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What a wonderful fun-filled weekend our family enjoyed! It was an unusually short one with the super secret spy not being off an extra day like we have gotten so used to thank to the holidays but we still packed a lot of family time into the hours we had.

Sporting my new ChiRunning hat.  Part of my HBBC haul!

Thanks Amanda!

I finally got outside and enjoyed the milder weather on a nice run around VA.  Not the 24 miles long run that this week called for but a nice rework of the plan allowed for more family time and still a decent long hilly run.  With safety being brought back to the forefront of my mind and I am certain many other's too, I have been struggling with getting outside for long runs.  That feeling of safety is something I have to work on getting back.  Maybe it's more a need to feel prepared and aware.

After a messing weekend we did have to do some chores like cleaning the floors. Which was made easier with the Shark. Even the kids didn't mind helping especially helping to put the box to good use.

LBM can make everything chore more fun with his antics!

Teamarcia got a little free press with S'ghetti girl's new shirt.

Speaking of shopping, I noticed something troubling while we were shopping. 

Labels.

You might notice that I don't wear a wide variety of clothes.  I wear the same running outfits frequently and even in casual photos I am often sporting the same argyle purple or black sweater.  That is because I don't like to shop.  So I don't do it very often. 

If fact the only pair of blue jeans that I own that fit were purchased about 7 years ago.  They look terrible on me now and were part of the reason I finally gave in and went shopping.

The other reason is that my poor dressing habits have be adopted by my beautiful daughter.

I am not doing her any favors setting such a terrible example.

While I don't want her to be too wrapped up in her appearance, I do want her to care about herself enough to look her best given the situation.

I guess I want her to take pride in looking nice to an appropriate degree. 

It's a fine line, right?!

S'ghetti girl lives in seat pants.  If it is not warm enough to wear skirts she will be wearing one of a few pair of sweats that she owns.  While sweats have their place they shouldn't be the only pants she wears.

Enter the dreaded Blue Jean label.

We went to countless stores and until the next to last store every single label share one word:

s.k.i.n.n.y

First off, my daughter is of an appropriate for her height and age.  She is healthy and beautiful.  While she may not be a active as some children she is by no means over weight.  Yet time and time again she was told that her body was somehow not "right" after she tried on pair after pair after pair of blue jeans. 

Of course, no one said that directly to her but I can remember being that adolescent girl struggling with no longer being a child and not yet being ready to be what come next.  Even though I repeatedly told her that everyone has to go through all these different styles and cuts to find the pants that fit them best, she was still brought to tears in the dressing room after dozens of pairs simply didn't work with her shape.

s.k.i.n.n.y

I h.a.t.e that word.

If you really follow me you know that I never use that word.  The H one.

There is very little worse than seeing your daughter struggle with something that shouldn't even be an issue.  I tried my best to tell her that it's just a pair of pants.  And we did find several that she would agree to wear and honestly they a super cute on her.  I just worry that everything she wears them she will remember the experience and view herself negatively.

I wish I had a magic ball to see if this one experience was going to affect her or if all the praise and love she is given daily will be enough to give her the confidence she should have.  Something, some comment or person or situation caused me to view myself differently than the reflection in the mirror which lead to years of pointless self confidence issues.  Was it the nicknames in grade school?  Was it the "special" jeans  (Rosebud duds.  I was really thin as a young child) that set me apart from the other kids? 

Whatever it was I just don't want there to be an it for my daughter. 

I need her to know the true, that she is smart, kind and important!

How can you over come an entire industry seemingly set on brain washing your kids?

Monday Mishmash

This weekend I did all the right things...

I ate too much icing.

I played with fire.

We threw ball...in the house. 

We played outside in our pjs.

I tried to sweat my cold out.

And then Monday morning came when I read this G.

G posted about her experience at the Richmond Marathon this weekend.

I won't be a spoiler so click over there and read it first.

After I read it all I could think was (in an "it's all about me" way) what if I can not kick this cold/flu bug and end up in the middle of "you-have-to-walk-out-because-they-can't-come-in-a-get-you-ville" at mile 20, 32 or 44 and pass out. 

Ugh 

That can't possibly happen, right?  I mean how long can a cold last.

Weekend Wrap Up

Weekend wrap in in photos

because we all know some times I talk way too much!

Our weekend started Friday evening on the road to VA.

The signs were promising for a GREAT weekend.

Bright and early Saturday morning I was wondering how Virginia-ites deal with the heat!

After a Saturday afternoon of shopping and test driving

we headed to C-ville for a long lingering expensive meal at Nook on the mall.

Sunday morning brought Hubbs Father's Day 4 miler.

Given all the trash talking from his friends I am happy to say he beat them both.

not that he was worried he wouldn't

Since the kids were being watched at home we enjoyed

a fat-pill solo breakfast at Panera Bread.

Once home again the kids gave Hubbs all his Father's Day goodies.

And the general goofiness continued throughout the morning.

Back in PA, LBM and I needed to stretch our legs and get our run on. 

I think we drug some of the humidity back with us.

How better to end a great Father's Day weekend than in your pajamas?!

Weekend Wrap Up ~ Ultra Busy Edition

Our family enjoyed a ultra busy weekend. 

We started out Friday evening with the drive from PA to VA and went right to the McCormick Observatory.

The kids loved it.  Three telescopes including the big one were open for public viewing.  The history surrounding the observatory was very interesting as was the museum.  Best thing, FREE!

