Determined...an Update

Do you remember my New Years resolution word?  Well here is an update...

That is my word for 2012.  Have you heard about the one word?  I see it on several blogs I follow.  It is my focus and my New Year's resolution.  I have thought about my word for several days/weeks now and I kept coming back to Determination.  When I saw this quote I knew I did not have to think any longer...


Time is inevitably going to pass and one year from today, you can find yourself in the exact same spot you're in now, you can find yourself further away from your goal or you can find yourself closer to your goal - so where do you want to be a year from now?

Determination fits for several reasons: 

1. To lose that last 5 pounds, well actually now 10 pounds, that I just can't seem to get rid of!  I am DETERMINED to do it sooner than later. I am happy to report I am down 5-6 pounds.  Depends on the day.  I have a goal in mind by Summer vacation.  Let's see if I can get there.  
2. To make a decision on whether or not to advance my career and become an Nurse Practitioner.  Did I tell you I applied to get my Masters and become an APN?  Probably not...I have not told very many people.  Mark, or course, and a few work people.  That is it.  I really don't know if I want to do it.  I am DETERMINED to make a decision in April when I get the acceptance, or maybe not, letter. Who knows, maybe I won't get accepted and the decision will be made for me!  Well I got accepted, and after several hours and days of thinking and weighing the Pro's and Con's I decided NOT to go back to school to become an APN.  I will expand more on that later.  
3. To make a decision on which races to run in this year.  I love that I have taken up running and I can't wait to do more runs this year.  I am DETERMINED to keep running.  It is great exercise and feels so good to be in such good shape. I have already done the Diva Dash.  I did the Trolley Run this past weekend and had a great time.  I am doing the Amy Thompson Run on Memorial day, maybe Hospital Hill again if I feel real crazy.  I am really thinking I want to do another half marathon this fall...
4. I am DETERMINED to be a better wife to Mark.  He is an awesome Husband and I feel like there is so much more I could do for him.  Did I tell you he brought home roses last week? Oh, and he spelled out I love you on the bed with rose petals...seriously he is an awesome guy and I am so lucky to have found him!  I might need to keep working on this one...Let me check with Mark! 
5. I am DETERMINED to get caught up on my journaling in the girls scrapbooks.  These are their childhood memories and I don't want them to be lost.  Lauren's scrapbook for age 5 is done!  Totally done, all journaled and up to date.  Addison's book is another story.  I am caught up on her scrap booking through February of this year, but I have not journaled a since thing since her birthday...back in October.  Thank goodness for this blog.  
6. I am DETERMINED to become a better photographer and take a photography class to do this.  Did I tell you I got 2 new lenses for Christmas.  Yes, 2 new lenses.  I will have to share them soon.  I have been using the lenses a lot and really like them.  I am still looking for a class to take.  
7. I would like to find a way to get into Addison's little head and try to manage her stubborn, fit throwing, three year old ways.  She is 3 right?  Normal stuff, right?  Man she is tough.  I am DETERMINED to keep her a good kid and make sure she knows who is boss.   Always and forever working on this one...
8. Lauren is awesome.  She loves Kindergarten and I am DETERMINED to keep that excitement for school alive over the summer break.  I have already learned of ways to keep up school work over the summer so she does not get behind and will be ready for 1st grade.  She is a smart kid and she will excel with her love of school. Lauren loves school and she makes this goal very easy to achieve.  She asks do to homework, she loves to read, she loves word searches.  I don't think I will have any trouble keep her up to speed over the summer.  
9. I would really like to produce a recipe blog.  I cook every meal that our family eats.  We rarely eat out, really only for special occasions and the occasional pizza night.  I would like to commit some time to producing a recipe blog to share with every one else.  DETERMINED. I have started this...that is about it!  
10. This may seem silly, but I am DETERMINED not to over spend at Target.  Seriously.  There are several  home upgrades we want to do this year that if I would just stick to my list I would probably keep my Target bill under $300 a month.  How many times have you walked out of Target wondering how on earth you just manged to spend $100 when you went in for a package of diapers and wipes.  Yep, me too!  I am doing better here, but there is always room for improvement!  
11. DETERMINATION  to relax more and just sit.  Sounds crazy with all these goals I have just set up for myself, huh?  But, I am a very high energy person.  I get a lot done in any given day, but I also don't sit and relax much.  I am going to work on that.  I don't relax much.  Except when I am blog surfing on the Internet.  End of Story.  

