Jingle Bell 5K

Last Saturday was the culmination of Quinn and Keely's season of the school running clubs...Girls on the Go (GOTG) and Young Men in Motion (YMIM).  This was Quinn's second season, and Keely's first.  They have been meeting once a week since late September to train for a 5K. 

We got really lucky with the weather considering it was early December..it was in the upper 40s and overcast.  The race was held in Arlington, starting and ending at Pentagon Row.  It was an out and back, which I usually don't like but this ended up being a bonus because it allowed us to see people almost the entire time.  This is critical when trying to keep two nine year old girls moving towards the finish line.  James ran with Quinn, and I ran with Keely and Julia.

Quinn's goal was to finish in under 30 minutes, a substantial goal for him.  He ended up running the entire time, and finished in 30:03.  BUT James had to stop and use the bathroom along the course...causing them to lose time, and they estimate the stop cost them about 45 seconds.  So he (un)officially met his goal.

Keely's goal was to finish in under 35 minutes.  Actually, she didn't really have a goal but I set one for her because she finished the Beech Tree 5K in May with no training in just over 37 minutes.  She came close to the 'goal' finishing in 35:55.  It was a tough go at the beginning, the crowd was hard to navigate with so many people...and Keely complained of cramps and itchy feet to name a couple of things.  She finished strong though, and I think could have run faster because she sprinted once she saw the finish line...so there was some gas left in that tank.  Pacing (or pasting, as the girls sometimes call it) is such a hard concept, and 3 miles seems so long at the outset.

Both kids did great, and we enjoyed another family 5K and celebrated with a nice breakfast at Jukebox Diner :)

Holiday Surprise

We had two family events planned long ago that we knew would have us traveling to New Jersey two weeks apart...Uncle Joe and J.R.'s commitment celebration and Danielle's Sweet 16.  Thanksgiving weekend was sandwiched between those two events, and for a long time I insisted we wouldn't be traveling.  But something pulled at me, and it was hard to turn down a quieter, intimate family get-together just to stay home for the holiday.  Decisions, decisions...even a few days before, we were not sure what to do. I've said lately that being close is a simultaneous blessing and curse because now we can procrastinate the decision until the very last minute if we want.  Being close also has its advantages though, and we can have the best of both worlds...a Thanksgiving with family, and a normal weekend at home.  So that's what we did, but not without some fun surprises!

I set the stage by telling only Aunt Gail we were coming to their house for the day, and we didn't tell Nana, Papa or Annie.  I'm not usually a good liar, but it was actually pretty easy.  Being in New Jersey the weekend before and after was reason enough for us to want to stay home, and that's the story I used.  We arrived at Aunt Gail's before my parents and Annie, and parked the car down the street a few houses to keep the ruse up until they walked in the house.  Annie arrived first, and Keely ran up to her.  Boy, was she shocked to see the kids and then James and I.  We even got a few happy tears :)  Nana and Papa were last to arrive, and when they got there we were out back talking and enjoying the lovely sunshine.  Quinn got so flustered and started running the opposite way, so I turned him around and told him to run towards them.  They were shocked to see the kids, and then us...just like Annie.  It was great, so much fun and then we were all together to celebrate the holiday.  Amazing food, lots of laughter, fun games, singing and dancing, and so much more. 

So many holidays we weren't there.  So many times I've seen pictures after the fact.  Always wishing I could have been there to experience it firsthand.  Wishing we were close enough to be part of the fun times.  Wishing no more, we are now close enough to be there for most holidays and celebrations.  We're there three weekends in a row, and if we were living across the country we would have had to make a choice.  How hard, knowing we would miss one or more of the family gatherings.  But it was not like that, because we're here and we're there for each and every event.  It may be a bit tiring, as we build up miles on I-95 but I honestly wouldn't trade it for anything.  We're young, and we're blessed to have the ability to do it...and for that, I am thankful.  I am thankful for my family, for my kids to have fun with their cousins, aunts, uncles...for them to know the big family that I know I couldn't live without...to spend time with not only one set, but both sets of grandparents.  It's precious time, and worth every minute.

First Quarter Update

The first quarter of school is in the books.  We haven't received report cards yet, but we did have parent teacher conferences last week. 

Keely is doing very well in her class.  Her teacher couldn't find anything bad to report on her academics, she is at or above grade level and often ahead of her classmates in most of her subjects.  She will help other students with their work when she finishes early.  I try not to compare, but it was very similar to the report we received when Quinn was in 3rd grade.  Her writing is something she can work on more, to be more expressive.  As her teacher said, Keely loves everything when she writes...so he is working to get her to be more descriptive and specific in her writing.  The only other thing she needs to work on is her self-control.  She tends to get caught up in silliness and antics with other students and that can be distractive to the class.  She also always wants to be called on when raising her hand...and is often expressive (not in a productive way) when not called upon.  This was not a surprise to us, and is consistent with what we have been stressing at home...an inside voice for things that not everyone needs to hear.  We discussed her academics as an indicator to being a candidate for the AAP program, and at this rate she is a possibility for 4th grade.  However, with 22 kids in that advanced class and only 15 in her class, I'm happy where she is and feel that she's getting the best education right now.  We had her re-tested a couple of weeks ago, and will see how her test scores come in this year before deciding to put together a packet for acceptance into the AAP program in February.  Her motivation is purely social, as that's where all of her best friends are but we feel that not being in class with her best friends is most likely helping her academics and concentration...and we would like the recommendation to be from her teacher and her test scores.  I'd say she's on track, but we will wait a few months to decide.

