My mom, Naiyah and I went to Arizona this past weekend. She ran the Rock n Roll half marathon, Naiyah and I were support crew. The whole trip was so much fun! (Aside from having to be at the airport at 4am, that is.) The last time she and I flew somewhere together was when Tristan was 6 months old. I'd forgotten how great it is to just get away and spend time together.
Wow, the whole marathon hubbub was certainly an eye-opening experience for me - I couldn't believe the sheer number of PEOPLE who signed up to run! Those races aren't cheap, you know. Also surprising to me is how many different levels of fitness there were. Aside from the hardcore runners (ahem, Mom), there were also people who clearly hadn't run in a great while, if ever. And of course many many people who fell somewhere in between. They all had one thing in common though - they were there, they were DOING it. I was merely watching...
Up until this point, I've really been ambivalent about doing any sort of race beyond the occasional 5k. I've known I needed goals aside from just 'getting to the gym regularly' to avoid getting jaded and bored, I just haven't been able to decide what they should be. I'll admit, the idea of training to run a longer run than my standard three miles has crossed my mind. But it has also left my mind almost as quickly.
Anyhow, standing in the middle of all those people who were doing it just because they COULD, just to be a part of something BIG, I suddenly had an epiphany. I wanted that sense of camaraderie. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. And I KNEW that I could do it. It definitely helped that I saw people of all shapes and sizes, and realized that I didn't have to RACE it, I can just do my best and FINISH. And I didn't see anyone at that finish line who wished they hadn't done it. Sure, I saw plenty of people who were in pain, or injured, or just plain exhausted. But they all looked happy and satisfied. Even those who swore they'd NEVER run another one again didn't seem to regret it.
Very conveniently, there was a booth at the registration expo to sign up for the different Rock n Roll half/marathons, AND you got $10 off. So I took a deep breath, and took the plunge. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am now registered for the Seattle Rock n Roll half marathon, coming to Seattle this June! And I'm actually really excited for it! My mom is doing it with me, and she's excited that we can be a dynamic mother-daughter duo. And I have plans to buy the AWESOME kids tees for both my kids that read "My Mommy ROCKS!" to wear to the finish line! Woot woot!
My friend Christina is visiting from California this week, and since we're both shutterbugs we decided to do a little photoshoot in the Seattle Times' printing facility. Yours truly was the model, since Christina does a lot of 'fashion' style photography. Think drama. While it was a lot of fun, I learned I am DEFINITELY more comfortable (and more successful!) BEHIND the camera than in front of it. I'll link the photos below for those who want to see. But one small disclaimer - I am NOT a model! I am a photographer, modeling takes a whole different skill set. And very strong legs and core - some of those poses were HARD! Anyhow, thanks again Christina! Next time it's your turn to be the model. =)
I couldn't let the year end without at least ONE post in December, lol. Even if it is barely 1.5 hours until 2010 and January.
Tristan and Naiyah had their first non-family babysitter tonight. I have to say, it was pretty odd being on the parent side of things when leaving the house. I can remember so many times where I was in the exact same situation, only I was the babysitter. It was SO weird to be on the parent end of it! It's very different from dropping them off with my mom for an evening or overnight.
The reason for the babysitter (and not grandma and grandpa) is so Tom and I could go to dinner at Cafe Juanita WITH my mom and stepdad. It was amazing. It was a seven course prix fixe menu, so we were able to try several new things we wouldn't ordinarily choose. It was less like a meal and more like an event, almost a pampering. I even found a wine that I loved enough to drink the whole glass AND want to buy it to drink at home! I just hope it's remotely affordable. I'm sure we'll go back there sometime for a nice dinner out again. It's less than five minutes from where we live, which makes it a lot more convenient.
After initially freaking out when I left the house, Naiyah did pretty well considering her shyness lately. The girl who babysat for us is a cousin of one of my good friends, and is a nanny for her day job. The kids LOVED her, and she was fantastic with them. Hopefully she'll come back, considering that Naiyah came down with a stomach virus shortly before we were finished with the dessert course. I was really really hoping to get away with not having EITHER kid be a thrower-upper, but no such luck I guess. I threw up ALL the time as a kid, so the odds were against my offspring to start with. One out of two isn't bad, I suppose. Anyhow, we added a little "hazardous duty" bonus into the babysitter's pay. In my opinion, anything involving vomit warrants something extra.
Overall, it was pretty good. A little traumatic for a first babysitting experience on my end, but I'm sure the memory will fade with time. And I think she liked the kids enough to come back. :) Happy New Year to everyone, I hope yours is starting with less regurgitation than mine is. Or at least if regurgitation occurs I hope it's for a more fun reason!
Well...apparently I only have three readers, not five. Guess I won't be putting ads on my blog anytime soon. Lol. =) But, I guess I'll keep blogging anyway. No promises as to any sort of regularity though. Although I will aim to blog more often than once every two months. Cross my heart.
As it stands, I also have a funny story to share this time. We get the Sunday paper, and it is currently STUFFED with holiday ads (as I'm sure you can imagine). So yesterday Tom was flipping through the ads and the Toys R Us ad caught his eye. Now, being the brilliant daddy he is, the light bulb in his head flashed on and illuminated a GREAT idea. Here is what ensued, in the form of a screenplay:
Tom - handing Tristan the ad booklet and a pen: Tristan, look in this book and circle anything you would like Santa to bring you for Christmas. Tristan - eyes wide, clutching the booklet and pen to his chest: SANTA?? I get to pick ANYTHING? Tom - nodding: Yep, anything you want. Circle the things you like and when you're done bring it over and show me. Tristan - scrambling into his seat: Yaaaaaaaaaaaay!! --5 minutes pass-- Tristan - climbing down and running over to Tom: Daddy, look! I'm all done! Daddy! DADDY! DAAADDDDDDYYYYY!
Yes, our son has only three volumes. Loud, louder, and loudest. Anyhow, I'm sure all you parents out there are pretty darn sure you know what was circled in the booklet. EVERYTHING. Just like I was certain of that very fact when I saw Tom trying to stifle his laughter as he was flipping through the ad.
But apparently I was wrong (and you too, haha!). The reason Tom was laughing so hard is because Tristan had carefully looked through the entire booklet, methodically looked at each toy, and only circled the ones he actually would like! I was amazed. I'm pretty sure at that age, I would have just circled EVERYTHING and been done in two seconds flat.
I love my kid. He's so adorable and funny even when he has no idea he is entertaining us. You can rest assured, that meticulously canvassed ad booklet is destined for his memory box.
Fact: It has been two months since I last posted. Long enough for blogspot to go changing things on me again. Fact: Blogspot is a giant pain in my ass when I try to post photos. Fact: I have no idea who really reads this blog, or if in fact ANYONE does. Fact: I seem to be pretty darn bad at blogging, seeing as how I constantly aim to blog, make promises to do so consistently, and then fall off the blogging wagon shortly thereafter. Conclusion: Maybe I should give up blogging? I post all my photos on FB now anyways, and I think anyone who knows about this blog also has FB and so sees them there. AND I have very limited time these days, and don't usually get around to posting cute stories anyways. Hypothesis: If people want me to continue blogging, they will post a comment to that effect within a week from today. (And then I'll know who exactly all five of you are that read my blog mwahahaha!)
Hm. I'll postpone d-day a bit and see what happens. But in the meantime here's this year's Santa photo for your amusement.
Yes, I realize it's been over a month since I posted. What can I say, life gets in the way. And just as I refuse to be chained to a tv show, I also refuse to be chained to the computer. So, my blogs might be a little sporadic now and again despite my best efforts. Lol. I have photos of Tristan's first soccer practice, and other random stuff stockpiled to write. Coming soon to a blog near YOU! (Aka this one. Lol).
Anyhow, just a quick plug for me: I submitted an essay to the Polar heart rate monitor's "Journey to Wow!" contest that they posted on facebook, and actually made it into the top 7 entrants! Now comes voting on who you find most inspiring, so I'd appreciate any votes that you in cyberland want to send my way! Every vote I get is a vote against diabetes and the nasty reputation Type 2 diabetics have of being fat and lazy. So step on over and add your voice!
Just a collection of photos from the rest of our time in Vegas.
At Wolfgang Puck's restaurant The Cut, Tom's choice for his birthday dinner. The Coca-Cola bear. I think he was trying to shove Tom out of the picture so he could have me all to himself. Apparently I am pettable. A smushed lion face. He was sleeping on a transparent platform above a walkway. Tom and I then took a 'Safari' photo. After dinner. Tom and his best friend Scott with their birthday treats from the restaurant. Their birthdays are only a couple days apart. Us again. I didn't think he could actually pick me up! But he did, and didn't drop me. Haha. He found it. The man-purse to end all man-purses. Murses? And that brings us to the end of our trip to Vegas. It would have been nice to have another day or two. But hey, I guess all that means is that we'll definitely be going back, and having something new to look forward to for that trip!
We're a family of four, two boys, two girls. Two cats. We generally exist in a state of controlled anarchy, but we're slowly evolving our way to normalcy.
