a weekend getaway

NORTH FACE ENDURANCE RUN

This weekend, Chris and I headed to Atlanta (actually Pine Mountain, GA) for the North Face Endurance Marathon. Chris decided for his birthday this year he wanted to run a trail marathon. I prefer a nice dinner and a new Kate Spade purse but to each his own! Again, I am so amazed that after only a year of running, Chris is running marathons.

Ahhhhh...seven hours in the car by ourselves...heaven on earth! It is so refreshing to spend so much uninterrupted time with Chris...we spoke in complete sentences without having to finish our stories 3 days later. A big thank you to our sweet families who watched our boys for 3 days...what would we do without you!

Our weekend transportation to the race site.  This weekend was a very valuable lesson in trail running races.  I originally wanted to run the 1/2 but it was on Sunday so it kind of threw us...but now that I have experienced one as an observer...I will run next go round! They are very family friendly, laid back, spectators only join at the start and finish and cars are not allowed at the race site so this fabulous yellow school bus took us to the race from Callaway Gardens.  I also learned that small towns have limited accommodations...booking at the last minute not a good choice...on the bright side our "Inn"   kept us laughing!  There was also an Indian Festival that weekend and our "Inn" had some attenders!

Dean Karnazes...Chris has read every book!  This guy is a stud...google him!

My race bestie...she either runs with me, keeps me at her house and feeds more or joins me to watch Chris!  What a great friend!

THE RACERS...each race 50 mile, 50k, marathon...etc left at a different time.  They also had different waves to help with the single track of the trails!

So here go the runners....

and here go the shoppers!!!

Kathryn, Emily and I spent the afternoon shopping! Emily drove up/down? from Auburn to spend the afternoon with Kathryn and I while Chris hit the trails for 26.2.  Sooo glad he did the full, it gave us plenty of shopping time and REALLY excited that he said next time he would do the 50k...more shopping!!  Luckily, for the girls, this town had great shopping...love.

ALL SMILES...and at that moment he said "I could have run 7 more."  7 more, 7 more what...minutes NO he meant miles REALLY...I was tired from riding the bus and shopping!  I mean and I'm a runner but I have never thought about running more once I crossed a finish line...CRAZY!!

So now a little bragging...Chris finished 10th in his age group and 21st overall in the marathon!  See the girl in the yellow shirt...2 photos above?  She and Chris ran together the whole race and she got 3rd overall for the women...WOW!  My place in a race is the "I crossed the finish line alive" place:)

This is Dean signing books for Chris and the boys.  He asked Chris how his run was and how he felt...I'm not sure what Chris said but Dean looked at him and said "if you feel like that you didn't leave it all on the trail...you've got more in you"...Chris of course agreed and said he could have kept running...

So next year...book hotel early, bring the boys, I will run the 1/2 marathon for sure and who knows with Chris maybe by then he'll be ready for the 50 miler!!

October Play

Ok...so a little late but I finally dug out the October school/play things this past weekend.  I usually just set them up in the living room and let him explore.  Sam choose a few of them to play with...

SENSORY BIN

PIPE CLEANER BEADS

MATCHING

SCOOPING AND FILLING JARS

TREASURE HUNT

The sensory bin had lots of treasures hidden below the beans and rice...spoders, bugs, skeletons, bats, etc.

MATCHING...by himself

This is a great example of why of do all of these crazy activities.  I was sweeping beans and he said "look mommy, I find 2 orange!"  When I turned to look, I saw he has matched green, black and orange...go Sam!

"snaggle" tooth

For at least a year, Tanner has been coming to us and saying he has a loose tooth. NO teeth have yet to be loose UNTIL about 3 weeks ago. He was eating breakfast and said "i have a loose tooth!"  I went over to check for the hundreth time...and he DID have a loose tooth!  I CRIED...I know, what's with the tears over everything lately!  

Last Friday, at breakfast again, he said is was VERY wiggly! I went to check and it certainly had more movement so I thought I give a little tug.  I got some tissue and in one pull out fell the tooth.  Tanner did not even realize it had come out in the tissue...he was SO EXCITED!  This is big people...he talks everyday about ALL of his friends who have lost teeth. 

(a little up close and personal)

I called Chris after I dropped Tanner off...told him to go to the _ _ _ _ (tanner's reading now) but then I realize we have NO TOOTHFAIRY PILLOW.  I knew I would not have time to meet Nora at the house, hunt for a "manly" pillow and get back to EUMK by 12:00 so I made one.

I remembered seeing this pillow...

http://thelongthread.com/?p=7370

so using scrap fabric

and

a shirt that was too small

I made this for Tanner!

Now, it's not perfect but it did the job.  The toothfairy left 2 gold dollars and a 1/2 dollar...Tanner was tickled!

the blue is an old t-shirt

the orange and white felt are from a halloween costume

i pulled the batting out of the grocery cart cover i made and no longer use

and the buttons are from sweet jon-jons that no one likes to wear anymore:(

a really great day

Despite the fact that I was extremely sleep deprived from being up all night working on a work grant...today was a really great day!  The kind of day, that despite no laundry being done, that makes you smile!  This morning, I made my usually rounds...coffee, EUMK drop then SKF drop off but today I had a full agenda!  Not errands or work but time spent with my boys at their schools.

First, I walked with Sam's class to the park down the rode. I love getting to see him interact with his little friends. Sam was sooo excited to go on a "fwild twip"! He kept telling Tanner "it's my fwild twip!" Gotta love the competition...it comes natural in our family.

 

When I left SKF, I headed over to EUMK to read to Tanner and eat lunch with him. Now this morning he was not sure if he wanted me to come for lunch. He basically said pack a lunch and we'll see...such a guy! I came early so I got to see Show n Tell before I read!