So there you have it.  My goals of 2012.  DETERMINATION is my word.  It is here for all of you to see and here and keep me on track.  I will keep you posted on my success.

So going back and reading these goals and giving an update is a great way to keep me accountable.  I actually forgot a few thing on this list, so I think I definitely need to look at it more and refresh my memory.  

Trolley Run 2012

Another one down.  I am really beginning to like this running stuff!  Mark and I did the Trolley Run this morning with 3 other friends (and thousands of others.)  I finished in 37:34, which is a 9:25 minute pace.  A PR for me.  I might not be fast, but I don't care.  I am running.  I can call myself a runner, and I love it! 

My first mile was 9:50, probably because I was weaving in and out of SO many people.  I hit mile 2 at 19:30 and mile 3 at 28:50.  Miles 2-3 seemed harder and I felt like I was going slower.  When I hit the 3 mile marker I picked it up and felt like I was running at a pretty good pace, although it was one of my slower miles...go figure.  Bridget kept up with me the first three miles and she said I pushed her pretty hard.  I took off for the last mile.  My legs felt great and I knew I would finish strong. 

I knew when I woke up and looked at my phone that we would be wet this morning.  The question was, how wet? 

We met up with Todd, Bridget and Shannon at the Sheraton on the Plaza where Todd and Bridget were staying.  They came down from Des Moines for the race this weekend.  It was the first race for the both of them and they rocked it!  Shannon picked us up and we all headed up to the starting line.  The Trolley Run starts in Waldo and ends of the Plaza.  It is pretty much down hill for 75% of the race.  There were a few very small rolling hills, but nothing bad at all. 

On the way up to the starting line we were all crammed in Shannon's car.  Mark, Todd and Shannon have know each other since college.  Fraternity brothers, room mates, Best Men in all of our weddings, and Mark is the God Father to one of Todd's sons and one of Shannon's sons.  These guys and their friendship is amazing. 

On the way up Todd said "If you would have told me 20 years ago, when we were partying and drinking, that I would be getting up at 3 AM excited and worried about a race and getting ready to run my first race with my buddies I would have never believed you."  It was pretty awesome because these guys (and their awesome wives) have know each other for so long and we treasure their friendship and loved having the opportunity to run with them today.  Mark and Todd finished in 35:17 and Shannon was a little bit ahead of them.  Way to go guys! 

After the race we changed out of our wet cold clothes and headed out to brunch at the Sheraton. 

But to back up a little bit, we met everyone on the Plaza for dinner Saturday night.  The girls stayed with my parents for the night and that allowed me to do the race this morning as well. 

Shannon, Todd and Mark.  We ate at M & S Grill.  It was great and I would recommend it.  While we waited for the rest of our party to arrive, Mark and I enjoyed watching ALL of the prom kids out on the plaza for dinner and taking pictures by the fountains.  We talked about how Lauren will be at prom before we know it, and how I will be that crazy Mom on the Plaza totally watching her!  Believe me, I will! 

And back up again.  Before we could go to dinner Saturday night we had to go to Cassidy's arts and crafts birthday party first!  It was a Hello Kitty theme, complete with Hello Kitty cake pops.  They were so yummy. 

So there you have it.  A great, busy, fun, successful, tiring, exhausting weekend.  Did I mention we were at Lowe's Saturday morning by 8:10? 

End of the School Year

Did I ever show you this bulletin board I bought several months back?  I needed a place to keep ALL the papers Lauren was coming home with from Kindergarten for all the upcoming activities and events.  I am beginning to think I need a bigger area...

She is having an ABC countdown to the last day of school.  A letter for the last 26 days with a themed activity.

 It is "The Week of The Child" at Addison's daycare this week with different themed activities each day.  Crazy hair day, PJ day, backwards day, etc...Then next week is Teacher Appreciation week.

