Spring into SNOW!

 

Sometimes you have to make lemonade out of lemons!

 

Yes, yes, it is true the following photos are actual footage of our

Spring Break 2013

or was that Winter Break Act 2

 

If it wasn't so beautiful, I would have been depressed and crying.

 

Nike Girl was happy to just be out of school. 

Weebok was confused as she looked at her 4 Seasons book. 

Converse was excited the neighbor offered him to use his snow blower!

I was glad for the invention of fleece.

 

 

I took the Spring has Sprung flag picture normally, I think the camera was cold and rotated all the pictures I took of the flag. It won't let me rotate it now...hmm...

 

We only lost a few branches.

It was a heavy snow.

Great for snowballs!

 

 

 

 

Great for eating snow cones!

Weebok has a problem, she does!

That is all she wanted to do.

Nike Girl gave her a quick lesson on color of snow.

 

               

                  Nike Girl just laughed and jumped and laughed some more.

          

 

 

And at the end of the day....

We found ourselves on the beach!

 

 

Here is to sunshine, sand in our toes and blooming flowers!

 

Peace.

The New Balance Girl

 

We are Never Ever....Ever

 

 

I ♥ Easter Candy!

 

Specificially these little eggs of pure satisfaction and taste bud joy.

 

 

It's true.

I have a problem.

It sabotages my New's Year's resolutions every year.

I remember when I first found Cadbury Mini Eggs.

They had me at hello!

Thank You Hershey Company!(www.hersheycompany.com)

 

After eating almost an entire bag by myself

I knew we were MFEO...you know made for each other.

It was a relationship that made me happy, happy, happy.

That was until I realized that THIS is lurking in two short months!

 

 

 

Actually THIS is what delights me and scares me at the same moment! 

Awesome Title Nine swimsuits! (www.titlenine.com)

 

 

 

You see the problem  is all mine.

I own it, I accept it.

It first started

when I realized that despite the snow and ice and lack of temperature above 32 degrees in the middle of March (insert slight bitterness)

that I would no longer be able to hide behind black yoga pants and hoodies.

 

I had to break up with the eggs. 

Break ups are hard.

They are messy.

Just like Nike Girl and Weebok's favorite singing sensation

Taylor Swift belts out in her fun and sassy song

 "We are Never Ever Getting Back Together!"

 

It was on the treadmill one morning listening to some awesome tuneage, when I realized, her song so applied to  my breakup. 

The words could easily apply to the on again and off again relationship I was having with the eggs!

 

Thank You Taylor Swift for helping me through the egg breakup!

"We are never ever ever getting back together,
We are never ever ever getting back together,
You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me
But we are never ever ever ever getting back together

Like, ever..." (Taylor Swift Lyrics)

 

Well until next Easter....dang that is a long time away....maybe until tomorrow!

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Summer's End.....

It finally rained. To top it off there was a double rainbow. Awesome.

It was a summer worth smiling about.

It was a summer worth remembering.

It was a lazy summer full of play.

Peace.
The New Balance Girl

And Summer Continued.....

USA Swim Team Rocked!
Trials 2012



Once in a lifetime experience.
Where dreams start.

Blackberry Pie Eating Contest Midwest Style.

 

 

We've got cows.

Nile Girl was able to swim with two USA Olympians.
Very inspirational and a dream come true for my little swimmer girl.

2 months of 100 degree temperatures and no rain all we did was swim. So the girls needed some spa time for all their chlorine dry skin.
Summer is Fun!

And Summer Began.....

School ended, we were packed and headed to the Emerald Coast! Happy Summer!

Love is.....



Listening to belly laughs while sledding in our front yard.



Watching Weebok put together her first valentine box.

Standing back as Nike Girl created her own valentine goodies to give her classmates.  

Love is all around us if we just pause for a moment.

It is so difficult during our busy days to just stop and take it all in. 

May you take the time today to pause and and feel His love in all situations.

Peace.

