Usually they do a pretty decent job of listening and staying close by me, but today was not that day. It was an endless stream of bickering, whining and running away from me. It is always fun when we're 1 parent to 3 kids, which is most of the time.
I was hoping that I could get them home, get them lunch and get them down for a nap. I even bought a special treat that they could have if they actually all took a nap. However, both boys fell asleep in the car on the way home and that is always bad news. Oskar is the only one that took a nap and his was super delayed. It is hard to get through the days with all three of them without some kind of a break and today it wasn't happening.
James woke up around 3:00 and got ready for church and just as we were about to head out the door, it started pouring rain. We all got drenched on the trip to the car and there was major flash flooding on the drive to church and we went through some REALLY big puddles. It was kind of fun :-)
I had planned on going for a run once we got home from church, but the weather didn't really seem like it was going to cooperate so I started wondering what I was going to do. I was planning on doing 6 to 8 miles and really didn't want to do it on the treadmill. We got to church and I was pretty much just numb from the day and the weather. I was emotionally spent and I really needed to just have some time to worship and hear from God. It was a great service, as they always are. When they opened the doors of the worship center, I was surprised to see sunshine! The storm passed while we were in church and the sky was clearing up. I was pretty excited to have my plan to run outside back on, but I was still not really feeling like I had the mental capacity to do a long run.
We got home and grabbed the mail on the way in the house. James handed me an envelope that was hand written and addressed to me and I had no idea what to expect. Inside was this
It came with a note that said "Keep up the good work!! Congratulations on your accomplishments!" and it was from someone I know from church and haven't seen in a very long time. I got a little bit misty eyed because I really needed a reminder that it is all worth it today. It was such a thoughtful and generous gesture and it gave me the encouragement I needed to get out there tonight and do my long run. God is good.
(You can get a necklace like this at Girlz Pearls Boutique along with a lot of other great, affordable jewelry and accessories.)
I ended up running 8 miles tonight. It was ridiculously humid so I wasn't sure how it would go, but I felt pretty good for most of it. I realized about 4 miles in that running through a swampy/marsh area without bug spray around sunset was not a very smart idea. However, it gave me extra incentive to keep running because if I slowed down to walk the mosquitoes were all over me. I stopped to snap a picture near the end because it was such a pretty scene and my arms were covered instantly....it was gross. I will remember next time to douse myself in Off! before I head out.
It was really nice to just get out there and run without being part of a training program. Although, I am considering running another half on the 4th of July, the Red, White and Boom!. Still processing that one, having a hard time justifying a $65 race entry fee, if it wasn't for that, I'd be in. It is a pretty decent course and as I told James on our date on Wednesday night, "I think 13 miles is reasonable enough to do once every couple months or so." After I said it, I had to laugh at how much my life has changed over the past few months, I never would have guessed I would say anything like that.
I hope that you all enjoy Sunday. Happy Father's Day to any dad's out there that might be reading this!
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