Lauren has skate night next week, which means gymnastics will need to be Tuesday night, soccer Wednesday night, then skating Thursday night.  

Lauren has 3 birthday parties coming up, one this weekend and 2 next weekend.  The 2 next weekend are at the same time...I will let her decide which one she wants to go to.  The rainbow themed ice cream sundae girl party, or the gymnastic boy party...we shall see!  

Big truck day is coming up soon too.  The girls can climb on firetrucks, tractors, dump trucks, etc...

Oh, and the summer gymnastics schedule.  I think we will take June off and start up again in July, Addison too. She is so ready to participate in gymnastics with Lauren.  

This school year will be over before we know it and it will be Summer.  Our vacation to Southern California will be here soon and I can't wait.  I booked our character meals at Disneyland this past week.  Where is this year going?  

Wordless Wednesday

Sophie...my niece.  

I'm Not Gonna Lie...

while Mark was out golfing all weekend with his brother Pat, and Dave,  I was counting down the minutes until he came home.  Some days are just like that, ya know? 

The weekend started out great.  I went and saw "The Lucky One" after work on Friday with a co-worker.  It was a great movie.  Not because Zac Efron is a good actor, but because he is so HOT! 

Pat and Dave got in town late Friday night and the guys headed out for golf Saturday morning.  I was able to get a quick run in before they left, and it was cold.  After they left I attempted get the girls ready for the Kite Festival.  Lauren whined that she did not want to go. She said she just wanted to stay home and play.  Addison was ready to go, but refusing to go potty before we left.  Had she even gone potty yet this morning?  I could not remember.  She has a freaky way of not going potty for hours, even first thing in the morning when she wakes up.  After yelling at Lauren for being unappreciative of the activity I had planned for her she agreed to go and that it might be fun.  Thankfully I did not have to continue to fight with her about going out to have fun. 

The girls actually had a blast at the Kite Festival and did not want to leave.  I had to run a few errands, and actually they were angels at the few stops I had to make.  We all took naps and that felt good. 

When Mark and the guys got back I went shopping for a few hours and then enjoyed an awesome night outside, grilling, and hanging out.  We let the girls stay up way too late and they were a real pleasure to get to bed...

Sunday I decided to take them to church alone.  Not exactly the way I like to spend my Sunday morning.  Addison is a terror in church anyway, and it continued today.  She did really great until about 10:20 when she started dancing during the prayer.  I attempted to stop her, distract her, redirect her, etc...nothing worked.  She decided to scream for Daddy at the top of her lungs, echoing through the church.. it was lovely. She knew she had lost her donut (good old bribery) so she screamed about that as well. 

I took her out and got her quite and after a while she looked up and said "do i get half my donut? I was good during half of church.  Daddy said I could get half my donut" (like 2 months ago.) 

The fun continued the store with poor listening from Lauren and sassiness from Addison.  But I had to get groceries, so I continued on. 

By the end of the trip, I told the girls when we got home both were going to there room until I said they can come out.  And they actually listened.  They stayed in their room for about 15 minutes, and I had silence. 

Naps were good and I knew Mark would be home soon...until I got a text that he was hangout for a while longer after golf.  Lucky me...I sent him few messages back and forth and then he headed home.  When he got home he offered to take the girls to the park and i was so thankful.  I made dinner and then headed up to the gym for 30 minutes of peace and quite. 

Tonight is one of those nights I am looking forward to heading back to work on Monday, but that quickly faded.  I went to check on Addison and that little girl was naked.  She quietly took her jammies off, laid them on her blanket, and then fell asleep.  We never know what she is doing in there before she goes to sleep, but she is usually very quite. 

So while I felt a little over whelmed this weekend, yelled a few too many times and was told I was bullying Lauren (I call it parenting) looking back it was not that bad.  So I yell at Lauren and redirect her, she calls me mean and a bully and I call it parenting.  A few minutes later she is hugging me and saying I am sorry.  So, I think I am getting through to her...somehow, some way...