The New Balance Girl

Bye Bye Nap

Today was the day! I filed my plan of action last night with Converse. Today Weebok would only have rest time and not have to take her nap. The nap had become a source of struggle. She would squirm, leave her room belly crawling down the hall, have to go to the bathroom twelve times, one time she even said there was a "pider" crawling in her bed. It was time to rethink that glorious hour to two hours I had all to myself. Weebok has been going to bed at 10 pm after an hour or some nights even longer full of coaxing her to get back to her room. The nap is the culprit. I was convinced! She is trying to give it up and I am not letting her.Well now I am going to let her give it up!
So today was the day the troops declared peace during rest time. Around 1:30 she came inside from playing without coaxing or bribing, she curled up with her blanket and Polly her pony and within 3 minutes she was sound ASLEEP. She was taking a nap on her own. I will have to file an amendment to my original plan of action stating....I have not a clue how to parent!

Peace.
The "New Balance" Girl

Running Report: Gorgeous outdoor running!!! What is up with that? No complaints. Plugging away to meet my race goals. Maybe all the beautiful outdoor air and sunshine is making her hold onto the nap? I need a nap after all this stewing about what I should do to nap or not to nap.  Happy Day!

Fancy Nancy's Day at the Park

Since Nike Girl was at a softball pitching clinic with Converse, Weebok and I decided to go for a walk at the park. Felt more like an early spring day than a January morning.

Fancy Nancy enjoyed the sunshine.

Enjoy your day!

Peace.

The "NewBalance" Girl

Culinary Skills 101

My freshman year in college, I found myself the proud holder of a meal ticket to the local cafeteria where a trans fat ban was unthinkable. A place that specialized in fried everything placed on styrofoam with dirty utensils. Fresh fruit meant another day with fruit cocktail in heavy corn syrup. It served its purpose of allowing me to put on the freshman 15 without the headache of wondering where my next meal was going to come from.
The following year, I found myself standing in the kitchen of a run down college house with 4 other girls. We each had seperated out the cabinet space and labeled a space in the refrigerator. I was on my own with cooking. Honestly, I vividly remember having a moment of panic one day when I was opening another can of spaghettios with meatballs.I realized this was the beginning of a long road of new responsibility. I wanted to call my mommy and have her bring in some homemade country meals but I knew I had to do this on my own. I had the responsibility of trying to stay in the boundaries of the food triangle. At that aha moment, I was way left of center. Are spaghettios and meatballs even on the triangle?
So I began looking for recipes. I really haven't stopped. I love finding new meals to try. Each month I thumb through the magazines I subscribe to and search for a new meal to try. Yes, I know there is internet, too,but I am old school that way. Ideally, I would love to try to include a new recipe each week. That, however, is a little too ambitious. So if I try 2 a month I have done something. My family seems to like what I try most of the time. I definitely know if they don't like it.
So cooking meals is fun. Baking, on the other hand, I stink at it! I do make the girls cakes each year for their birthdays, but that is about it. If you only knew how many times I have had to rebake their cakes. When I have to sign up for baked goods at church or school, I cringe. I am the first to sign up for fruit or the napkins or plates. This is a prime example of how bad I stink at baking.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I followed the recipe! I have no idea what happened. All I know is the 2 dozen cookies due ended up being store bought. These carmelized chocolate chip hockey pucks were salvaged and found a home in vanilla ice cream during Weebok's nap while Nike Girl was at school.  I couldn't let them eat half baked cookies, they had eggs for crying out loud. These cookies are the norm for me. I seriously do not know why I can not bake. I need a culinary skills 101 class. I think the only thing that makes me feel better is knowing my sister has actually caught her kitchen curtains on fire during one of her cooking adventures. I was there, the whole family was....the event is known for the origin of our family recipe Burn the House Down Enchiladas. Too funny! We must take after our dad.

If you have a fool proof cookie recipe. I would love to try it out!

Peace.
The "New Balance" Girl

Running Report: Training officially for a couple spring 13.1 milers. Personal goal: 1:59. My PR is 2:05. In order to do this, I need to stay away from carmelized hockey pucks in vanilla ice cream. I am beginning to think I really do only run to eat. Runnin' for Gouda :)

The Christmas Card

One of my favorite things to do that jump starts the holiday season is to take the girls Christmas pictures by the little group of evergreen trees in our backyard. The trees are Austrlian Pines with soft needles that are photo ready this time of year. So this November, I began planning out the photo shoot. I always feel so rushed to get the cards out on time. This year was going to be punctual with a creative flair  that was a little off the beaten path.
So the weekend after Thanksgiving, they combed their hair and put on some comfortable holiday wear and headed outside. There awaited the much anticipated prop. A gigantic cardboard box wrapped with polka dot paper with a hole in the top. The plan was to stand inside the box, peek their little heads out, then slap a bow on their heads and make it look like they were Christmas presents. The end result was to be a colored coordinated Christmas photo that would be framed and displayed on our mantle during the holiday season for many years to come.
Here is a snapshot journey of another "bright idea" gone wrong.   

Trying to get the light and angle correct. They look confused.



Why did you put this ridiculous thing in my hair?

Oh dear! Weebok!

She's ok! The shoot continues.



The wind picks up to gale force speed.



The paper rips.The bows fly off. The box .....

Tumbles

The plan changed.
Photo shoot over.

So this year the cards were a vision, alright, of something completely different than I had expected. I ended up using three photos that were taken from this autumn and sticking them on a pre-customized card that turned out dark with a yellow tint. Not the creative flair I was going for but still I made the deadline, barely.
All this so friends and family can take a quick look then store them away in a photo album or toss them in the recycling bin.

Here is hoping your Christmas photos were more of a success!

Peace.
The "New Balance" Girl

Running Report:
Still running outside! I can not believe the mild weather. I know it will soon come to an end but I am thankful for the extra days of sunshine as it makes keeping the new year resolutions easier. Go day 2 of healthier food choices and harder workouts!

Happy New Year!

Day 15 of Winter Break

Smile Girls! I am taking your picture!

May your year be filled with smiles, peace and joy!
Even if it only last for a few moments at a time.


Peace.
The "New Balance" Girl

Just Three Easy Steps

I get a little nervous when the instructions start doubling up on the alphabet letters.
Countdown is on to have this badboy assembled my morning.
It will be worth it, right?
Of course!


PEACE and PERSERVERANCE to all.....
The New Balance Girl

Happy Happy Birthday

Look who is 3!


Weebok is a gentle spirit with big deep blue eyes and a dimple. She is full of laughter and expression. She dances and twirls any chance she gets. Her favorite thing to play is house with her baby dolls. You rarely find her without a doll in her hand.  Her favorite song to sing is Jesus Loves Me followed by Jingle Bells and Santa Claus is Coming to Town.


Let's Celebrate!
in Strawberry Shortcake Fashion of course.

Happy Happy Birthday!
May your year be full of smiles and joy.
We Love You!




Peace.
The New Balance Girl

50 Years

When I walked down the aisle  almost 19 years ago, I didn't realize what a ride it would be. I was clueless, I admit. I was out of college, in love, and ready to get on with my life next to Converse. Personally,  I just said the vows, scared that I would somehow forget to talk during the ceremony, and have to resort to writing them. The traditional vows we used seemed foreign, not applicable to our life then. I was living in the moment in a really big veil, wait I mean REALLY big veil, and flowing dress. I was as carefree as you can get.
Years passed and trials big and small developed, our marriage became and still is a work of patience, love, hope, and somedays just tolerance on both of our parts.
So when my parents made it to their 50th wedding anniversary this fall, I had a lightbulb moment! 50 YEARS! Amazing! What a gift to find that one person to stay with from this day forward, to love and to cherish. Through sickness and health, through good times and bad, til the cows come home. That means forever down on the farm.

What a great celebration! 50 pink roses and a day of laughing and remembering. We all heard stories we had not heard before of their dating years, and early years of marriage. My mom put together a DVD of their life. It made us laugh, then it made us cry, then we laughed some more because my family loves to laugh! Converse always says we are loud and out of control and mumble when we speak so no one else understands us. We do everything with passion in laughter or in anger. A good quality most of the time but not always I have learned.
They raised us on a farm teaching us about hard work, learning to get through what ever comes our way. What an amazing journey!
We ended the celebration with  going to a surprise concert with John Conley. I use to listen to his music growing up while waiting in the farm truck in the fields during harvest. The funny thing is Converse and I use to sing his "oldie but goodie" tunes in college while riding around in his truck. Match made in heaven. ha!

