My Very Expensive T-Shirt

So, I almost ran a race. An official-type, wear a number, cross an actual finish line race. Almost. I signed up for it back in February. About a week before the race, I found out that it was just not going to work out for me to do the night run in Denver. I picked up my racing stuff (above) in the middle of crazy Metro Denver a few days before in the hopes of selling my packet to someone who didn't sign up before it sold out. I had 3 Craigslist people fall through. 

I won't deny it, I was pretty disappointed. I had been training for this one race and it didn't happen. 

Last week, I did what I didn't want to do and got back on my treadmill. I haven't signed up for any more races (more local this time) but when I do, I'll be ready. In the meantime, I'll enjoy my cool, unearned, very expensive t-shirt.

Banana Splits

Ok, so the stars practically aligned the other day when we just happened to have neopolitan ice cream, cool whip, bananas, and hot fudge in the house all at the same time.

Please forgive the poor lighting~ I really need personal lessons on how to use my camera. Or how to edit pics.

The kids thought this was the best thing ever.

This May Be the Easiest Dinner Ever

Quick recipe for the fastest dinner ever. 

Grab your biggest crockpot. Add a ham bone (you never throw those away, right?) and add split peas according to your family's size and water to cover the peas by at least 1 inch. You may need to add water halfway through the day depending on the heat of your slowcooker.

By the day's end, those peas will be nice and tender and the ham bone will have given your soup tons of flavor and you'll have those delicious bits of ham floating in your soup that my kids practically fight over.

We LOVE this really cheap meal on cold, blustery nights topped with a drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil and salt and pepper.

Someone had a birthday...

Yep. It happened. I am officially 34. 

Pay no attention to John Adams behind me.

 My kind and sweet husband actually took pictures of me this year! (This is why my birthday even made it to the blogosphere.)

Tim went all out for my birthday~ he took us all out to Carrabba's for lunch and he picked up a strawberry cheesecake for dessert. Strawberry cheesecake was Dabney's idea. And, you guys, he got me the best, prettiest present EVER. I can't wait to show it to you! (It only came this past Saturday.)

 I had a fantabulous birthday. I got to talk to far away family, hug my closest family, eat delicious food, see friends, worship our risen Lord, and feel very loved by my husband and my slew of children who showered me with homemade cards and my very own starter collection of Matchbox cars.

I don't know why people are so down on birthdays. I don't feel any older than 17 (except when Tim works late) and I always feel like my birthday is the best day of the year. Maybe I am just especially blessed.

Guess who read his first book all by himself today?

We're so proud of our Josh!

My First Outside 5K

There was a local running club running a tribute 5K in support of Monday's awful attack on the Boston Marathon and I decided (spur of the moment) to join them. I've been a treadmill-in-the-basement runner for a while now and this was my first outside run with actual humans along side me (but mostly running past me). I've got to say, I have quite a ways to go as an outside runner.

I won't lie. It was 25 degrees (not a big deal, and yes it was April 16th) but the whipping wind stung my lungs and it was pretty hard to breathe for most of the way. I know I was listening to music but the only thing going through my head was, "I am not a runner and this is torture".

 Meanwhile, Tim and the kids stayed in the car and stalked me and took photographic evidence for posterity and for YOU, faithful blog readers. :)

Please forgive my complete lack of makeup and my gross wind-tortured hair, but I tend to believe that of you look pretty at the end of a workout, you haven't done it right.

In retrospect, it really wasn't that bad. Apart from the wind and those experienced runners passing me left and right, it wasn't that different from my treadmill runs. Also, I don't like waiting for street lights to change when I'm trying to time myself...  Keeping my pace was a little tricky because I couldn't gauge my speed so I did have to walk once or twice especially when I got to the spot where the course travels UP Uintah.  I think I was running faster outside than I typically run on the treadmill. I've found a good pace that I can sustain through 3.1 miles, but of course I had no idea how fast I was running when I was outside running past the pretty part of downtown. The distance didn't feel any longer than normal either. Probably because I was running past Guiseppe's (where we had our rehersal dinner), Colorado College, the downtown library, Monument Creek, and our favorite hotel in town, the Antlers DoubleTree. All of those places are so memorable and special to me. 

I'm looking forward to my next outside 5k!

Lately...

When I've gotten a few minutes in the quiet of the night, I've been adding to my scrapbooks. I have been woefully behind  for months now and it feels good to be catching up. I've added our most recent pictures, but I have lots and lots of random pages to go spanning back to baby #1.

We're studying botany in school this spring so we popped a few beans into some soil and we've have been watching them sprout through our re-purposed soda bottle.

 

Also, this guy. So many things. Let's just say he's really, really "helpful". He's so helpful that he grabbed 7 eggs out of the fridge when I was apparently engrossed in writing my grocery list yesterday and cracked them on the counter for me. All this while standing on my kitchen stool. Yes. Really helpful.

Saturday Randomness

"Mom, it's called a side ponytail." 

Park Day

Resurrection Day

 

The candy begins...

 

Giedd Easter Parade

 Can't have a family picture without Oliver!

(Look! I even made it in here!)