Happy Neighbors

I just have to say how much I like our neighborhood. We have been so fortunate to have some really great neighbors and have met some very nice people. We spent most of today outside. We set the pools up out back for the girls to play. Most days there can be up to 8 or more kids playing in our yard. With it being a holiday weekend a lot are out of town so we didn't have quite as many kids. We did have our new neighbors behind us come over with their infant son and our neighbors brought their toddlers over to swim with the kids and then everyone stayed for dinner. Easy - burger and dogs on the grill. We figured it out that we were outside from 1pm until 9pm - it was a big day for the girls. The youngest didn't come out until after her nap - which lasted until 3pm, but then she swam and played until 9pm. All the kids had good dinners and played great together. Hopefully they will all sleep in tomorrow - meaning sleep until 7:30. It was a great time visiting and spending time with our friends. The added bonus is that we don't have to go anywhere tomorrow either. That is something I can do a lot more often - it was an easy, relaxed day.

Plugging Along

Well - I got my workout in yesterday. Tried Zumba for the first time. It is an aerobic/dance class. I had a lot of fun and got a really great aerobic workout. Then I did my mile on the treadmill. I may have to do a mile on the treadmill again tomorrow - UGH! Guess I'll just keep offering it up. I'm thinking of doing an advanced step class that I haven't been to in at least 2 months so I'll be good and lost and then I'll get on the treadmill. Can you tell I'm not very excited about tomorrow. Oh well - TGIF! I'll be happy once I'm finished and that will allow me to enjoy my drinks and snacks over the weekend. I know I know - that isn't going to help me lose 20 lbs, but like I said, I'm focusing on the routine of exercise. I'm also going tomorrow night to get set up so I can start using the weight machines - hopefully that will help and I'll do that twice a week. Gotta get to bed. Thanks for the support and keeping me honest. Thanks for listening too.

Photos

Cedar Point Veronica's Birthday with the Elfreich cousins Teamwork in action Worn out girls at the end of a long day First Day of School

Catch Up

Well - it was nice to have a day off today. My ankles were tender this morning, but were fine the rest of the day. In order to get a run in tomorrow, I'm thinking I'm going to have to do it on the treadmill - YUCK! I don't like treadmill running. Oh well - I have someone that I am offering it up for - she and her family can use the prayers. She is expecting her first child in January and they just found out that the baby is positive for Trisomy 13. Not a good prognosis, but they are trying to stay positive and putting their faith in God's plan - so that is who I will be running for tomorrow. Keep them in your prayers - Aaron, Beth and baby is Jeremy. Okay - time to catch up. Where do I start? Val is our ham and our athlete as of now. Todd was teaching her how to throw and catch a frisbee the other day and she was doing awesome - we actually had the triangle going and were playing catch with the three of us. She also likes to smack the ball off the tee (as in baseball). She is a switch hitter right now - hmmmm? Can she make any money with this skill? Olympics stories - Sam was tired of us watching them. We did actually get the Synchronized swimming on for a little bit and Val was laying on the floor pointing her toes, kicking her legs around, trying to mimic what the teams were doing on TV. The next day they watched almost 2 Rhythmic Gymnastic routines using the rope and the next thing I know, they are outside with the jumpropes and Val is holding it exactly the way she saw on TV and jumping and trying to throw it up and catch it. We have mimics in this house. I did my loud whistle where I use my fingers in my mouth and the next thing I know, Ron is trying to do it too. She still doesn't speak coherently though - I'm waiting for the switch to turn on. She talks a lot and she knows what we are saying, she just can't convey her message very well. Met Val's teachers tonight - she starts next week (yeah!) One of the subs remembered her from last year as liking to talk and was amazed last year at how well she could speak. It is so hard to remember she is only 3. Gotta run - I'll post tomorrow and let you know how the workout went. This will keep me honest, hopefully.

Day One

Okay - so it has been a while for the few readers I have. Things have been hectic with the start of school and meet the teachers and all that good beginning of the school year stuff. I do have a few funny stories from watching the Olympics with the girls, but I'll write about those later. I am putting this out there because I need someone to keep me on track. I want to do the 5k next May and would like to better my time of 40 minutes. I also want to do a duathlon next spring/summer. So here it is - day one of my "training." I will call it that, but it is more or less just trying to get into a consistent routine of working out, of getting off my rear and doing something to get my heart rate up and breaking a sweat. Wish this would include housework, but for this goal it doesn't. I made it to the Y today and spent 30 minutes on the stationary bike and managed to do just over 5 miles. I was pleased and now I at least have a concept of biking pace. Then tonight I went for a 1 mile run after Todd got home. No clue how long it took. For right now, I'm leaving the watch at home and focusing on just trying to run the distance. If I don't do it this week, next week I'm bumping the distance up to two miles for the run. I want to get at least 3 runs and/or workouts in a week. I want to get on the bike at least once for now. Like I said my focus is just doing something right now. I do want to lose the weight - realistically 20 lbs, ideally 30 lbs, dreaming would be 35 lbs. But it isn't so much about the weight as it is about how my clothes fit, what size I am and how I feel about my body. I'm not making the conscious change in eating habits yet - baby steps. I'd rather work out than modify my food right now. Just keep your fingers crossed no one gets sick, because that is what throws a wrench into this whole exercise plan. I'll keep you posted (for those that are interested) and I'll get some more summer pics and stories of the girls out here soon. Love!

Adventures in First Grade

Well - with a week under our belt we are off to a good start. We haven't had to run for the bus yet and I've been there to meet her at the end of the day. We had some confusion on the name though - and not the last name. Samantha decided this summer that she wanted to be Sam. So when she got to school she told her teacher. Well as I was going through her papers I found one with "Sami" written on it. Not a big fan of Sami so I said something to her. She started crying and told me that she couldn't be Sam because there was another one in the class and that is what the teacher told her to write. After thinking for a minute I asked if the teacher meant Sam E. Well needless to say we got it straightened out - she is going to be called Samantha, but can write Sam E. on her papers. Never imagined that Sam E could become Sami. We thought we could just start calling her "Same" Then we had meet the teacher last night and she told us that on Friday Samantha just started crying and said "I'm just so tired." It is an adjustment for all of us. But I must say that it is nice having all day to do things with the other two. Veronica is at her grandparents' this week - so just having one has been a breeze. We are going to the pool after lunch. Oh - another note - Samantha is now missing both front teeth. I'll get a pic and put it out here. That was some additional drama on Friday. She bumped it on the bus and it almost came out - so she came off the bus with her mouth all bloody, crying and the tooth just hanging there. Got home and got the tooth out and she finally settled down - just in time for Grandma and Papaw to show up. Whew! It was a busy week needless to say.

Another Quote

Samantha "Why do you go to bed before Daddy?" Daddy "Because Mommy needs more sleep than Daddy does." Samantha "I think Daddy should go to bed first because he works and you don't." Mommy - speechless - then "You don't think I work?" Daddy "ha ha ha ha ha ha ha - go write that one down." Oh - someday she'll learn.