Can't-leave-this-one-wordless Wednesday

Brynn's Turkey Project - Hannah Montana

Evan's Turkey Project - UVA football player

Please note the views of this blog post do not reflect the views of Evan's parents but we are trying to be supportive of his creativity.

Wordless Wednesday...

About the author...

Okay, time to come back to my neglected blog... things have been crazy around here and for a change, a lot of that craziness has been because of, drum-roll please, MY schedule. So in an unusual twist for this blog, this post is mostly about... ME!

During the third week of October the annual weekend with my high school friends took place in NY. The place never really matters with this bunch, because we would have a blast anywhere, but this time we stayed in cottages a few steps from the bay. We went to a few wine tastings and while I know little about wine and rarely drink it, the vineyards were beautiful, the tour amazing, and, of course, the conversation and company amazing!

The next picture was taken in the bathroom of a restaurant. I didn't really want to put the parts with the toilet paper and such on the blog so they have been cropped out. The bathroom was different... sooooo many mirrors and pink everywhere... toilets, sinks, soap, tile, etc. It looked like it hadn't been updated in quite a few decades. Somehow, really, I got pushed into the door of the men's bathroom and was able to peek in and from what I saw, with my eyes covered of course, was the same style, just in blue. This is probably not nearly as funny as it all was in person, but I figure if I write it down someday I will reread this and laugh again at the memory.

Then two weeks later, on the weekend I turned 32 yet again, the girls from college got together for the weekend. How great it was to have us all together... I think we figured it had been my wedding, 11 1/2 years ago, since the last time we were all in the same place. Doug coordinated the whole thing without me knowing about it until the end... and we are all so happy that he did.

I am only bummed that I didn't take any pictures so I am borrowing a few from where they were posted on F*ceb**k. Above we had just finished at the spa... my toenails are a lovely shade of purple. Below we indulged at the Ch**secake Fact*ry.

After my friends left, we celebrated my birthday at home. Doug and the kids gave me a cell phone... no more pay-as-you-go plan for me. I think Doug thinks that if I have a phone with a few bells and whistles, along with a monthly payment, that I might just remember to keep it charged. I have to admit I have enjoyed being able to get online while on-the-go this week.

Last weekend Doug and I, along with our friend Denise, ran the Richmond 1/2 marathon. It was our second time and we beat last year's time by about 10 minutes, finishing in 2 hours, 23 minutes, and 55 seconds. I trained harder for this one... well, as much as one can with a busy family life & 5 children and I could tell... I felt so much better during the race. I felt so good tht I even enjoyed a small cup of beer at mile 9 without worrying about dehydration, germs, the history of the person in the kilt handing them out, how it would look to others, etc. I sprinted at the end and I think that is the reason that now, three days later, my legs are still a little sore, especially my shins, but unlike last time when I was unsure I would run another, this time I am ready for the next one! Doug and I had a goal to run the whole thing and we did it... though I highly recommend to future runners to walk while drinking a beer or the smell of your shirt will remind you of "being bad" for the remainder of the run. Or you could always just do the shot of bourbon offered a mile or so earlier.

I have had a head cold for the past week that has zapped my energy ~ I was not going to let it stop my race, though it is now worse and I am not sure that a draining run was really the best thing for it. I am off to the doctor today (I'm back now... drugs in hand). I have also been battling a never-going-away-but-can-be-managed thyroid issue since the late summer that still is not under control so that too partially explains my blog and photography neglect. I'm just too darn tired. Hopefully I'll be back to full speed soon... just in time for the holiday madness!

Weekend Madness...

What a busy weekend we had! Saturday morning was spent at ballfields; Caleb has a football game, Evan had a soccer game, and Price had two soccer games. They the Halloween festivities began...

Brynn was a Dragon Ninja. She decided the morning of that she wanted to have dragons painted on her cheeks; she has not figured out that her parents lack artistic skills. We did our best, though it wasn't long before her face was one big red and black smear. The right cheek was Doug's. I have no pictures of the one I did, but it was MUCH better, really it was, no matter what Doug says...

Price was a ninja too... one with claws. He enjoyed trick-or-treating but by the end of the evening, was worn out, but not so much that he refused an invitation to spend the night at his friend's house... such a social butterfly.

Caleb was a ninja all in white. I think he liked the costume because of the sword. He hides when my camera is out so this was one of the few pictures he is in. I just knew he would have the ketchup & mustard from his hot dog all over his white costume but he proved me wrong!

Evan decided to be Capt. America and while I actually really liked his costume, I was surprised by his choice since I have never once heard the words "Captain America" in our house prior to ordering the costume. Evan manages Halloween the same way he handles other tasks that interest him... full force. He will be the child, like I was, who in middle school changes costumes after round one and goes out again for round two. I think he had the neighborhood done before the rest of us finished the first street. I love that the mask had ear holes!

Nyah was Tinkerbell on Halloween (and a ladybug fairy at her music class earlier in the week). Now if I had spent money on a costume for her, I know she would have refused to wear it when the time came to head out the door so I was very thankful for friends' hand-me-downs! She loved going door to door and the candy. She HATED the masks that others wore.

This picture makes me laugh... it would appear that I have one girly-girl and one tomboy and that the girls get a long well. In reality, Nyah likes some girly things but she is wild, mischievous and loves to fight with her brothers, Brynn is not really a tomboy ~ she just has an appreciation for strong and powerful females (and a strong dislike for princesses), and while the girls get along better now than they ever had, it is still only about 40% of the time.

We had a few friends over for a "picnic" before heading door to door. Our neighborhood, one of the few around with houses close together, is crazy on Halloween but it is always fun. Even in damp, dreary, misty weather.

Evan turned 6 Sunday and we had a party planned that included about 25 children. For the first time in our party planning history, the weather did not cooperate. We have had parties with a few drops of rain or a quickly moving thunderstorm in the middle but Sunday, it just rained all day long. A quick change in plans put us at the local rec. center for 2 hours. The kids had fun running around and playing ball in the gym.

The room with the food was very crowded but we survived and bonus, we didn't have to clean the house afterwards! The downside was I didn't get many pictures with the room being so packed.

Evan went with a sports theme (again) for the cake - soccer this year. If Evan had a mother who doesn't wait until the last minute, there probably would have been more theme related stuff but I could not bring myself to go to a party store two days before Halloween so whatever I found at W*lm*rt was what it is... not sure he noticed anyway. He had a great time and that is what matters! Remember above when I wrote that Evan does everything he is interested in full-force? That is why this picture makes me laugh:

After the party Doug and I squeezed in a 12-mile run (was raining too hard to do it in the morning) in the dark... our last long run before our half-marathon on the 14th. I now need another weekend to recover!

My Lil' Man's Birthday

Today my "baby" boy turned six! Pictures and party details tomorrow... along with Halloween pictures... it has been one busy, crazy weekend!

Happy birthday Evan! I am so happy that you had a wonderful birthday with your friends and family celebrating with you. We love you!