The Gross Truth

We had an unexpected suprise last night.  Hubbs got home!  Although he had appointments to take care of we were all happy to get a little extra time with him.

Bug-man (littlest) and I went to a quick 6.5 mile loop (52:11) hoping that hubbs would be able to get a little rest since he is working nights right now but when we returned he had not been able to fall back to sleep and he had to leave for an appointment.

The kids and I tried to get a new spring header photo taken but the camera (or my photographer) kept focusing on the lovely yellow traffic sign instead of little Bug-man and I. 

For your entertainment, here are a few failed photos.

Oh!  You noticed that I am AGAIN in my redish pink One More Mile Kick Assphalt shirt and capris with my bondi bond over my visor.  That's right I get stuck on an outfit and wear it to death!

In fact this morning I got a solo run of 3.5 miles (27:22) and I wore the exact same thing!

Here is the gross truth.  Prepare yourself.

Since I run so many doubles I often wear the same outfit in the evening that I wore in the morning.

Okay.  Get over it.

You would think that I would have amassed a huge supply of running outfit.

Not.

I tend to be so entrenched in my routines that it carries over into what I wear. 

But I am trying to change.

TMB @ Racing with Babes showered some bloggy love on little ole' me this morning!  She inspires me to want to care more about how I look while I am out there sweating up a river. 

When I grow up I want to look just like her...neon and all!

Thanks TMB!

I get to share the love with five wonderfully inspiring bloggies.

MCM Mama @ MCMmama

Cynthia @ Balls in the Air

Aneta @ Confessions of a Rambunctious Runner

Char @ My Lifes a Marathon

Jess @ 21 Days

The Art of Negotiation

I negotiation with my children everyday.  We negotiate homework, meals, baths, bedtimes...  For my children it has never been simply, "because mommy said so."  They have all practiced the art of negotiation.

I supposed they have learned from the best because I taught them to use negotiation to get closer to what they want.  I negotiate with hubbs and family to get in runs when I need a break from pushing the jogger or whenever I need help to be able to run a race. 

So this should have been no suprise.

Littlest employed the cutest-eyes-ever technique to get to stay on a relatives new 'toy' 4 wheeler.

When that started to grow old for Mommy, he attempted the often successful head-tilt-puppy-eyes-beggin-face.  That bought him a few more minutes.

But finally he had to bring out the BIG guns.  The I'll-give-you-a-kiss-if-you-give-me-what-I-want face.  That's a winner ever time!

What's your or your kids best and most successful 'begging' strategy?

We got out this morning for another wake up run!  I didn't have to negotiate to get littlest to agree.  He woke up ready to go!  Yippee. Maybe I can make it a week straight of wake up runs!?!  3.5 miles (29:35)  Tonight is another double so I am looking forward to a great sweat.  The temps are to be in the low 90s again today. 

What's on your workout plan for today?  What kinds of temps are you enjoying?

That Silver Lining

Yesterday I tried to see that silver lining in the way my day didn't go my way.  I think I was able to enjoy letting go of the dissapointment that I often have when I miss a run.  We enjoyed playing and I enjoyed getting the kids to bed a little bit earlier.

Today things went my way.

I got a great morning run in.
I am all geared up for a run while my middle one has soccer practice. 
I am excited to see if I can pull that off.
It is 91 degrees right now.
I can't wait to get out there and sweat!

Things just didn't go my way

I woke up late.

45 minutes late for work.

Boss was in a bad mood.

Couldn't seem to finish anything at work.

Back at home, Hubbs was in a bad mood and had to leave for work.

Things just didn't go my way so instead of fretting about how to squeeze in my much needed run, I decided to spend a little extra time playing with the kiddos - new Easter toys!

I won't regret the missed miles.  I will remember the extra play time.

The kids will remember the extra play time.

Today I missed a run but my kids won't remember that I missed a run.

Tomorrow I will run.

The kids will still remember that we played!

We startem' young

Today was a busy day. 

Just not enough hours to get everything done so we had to recruit everyone to help out.

Littlest helped hubbs mow the yard. 

Although I am fairly certain he felt he could have done it all by himself. 

Littlest felt that way, not hubbs!

That kid can figure ANYTHING out.  It's scary at times.

I did get a quick run in with littlest

(I will spare you another sweaty photo of me.  It's my Easter gift to you!)

we did our 6.5 mile loop.  We had to hurry to make the Easter egg hunt at our church.

Luckily we live really close by!

And just like my manly mowers, I must be going lots of hopping to get to tonight.

That Easter bunny has baskets and goodies to get ready!

Enjoy your holiday with your family and friends!

Morton Make a Come Back

Yesterday was a great day.  In the Shelly dictionary of life "Great day" is defined as, "An 24 hour period that allows for 2 or more runs or workouts that are accomplished without missing family activities."

Yesterday was a Great Day!

I got in two great runs with littlest and still made it to work and to egg coloring at my sister's in the evening!

The morning run of 3.5 miles included a Morton the Muskrat sighting.  I was so happy to see him since he has been absent a lot after the recent flooding.  He still evades the paparazzi but I they won't give up.  

Littlest missed the crazy paparazzi attempts to catch a decent photo of Morton. 

After work littlest and I were out for a quick 6.5 loop.  (Quick is always relative)  But I was thrilled we got the miles in before the egg coloring tradition at my sisters.

Does your family have any Easter traditions?

 

Today we had new "VA" house paperwork to get done in the morning so my plans to slip out early for a longish run had to wait.  When I finally got out the door with my wonderful hubbs watching middle one and littlest!!! (Thanks hubbs!) I had to settle to 9.5 miles (1:16) under a very hot sun.  Even though I have a fuel belt and various sizes of Nathan handhelds, I neglected to grab one.  Can we say too eager?

Regretted that after the first 2 miles.  Luckily I did have some Chomps which at least kept my mouth from getting too dry.  I was sweated wet and my visor was covered with salt.  Hopefully the weather will ease into there higher temps a little more slowly than it has done for this holiday weekend.  I need time to adjust.

I thought the kiddos were happy to have we finish and be home because they ran out to greet me.  Wrong!  Littlest just kept running.  Maybe he thought it was his turn to put in some miles.

He had some really nice form going on!

Enjoy your Easter Holiday!

Whether you observe the religious holiday or not take time to be apprecative of all the wonderful aspects of your life.  Try to see if the issues you thought were "negative" simply needed to be viewed differently to help turn them into an opportunity to be positive.

If you change the way you look at things.

The things you look at change.

A Surprise Score...Just in Time

Yesterday after work there was a surprise waiting for me on my deck.  God bless the delivery people who bring us all happiness in brown cardboard boxes!

Today I only have time to tell you about ONE goodie that was in my box of happiness from Mel at Tall Mom on the Run from a giveawy that I won. 

A beautiful dark pair of Ryders sunglasses for runners and just in time for the sun to be shining again.  They are awesome.  No squinting from the sun in my eyes with those babies on.  I loved them.

It is ironic that they were included in my box-o-goodies because my hubbs (or I) lost his pair of Ryders at Army son's graduation.  Hummm, should they be in hubbs Easter basket?!?!  Oh now that's a dilemma. 

I didn't really WIN those.  They were included as a "thanks for being patient" gift from the company.  

What to do?  What to do? 

Do you think I should give them to hubby?

Littlest and I had a running date this morning.  I had planned the 6.5 loop but littlest and needing to get off to work didn't allow for that so I turned and only did the morning usual of 3.5 (27:36).  It started out cool but quickly warmed up even before we were done.   Ahhhh!  I love spring.

Have a wonderful Easter!