It's so funny to me...before I had kids I had hundreds of errands to run and required oodles of "me time" but I love that today was spent with the boys in their homes away from home!

I feel so blessed that I am able to be involved in both of the boys schools. Are you involved in your kids schools? Or do you give them space? I think I am soo that mom...the one who's always lurking around the corner but that's what God made moms for right? I feel like spending time volunteering, reading and going on field trips lets me keep my eyes on my boys!

***If anyone made it this far in my post...What do you think about my hair color??? It's mine...yes...natural well at least about 6 inches.  I'm growing out my color...I've high/low lighted it so long I'm not sure what color it is!!

Learning about Memphis

Tanner's class just finished studying Memphis! He has loved every minute of it.  If you drive by our house you may see us dancing to Elvis through the windows...Tanner can not get enough Elvis! They read one of his favorite books, John Philip Duck by Patricia Polacco, learned all about Elvis and the history of the bridge. 

For the field trip, they shopped at A.Schwab's, rode a trolley, saw the Peabody Ducks, had a picnic at Jefferson Park and did some other sightseeing!  At A. Schwab's they each got $3 to spent...hilarious! It was so much fun to see what all of the children bought! Tanner bought candy and a glow in the dark bracelet. 

I have always gone on Tanner's field trip but usually as a "rider" or a "tag-a-long" but this time I volunteered to drive.  Oh my, what a trip I picked.  I had to drop off, park and run back to the group 3 separate times...next field trip I'm driving!

Iphone photo...hard to take!

FUNNY SIDE NOTE

2 yes 2 fights occured at the Peabody

1...bc the EUMK students got to sit on the front row(we had called waaay ahead)

an older lady yelled at the kids then complained to the duckmaster sooo funny

2...a fight occur over my head

a younger lady asked an older lady to sit

the older lady said no that she was too old to sit

the younger lady pitched a big one

the EUMK teacher ended up switching places

I guess being from Memphis, we take for granted what a huge deal the DUCKS are!

All of the boys...except one and he's the twin of the cutie on the left!

Sweet Friends!

Small Fri Triathlon

Chris signed both of the boys up for the City of Germantown "Small Fry Tri: Preschool Triathlon.  It was so much fun.  Tanner spent the week practicing, cleaning his bike and thinking about the race. Sam, on the other hand, was not worried at all.  When we got their he noticed the snack station and knew it was "first race, then eat"!

The kiddos raced about 5 at a time.  Tanner and Sam were able to go together...I didn't plan very well bc it was difficult to get photos of everything.  I had to run to keep up with Tanner...he's fast! First, they rode their bikes, then they ran through a long shoot and lastly they ran through the firetruck water (this was the swimming)! We had a bike malfunction about 2 minutes bf START TIME...Sam's chain fell off. Sounds simple, but the chain was behind a metal bike part that had to be removed!  Luckily, my dad has taught us to keep random tools in our cars so Chris was able to quickly fix it!

Chris Jr.

All about his time... he gave 120%!

Stephanie Jr.

Slow and steady wins the race!  We can go the distance, it just takes a little longer!

They were soo PROUD! It really tickled us after the race bc they wanted "breakfast".  Of course, they had already eaten bf the race but they know from racing with Chris and I that you aways eat "breakfast' after a race.  We headed to The Bagel Shop, a family favorite! I would love to tell you that we went home and just laid around but it was off to Target then to birthday 1 of 2!

What a week

Oh my goodness...I have never been so grateful for FRIDAY!  After several great no awesome weeks in K and a phone call about how wonderful our child has been...it all ended on Tuesday when a note came home.  This was the first time EVER that a teacher had to talk to me about Tanner "misbehaving"...he's never gotten in "trouble" at school.

I should first clarify by letting you now that the "note" had 3 paragraphs...yes 3! It also went home to 3 other children...all boys!  Wrestling, crashing and the wiggles were all the basic gist of the letter.  I really wanted to cry...I am not sure why it just seemed like a good natural reaction.  We gave Tanner a consequence, a firm talking to and the expectation that tomorrow MUST be better. 

NO SUCH LUCK...well Wednesday wasn't "awful" but not good either according to Ms.H and Ms. H.  Apparently the boys have a tendency to "rev" each other up...there is not a ring leader!

So night 2 again we gave Tanner a consequence, a firm talking to but this time we sat him down and prayed.  We prayed about self-control, obedience and being our best.  Chris and I don't want Tanner to think "he is bad" (because he is a joy) just that his "choices were bad."  We talked to him about how Mom and Dad are not perfect and we make bad choices too about how God forgives us and how He will forgive Tanner too. 

Ok...DAY 3...GREAT GREAT...woo-hooo!  Tanner came out glowing with a big sticker...his teachers followed him out to carpool and both went on and on about how wonderful he was today!  As we were driving off, I asked Tanner why today was a better day?  He said, "I asked God like 40 hundred times to help...it worked...you know mom!"  PURE JOY...not only did Tanner have a great day but he is beginning to understand that God is in our hearts and all we have to do is ask Him to help us. TEARS again...really I am soo not a crier but it has just been an emotional week!

As a reward for Tanner's great day, he choose bikes and a picnic!

After our picnic on the MS River, we played tag!

We stopped by the UofM to see the tigers...really cool!  Each department decorated one...Tanner loved the fire on this one.

To end the night, we listened to a little bluegrass at the Levitt Shell.  Both of the boys love music just like Chris!

In case you are wondering...I am a reader when "issues"

occur.  So this week my nose was in the following books:

Bringing Up Boys by James Dobson

***B.U.B. is a MUST read for parents of boys, Chris and i refer to it ALL of the time

Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie O??

Love Languages for Children by Gary Chapman

Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp