"A Wink and a Smile"

Just prior to the start ... I'm a little cold, but anxious to begin.   One of my cheerleaders ... I love this photo.  Even my 16 year old still loves her MAMA! My five girls, my sister, and my mom helped hand out water cups.  They were so into it!!!! This guy WON the FULL 26.2 mi Marathon!  He started the race a little before the Half folks (me), but he finished near the same time as me.  This KENYAN can run! Here I come ... I can see the finish and I am starting to sprint (at least I felt like I was). My finish (2:22) and the Kenyan (2:29).  He ran twice as much as me.  I guess I can always do better ;) It was all worth it.  My family was there to support me.  Thanks especially to my husband who allowed me the time to train ... it was all consuming ;)  He also snapped some great pics.

Little Rock Marathon 2011 by emommy5 at Garmin Connect - Details My FIRST MARATHON Yes, it was just a "relay" (leg #2/4 and the 2nd longest) It wasn't my fastest run, but it was consistent It was really cold for me (32 degrees and windy) I had a cold (coughing and nose gunk) I felt strong I felt proud to finish Ready to move onto the HALF MARATHON !!!!!!

My husband bought me a GARMIN for my birthday. It's a bit more complicated (to me) than the NIKE + that I have been utilizing. This picture shows me trying to find a satellite. I guess I moved all over my home property to locate it. OR ... maybe I had no idea that I was STILL trying to locate anything while roaming. What's comical about this picture is that in real life I pretty much run all over. There are no straight lines in my day. THIS MOMMY IS ALL OVER THE PLACE!

I'm trying my best to get caught up, but things are busy with school, work, swim team, and trying to register for middle school/high school next year. In the mix of that we had some snow days that really shut our town down (5 day weekend). The girls were home from school, the husband even spent part of the week working from the dining room, I still had to homeschool as well as do a little bit of work from home, doctor appointment was cancelled, and a shadow day at our local Catholic school NOW needs to be re-scheduled. It's nice to have snow days, but they honestly can wreak havoc on LIFE. Some things that did take place (eventually) ... Fun in the SNOW I turned the big 4-0 ! My dear hubby took me to a fine restaurant and we enjoyed every minute of it . There was yet ANOTHER swim meet ... our last one until STATE championships in early March. The girls did so, so ... not enough practice the week before with all the snow days and certainly too much in the way of junk foods ;) ...

I can think of so many other goals for this year ... run more read more learn more about photography learn to manage OUR money better and aim for debt free manage my time better BUT, I almost always forget to focus on the moment ... whether big or small. So when my 13 year old asked me to come jump on the trampoline with her; I said YES! (really, I said no first) . I want my girls to think of me as a "fun" person and not the stressed mommy that I have been (for quite some time) . So this year I am aiming for the SIMPLE ... JUST . HAVE . FUN !

As I look down and type I see some dry and aging hands. These hands were working this weekend ... lots of raking, washing, cleaning, and even a bit of brick work with cement (that can kill the skin!). But also ... I ate lots of great food I spent time with my family I enjoyed Thanksgiving with friends I ran twice ... even got in a 5.22 mile run I watched a movie or two I went on a date I caught up on all my laundry I started a fire in my oven (won't go there) ALL IN ALL, lots of great moments. I even snapped a few pictures of my oldest daughter who looks just a bit too beautiful and grown up in this shot ...

THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT ... 3rd time was a charm and my crown finally fit my tooth and it appears to be all good. Took the family to a corn maze to experience a little bit of FALL and snap a few good pics. It's raining today and that is a GOOD THING. It's been so dry and the ground needs it. Besides, I sometimes like a dreary, rainy day ... it can cheer me up. I'm settling into my new job, but I will BOLDLY admit that I feel crazed and a million miles away. Taking this on has been a challenge in so many ways. Healthy children Tried this recipe the other day and it made me so happy. Seriously EVERYONE who loves fall and who loves pumpkin needs to make them. Smart children who are doing really well in school ... and at home. People who believe in you and think you can do anything ... thank you DEAR :)

I IS TIRED! (excuse the grammar) I am missing my computer and my computer friends. I've just got to figure out a system and a schedule. I've looked at my carpet and it isn't pretty. The laundry is piling up ... and that has never happened unless a machine has broken. The dog is lonely and he already is missing his old brother Auggie. The 12 year old had a marginally "so, so" week of homeschooling Everything looks dirtier. I should have bathed the 5 year old 4 days ago ... shhhhhhh! I also have NOT run since SATURDAY. I need SUN AND A RUN!!!!! THANKFULLY, it is the weekend. OF course it includes a busy Saturday swim meet, but at least I have Sunday to think about what I need to do to make things right in the world of my family. Still saying ... "I can do this!"

GOT THE HAIRCUT that I soooooooo needed! Needed because it was 6 months and the hair was looking sad. More necessary was that I was feeling SAD. Not all because of my hair, but partly so. Because I will admit that when I think I look good, it makes me feel better. So there! I admit that I think looks are important. They are not everything, but ... For me, they have a little to do with how I feel. Look good, feel good.

Yesterday was one of those days ... extra friends at the house children forgetting the eat in the kitchen only rule little one feeling left out because she was the only one without a "friend" middle one begging for ANOTHER sleepover too much ... "mom, come see this" too much arguing, crying, and tears way too much "can I's?" AT about 3pm I felt one of those fight or flight responses . I really wanted to leave my almost 15 year old with her sisters and take my pathetic self to the bookstore for a little quiet time. I didn't go of course. Instead I looked into the sad eyes of my 5 year old whom I had promised I would take to the pool. We put on our suits and went together for nearly 90 minutes. She found a little girl to play with, had an ice cream treat, and suddenly all was right in the world. Still, when the pool visit was over, I came back to a slightly chaotic house. I wanted to feed my children and just escape. I even warned my husband t...

From the age of 7-18, I lived in a place called Twin Rivers. I guess you could say it was where I grew up. It was built in the late 60's-early 70's and was located just 50 minutes from NYCity ... the first planned unit development. But before the age of 7, I lived in Brooklyn, NY. At the time my family of 6 was living in the downstairs floor of a home that we had definitely had outgrown by the time my parents had 2 children. This new development that we were heading to was being advertised as a great place to raise a family and a bus ride for those commuting to the city (NY). Of course, my dad worked in Manhattan at the time. So, when I was 7, my parents moved all of us to NJ (my 2 older siblings and one younger sister). I was thrilled because this was a real (town)house with 4 bedrooms, a small backyard, and a basement. We were moving on up! Some of the other cool features of this community were 4 pools (and not small ones ... 25M pools, 6 lanes, diving tanks, baby po...

When I was a little kid, I started to show signs of freckles about the age of 7-8. It was cute back then. The freckles were stationed on the nose and cheeks. It was endearing. As the years passed, the freckles migrated to the shoulders, the arms, the knee caps, the hands, and eventually most everywhere. IT sort of lost it's cuteness. I like freckles. It took me a while to learn to appreciate them. Over the years, however, I have started to rethink my thoughts about freckles. IT could be that they had overcome my face, my hands, my whole body! This summer (and it is still only June) has shown it's abuse. To be honest, it is bordering EXTREME. My freckles are so connected, that it seems like I could just add a few more and smooth out the whole look. I wear sunblock AND I re-aply it often. My skin is fair (not the burning kind of fair), but I really do tan with tons of freckles. Surely the freckles have multiplied due to ... a lot of yard work, running outdoors, and tak...

Between ... the last days of school getting 3 girls ready, packed, taken to and from camp entertaining the inlaws for nearly 10 days trying to tackle the mess in my backyard swim team practice and an away swim meet somewhere in there Ahhhhhhhh, it has been busy to say the least. Summer vacation started nearly 2.5 weeks ago, but it sure has not felt like a vacation to me. At least not the type of vacation that I would envision. BRING on summer! Hopefully it will be a little slower, a little more relaxing, and a little less busy or I may just look like the crazy lady in that photo (yes, that is me) .

My Mom and Dad always had great photos of themselves TOGETHER. I'm not sure who was the photographer because when it comes to getting good pictures of my husband and I, it usually is one of our children snapping a picture. The result can be risky ;) *I love how my mom always posed for a photo. I think she secretly wished she was a model ;) *just pretend you don't see that nasty cigarette in that photo :0 *During the last year of my dad's life ... he was pretty sick here, and heavier due to the meds that he was on. I won't even venture back to the earliest of days of my husband and I, but I'll do that sometime soon (don't worry). For now, I'll go back nearly 5 years. Let me just remind y'all that I had my teeth/jaw FIXED. The first few would be during the crooked years (yikes). *Apparently I liked this shirt since it's been photographed twice. *This was only about a year ago, but as you can see, I will not show the TEETH ... braces are under th...

It should be a good month ... my birthday (it was the 11th), Valentine's Day. BUT this year February seems to be dragging. Too many snow days with too many cold days for this converted Southerner. I am dealing with a bit of stress that I cannot share ... yet. I should be eating better and exercising more. I'll admit that I've fallen off the bandwagon. My LENTEN promise is going well. At least I got that going for me. Tomorrow would be my Dad's 72nd birthday. Sadly he only saw 69. School stuff is driving me a little batty. I think February is known for that. I'm feeling a little sadder than usual. My blogging has been weak at BEST. ((((SIGH)))) Is MARCH coming soon? I can't wait!

S eeking a warm bed to rest my heavy head I ncapable of breathing out of the right nostril C an't remember the last time I felt this way K eep praying that this feeling goes away SOON

All of my children are somewhere else. I'm trying my best to not get sucked into this computer . Of course I did sneak in a few computer breaks between my cleaning and cooking. Sarah over at Clover Lane posted some new changes to blogger that I just needed to try  experiment with. I've got a quiet, but busy weekend ahead.  Hmmmm ... think that may be an oxymoron. I get to watch my cute 7 year old play basketball.  She makes me smile with her intensity and silliness (all in one). My 3 bigger girls will be at a meet ... SWIM FAST!!!!!!! Teaching Sunday school and will be touching on the tragedy in Haiti with some of this advice Organizing the homeschool room.  Some changes are going on and I need to move things around.

Of course as an adult , I know the REAL MAGIC of Christmas, but when you are 3 or 4, it often is about other things. Like ... the biggest Christmas tree filled with tons of fun ornaments in your face decorations (even if that includes the cards that mom will hang) presents (the bigger, the better) Santa, Rudolph, and lots of snowmen (or is it snowPEOPLE ... LOL) Candy canes in all flavors and varieties Chocolate ANYTHING (someone has got to help mom eat it all) baked yummies with lots of colorful sugar and sweet fillings pretty dresses ... even if years later you look back and wonder WHAT WAS MOM THINKING? Merry Christmas circa 1974

Wow, this week has felt long and busy. Could be that my family and I traveled 20 hours in a car, arrived home late Sunday, and pretty much dove full force into a hectic week. So much going on ... art class grocery shopping homeschooling swim team basketball practice High School swim meet 2 orthodontist appointments (not my own) Christmas card prep Today started off a nice note ... 3 girls off to school took the 2 homeschoolers and myself to 7:50am mass 4-H science class drop off (homeschooler will be attending this for 5.5 hrs each Friday for 12 weeks ... looks like a FANTASTIC program) Planning on (today and this weekend) ... house cleanup yard cleanup Christmas decorating (inside and out) Christmas cards Mass on Sunday Sacrament class for my 7 year old (getting ready for her 1st Reconciliation) Teach 5th graders in our Parish Religious Education this Sunday ... attending reconciliation as a group running sleeping internet shopping breathing Hoping also to enjoy this season of ADVEN...