Okay, so I have always wanted to run a marathon. Well, maybe not always, but I have for a while now. How amazing it would be to accomplish such a huge distance (26.2 miles) that takes about 30 minutes just to drive it in your car (at highway speed)! I would love to be able to make my body do that.

However, I have poor body mechanics. I have not been diagnosed with this professionally, but I call it that because I have neuromas in both feet, or I did before I had sclerosis injections (alcohol) to treat them. The right foot did beautifully but the left, and more severe neuroma, had to be surgically removed because the injections did not help (in May of '06).

I also have an old injury- a torn hamstring tendon. Apparently, my laying off of running and serious exercise during this past pregnancy really helped because it rarely bothers me anymore which is a far cry from the stabbing pains I used to have in my darier.

Lastly, I have random knee pain from time to time based on how much running I am doing but nothing too severe. I can maintain my running with use of NSAIDS and "Woo Juice" (topical analgesic).

With almost 100% certainty, I have found the culprit of ALL my ailments: overpronation of my feet. (loving this hyper link, by the way) for which I have worn orthotics for 8 years. (Actually, I have worn the same orthotics for 8 years and desperately need new ones.) Specifically, when your feet overpronate, they roll inward and can create problems and pain in your joints. Oh, yeah, gotta love it!

I have joked for a while now that I was made like a blue light special: you see it, it's nice but it's made poorly. I don't mean that in any conceited way, folks, just making a joke. ;)

All this to say that, despite my ailments and woahs, I am planning on running a half-marathon in September, as long as my knees last. Mark said he may run it with me (we may be needing some help with the boys) and a couple of friends have shown interest.

I have a challenge for you. RUN WITH ME! You don't have to run the same pace but maybe you just want to try out a 13.1 mile run. If so, let me know! If not, just pray for me, eh? Oh, and I'm open to any running pointers you may have.

Well, not quite, but this is how Tiger Woods started, right? Somebody go ask your husband (Jon D?).

Mark came up with the idea to go to play Putt-Putt. We went once last year, too, and enjoyed it, so with Hunter being 3, it was even easier. I had the idea of going to the driving range. They're both at the same location: Top Golf, but we ran out of time. Plus, we knew it would be quite a challenge with 2 young children, yet you see them there. How do people do it? I figure if others can do it, so can we, but maybe they're just nuts. Oh, who am I kidding? So am I!

We stuck with the Putt Putt and Hunter loved it. He was so excited and lasted all 18 holes, though we moved through it quickly.

Don't try this at home, folks. I am a trained professional. Oh, wait, no I'm not. Colten was such a good baby, though. He even took a nap in that thing while I played the back 9.

Hunter would go first so Mark could help him. We sent him to chase after his ball and go knock it in the hole, which would consist of him picking it up and putting it in the hole. Oh well- he's 3, right? As we had our turn, he would ask, "Mommy, can I get off the green now?" I followed with, "Yes, please do." So cute!

Mark and I enjoyed an adult beverage while we played which was fun to sip and knock a few balls around. We even got to talk a little and be competitive. It was just what we needed, or at least, it was a good start.

Thanks for the idea, babe.

Mark is such an accomodating husband (sometimes too accomodating, but that's a whole other blog ;)). Whenever I want to do something social with my friends, he is very supportive and just asks when I think I might be home. So this week was no different. I had two GNOs (that's Girls Night Out) with two different fabulous groups of ladies.

Thursday night, it was a night out with my WOM (that's Workout Mom) friends in my neighborhood. We decided to surprise one of the ladies, who is about to POP with her second child, with a "sprinkle" (that's a shower for a woman having a second, third, fourth or even Lora Lynn having her fifth...child!). We had a fabulous time talking about our families, our trials and what we enjoy, oh and eating yummy food. Leslie even made a home-made carrot cake for our guest of honor and we had permission to bring it to the restaurant. Our waiter even had a slice! It's hot pink for the girl Cathrine is about to have and because she has a couple of girls herself who apparently had a say-so in the baking.





Now, if you are a woman, and most of my readers are, especially an extroverted woman, you know how rapidly conversations change and the vast array of topics that are covered. Now, if you are not only a woman, not only extroverted but also a wife who has given birth and raising children, there really isn't much you can't talk about and we women like to talk about it! From poop and delivery stories to hair (;)) and handbags, we cover it all; don't we, ladies?

On Monday night, I had dinner out with my girlfriends from church and we've been friends for years, so that night was no different in our discussion of body parts and lactation. It's such a great time of encouragement for us to get out, laugh, encourage one another and find out how we can pray for one another.

Here's to being real and letting our hair down and eating hot pink carrot cake. Thanks for the busy week, girlfriends!

Recently, at Colten’s four month check-up, his doctor and I discovered his weight had dropped off to the 5-10% range versus his 50-75% for length and head. I told him how Hunter had similarly dropped off in weight at his six month check-up, so the doctor was not too concerned but told me to bring him back in a month to have him re-weighed (that’s next week).

Today, while I was at a playground, I met two other moms whose babies were nearly two times Colten’s size and one month YOUNGER than him! He doesn’t even weigh 13 pounds yet. Poor guy. Some of my friends (and you know who you are) were joking that they make milk shakes nursing their little ones. I said that I must make skim milk.

This evening, I decided to take a picture of our overlooked family member, Sattchi. His picture reminded me of… COLTEN! I think Colten’s legs are the same size as our 9 pound Italian Greyhound. That just doesn’t seem right. Again, poor guy. He will look back at his baby pictures wondering if I fed him!

See for yourself and please pray my baby gains some more weight.

Well, it started Saturday when my tooth, that has a 10-year old root canal and crown, started hurting. Sometime between lunch and dinner, it began to hurt, so by dinner time, I could no long chew on the left side.

It continued to hurt on Sunday and when I woke up at 5:00am Monday morning with it throbbing and me crying, I remembered that I have some narcotic medication leftover from my foot surgery 2 years ago. I was SO thankful I still had it! I took one and 800mg of Ibuprofen and, within 20 minutes, I was back to sleep. My boys didn't even wake up until 8:15 when I did.

I went to the dentist that morning (Monday) but she referred me to an endodontist. I had an 8:00 appointment yesterday (Tuesday), Mark watched the boys for me, and by 10:00, I had my old root canal redone. That's right- I had another root canal in the same tooth. The doctor said it is common and there was infection inside the tooth.

I asked for laughing gas but because insurance doesn't cover it and I was already spending over $600, I thought I could be tough and save an additional $200. It really was not bad, just a big pinch from the original Novocaine injection. It didn't hurt nearly as bad as all the attempts for my epidurals. I think I had to have two attempts with both deliveries.

I came home and decided, since no social plans worked out, that I would take Hunter to get his blood drawn. At his 3 year appointment last week, his doctor asked about any possibility for lead poisoning, so I told him how Hunter is so oral and still puts toys in his mouth to chew on them. (He probably gets this from me since I am the "bubble gum queen";). ) The doctor ordered a blood draw just to be safe with all of the China-made toys and lead paint concerns.

Off we went and I told him he was going to have a "blood draw" and that when he was done, he could have a sucker and a sticker if he was good. He had no idea what a blood draw was, of course, so he was quite excited. "I'm going to get a blood drawing and then I can have a sucker and a sticker." Boy was he in for a surprise. Poor kid. He must have jerked when she put in the needle, so he had to have it drawn on the other arm, too. I had to hold him down and he screamed, of course. I quickly calmed him down because I told him he could have a sucker afterward.

Phew, man, what a day!

So, I was supposed to make dinner for our friends tonight but, because of a little planning confusion between me and Mark, we had a change of plans. I came up with the idea of going to the pool with our friends, getting carryout and I provided dessert and margaritas. Not a bad idea. They agreed and off we went.

I made margaritas for the first time yesterday for me and Mark and they were a little too watered down and the drink immediately separated from the slush but we still enjoyed them. Tonight, we drank our margaritas as we walked to the pool, which was a fun, nice treat, especially since I never get them out at a restaurant.

We played in the pool with the kids for a while and ended up having pizza delivered (instead of the Chipotle which was the original plan), followed by strawberry shortcake. Mmmm. Hunter had so much fun swimming and playing in the pool, he didn't eat anything for dinner!

I also had the cutest swimmer at the pool. I took Colten into the little pool for the second time and his first time in the big pool. He seemed to like it. In fact, he felt so comfortable in the big pool that he fell asleep... in the pool!

