Afterburn…
When last I left you, I was dragging my unhappy children to the Forest Preserve Trail to exercise for 3.6 miles. They bitched, they moaned, they whined, they sulked, they refused to move from the car…but once we started going they found new light and energy! It was like a miracle. Not really. But they were much happier after that.
We even managed to run 1.6 miles of the 3.6 total! Broke down in money-time (that’s how I was asked to explain it based on “quarter” miles, etc…) we ran $1.60 out of $3.60. And that’s pretty good for Mason’s third day and Stevie’s first. That’s one third of the trail!And Stevie managed to do it clomping around in K-Swiss court shoes. (We went and bought her some running-type shoes last night–and school supplies!–oh no, summer is almost over! Boohoo)
In case you are confused, we go around the whole thing, but we have been running every other ¼ mile to build endurance and burn more calories. Today we are going to use scooters. Well, the kids will scooter. I will run. Good for me (I get to do the whole thing now at a running pace) and good for them (they get to have their feet on the ground only half the time). Win win. I have to say, I recommend taking your kids with you to exercise whenever possible. It’s good for them and it builds respect for you. Seriously. I can’t tell you how many times my kids have said, “Oh whatever, I could run around that track no problem! What’s the big deal?” Now they are in awe because I CAN run around the whole thing. Without stopping! Oh yeah. It’s definitely the little things in life!
I got some other stuff for later, but I HAVE to go get my kids registered for school. And Mason has grass to cut. And we have another 3 ½ miles to burn.
Here’s a picture of the big finish for my little athletes. They look pretty good if I do say so myself!
And we are back…it’s Wednesday afternoon, pre-running post…More Warrior, with updates!
As I was flipping thru the internet I noticed that the Helmet Cam video is on You Tube now! Thank goodness! I can’t get the other formats to work or convert or whatever people do to make things show up here. So I am posting that here. It’s long, but it gives a really good playback of what we were doing. Makes you wish you were there huh??
I went to my sister’s yesterday to babysit for her and her house full of children, including my own, because this year her birthday NEVER ends!
The hubby went and bought her tickets! Awwww….
It was a secret, she didn’t know she was going to the SOX game AND sitting behind the dugout–so close to the players she could feel their sweat (Eeeww for me, Yay! for her). She’s kind of a fanatic. At any rate, they took, like, 200 pictures of players I couldn’t identify on threat of death if they were standing right in front of me with their jerseys on, much less standing at home plate facing the other way swinging a bat! But whatever…she had a good time. If she sends me any of her favorite pictures I can add them here as kind of a Sox player-sister-tribute thing. So look for that later too!
Now that’s it. Happy Birthday. It’s over! Sheesh…
Also, they got the pictures back from the Mud-Cam and some are really good! Some are really bad too. Two in particular have me going over the Wall with my ass looking like I put two beach balls in my pants! It’s funny but not TOO funny. I confiscated the actual prints and they are currently residing in my fridge and food cabinets with a serious note to myself asking if I REALLY want to eat anything inside these areas of the house?? Maybe I should go have a big glass of water, run around the block, and reconsider eating any kind of solid food for the next few weeks. But I’m waiting for the digital to show up in my e-mail so I can post, so we’ll see if those two make it to daylight…maybe if I get a few subscribers??? Hint, hint. (Pathetic grab for attention!)
How long can I drag out this Warrior Dash to get more hits for my site? At least a few more days!
We have to go hit the trail now. Third day of the new fitness regiment. Mason doesn’t want to–he’s still sore, and Stevie doesn’t really get it yet…so this should be fun! Mommy has to be the bad guy. Exercise is good! In a month or so they’ll thank me!
I will post later with any new pics and such. Stay active!
One more day of crazy schedule…Video is coming
Hang in there with me. I’ll get the video up tonight, but I have family obligations that will take me away from the sweet hum of the computer all day.
Need to go get dressed, get my girl packed–her clothes are in the dryer as we type–pick up a champagne holder-thingy and drive to a party with my sister-in-law. Then go to my sister’s where Stevie will stay for a few more days. Mason and I will get our hair fixed, maybe grab a bite, and hopefully get home before it’s too dark and late!
My body is just a bit achy, and my ankle feels a bit sore, but other than that…not bad. The Warrior Dash was a good thing!
Check back here for video later, and definitely check out the Facebook Page for more comments and possible video and pictures. It looks so fun you know you are going to want to do it next year too!!
I just posted some random pics to keep the site visually interesting. That’s just me. Still from the dash, but not really about the race!
Mason Spectator
A couple more years and he can run too!
Baby frog on the field!
Happy Birthday Amanda!!
It is Friday the 17 th! My sister’s official birthday! And I see we are reading this webpage a little more regularly now. Thank you! AND making comments. Thank you again!
So, I never got back here yesterday because normal people stuff takes up more time than I thought, which is probably why I don’t do it on a regular basis. But I payed the bills, bought some groceries, tidied up the house a bit…we even had an overnight guest (the kids friend). Next up is laundry—have to get that dang pile down, posting more exciting things from yesterday when I was out in the world (Dodge Challenger…oooh) and basically waiting for my sissy today to come over!
The plan is for her to come here. We are going to have as nice birthday dinner while we can still eat through our mouths and not the feeding tube they will have to put in along with the full body casts that they put on when you break every bone in your body doing some crazy athletic race-type event because you think it’s cool. Then we’ll leave at 5 in the morning tomorrow and prepare for an all liquid diet for the next month! Kidding, I’m sure. We are highly trained athletes. Used to extreme adventures and bad terrain. WE ARE WARRIORS!!
