On the back of my Calcium/Vitamin D supplements, the box reads:
"Regular exercise and a healthy diet with enough calcium helps teen and young adult white and Asian women maintain good bone health and may reduce their high risk of osteoporosis later in life."
Where does that leave the rest of the female population? Geesh.
Monday, August 18, 2008
marathon mommies: weekly "whenever i feel like it" log
For those of you wondering, I am still training for my 1/2 marathon. I've been training for 2 1/2 months and I'm very happy with where things stand. Last weekend I ran 11.2 miles, my longest run to date, and it went really well. By the last 2 miles, I was dragging my feet a bit. Mostly, I was just bored out of my mind! I ran around a local lake 4 times in order to reach my mileage, and I about lost it by the 4th lap. I was seriously talking to familiar landmarks, thanking them for their support and letting them know it was the last time I'd see them that day. This weekend I run 13.2 miles, and I've already planned out another route that will take me around 3 lakes in an absolutely gorgeous area of the city. I'm actually looking forward to that! I hope the weather holds out or I'll be stuck on a treadmill and that would stink!
I did end up having to buy yet another pair of running shoes. Turns out, my old "new" pair that I bought just over a month ago weren't a very good fit. They always felt a little "off," but I assumed I'd get used to the fit as I put on more miles. But the longer I ran, the worse I felt, and I knew I couldn't put off the obvious: I needed another pair of shoes. There was no way I could force my body to run 13.2 miles in a pair of ill-fitting shoes without doing serious damage to my feet or knees. You can't return a pair of used running, because frankly, that's just gross. But the manager at the Running Store was very understanding of my situation and gave me 20% off on my NEW shoes. And as it turned out, they were selling last year's model of my OLD FAITHFUL running shoe, the Asics Gel Nimbus, for 1/2 off, so I got a GREAT deal. I broke them in last weekend running 11.2 miles and they felt marvelous. It was well worth the money spent.
So overall, everything in the running department is on a roll and I'm gearing up for the big race day: September 6th. I love having a goal to work towards...It has pushed me to run further and harder than I ever have before and I am so grateful for that. Accomplishing something for myself is so rewarding. I am, however, looking forward to a break from "training" and being able to run at my leisure again.
I did end up having to buy yet another pair of running shoes. Turns out, my old "new" pair that I bought just over a month ago weren't a very good fit. They always felt a little "off," but I assumed I'd get used to the fit as I put on more miles. But the longer I ran, the worse I felt, and I knew I couldn't put off the obvious: I needed another pair of shoes. There was no way I could force my body to run 13.2 miles in a pair of ill-fitting shoes without doing serious damage to my feet or knees. You can't return a pair of used running, because frankly, that's just gross. But the manager at the Running Store was very understanding of my situation and gave me 20% off on my NEW shoes. And as it turned out, they were selling last year's model of my OLD FAITHFUL running shoe, the Asics Gel Nimbus, for 1/2 off, so I got a GREAT deal. I broke them in last weekend running 11.2 miles and they felt marvelous. It was well worth the money spent.
So overall, everything in the running department is on a roll and I'm gearing up for the big race day: September 6th. I love having a goal to work towards...It has pushed me to run further and harder than I ever have before and I am so grateful for that. Accomplishing something for myself is so rewarding. I am, however, looking forward to a break from "training" and being able to run at my leisure again.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
makeup artist
She didn't do too bad of a job for a 4 year old, you think?
And, yes, I was aware she was putting on makeup. No, this is NOT an every day thing. And NO, I do NOT let her shave her legs.Wednesday, August 13, 2008
lier, lier, pants on fire
"I cannot tell a lie." The infamous words George Washington spoke as a boy, after chopping down his father's prized cherry tree. I would personally like to know what his parents did to instill such hard core values into such a young lad.