Here he is singing Rose Colored Glasses. His voice still sounded the same! It was impressive. We had a lot of laughs. Good times, forever memories. Happy 50th Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Peace,
The "New Balance" Girl

Live it Up Saturday

There is nothing better than starting a Saturday watching the sunrise while on a run. Then returning home and making pancakes with lots of syrup and butter and eating them outside on the deck. The leaves are changing colors and the geese are starting to fly overhead. We have had absolutely perfect weather the past few weeks. Sun, sun, and more sun. I just know winter is lurking. I sat on the deck this morning making our Thanksgiving grocery list and thought of how the snow was so high last year we couldn't see the very table I was sitting at for a month. I think tomorrow will be the first big change in the weather patterns this season. We are gearing up. So today we have declared as Live it Up Saturday. Converse already left to go fishing. Nike Girl, Weebok and I plan on playing, jumping, and biking. And of course.......

do a little yoga in the backyard. Too funny! Following this photo they started play kicking each other and laughing in true sibling fashion. Should be a very active day! Hope your Saturday is filled with fun and sun!

Peace,
The "New Balance" Girl

Running Report: Ok, I am putting this out in the Universe. I am determined to run a 4:00 marathon shaving some 45 minutes off my best time, ugh, at some point in my lifetime. I am not getting any younger. This is a sneak peek of my New Year's Resolutions. I bought a new book about speed training. Sounds easy in print. Not so much in real life. This should work right into my schedule after Girl Scout cookies are out of the house. I have a problem, I really do. Happy Saturday!

Watch out Squirrels

There is a new boy in town!

SAL

He now has gained weight and has a new red collar, a bath with Fancy Nancy bubble soap, he is garnished with pink and purple beads, and has his very own dinosaur chew toy.

He was found roaming the woods with this orange hunting collar, hungry and thirsty. He ended up in a shelter and the rest is history. 

He appears to be a 2 year old lab/golden retriever mix.

He is gentle and loves to chase squirrels and play ball.

I think he may be a running partner.

This little thing......

 SOPHIE

She has been our baby for 12 years. I wanted to name our second child Sophie but decided the family would think we were nuts. Ilove her name! She was named before children were even in the plan. She is still the princess and sits on the top of the couch and looks down at Sal as he tosses a ball or chew toy into the air as if what is his problem. She is more cat like than a dog.

That is our Fur Family.

Peace.

The "New Balance" Girl



Who Ate All the Candy?

Where are the mounds of candy bars, starbursts, tootsie rolls, laffy taffy, and hot tamales? We had two sacks worth of junk. I think one neighbor was "that house" and gave them bags of carrots. The topper was a house that gave out wedding mints left over from their daughters wedding. Reduce, reuse, recycle. So where did it all go?

      Is this what we are left with... Wax lips?

          They better hide those too I may eat them in a pinch.

Peace.
The "New Balance" Girl

Running Report: Still plugging away. This week I am running off the candy! More later. Have a great day.

Jack-o-Lantern Express

The festivities started over the weekend with a train ride on the jack-o-lantern express....

I wanted to do something special since Converse was out of town and would be for awhile. So I searched and found a little train with a high price tag that prormised as the ad stated "a ride through the woods complete with fall leaves falling and autumn in the air. The end of the journey awaited games and a festival for the kids ages 1-99." What fun! I am still belly laughing.
The adventure started sitting on an original passenger car decorated with plastic orange pumpkins hanging from the ceiling. The seats had springs poking through them that became quite the excitement as we blazed through the "woods" on the jack-o-lantern express. The woods consisted of homes on both sides of the track and an industrial park with tall smoke stacks. So much for fresh air but I did not say a word, At one point NikeGirl said," I don't want to be critical mommy but I think I could run faster than this." I simply said this is certainly the engine that could (or could not).
As we approached the festival excitement grew. The girls were peering out the window. Again, I said not a word as we pulled up and I peered over my shoulder. The express stopped sandwiched between a busy interstate and a major highway. We were in the triangle of noise and pollution. I could not even hear the girls talk. I was so gald Converse was out of town. I don't think he would of made it through this adventure.
The girls got off and waited in line to play ring toss with one ring, fished for magnetic fish in a rubbermaid container, and got a face tattoo. Before we reboarded we snapped a photo by the decorations.