Kite Festival

It was a beautiful day to enjoy the Kite Festival out at Longview college today.  Mark went golfing all day with his brother, so the girls and I had girls day (well weekend, since they are golfing again tomorrow!) 

It started out cool, but quickly warmed up! 

Balloons, face painting, bounce house and kite making was all free.  We hit the balloons first. 

Then we decided to check out all the kites. 

See all the cute ones in the background?  Fish, cows, bumblebees, sharks. 

It was not very windy, so the bigger kites had a hard time getting off the ground.  The batman kite was up a lot, and the big purple cat was a huge hit.  The bigger ones just did not have enough wind to stay up. 

We hung out on the quilt for a long time.  We enjoyed our lunch and had fun watching all the people flying the kites.  The field was packed with people and lots of small kites, which were easier to fly in the minimal wind.  Next year I would like to bring Mark along.  That way we can bring some kites of our own.  I know the girls would have loved it if I would have brought our kites from home today. 

It was a beautiful day and a great way to spend the morning. 

Lauren's Writing

Kaleidoscope

Can you see the spelling down below?  Not too bad for a 6 year old.  

Lauren continues to amaze Mark and I with the things she has learned in Kindergarten this year.  Kindergarten is so much more than numbers and colors.  She has excelled in reading, has kept a journal all year, knows how to tell time, knows how to count money, had started addition and subtraction, meta cognition,  and connections.  She asks to do her homework.  In her free time she is doing word searches, or writing in her journal.  She has several work books that  she works on at school and in her free time.  She loves PE and Recess, of course, but I am amazed and thrilled how much she loves school.  

The year is almost over and we can't believe it.  Her teacher told her she was ready for 1st grade!  She has tested well above the Kindergarten reading level even before the official testing began!  They are one a count down to the last day of school with the letters of the alphabet.  A for apple, B for button day, C for cookie day, D for duck day, E for Earth day, and F for Fun day today!  

Field Day is coming up and Mark and I are both taking off work to volunteer and watch Lauren.  She is so fast that I know she will rock field day and will beat several of the boys in her class!  I am also planning on taking off the last day of school to pick her up and take her out for ice cream.  One of the many traditions and memories I want my kids to have from their childhood.  I want them to remember Mommy taking off the last day of school and taking them out for ice cream...or anything they want.

How is it even possible that Kindergarten is nearing to an end?  

Addison's Writing

If you look closely you will see ADDISON.  She is barely 3 1/2 and she knows how to spell her name and write her name...oh and has been doing this for a few months now.  I am really late at getting this up and bragging about it!  

Isn't she beautiful?  Oh how I adore this wild, full of energy, spunky, smart, soccer playing 3 year old.  

Wordless Wednesday

The Rest of the Weekend

So Mark's half marathon was definitely the highlight of the weekend, but it was a totally crazy jam packed weekend.  They all are anymore!  

Friday night was Underwood night at Paradise Park.  It is a fundraiser for the school.  They offer discounted prices so I took the girls up for the night.  We stayed much longer and later than I had planned, but Lauren was having so much fun with her friends from school.  And, I love to see her interact with them.  

Addison had fun too, and Lauren did a really good job of making sure Addison could tag along and play with her.  Although, Addison seemed to have fun with Amelia's little sister, Isabelle, who will be three this week.  

Lauren did the rock wall 6 times!  I could not believe it.  In flip flops, of course.  I am sure with tennis shoes she could have made it to the top.  

Bumper cars with Cameron.  Two times.  Well after 8:00 at this point, but they were having so much fun it was hard to tell Lauren it was time to leave.  Poor Addison was so tired and begging to go home at this point.  

Saturday afternoon Lauren had a birthday party for Olivia.  Her friend Amelia was there too, and Gabriella.  It was so fun to watch these girls run, giggle, play, laugh, and tell me to go away!  

Saturday night ended with a night with the Wright's.  They came over for dinner and drinks.  Mark tried this new beer, and well I thought it looked cool so I took the picture to share!  

Lauren had fun catching up with her buddy Killian.  It had not been too long since we had last saw him, but long enough.  Addison and Charley were off playing all night.  They were to busy to try and get a picture of them!  Great, fun filled Saturday.  