Colten is 4 and a half months old now!

We had a great time with the Sturgills and the kiddos. If any of my other friends want to join us, just give me a jingle! I'll bring dessert. :)

I have said for years that God blessed me with "angel hair." Not the kind you eat but my hair, being super fine and soft, is my image of angels.


Renee Zellweger and I have the same kind of hair... I think.


Anyway, if someone can make my delicate hair look great, she must be a miracle worker. This leads me to officially introduce my hair miracle worker, Melissa. I've been going to Melissa for years, maybe 6 or 7. We've had our UPs and our DOWNs (that is, hair that flips up and hair that is long). However, as Melissa eloquently put it, "we've found my hair's calling." It's a practical version of Victoria Beckham's coif. I just love it! I get so many compliments and I can always go back to thanking Melissa, my miracle worker. :)









You actually can't see how cute my haircut is here. It was great. I had it cut yesterday.

So, when Hunter started needing haircuts, I eventually took him to Melissa and he just loves her! Plus, she makes my little boy look like a little GQ gentleman.







Thank you, Melissa.

This weekend was fabulous! Not because Mark took me out in a limo to a romantic getaway for a delicious picnic BUT... he cleaned out the garage! We, really, but he did do the bulk of the work. Most of it was his, so he had to do most of the sorting and boy does he have a happy wife!

If you don't know about the book The Five Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman, it's fabulous for understanding how to love your spouse/kids better. My love language is Acts of Service. Mark's is some version of Quality Time: time spent doing an outdoor or fun activity. He has an expensive love language. Anyhow, you know what I mean about the garage.


He said he had no idea I would be so thrilled about having the garage cleaned. Boy was he wrong! I can't stop talking about it; see?! It looks like we just moved in and not had a chance to accumulate a million things. LOVE IT!


Here's a sad Mark with his poor 20-year old 13" television set he didn't want to get rid of:






I talked him into getting rid of it, though. Yeah, me!



Here are the golf balls and tees Mark has accumulated over the years. You should see the number of golf towels- eek! We're giving them away. Plus, he has 2 or 3 sets of golf clubs to rid of and 2 golf bags!










Hunter was overseeing our work and having a snack:








Here was the HHW (Household Hazard Waste) I dropped off today that we had accumulated:

Plus, we have a huge pile for donation pickup and another set of a dozen items that I am selling on Craigslist. Phew! Did I tell you how GREAT my husband is? What a man!

Now, all I have to do is talk him out of that DEER HEAD. Rachel Baker thinks it's a doggie. Poor thing.

Why is it that some of us mothers become so frustrated with our precious young children that we often refer to frustration with them as wanting to "strangle" them or "kill" them? NONE of us mean it, really. It's simply a reaction, a phrase to compensate for the frustration we feel as moms/parents at times, I think.

This evening was a good example of wanting to "kill" my 3 year old. I was taking care of laundry and Hunter was laying next to Colten (the baby) and being absolutely adorable, as he had been earlier in the day. Colten was "batting" at Hunter and putting his little fingers in Hunter's mouth. Hunter was gleefully allowing it and giggling all the while.

Mark was upstairs doing laundry (Yes, my husband does his own laundry. It's because he doesn't trust me to do it the wright way. ;) ) and I told Hunter I would be right back with the camera. As I ran downstairs and was going for the camera, I hear Colten upstairs SCREAMING and realize I just made a BIG mistake!

I ran up the stairs to comfort the baby and to question Hunter to find out EXACTLY what had happened. Hunter immediately started crying, I think realizing he was busted and would "pay" for his actions. He's been told the rules for playing with Colten: "If you make him cry for any reason, you are to sit in time out!"

He confessed (because he still doesn't life just yet) that he smacked and spanked Colten. I wanted to "strangle" him!!! Mark and I were on one side of the room, while Hunter hunkered down in the corner on the other side, while we lectured him on the privilege of being a big brother and how God wants us to be kind to others.

He finished his time out, agreed to never hit Colten again (boy, do I wish this were true) and we prayed over his behavior. He also had to tell Colten he was sorry.

I guess this is why the subsequent children are tougher than the firstborns.

Here's a picture of the war torn baby earlier "exercising" in his "gym".