Quinn is also doing very well in class.  It was a bit funny at first when the teacher said she had to tell us something that she was telling each parent - please have your child wear deodorant every day!  The onset of puberty makes for an unpleasant smell in her classroom...we'd asked Quinn to start wearing deodorant earlier this year (March or so) but I don't think he's consistent.  You can just imagine the combined smell of 15 boys not wearing deodorant!  Hygiene aside...he is doing well in class.  His only problem is being concerned more with his friends and being social than his work sometimes.  It's not a problem...yet but could become one if he keeps letting the social aspect of school distract him.  This is very important as we inch closer to middle school.  The demands next year will be much higher, and time management is critical.  It's important to set good habits now.  That said, Quinn is mostly on the straight and narrow.  He is most likely on track to take the 6th grade math SOL (state test) and we talked a good deal about their current writing project, NaNoRiMo.  I'll likely dedicate an entire post about that project at the end of this month, but basically each child is writing a novel in one month's time.  Quinn has set a goal of 17,000 words, and as of right now has almost 6,000 written.  They are typing it too, so not only is it good for their writing skills but their typing skills as well.  Most of their writing is prescribed this year since they are preparing for a state test, so their teacher wanted to give them something they could control and decide.  It's been quite energizing for Quinn and we have not had to nag him at all...he writes every day in school for 45 minutes, and also at home each day - even on weekends. 

As usual, one quarter of a school year has come and gone pretty quickly - but it looks and sounds like 5th and 3rd grades are going well for the kids.  They have settled nicely into Beech Tree, and we feel fortunate to have a great school with great teachers. 

Camping

Last weekend, we ventured out to Shenandoah National Park to camp for one night with Quinn's Boy Scouting den.  The den only consists of two boys, Quinn and his best friend Jack so the group consisted of our two families.  It really works out perfectly that their family has a boy Quinn's age, and a girl Keely's age...and that the kids get along so well.  Only problem is that we don't have a 13 year old to pair up with their oldest.  Oh well, John's a good sport and had fun anyways.

We had so much trouble planning a weekend for this one night trip.  The only weekend that both families could find time in our busy schedules was early in November, and then it was so late in the season we worried about snow, and cold temperatures.  Luckily, we didn't have any snow but it was cold...highs around 50 and low in the upper 20s to low 30s.  It was also 'fall behind' weekend so we had an extra hour in those cold tents :)

We left after the girls' soccer game on Saturday and arrived at our destination, Andy Guest State Park around 5:30 PM.  A little later than I would have liked, only giving us an hour or so of daylight to set up camp.  The boys were supposed to do everything themselves to continue their boy scout training.  They set up their tent with a bit of help, and started a fire (again, with a little help).  They made a really good oven out of a box and aluminum foil...and using charcoal, it heated to more than 350 degrees (judging by how quickly things cooked while in it) and made biscuits to accompany dinner and cinnamon rolls to accompany breakfast.  Our main course for dinner was foil pockets...and the boys made all 9 of them, cooked to order with trimmings.  They consisted of ground beef, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, potatoes, salt, pepper, and whatever flavorings you wanted - BBQ sauce, white wine, ketchup, etc.  These are so simple...put all of the ingredients on a piece of foil, wrap it up like a tent, and put it on the fire for 20-25 minutes.  I was a little skeptical at first, but they were delicious!  The boys also made some desserts...including s'mores, bananas with marshmallows and chocolate, and apples with cinnamon and brown sugar.  I was so stuffed...for campfire meals, this was by far better than my usual standby of hot dogs and mac n cheese (though we did have some of that on the side).

Night arrangements found the boys in their own tent, and Keely wanting to sleep with Julia so that left me and James to our tent.  It was super cold...my feet were cold most of the night despite having wool socks on, and my nose never warmed up.  It wasn't the best night's sleep...oh, and also was interrupted by Keely and Julia needing me to accompany them to the bathroom at 1 AM (because they were afraid of bears). 

In the morning, we had bagels toasted on the campfire and the aforementioned cinnamon rolls.  We broke down the camp...honestly, so much trouble for just one night...and then ventured out for a hike to complete the Outdoorsman badge.  It really is beautiful out in that area, even though the leaves were past their prime.  I forget how beautiful, but it inspired me to get out in the mountains more often.  We were so spoiled having them so close in Utah, that I often forget we are still relatively close to mountains here in Virginia.

It was a fun one night trip camping, and I'm sure we will do it again sometime soon...hopefully in a bit warmer weather. 

Happy Halloween

Another Halloween has come and gone.  Quinn made his costume this year.  He changed his mind a few times, and didn't decide until the day before Halloween that he would be dressing up as a Rubik's Cube.  His first idea was a 'Cereal Killer'...a box over his head decorated like a big box of cereal, with a knife sticking into the side.  That was witty, yes but I'm glad he changed to the Rubik's Cube.  He used one of our old moving boxes, construction paper and black electrical tape to make what he called the "Qube".  Pretty cool, and it was a pretty easy costume to make.  He got lots of compliments while trick or treating.  

Keely was a tutu mummy, purchased by Annie for her birthday gift.  It was basically a dress looking like a mummy, with leggings and some arm covers to complete the mummy look.  She also wore vampire teeth...for what reason I have no idea, except that Annie bought her new teeth while we were Halloween shopping.  

We trick or treated in fairly cold weather for almost 2 hours!  Thank goodness the rain ended, the hurricane was over and we didn't get rained on.  The kids have so much candy...they laid out their haul on the floor when we got home and I couldn't believe the volume.  They've been graciously donating 10 pieces each day to my co-workers :)  Trust me, there's still plenty of candy left for them too even after the donations!

26.2

 The day I have been focusing on for almost a year has come and gone.  I can't believe it, but I did what I set out to do.  I ran a marathon.  I honestly didn't know that I could do it, but I trained and prepared and succeeded.  I remember when running 3 miles would feel long.  Now, anything less than 20 will feel short.


Before I describe the day, my emotions and results, I need to back up a couple of weeks.  My training plan called for one last long run of 20 miles, and then a taper with long runs of 12 miles and 8 miles.  My 20 mile run went fine - I ran the only section of the Mount Vernon trail that I had not yet run from Old Town Alexandria to Mount Vernon and back.  It was boring but I did fine, averaging a 10 minute mile pace.  The next week, I set out for 12 miles again on the Mount Vernon trail but adding a stretch of the Capitol Crescent Trail in Georgetown.  I felt great, averaging a 9 minute mile pace the entire 12 miles.  When I got in the car, I noticed a slight pain in the top of my left foot but didn't think much of it.  The pain increased the next day, hurting when walking.  I didn't try to run again until Thursday, and had to stop after only 2 miles.  The pain started on top of my foot and radiated to my instep.  It's safe to say that I freaked out at this point.  Nine days until the marathon and I couldn't believe this was happening to me.  Turned out it is quite common to have injuries such as this in the latter part of marathon training.  At this point, I didn't know if the injury was tendonitis or worse (stress fracture).  I hoped it was just tendonitis, but the only thing I could do was rest and wait.  I did just that...stayed off my feet as much as possible, iced lots and lots, and took Aleve each night to reduce swelling.  I tried not to think about it, but truthfully I was consumed with it.  I didn't try to run again until the next Tuesday...and only with minimal success.  I tried wrapping the foot a couple of different ways, and there was still pain after a little bit of running (i.e. less than one mile).  I went to the MCM Expo on Thursday to get my bib, etc. and still had no idea if I would be running on Sunday.  I was so disappointed.  The day I was waiting for an entire year and I might not be able to fulfill my desire to run a marathon.  After all the training and hard work, I felt like I was being punished for something I didn't mean to do.  The truth is, I was so tired of the training and I felt that marathon training is not sustainable for me...so in my mind, this marathon was the only one I would be running and I didn't want to miss it.  I know there are many other marathons, but I didn't think my mind could handle another set of lengthy training only to not know if I would be injured again at the end.   When I went to the MCM Expo, I stopped by the KT Tape booth.  I spoke with the guy about my pain and he suggested another taping method.  He would have taped me but his partner was not yet there, but the taping method was simple and I knew I could do it myself with ease.  I tried when I got home, and walked on the treadmill...even running about a mile with some pain, but it was bearable.  I was still uncertain though.  The next day, I was eager to try the new taping method on the streets.  James ran with me, and we kept an easy 10 minute mile pace and I was able to run for almost 4 miles.  The pain subsided and my foot seemed to warm up as the run went on.  I was sore afterwards, with pain when walking for the next 12-18 hours though so I still didn't know if the foot would hold up for 26 miles.  My nerves were at fever pitch, but I prepared for the race and knew I had to give it a try.  My favorite quote from Runner's World arrived on Friday morning...

"There is no time to think about how much I hurt.  There is only time to run."

How true, and appropriately timed!  What this two weeks taught me is that I truly have developed a love of running.  I am emotional just typing this.  I missed it.  It was a good break, but I was ready to run.  I wanted to run, I needed to run.  It keeps me in check...keeps me balanced.  I knew that regardless of whether I could run and finish this marathon, I have now become a runner and it feels great to know that.

Race morning arrived.  I was still nervous, but I was excited.  This was a course I love, with spectators almost the whole way, and the excitement of running with so many people.  I soaked it all in.  The National Anthem, the flyover, the crowds, the cool of the morning, just everything.   The weather was dicey, with the threat of a hurricane looming.  It was perfect though...50s, cloudy, and not a drop of rain on us runners.  The only negative was a pretty strong headwind that affected most runners, including me for the last 10 miles.

The gun went off, and it took almost 10 minutes to cross the start line.  And my race had begun!  I started out cautiously, measured and let my foot warm up.  There was some pain, but nothing unbearable and it didn't get worse so I suspected it would be fine.  I forgot my watch, so I couldn't pace myself the way I wanted to...and my MapMyRun was off with distance so the pace was off.  All in all though, I knew I was running consistently and I was conserving energy because I knew this was more than I had ever run.  My one mistake early on was not drinking or eating enough as I felt a bit lightheaded and dizzy around Mile 14-15.  Increasing my food and drink though seemed to help and I overcame that feeling.  A marathon is mostly mental, and I fought through it many times throughout those 26 miles mostly in the last 10 miles.  It was also physical near the end with my muscles burning and willing me to stop, but I would not...could not stop.  I knew I would make it, I would not give up.  I loved the spectators...my 6 spectators especially who walked 6 miles to see me 4 times on the course.  James and the kids, my parents and Annie cheered me on and picked me up at points when I was doubting.  I needed that, I knew I would and I'm so grateful that they made it through the course to see me.  I loved the Marines, slapping me five as I ran by.  I loved the course, with its diversity and sights.  I loved running in a group of people, though they were strangers we were all in it together.  I especially loved the finish, and the Marine putting the medal around my neck.  I ran a marathon!  I still have to remind myself that I did it.  I set out with a goal to run a marathon in 2012, and I did it.  Time isn't really important, but it will stick in my mind.  I finished in 4 hours, 31 minutes and 37 seconds.  My foot wasn't even really an issue...by the end, so much hurt and I was thinking about so many other things that my foot was the least of my concerns.  I do think it was tendonitis, and rest did the trick.  I am so happy, and so proud of myself for this accomplishment.  It is one that I will remember forever.

Many people have asked....will you run another marathon?  Before I did it, and also for a few hours afterwards, I said no.  This was a 'bucket list' check, something I could say I did and move on.  The intense pain I was in immediately afterwards was enough to make me ask why, oh why would people do this to themselves more than once?!?!  But time fades those pains.  I liken it to childbirth...and most women have more than one child so obviously the pain fades.  I'm now 3 days post marathon, and I feel pretty much back to normal.  My muscles are still sore, but nothing major.  Going down stairs is the hardest, but that pain is easing.  And now I'm not ruling out another marathon.  I won't say yes at this point, but it's not a definite no either.  I still think marathons and their training are hard on a body, and I prefer a half marathon distance.  I'm making up my race calendar for 2013, and I know it will include many halfs...but I'm not ruling out another fall marathon.  What I do know is that I'm excited to be done with this race, and I'm looking forward to more running!

Nine

Keely celebrated her ninth birthday last week. She brought cupcakes to school, but unfortunately got sent home before the in-class celebrations due to a case of head lice.  Talk about a horrible birthday present!  She was disappointed but they saved the cupcakes and celebrated a day late.  We celebrated at home that night with ice cream cake and presents - roller blades from Mom and Dad, and a bead set from Quinn.

We continued the celebration this weekend with a visit from Nana, Papa and Annie.  Papa was a surprise visitor, and the look on Keely's face when he walked in was priceless.  He was supposed to be camping all weekend, but he cut out early for his granddaughter's birthday celebration, and to see me finish my first marathon and took the train to DC on Saturday afternoon.  When Keely found out initially that he was choosing camping over her birthday, he asked what she wanted for her birthday.  Her answer...you!  She knows how to get someone wrapped around her little finger, that's for sure.  So he couldn't deny her that, and he exhausted himself to get here to spend the night with us.  We ate tomato soup and naan for dinner, her choice - and pasta primavera for me to continue my carbo-loading, and then celebrated with cake and presents.  She got some accessories from American Girl, and Annie bought her a Halloween costume.  So now my baby is 9, a fact that she and I both lamented.  She says she doesn't want to grow up, and that time goes too quickly.  She's very right, but I did promise her that she wouldn't feel any different once her birthday came and went, and she admitted I was right. 

I can't believe she is 9 already...the last year before double digits and now halfway through her childhood (presuming she goes to college when she is 18).  She continues to be a challenge, but her personality is contagious - she's spunky, smart and fun to be around (most times).  I still am not looking forward to her teen years, but hope we have some time before the big drama hits...the calm before the storm, so to speak.  Apropos as the rain falls and winds whip up from an impending hurricane as I type this.  The days will be up and down, but I will enjoy the ride with my baby because she's right, time does go fast and I'll miss her when she's not with me each day.

Well Checks

Today, the kids went to see their pediatrician for their annual well checks.  This is a pretty routine visit, but it's always fun to see how they've grown and where they stack up on growth charts compared to others their age. 

Quinn is 56.5" tall and weighs about 78 pounds.  He's in the 50% for height, and the 60% for weight.  Very proportional, and pretty much average for other 11 year old boys. 

Keely is 51.5" tall and weighs about 55 pounds.  She's in the 30% range for both height and weight, and the nurse called her petite.  Keely didn't particularly like that, but in all honesty being petite is a compliment and not something she should be mad about.

The biggest drama of the visit was us learning that Quinn could get two shots that he needs for middle school.  My original plan was to come back early for their next well checks and have him get those shots in the summer prior to starting middle school in September.  However, the doctor informed us that since it was less than one year before starting middle school, he could get those shots now and then we wouldn't have to worry about coming back early.  This sounded good to me and James, but Quinn was not happy.  He didn't have much choice though, so we said yes to the shots while we were there. The last time he got shots, he was about to enter Kindergarten, 5 turning 6 and he hated shots.  He screamed like a baby, and it was a very traumatic experience.  He'd never been a good shot getter.  But that was many years ago, and these two went a lot smoother.  He got one in each arm, and held my hand through both but they were quick and mostly painless.  Another sign that my baby is getting older, and one step closer to middle school!

Busch Gardens

A while ago, we decided to take the kids to Williamsburg on Columbus Day weekend, primarily to visit Busch Gardens as a combined birthday gift for them.  We hesitated to book, well I should say I hesitated to book anything for a number of (largely unimportant) reasons but we finally decided to head down on Sunday morning, stay Sunday night and drive back Monday.  We booked the hotel, and were all set - the only snag in my mind could have been the weather.









Well, Mother Nature didn't want to cooperate with us...at least not entirely.  I tried to persuade James several times to change our plans, head down a day earlier or something...but he resisted, and it worked out fine.  He owes me a big 'I told you so'!

  We left about 8:30 on Sunday morning as planned...driving through drizzle that turned into a downpour the entire drive.  The good news is that there was no traffic, so aside from driving through rain we made great time and made it to Williamsburg in just about 2.5 hours.  James was watching radar, and assuring me (I was driving) that there was nothing behind the current line of rain so it should be stopping and we would be in the clear.  We were all hungry so we stopped at one of the umpteen pancake and waffle houses to eat brunch.  When we left the restaurant, the rain was slowing a bit so we decided to head to Busch Gardens and take our chances.

It was still raining lightly as we parked, but as we entered the park it stopped and we had 5 hours of clear albeit cold and cloudy weather.  All I cared about was that it stopped raining, so we were thrilled.  It was quite literally the perfect storm...a Sunday in October with undesirable weather.  There was a small crowd at the park, but nothing like it would be on a warm sunny day.  We had little to no lines for any rides, and we were able to ride each coaster 2-3 times with minimal waits.  The final count (just coasters) was 10 for Quinn, 9 for me and Keely, and 7 for James.  James sat out on a couple, he admitted he is getting old...and I was just happy to keep up with the kids the entire time...the last time I was on a looping roller coaster was when I was in college, about 15 years ago!  We rode Loch Ness Monster, Apollo's Chariot, Verbolten, and Alpengeist.  Keely only missed hitting number 10 by 2 inches...she was just barely (actually 0.1" under) 52", we were able to sneak her onto Apollo's Chariot twice but she was 2" short for Alpengeist.  We also went on a number of smaller rides.  Without lines, we did all of this in about 4.5 hours.  Quite incredible, and frankly it will be hard to go back to BG and actually have to wait in lines for these same rides on another day.  The park was decorated for Howl-O-Scream, the annual Halloween event so it was festive and fun to walk around.  We had a blast, and were all exhausted.  After we left the park, we headed to the hotel and hit the pool/hot tub for some R&R and to warm up.

On Monday morning, it was raining lightly again...surprise, surprise.  And it was cold.  We braved it for a bit and walked around Colonial Williamsburg but the kids weren't into it and we were all cold.  We hit the outlets on our way out of town...a Loft outlet (Keely's comment was that it was my 'heaven' when we walked in) and New Balance outlet where Keely was able to score some new kicks for Girls on the Go.  We made it home in under 2.5 hours, and were glad to be back home.  It was a quick trip, but we had a blast and I'm sure we will do it again!

11

One week ago today, Quinn celebrated his 11th birthday.  The birthday celebrations began the Friday before and lasted an entire week.  He is one lucky boy!

The pre-birthday weekend kicked off when Nana, Papa and Aunt Annie came to visit on Friday afternoon.  We let Quinn decide Saturday's main activity, and he chose to visit the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum (commonly called Air and Space 2, because the one downtown is number one).  I had never been to this one, but James and the kids went when we first moved here primarily because we were staying in a hotel very close to it.  Annie took Quinn on the simulator as one of his birthday gifts, and they had a blast even going upside down.  We got to see the newly retired space shuttle Discovery which is now housed in the museum.  It's pretty impressive to see such a large plane, and one that has gone to space so many times up close and personal.  I only wish you could go inside!  There is even a control tower that gives you 360 degree views of the area, as well as a chance to listen in on the actual air traffic control of Dulles Airport which is just to the north of the museum.  All in all, a cool place to visit - and at only a cost of $15 for parking, even more worth the trip! 

Saturday night, we let Quinn choose dinner - BBQ chicken, corn on the cob, and salad.  Then we had cake and presents.  His cake is always his own choice and design...this year a marble bundt cake with chocolate frosting, and his name and age spelled out in gummy worms.  Quite tasty, although I could have lived without the gummy worms.

Sunday he had another birthday meal, thanks to Papa - his choice a full rack of ribs.  This boy can eat more than me already!

On his actual birthday, he brought cupcakes to school to celebrate with his class.  It struck me as I was decorating his choice of funfetti with sprinkles that this is the last year he will be bringing a treat to school...next year he will be in middle school.  Wow!  Another sign that he is getting older, as if there weren't enough of those front and center.  We didn't do anything special that night, since he and Keely have guitar lessons but he did get a few more presents...all in all, he had a great haul with  an xBox game, movies (The Hunger Games, and The Avengers), Legos (who knew he could need even more of those?!?!), game (Anomia...for him and Keely, and fun for the whole family!), money, and from us a long board.  Quite a lucky boy!

But that wasn't the end of the fun.  On Friday night, he had his two best friends over at our house for a night of fun and a sleepover.  They had pizza, played games and watched The Avengers with movie style popcorn and M&M's, cookies and brownies...and stayed up until about 2 AM.  It was a long, crazy night.  They were up before 8 AM, and I made pancakes for breakfast.  Quinn had a lot of fun, but he was exhausted (so was I to be honest!).

And that was that.  The week long birthday celebration came to an end, and now we have an 11 year old.  It's not as dramatic as having your child enter the double digits, but another year gone by quickly just the same.  He's a smart, quirky, intelligent kid and I'm proud of the young man he is becoming.  I love being around him...he's calm, easygoing and fun...and I can't wait to watch him continue to grow and change.   

Debunked

A couple of weeks ago, Keely was poking around in my jewelry box.  A thought crossed my mind that she might find her and Quinn's baby teeth, as this is where I 'hide' them.  I haven't made much of an effort to really hide them because they are both done losing their initial 8 teeth and frankly, I know the 'Tooth Fairy' is not going to be around much longer.  Quite frankly, I'm not sad about the end of this era.  In any event, the baby teeth have managed to stay hidden...until that day.  I knew there was a chance she might find them, but I took my chances.  And find them she did.  I couldn't lie, they already know there is no Easter Bunny and I'd rather not persist this other mythical creature so I said it's true, there is no Tooth Fairy.  Keely's new theory is that the Tooth Fairy comes, delivers the treat, and deposits the tooth back with me for safe keeping.  Honest to goodness, that's her story. 

In the course of this hub-bub, Quinn actually had a loose tooth.  He hasn't lost a tooth in probably like 3 years, and it was causing him some angst.  He really never was good at losing teeth...remember, he's the one who ate his first tooth because he was too afraid to pull it out.  By the last few, he became much braver actually pulling them out and handing them to me (my favorite, at the Fall Festival - now where was I supposed to put that tooth?!?!).  Apparently, the absence of losing a tooth for so long has made him lose that bravado.  He did lose it though, at school in the cafeteria.  It's strange to see such a big tooth come out of his mouth. 

So you can see where I am going...this tooth lost in the wake of the discovery of baby teeth just a week or so earlier.  I told him that since the Tooth Fairy wasn't real, he wouldn't be getting anything.  He did protest...but I honestly didn't have any cash.  So his sister came to the rescue.  She donated $3 of her own money to his treat.  She only had two singles, but dug around for some change because she said that once she received $5 so he deserved more than $2.  It was very cute and sweet of her. 

As usual, I made the trade and in the morning, Quinn awoke to $3.  Not a word was spoken afterwards, but I'm not sure how many more of these teeth trades we will be going through.  He does have a lot of adult teeth coming in, so there will be several more losses in the near future. 

Coincidentally, while we were at Grandma and Grandpa's last weekend, James was handed his baby teeth that were found in some cleaning of various rooms and drawers...so the TF myth would have been debunked then if not earlier.  It made me wonder about these traditions and I honestly think it's kind of strange that we save all of our kids' teeth!   Of course, I'm still doing it too...

Because I like to spice up the posts with pictures and don't have one of Quinn's tooth missing, these are from a day trip we did earlier this month to the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico.  It was a lot of fun, the museum is very well done and free (nice perk!).  

Back to School

I feel like I always say this, but this time it's most definitely true - the summer flew by in a flash and I can't believe it's over!

Yesterday was the first day of school.  Quinn started 5th grade, Keely 3rd.  The start of this school year was very different than last.  The comfort of a school having one year under their belts, friendships already established.  They both have new teachers and we met them at Open House last week.  Keely's drama is having a male teacher for the very first time.  He seems nice, and I think it will be fine but she always has her heart set on a certain teacher, or in this case a certain gender.  Quinn likes his teacher.  She seems very energetic, and he says she tells great stories.  This is his last year in elementary school, and possibly our last year at this school due to boundary adjustments.  So we will enjoy this year of familiarity and cross those bridges when we come to them.

Quinn has mostly the same class as last year minus a few children to the boundary adjustments.  He did get one new student in his class though...and you'll never guess his name.  Another Quinn!  What are the chances?!?!  He doesn't seem bothered by having to go by Quinn D. this year, but it's just one of my pet peeves that my children not have those names that multiply in school.  I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later, but still.  Oh well.

Along with a new school year come the flurry of other activities that start back up.  It's going to be a busy fall for us.  Here's the rundown.  Both kids are taking guitar lessons on Monday nights through the County.  Quinn is going to join band (instrument TBD, but his first choice is alto saxophone).  Both kids are going to join the running program at school - Girls on the Go and Young Men in Motion, and they will run 5Ks later this fall.  Keely has been invited to join her friends' soccer team - she played with them on an indoor team this past winter, and she's thrilled to join them as a permanent member - so that means practice on Thursday evenings and games on Saturdays.  Quinn is playing Flag Football after a two year hiatus and is very excited.  Both kids are doing Scouts...Quinn continuing on with his Den/Pack, and Keely joining a Girl Scout troup through a local church as a follow up to doing Girl Scout camp at the beginning of the summer.  Both kids are enrolled in CCD again on Sunday mornings.  I think that's it - when I type it all up, it seems overwhelming but it's most likely not.

As an aside, Quinn has a new school related responsibility - bus patrol.  He had to apply late last year, and be given a recommendation by his teacher.  He was accepted into the program, and now is responsible for helping to keep order on the bus to and from school.  He gets to wear a patrol belt and is very proud of this new privilege.  He takes it seriously too...on just the 2nd day of school, he reported a child who was misbehaving by disrespecting a classmate (hitting someone) and for using bad language (cussing, as Keely told me). 

 I always get excited at the beginning of a school year, even though I'm not going back to school.  It's the excitement of change, the new-ness and a fresh start.  Like those crisp mornings of fall, it's a crisp new year for the kids and I know it will be a great one for them!

A Magical Trip

Many months ago, I floated an idea to my parents.  They should take the kids to DisneyWorld this summer.  What kid wouldn't love a trip to the most magical place on Earth?!?!  And what an opportunity for their grandparents to take them?!?! 

So a plan was formed, and that trip happened earlier this month.   James and I had zero interest in a trip like that, so it was perfect.  They got to spend a week with Nana, Papa and Annie...James and I got a restful, child free week.  Win-Win!

I probably shouldn't even be the one chronicling this trip, and I'm not going to even begin to try to do it justice in any detailed way.  The plan was simple...we gave them a week of our timeshare in Disney's Old Key West Resort, and paid for the kids' Park Hopper passes with our accumulated Disney Dollars.  Nana and Papa covered the rest, including airfare and the Disney Dining Plan.  They left on a Friday, and returned the following Thursday. 

From what we have heard, they were going non-stop!  They visited Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios.  They both went on their first upside down roller coaster, and a lot of other fun, fast rides.  This was Keely's first time away from us since she was very young, and she did fine - honestly, I had no question that she would do fine. 