You see, lately we've had a little fibber on our hands, and her name is Ella. She's just recently grasped the whole concept of "I might be able to get away with something if I don't tell the truth." Though I'm her mother and I see right through it. Her eyes darting here and there, her wheels turning a million miles a minute, trying to weave a story that makes sense in her little mind. She might know how to lie, but I can tell that her conscience fighting it at every turn.
For now, her lies really seem harmless. Seem being the key word in that sentence.
Take two instances yesterday:
Me, seeing red marker scribbled all over her new jeans: "Ella, what happened to your jeans? Did you color all over yourself?"
She glances down, eyes starting to dart around before they focus on the ceiling: "No, I didn't do it. I think the marker fell off the table and did this to my jeans."
Uh-huh. A marker happened to roll off the table and scribble on your jeans from your thigh to your knee cap.
OR, this:
As I'm trying to get Ella's seatbelt around her carseat, I see, in my peripheral vision, that Ella is winding up to flick me. She does this sort of thing not to be mean, but to pick and pester. I was like that as a child. I was known as the pest of the family, and to date, my siblings still think I'm a pest. I honestly have no idea why. To make matters worse, they still think I tell everyone what they're getting for Christmas, even though I seriously haven't done that since I was like 10! Apparently you never grow up in the eyes of your family! Obviously it's a sore spot for me.
Anyway, I see Ella about to flick me...
"Ella, don't you dare flick me or we're going in the house and you're getting a time-out."
Pause. Eyes darting. "I wasn't going to flick you, Mommy. I was only making the number 6 with my fingers."
Wow. She's a smart cookie. I seriously hide a smile and stifle my laugh until I close the van door and turn away from her. She told a lie, a small, funny lie, but it's a lie nonetheless and she can't see me laugh about it.
There have been times where I've blown off her lying without a reprimand, realizing after the fact that by not "nipping it the bud" (as my mother would say), I am doing wrong by her. By not confronting the lie, and using it as a time to explain why lies are wrong, I am teaching her that is okay to lie, when it is definitely not! If I allow her to get away with lying about small and meaningless things, she will think it's okay to lie about something when it could potentially hurt someone. Teaching my child to be honest, no matter the consequences, is crucial in teaching her to be a woman of integrity.
So it's been a struggle. But I hope that in the end, I'm doing what I'm supposed to do in order to lead Ella down the right path. Its times like these that I cling to the following verse:
"Train up a child in the way he should go, for that when he is old, he will not part from it."
Any helpful or creative suggestions about teaching your children not to lie would be very much appreciated!
You see, lately we've had a little fibber on our hands, and her name is Ella. She's just recently grasped the whole concept of "I might be able to get away with something if I don't tell the truth." Though I'm her mother and I see right through it. Her eyes darting here and there, her wheels turning a million miles a minute, trying to weave a story that makes sense in her little mind. She might know how to lie, but I can tell that her conscience fighting it at every turn.
For now, her lies really seem harmless. Seem being the key word in that sentence.
Take two instances yesterday:
Me, seeing red marker scribbled all over her new jeans: "Ella, what happened to your jeans? Did you color all over yourself?"
She glances down, eyes starting to dart around before they focus on the ceiling: "No, I didn't do it. I think the marker fell off the table and did this to my jeans."
Uh-huh. A marker happened to roll off the table and scribble on your jeans from your thigh to your knee cap.
OR, this:
As I'm trying to get Ella's seatbelt around her carseat, I see, in my peripheral vision, that Ella is winding up to flick me. She does this sort of thing not to be mean, but to pick and pester. I was like that as a child. I was known as the pest of the family, and to date, my siblings still think I'm a pest. I honestly have no idea why. To make matters worse, they still think I tell everyone what they're getting for Christmas, even though I seriously haven't done that since I was like 10! Apparently you never grow up in the eyes of your family! Obviously it's a sore spot for me.
Anyway, I see Ella about to flick me...
"Ella, don't you dare flick me or we're going in the house and you're getting a time-out."
Pause. Eyes darting. "I wasn't going to flick you, Mommy. I was only making the number 6 with my fingers."
Wow. She's a smart cookie. I seriously hide a smile and stifle my laugh until I close the van door and turn away from her. She told a lie, a small, funny lie, but it's a lie nonetheless and she can't see me laugh about it.
There have been times where I've blown off her lying without a reprimand, realizing after the fact that by not "nipping it the bud" (as my mother would say), I am doing wrong by her. By not confronting the lie, and using it as a time to explain why lies are wrong, I am teaching her that is okay to lie, when it is definitely not! If I allow her to get away with lying about small and meaningless things, she will think it's okay to lie about something when it could potentially hurt someone. Teaching my child to be honest, no matter the consequences, is crucial in teaching her to be a woman of integrity.
So it's been a struggle. But I hope that in the end, I'm doing what I'm supposed to do in order to lead Ella down the right path. Its times like these that I cling to the following verse:
"Train up a child in the way he should go, for that when he is old, he will not part from it."
Any helpful or creative suggestions about teaching your children not to lie would be very much appreciated!
stats
Chloe had her 9 month appointment today, only 6 days late! Not too bad, considering I'm usually a good month behind on those things.
Her stats showed that she slowed a little on growth charts, but she's still bigger than the average baby girl her age.
Weight: 19 lbs even - 60%
Length: 28.5 " - 80%
Head: 46cm - 80%
All of my girls are bigger than I was when I was a baby. I weighed in at 17 1/2 lbs and was 27" long at 9 months old. As stats would show, Ella and Chloe take after their Daddy when it comes to their height. Britten has been hanging steady at the 50% for height and weight since birth, so we'll see how things progress as they get older.
She also found a new toy. Hmmm...let's see how this works.
or maybe...
"Hello? Mommy? How are you today?"
We won't tell her where it's really for! Ignorance is bliss!
Her stats showed that she slowed a little on growth charts, but she's still bigger than the average baby girl her age.Weight: 19 lbs even - 60%
Length: 28.5 " - 80%
Head: 46cm - 80%
All of my girls are bigger than I was when I was a baby. I weighed in at 17 1/2 lbs and was 27" long at 9 months old. As stats would show, Ella and Chloe take after their Daddy when it comes to their height. Britten has been hanging steady at the 50% for height and weight since birth, so we'll see how things progress as they get older.
She also found a new toy. Hmmm...let's see how this works.
"testing...testing..."
or maybe..."Hello? Mommy? How are you today?"
We won't tell her where it's really for! Ignorance is bliss!
Friday, August 8, 2008
work of art
I love watching my girls create art, color, draw pictures, write letters, cut shapes and the list could go on and on. Seeing them use their God-given talents, and watching their little wheels turn as they learn new things, is one of my favorite things about being a mom. Like any parent, I'm so proud of my girls.
The following picture is one of my favorite creations that Britten has been drawing lately:
In case you can't make it out, it's a hand...Her hand. She traces her own, missing her pinky finger and her thumb in the process, which leaves her with a 3-fingered hand. She doesn't seem to notice the deformation, so why point it out? She finishes it off by coloring "fingernails" and by drawing a line to connect the fingers together.
I love this picture. I keep finding it drawn on random pieces of scrap paper all over the house and in true two-year old style, have even found it drawn on walls a few times. It wasn't hard to figure out who the 3-fingered culprit was!
Part of me feels sad when I see this little drawing all over the house. Before long, these little drawings will start changing and they'll start resembling a more realistic looking hand. While the "hand" is evolving, Britten is evolving...From a little girl, who I still consider a toddler (though I know she's well past those days!), to a young girl, who I'll soon be sending off to preschool (gulp!).
I watch my girls reach their milestones with pride, but try as I might, I can't push away the sadness that accompanies it. I know that I'll eventually have to let my girls go. It's part of the responsibility of being a parent and I'm ok with that. But until then, I'm going to cherish the little 3-fingered drawings, even if it means I have to scrub them off my walls!