Here are some true excerpts from the e-mail we got:
Warriors,
Brace yourselves for the wildest 3.75 miles of your life, a battleground full of dangerous and insane obstacles! Warriors, prepare to battle.
That doesn’t seem to bad, right? Then it’s all blah, blah, details about packet pick-up, parking, etc… And then this:
Danger Warning
Please understand portions of Warrior Dash are truly extreme – your best judgment and respect for every participant is expected and appreciated.
This is no joke: there really will be fire, swamps, extreme hills, etc. We urge you to take special caution when entering the forest immediately before Splintering Spools because the hill is extremely steep (too steep to run down) and there’s limestone jutting out of the hill in several areas.
Excuse me, while I go poo in my pants. “Splintering” spools doesn’t sound too bad, you know, splinters in my knees and hands maybe…unless it’s like giant shards of wood sticking out…It’s the “steep hill” and “jutting limestone” that concerns me. I would like to NOT crack my skull open on a piece of extreme rock. Fire, swamps…I guess if I’m wet already I can’t technically catch on fire right??
At any rate, I’m getting a stomach ache thinking about it!
So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTER!! We are going to have SO much fun tomorrow!! I’ll make sure Mom gets us a room at the hospital together!!
Here are some flowers from my front wildflower landscape thing I tried to create! Aren’t they pretty? Won’t they be soothing to look at through giant, swollen, teary, puffy, black and blue eyes?? Ha.
For all you other folks who can only imagine…check out the web here for the actual event,
And here for the Face Book Link.
I don’t have it but some of the comments are funny.
Here’s your pictures Amanda! Happy B-day! Love, Me!
Brother-in-Law. J and the Lily’s. JP and the Petals. Orange Slyder.
What do all these names have in common??
They would all make rockin’ band names. One.
They all describe my brother-in-law and his landscaping. Two.
These are pictures from their house, taken a week ago. Money was spent and care was taken, so he is happy to have them out in the world. I’m sorry, but beyond the lily’s, I don’t know what any of these are called. But they sure are pretty.
Enjoy!
The Neighbor’s Flowers. I imagine they belong to me…
I took the pictures. You can enjoy them. They smell really good too. I can smell them in my yard when the wind is right.
Flower Bed Update! New pictures of green, weedy things!
This is going to encompass a lot of time passage. Since I have been so busy with school I haven’t been able to post these pics that I know you are dying to see.
I know you probably ask yourself every day, “I wonder how those flowers of hers ever turned out? Did they grow? Are they blooming yet? Why haven’t I even heard a peep about them since last month?”
Well, the answer to all your questions lies below.
They have continued to grow in their very natural way and I did take the pictures, but I felt passing my class had to take priority. Flowers are nice for the funeral, but I don’t want to be the one who made it necessary.
Pictures below!
Filled in quite nicely. Still really green though. This is maybe 2 weeks ago.
The other angle. You can just see the first of the white flowers coming in.
See? Exciting huh??
And this is just last week. During the “window” time. Not as impressive as some, but it’s the best I could do with a limited amount of time and money and a shake can of seeds.
Look at all that petal!
Hey! What's that in the middle?
This is some of that "variety" advertised on the can of seeds. It's the first one!
That’s it for now. I guess it’s kind of a sad display. My flowers seem to be taking their own sweet time blooming, but at least now people can see that they are actually there on purpose. That I actually planted something, and didn’t just let the weeds grow over like cheap landscaping.
Check here for the humble beginnings.
And check back later. I’m going to post some real flowers from my neighbor and my brother-in-law.
Flowers make people feel good. Serious.
Hey…are those 2 more new windows in your house or are you just happy to see me…
…through those 2 new windows that are in your house….?? Too much??
That is really stretching the “joke”, but what the hell! New windows! Three purchased, three installed! Really, really nice! John Smith! Rocked In! Even if I told you that was his real name you wouldn’t believe it! He did an awesome job! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
My only sadness is that it is 90 again here in Chicago and I had to close them for the air. Boohoo. I’m willing to sweat it out for the sake of just having windows that open, that I want to look at…but the kids don’t like to be too sweaty. Spoiled!
We have their room and the bathroom done now. I am especially pleased with the bathroom. It looks way better than what I figured it would. With these types of houses, only so much is possible. Above and beyond!
These are the rest:
Bathroom
Can you say…loser?!?
Or winner?!? Hmmm…Despite the fact that I have no time to post anything that my loyal fans want to read…Sorry people…school HAS to come first. I need a job with a good future and a good paycheck and that gives me the feeling that I am actually making a difference in the world!
Beyond the new windows—pictures in a few!!!!!—and the laundry and the kids coming home, then leaving, then coming home again, then babysitting nieces and nephews, then cleaning up the window mess and re-painting…I still had time for some POCKET POKER!
Oh yeah. I am the queen of the hand-held video gamer. I pretend I am in Vegas, and I just go for broke!
Broke for me at the moment is 600 points! Please refer back to the previous post, weeks ago when I broke 500. I achieved this chance success with a few Four-of-a-Kinds and one Straight Flush.
I am on the trail of the elusive Royal Flush. 3000 points!
I have only gotten it one time in the history of my playing. Before the long break when I lost it.
I have to go take a shower now because we have to re-caulk the tub and it will be unavailable for 24 hours.
Enjoy the picture below and stay tuned for more later! I’m halfway done with the studying…reading a butt load of chapters is next but I can squeeze in computer time!
just shy of pretty 