Mark's (Second) Half Marathon

He did it!  After training for the last few months Mark ran his 2nd half marathon this weekend.  It was the Rock the Parkway Half Marathon. The only bummer was he was sick ALL week so he was only running at about 70%.  I felt so bad for him.  After training for so long you really want to give it your best...and he did!  He beat his time from his 1st half marathon by about 3 minutes.  He did not hit his original goal, but having a cold all week was the culprit. 

The girls and I were cheering Mark on at miles 4, 7 and 10.  We arrived at mile 4 early.  Around 7:45.  The first runners had not passed us yet, as the race started at 7:30.  Soon though the first runner came whizzing by with the police escort.  The girls thought that was very cool.  We got lots of smiles from the runners as we waited to find Mark at the first stop.  The runners loved the signs, and the adorable girls holding them! 

We stopped at QT and got donuts on the way to the race.  That was the only way to get Ms. Addison out of bed and it a good mood.  She is not exactly a morning person...not at all! 

We had about 30 minutes in between stops.  The first picture up top Addison was getting a little bored waiting for Mark at the second stop.  Besides, about 10 minutes before she said "I need to go poppy Mommy."  Oh no.  I begged her to hold it and told her we would go on the way to mile 10, and she agreed!  Thankfully.  We saw Mark coming down the hill and so I told the girls to hold their signs up real high so he could see us!  Mark said the hot pink signs really helped us stand out.  For some reason this area was really packed.  It was right around Loose Park. 

Lauren was in charge of giving Mark his Gu (sugar/energy to keep going) and Addison handed him a towel to wipe off the sweat.  I was the cheerleader with all the encouraging words to keep him going.  We made quite the team! 

After the 10 mile mark we headed to the finish line.  We made a pit stop between mile 7 and 10 so the stop at mile 10 was very quick, so no pictures.  Besides...Mark said "I want to quit."  He was running up a hill, his feet and legs hurt and he was sick.  I told him "No way. You have trained too long.  Only 3 more miles to go."  He said he walked about 1/4 a mile and then started running again...

The finish line was crazy packed, and the girls did SO good.  I carried Addison and told Lauren to hold on to the strings on the backpack.  She held on the whole time was we weaved in and out of the crowds trying to find a place to squeeze in and see Mark cross the finish line.  We saw him and he saw us!  Yea for Mark. 

The medals were huge.  Lauren was checking it out here.  Mark said it was too heavy on his neck...so he took it off. 

He is looking a lot better here that at the finish of his first marathon.

We met up with Amy and the kids at the end.  Aiden, Lauren, Addison and Liam in the stroller. 

Mark and Shannon.  Buddies since college.  Shannon used to always beat Mark in the races they did together...not this time!  Mark won! 

Shannon, Mark, and Shannon's buddy Matt.  Great race guys! 

Soccer

Addison had her first soccer practice tonight....

with her little friend Jenna.  

Jenna and Addison have been together since they were babies in the infant room.  I think Addison is just a few weeks older than Jenna.  They have so much fun together.  I convinced Jenna's Mom to sign Jenna up for soccer with Addison knowing that they would have so much fun together and that Addison would do so much better with a little friend there.  

The girls did really good, although the class seemed a little advanced.  There were some tears by both girls at times, not wanting to participate at times, but overall they did great!  These two have never taken soccer before and the class just jumped right into big soccer skills and soccer moves right away.  I am wondering if maybe we should have signed up for Pee Wee soccer through Lee's Summit Parks and Rec?  We did that with Lauren, Killian and Seth, but were not that impressed with it...at the time at least.  

Addison and Jenna seemed to have to most fun without the soccer balls, just running around!  

Wait, where's Jenna?  

Addison was a big helper at the end cleaning up the noodles.  

Addison was so glad Jenna was there.  

I had to show this picture again, it is just so freaking cute!  

So we will see what next week brings.  Addison said she wants to go back, Jenna said she did not!  Jenna said she wants a girl coach...and of course it was a boy coach.  So we will see what happens next week.