A few of the many pictures taken show that a wonderful time was had by all.  Most definitely a magical trip, and one they will remember forever.  I know my parents won't always be able to do something like this, and I am glad they were able to have this opportunity. 

 

James and I had a nice time together, enjoying the break and celebrating our 13th wedding anniversary while they were gone.  We enjoyed spending time together as a couple again, instead of as a family.  I missed the kids, but I always cherish time spent with my soulmate, true love and best friend.  I will cover some of our activities in another post.

Running Update

I am now in marathon training.  I officially began after we returned from vacation on July 9th.  This marked 16 weeks until the marathon.  It's about an average length of time for marathon training, somewhere between 16 and 20 weeks.  I ran through June but didn't do any runs above 10 miles, and only one above 8 miles.  I concentrated on speed, trying to increase my 5K times.  I suspect I can run somewhere in the range of 27 minutes for a 5K depending on how flat the course.  It was a nice break, but now I am back in long run mode.  Each weekend, I do a long run and by Friday I'm planning when, where and how I will fit the long run into the weekend schedule.  I've been ramping back up, from 8 to 9 to 10 miles.  I will do a 12 miler next weekend and then take a breather before hitting the pavement for mileages in the teens to 20 mile range.  Typically, my long runs increase for 3 to 4 weeks then I get a rest (which still includes a 5-6 mile run).  I supplement the long runs with 2-3 runs throughout the week - mostly in the range of 3-6 miles.  It's not too rigorous of a training program.  The main thing is to get used to being on your feet for that long. 

Speaking of feet, that's where my main issue is with all this running.  So far, I have been mostly injury free.  I have only one nagging thing to speak of - my left knee has bothered me off and on for the last week or so.  I think I have pinpointed it to the treadmill.  It seems to hurt more after I run on the treadmill, but doesn't bother me on outdoor runs.  I wonder if there is something about being forced to run at a given pace causing my stride to be messed up.  It's a bummer though because I will absolutely need to train on the treadmill as an alternative to outdoors.  I'm going to try and figure it out so that I can continue to use the treadmill as an alternative.  So the main issue though is feet.  Warning - TMI - I have lost 3 toenails and am losing a 4th.  It's not fun, and not very convenient in summertime when toenails are fairly visible.  I have been using new shoes since before my half, that are a size bigger and have also gotten new socks (no more cotton) that seem to help.   But I still seem to have toe pain after my long runs.  It's definitely better but still not perfect.  I am not sure what else to try, but I'll keep working at this too.  I can only imagine how my toes will feel after 15, 20, and then 26.2 miles! 

So that's my running update.  Less than 90 days until the full marathon!  As the number of days gets smaller, I get more nervous.  I try not to think about it, and know that I am doing the training so I will be fine!

Rock Climbing

We are on summer break from regular Boy Scout den and pack meetings, but the Pack plans several fun summer outings.  The first was the summer campout which we attended back in June.  I may as well write about it now since I didn't when it happened.  I'm getting so bad at this blogging thing :(  We camped for one night at a Boy Scout camp just outside of Manassas, Virginia.  The theme was rocket night...the boys launched rockets that they built, flew model airplanes, and learned about stars and telescopes with an astronomer.  It was an action packed day and night!  The sleeping arrangements were platform tents, with many spiders.  They were mostly daddy long legs, but the boys were also finding what they claimed to be wolf spiders and black widows.  Many of the boys, Quinn included, enjoyed searching the tents during the daylight hours to find and confiscate the spiders.  What was fun in the daylight turned frightening in the night.  Quinn and two of his fellow Scouts were to sleep in a tent together.  After a few minutes, they turned on their flashlight and saw several black widow spiders.  Quinn was at our tent asking to sleep with us not too long after.  I'll never forget Quinn peeking his head into our tent saying 'widows!' in a low scared voice.  Anyways, we all made it through the night unharmed, enjoyed a nice camp breakfast and headed home to spider-less sleeping arrangements.  I can't say that this experience made me want to camp in Virginia very often - there are just so many more bugs than out West.  Both Quinn and I were lucky enough to come home with ticks!  I'm sure we will still go camping, but we'll see how future trips go.

The next event was on Friday night...rock climbing with pretty much the same group of people we camped with in June.  We've been a member of this Pack since September but it took the camping trip to cement our friendliness with the other parents, scouts and siblings.  It was nice to see everyone again.  Quinn, Keely and I all participated in rock climbing and James took photos.  I have to say it was pretty fun, tiring and strenuous - my upper body was sore the rest of the weekend! 

The last summer event is ice skating (indoors obviously) in late August, then it will be back to the regular den and pack meetings.  Keely is excited about skating, Quinn is not.  Hopefully he will try it out again, but if six years of living in Utah didn't make him an ice skater I'm not sure what will :)

Bay Breeze Redux

  Three summers ago, we spent a week in Emerald Isle on the back end of quite possibly the best two week vacation ever.  Actually, it was my only two week vacation so it's not hard to be at the top of the list.  All of that vacation was chronicled on this blog.  The week spent on the beach was hard to plan again for the Donovan family, mostly because we were still living in Utah.  With the move back East, I knew it would be much more of a possibility and sure enough we were able to make it a reality this summer.  The idea was first discussed way back at Christmas, because I knew we had to book a house in February or March it order to get the best selection.  We decided to stick to Emerald Isle again, because it's a fairly central location and it gives the North Carolina Donovans the flexibility if they need to travel back and forth to home/work.  After looking at way too many houses for the one with all the needs, correct bedding configurations, swimming pool, beach proximity and so forth...we kept ending up back to the house we stayed at 3 years ago, Bay Breeze.  So we booked it for the first week of July, and that was that.