The following picture is one of my favorite creations that Britten has been drawing lately:
In case you can't make it out, it's a hand...Her hand. She traces her own, missing her pinky finger and her thumb in the process, which leaves her with a 3-fingered hand. She doesn't seem to notice the deformation, so why point it out? She finishes it off by coloring "fingernails" and by drawing a line to connect the fingers together.I love this picture. I keep finding it drawn on random pieces of scrap paper all over the house and in true two-year old style, have even found it drawn on walls a few times. It wasn't hard to figure out who the 3-fingered culprit was!
Part of me feels sad when I see this little drawing all over the house. Before long, these little drawings will start changing and they'll start resembling a more realistic looking hand. While the "hand" is evolving, Britten is evolving...From a little girl, who I still consider a toddler (though I know she's well past those days!), to a young girl, who I'll soon be sending off to preschool (gulp!).
I watch my girls reach their milestones with pride, but try as I might, I can't push away the sadness that accompanies it. I know that I'll eventually have to let my girls go. It's part of the responsibility of being a parent and I'm ok with that. But until then, I'm going to cherish the little 3-fingered drawings, even if it means I have to scrub them off my walls!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
family fun
I wanted to share a few pictures from last weekend. We spent it up north (YES, again) with my entire immediate family. We do this once a summer...Not the traveling up north thing, because you as you know, I've done that like a billion times this summer (spending about equivalent of that amount on gas). My family - parents, siblings and all my beautiful nieces and nephews - ALL come home on the SAME weekend. We have so much fun together! I love my family!
can it be?
Somehow it's already been a week since my last post. How does that happen? And somehow August is almost half over already and you know what that means...Winter is just around the corner. But before winter begins, we're blessed to experience beauty in all its' glory: Fall. But don't blink, because you might miss it.
And somehow, through all the hustle and bustle of our daily grind, the significance of today almost passed me by. I'm so glad I looked at my calendar and realized that today was not only Thursday (I thought it was Wednesday!) but it was the 7th day of the month. This particular date marks yet another month that my blue-eyed Munchkin has blessed us with her presence.
Chloe is 9 months old today. Can it already be? In someway it seems like ions have passed since delivering my baby girl after a mere two hour labor, but on the other hand, it seems like only a few short weeks have passed.
Thank you, Lord, for giving us Chloe. Her sweet little smile, soft and squishy arms and legs, adorable giggle, quick little army crawl, her bright blue-eyes, dark head of hair, and her spunky, yet loving personality, have added so much joy to all of our lives.
So much joy, in fact, I can get over the fact that she still wakes up 2-3 times a night and has had a major bout of constipation since June.
Chloe Jean, your Mommy, Daddy and your big sisters love you SO very much! I can't believe you've been on this earth as long as you were in my tummy!
And somehow, through all the hustle and bustle of our daily grind, the significance of today almost passed me by. I'm so glad I looked at my calendar and realized that today was not only Thursday (I thought it was Wednesday!) but it was the 7th day of the month. This particular date marks yet another month that my blue-eyed Munchkin has blessed us with her presence.
Chloe is 9 months old today. Can it already be? In someway it seems like ions have passed since delivering my baby girl after a mere two hour labor, but on the other hand, it seems like only a few short weeks have passed.
Thank you, Lord, for giving us Chloe. Her sweet little smile, soft and squishy arms and legs, adorable giggle, quick little army crawl, her bright blue-eyes, dark head of hair, and her spunky, yet loving personality, have added so much joy to all of our lives. So much joy, in fact, I can get over the fact that she still wakes up 2-3 times a night and has had a major bout of constipation since June.
Chloe Jean, your Mommy, Daddy and your big sisters love you SO very much! I can't believe you've been on this earth as long as you were in my tummy!
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