Saturday morning we were up and off the the Farmer's Market.  Being early in the season the offerings were limited however we enjoyed seeing what vendors were there and sampling a few homemade tastes.

Of course for the kids the best vendor had puppies! 

Since we already parent two dogs and a cat, none of them came home with us.

No trip to C-ville is complete without time spent on the mall.  There is always live entertainment, good food and interesting people to see.

The kids and I went into the Discovery Museum. 

There were several different "discovery" areas to enjoy and something for all age groups.

LBM enjoyed climbing everything he could.  

Ouch $$$.

  It was entertaining for them however it was very expensive and not something we will probably do again.

LBM rode the carousel and would have stayed there for hours. 

I think he was hitting on the little Cindy-lou-hoo girl in blur.

Next up S'ghetti girl and I enjoyed the movie HOP. 

LBM enjoyed a nap so he missed out of a great show...

...and waaay too many snacks.

After all the activity we went to a Japanese steak house. 

It was delicious and entertaining.

I finished my evening with a quick run and joined the family for some down time.

Sunday morning meant breakfast and driving which can make for a hectic day.

So we stopped off at a great park we drive by on our usual route to indulge in an hour of play.

Getting home a little later was well worth the fun we had.

Sunday evening was my last long hard run before this Saturday's 50 miler.

11 miles a bit too fast on legs that didn't want to be running left me eager for bed.

Monday morning.

Day # 330

I woke up with unrested legs that had no desire to run.  How odd!

After slightly over 2.5 miles I finished with time to stretch but no time to ice my over used legs.

Maybe it was the travel time, maybe it was the busy weekend that had no regard for my personal daily routine, maybe it was the 11 too fast miles the day before.  Whatever is was it was a reminder that in the days prior to a race I really can not do anything to improve my performance at the race but I sure can do things that will hurt my performance. 

I tell myself that 2.5 miles is just right and know that when I go farther than 32 miles ~ the longest I have ever run at one time ~ I will be so happy that I allowed my legs a little "rest."

A mileage junkie to the nth degree

Why do we do it?

Sunday

This was a travel day.  That would mean less time for family fun so I opted to sleep in a little, indulge in a family breakfast and join in the fun instead of sneaking away for rack up bigger miles.

Sleeping in.

Always a good idea in theory but rarely a good idea in practice.

I never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever (yeah, okay I am in third grade.  It's my blog.)

think sleeping in was a good thing once I get up. 

I always regret it.

It puts me behind in every thing else I am planning on accomplishing that day.

Why do we do it?

Come on now, you all do it, too!

I bet you all regret it most of the time, too.

 

LBM exhausted from not sleeping at night!

 Big Breakfast

Then once I got up knowing that I had missed prime running opportunity number one of the day, I indulge in a heartier than normal breakfast. 

I don't know about you but this usually leaves me feeling bloated and lazy.  It tastes so good it's hard to remind myself that I didn't eat that much to fuel my Ultra let alone just a day of playing with the family and then driving 3 1/2 hours.

Tell me I'm not the only one.  Doesn't everyone indulge in big breakfast weekends?

Why do we did it?

At least it wasn't birthday cake

Family Fun

But the day wasn't completely filled with wrong choices.  With 6 more days in the week and a 100 run goal looming, I know that I don't regret a little family fun.  It will be these memories that I will pull to mind the next time the miles get too long and I feel like I can't put that next foot in front of the other.

This is exactly why I do it!

We all jumped in the pond to cool off

After a swim in the pond, bubbles are a requirement!

A little later than I had wanted.  A lot less miles than I want to start my week with but Run # 95 = done.

"Hello treadmill, let me introduce myself.  I know it's been a long time..."

Run # 95 - short and sweaty

The minimum 2 miles

Five more runs to 100. 

Moving on Monday

Thanks to Casey for the great Virtual 10K.  How great everyone is getting a participation bracelets!  Way better than medals! 

Congratulations to everyone who got out there and did it! 

After a great run in the early morning, I did more running...around like a chicken with her head cut off!  Throwing everything together to head to VA for the remainder of the weekend.

It's not like I had 2 check lists hanging in the kitchen to help make sure I didn't forget anything!  But I did. 

I staged everything in the kitchen so we could get out the door as soon as I loaded the car.  Of course littlest decided to demonstrate his lastest skill; removal of the diaper within his sleeper right about pooing time.  Yuck!

I had to put him in the bathtub, wash out his sleeper and scrub the tub (sorry, I had to!  bleach, scrub, bleach, scrub).  Okay now we can be out the door and on the road. 

Wait!

Forgot my purse.  Back to house.  Got it!

Now on the road to the start of our weekend.  We traveled with this view...

In case you can't tell.  That's ice on the trees.  Beautiful!!

Until we saw this...

I was worried about the driver at the front of this line.  Of course their day was much more in inconvenienced than mine.  (accident appeared to be ~ after a half hour wait ~ car versus deer equaled rear-ended by pickup truck.  Ouch. )

We passed the time with lovely road companions.

Finally there we met up with hubbs at our hotel.  He wanted to show us ....

Wegman's.

(sorry.  no pictures.  But hubbs thinks that pictures would not do it justice anyway!)

After Wegman's we went to my favorite place to eat...

Carrabba's Italian Grill

We met hubb's "foster family" there and had a great time! 

The next morning we headed to the gym.  The family swam in the pool.

My middle one wanted thrown and thrown....

After the pool we went to Luray Caverns

I chould have spent a day there (and then a week in Shenandoah National Park!!)

It was amazing!!

But the weekend is over so now I have to be moving on.