The week we chose ended up being perfectly timed because we had some more weather woes just prior to leaving.  In our first year living here, we've had an earthquake, hurricane, tropical storm with flooding...and now a derecho.  I had never heard of it, and never even suspected it would be so damaging.  We were very lucky, but others were not.  We only had some branches down, but others had trees crush their houses.  We didn't end up so lucky on the power outages this time though.  It went out on Friday night, and didn't come back on until Tuesday.  That's why the timing of our beach week was so perfect - we only had to endure a little over a day of no power and then we headed to the beach to a house with electricity.  Before we left though, our biggest concern was Rudy. We were hesitant to leave him home without power, but the other options were far from ideal so we did.  Luckily, we can monitor our thermostat remotely so we knew when the power came back on, and that it was only 84 degrees in the house when power was restored.  Rudy survived the week and we needn't have worried.  

The week in terms of descriptions was very similar to the last visit.  The weather was great...typical beach weather but perhaps a bit more humid and windy than we would have liked.  No rainy days though, aside from a set of thunderstorms the first night.  We went to the beach almost every day.  We swam in the pool every day, sometimes multiple times a day.  I got in a few short runs (3-4 miles) in very humid, windy conditions.  The kids enjoyed playing with their cousins, and there was a new addition to run around with them this time.  Adelia still lights up at the sight of Quinn, and he helps take care of her.  Keely is a great help as well.  The other big kids would stay in bed late but not Keely - when she heard Adelia up, she headed upstairs to play and take care of her.  She is most definitely going to make a great babysitter in a few years!  We rented kayaks again, and had fun in the sound and visiting 'our island'.  The big kids went out for a night on the town with Uncle Ryan - complete with seeing 'Brave' in the movie theater, wading in the ocean and mini-golf.  We went to the beach to watch the local fireworks show, and also saw lots of amateur shows up and down the beach. 

The week was made a little more interesting by the celebration of Tom & Judith's 10 year anniversary at the end of the week.  We got to meet Judith's two sisters and their families, enjoy some traditional Jamaican meals, and be a part of their vow renewal.  We weren't at their wedding so it was nice to be a part of this special day. 

We all had a fun week.  It didn't go too fast, or too slow - I think it was just right.  I love beach vacations, living in my bathing suit and just relaxing.  The kids are happy with with low-key aspect of it, and I think we'll get a few more years of that before they want more.  Mostly, they are happy playing with their cousins.  I love that we can give them these memories, and it's yet again another reinforcement of the decision to move closer to our family.  There was already talk of where to go next.  Speaking for myself, I am done with Emerald Isle for a bit.  I think we need a change of pace...I'd love to go back to Outer Banks, or Hilton Head.  We're also talking about a mountain getaway too.  I don't know where it will be, but I know I'm looking forward to the next time we're all together :)

The End of an Era

Since I've become a mother, I have only been called one thing by both children....Mama.  Keely sometimes calls me Mommy but for the most part, I am Mama and James is Dada.  That's what I'm used to hearing from the kids when they want me, sometimes many many times a day and it's all I've been responding to since Quinn started talking, over 10 years ago.  I guess I always knew that it would end, but I didn't think it would be so dramatic to me when it did.  Just in the last couple of weeks, and seemingly overnight Quinn has started to call us Mom and Dad.  I first noticed it on vacation in Emerald Isle when he called to James in a store...Dad, come look at this!  Now, when he calls me Mom it sounds like an incomplete word.  It just doesn't sound right.  He occasionally slips back into Mama, but the majority of the time he calls me Mom.  Keely still calls me Mama or Mommy, so nothing has changed there.  After hearing your child call you something for 10 years, it's hard to get used to something else.  It's also another sign that he's growing up.  Sigh.

On another Quinn related note, I no longer have to pine for the days of his buzz cut.  No amount of bribery was enough, but a case of head lice convinced him to let James buzz it again after three years.  It only took one thorough and painful combing of his head for him to reconsider his stalwart position.  Keely's version is that he first went to look at a picture of himself with a shaved head, decided he liked how he looked, and told James to buzz it.  It's like looking at a different child.  He looks a tad younger to me, but it's nice for him to have a fresh start and to get all of that thick hair off his head.  I'm sure he won't let it happen again anytime soon, but for now it's light, easy and cool on these hot, hot summer days.

The pictures are before and  (sort of) after - with the swim cap on for his baby oil lice treatment, and the after is actually way before when he last had his hair this short 3 years ago.  Trust me, there's not much difference :)

Perfectionist

Virginia has state standard tests that begin in 3rd grade.  As part of the 4th grade curriculum, Quinn prepared and took three SOL (Standards of Learning) tests.  The preliminary results arrived in yesterday's mail.  Quinn did very well, with advanced proficiency scores in all areas.

Reading - 600 out of 600
Mathematics - 469 out of 600
Virginia Studies - 546 out of 600 (and they took the 5th grade level test)

When I got home from work, I saw the scores and went to see him in his room where he was building with Legos.

Mama: Quinn, did you see your SOL scores?
Quinn: Yes.
Mama: You did very well, I am proud of you.
Quinn:  Except in math!

Apparently, he wasn't happy with that score despite his near perfect scores in the other subject areas.  I wonder where he gets that perfectionism from?!?! 

Oh, and he also got a haircut finally.  It's nice to see his eyes again.  How I long for the days when he would let James give him a buzz cut!