Weebok's face was priceless. I felt the same way but did not say a word. They gave the girls a piece of gum when we reboarded and off we went back so very slowly back to the station. I furiously texted Converse and said, " I hope the jack-o-lantern express does not get on the wrong line with the Amtrack express. We will be toast."
As I sat peering out the window laughing inside and thinking how much we got for the money, I looked at the girls across from me. They were smiling and laughing. They had no idea how bad that sucked! I realized something on the jack-o-lantern express that day. The wonder in a child's eyes is only there for a short time. It is sad how that wonder gets lost as we get older. I am so glad I had self control and did not say too much and start complaining. I am glad I was able to belly laugh rather than be verbally critical, which I still need to work on. I am glad because when we got off the train and headed home, not one complaint was heard from the backseat. Either they were in shock as I or they had a good time. I think it was the latter.
It was a good day.

Peace.
The " New Balance" Girl

Mother Knows Best (or so they say)

You know how sometimes you mean to say one thing but it comes out so different you just stand there and think, "I hope no one heard me."  It is one thing if you do that to a spouse or close friend. They usually just look at me and laugh.
Being a mom, however, catches you off guard all the time. At any second in conversation you may be asked to solve any one of the world's most complexing questions. You have to know the answer that is supportive, loving yet truthful. Because mother knows best, right?

Here are some recent examples.

Example #1: Nike Girl walking out of the bathroom 30 seconds before we have to walk out the door to school. She had asked if she could wear some lip gloss. I said sure but please hurrry. She comes prancing down the stairs and says, I am ready mommy. How do I look? I turn and look at her with an affirming smile that stopped in mid track. I literally gasp! out loud with hand gesture over my mouth and all! Clear lip gloss was bright red gooey paraben infested lipstick from her toy princess bag used only as dress up. My gasp sent her to the bathroom in tears. I give her a 10 second lesson on blotting and how clear lip gloss is the way to go in the daytime hours. She makes it to school before the tardy bell with red smears but clear coated lips. I did not mention the smears on the side of her face. Parenting is so spontaneous.

Example #2: Nike Girl loves to act and sing. She attended a week long theatre camp toward the end of summer. They had try-outs the first day of the camp. She came home upset. She had been casted a Thug instead of a Princess. I sat her down and said that you can not get a lead part every time. You should concentrate on being the best Thug there is.....She told me who was cast as the princesses. One happened to be her dear friend with blonde locks like Cinderella. I said, Nike Girl, part of acting is looking the part. Your friend looks like she could play Cinderella with her golden hair so maybe....she stopped me and held back the tears as she asked with long dramatic pauses......"You mean to tell me Mommy....that...I.....look.....like....a....thug?" That is not what I meant at all but my words did seem to be leaning in that direction! I had to back peddle like no ones business to get out of that hornet's nest. She ended up in her mother's eyes of being the best thug ever!

I could go on and on with examples. Each day I wake up and pray that the words I say and my actions are encouraging and loving to those I encounter. I win some and obviously I lose some. I just didn't really give it much thought as to how important your words asa mother really become as your child grows and begins to question you, herself and the world. Mother knows best are big shoes to fill! It keeps life interesting! Besides,someday it will give them something to blog about.

Peace.
The "New Balance" Girl

Running Report: Start of school has been all about running.....running around to activities and events....and finding the time to train. I have a half coming up in another week. I am excited! I still go back and forth with a full this fall. Time as I mentioned is by far the biggest challenge. I can't seem to find it right now. I need a big planner to get organized. Autumn is coming and I love love love this time of year when it is cool in the mornings again. Peace.

Summer's End

By summer's end, the 100 degree temperatures began taking a toll on everything. The grass was turning pitiful brown, the flowers were drooping, and the swimming pool felt like bath water. During these dog days of summer we decided to head to the "hills" and get some relief.



Euro Jumping on a mountain makes it seem like you are flying.











Do you know how hard it was to keep track of the three little duckies the entire trip? At least it is better than the package of wipes she slept with for weeks.



 Hiking in the morning ROCKS! If everyone started their morning off with this I predict there would be no more road rage on the morning commute to work. 



Converse and Weebok enjoying the awesome trail system. But remember what goes down...has to go up. Oops! Forgot that little physics lesson.









Nike Girl and I hoping the bike we rented made it back to town. It was a little shaky to say the least. Makes me laugh!



A great view with some great smiles.





Good-bye Hills! Thanks for the memories!

Peace.
The "New Balance" Girl