Running!

Ready.... Set..... Go! I love the start of 5k season here in Portland. The first of many runs this summer was the Shamrock.... always a good time. I ran it with my buds Mike & Bryan (they have twin girls just 10 days younger than Mason). Bryan whooped us, but Mike and I did run the whole thing, and weren't overly ashamed by our times :) I am a treadmill runner, so I have really been trying to embrace the outdoors. Problem is, I have running ADD. I love treadmill running because I can watch TV, the people around me, go pee if I need to, take a drink of fresh water.... you get my point. Also, I don't exactly "love" running. I do it mostly for weight loss purposes. I have my 15 year class reunion in June (Yeah, don't really want to go looking like a loaf of bread), and we are going to Mexico in October. Swimsuit motivation can do crazy things to a person.

Anyhow, I can see the attraction of running outdoors.... fresh air, anyone? And, I do have one of those awesome BOB jogging strollers. It has seen many walks, but only a few runs.
Next up...... 8k Bridge to Brews. Yep, upping the anty to the 8k. I know that I can run a 5k, and have been for 4 years. Time to step it up. Especially while those darn Cadbury eggs are gracing the shelves of every.single.store imaginable.

Organization? What organization?

We have been in our home for a little over 2 years now. Due to our remodel, half of our stuff is in boxes out in our shop or in our basement. The basement is a huge mess. Mason's birthday didn't help matters, where on earth are we going to fit all of these new toys??
I am easily overwhelmed when it comes to organizing, so I decided to start small... our pictures. Yeah, really small project. We have 2 years worth of highly unorganized pictures sitting in baskets. I have taken out the ones that I've needed for Mason's scrapbook (a whole mess in itself), and the rest are just randomly placed in envelopes.
Yesterday I hit up Michael's and bought some boxes designed for photo storage, and also a large photo album. I have got to get this under control.
After 2 hours of sorting, I did finally make a dent. Granted, the organization probably only makes sense to me, but at least it's a start!

Am I the only one?

I take Mason to a play group or story time at least once a week. I've made a few observations on how other parents teach, discipline and deal with awkward situations. I find it fascinating.

The one thing I've become aware of is the fact that I am the only toddler aged Mother without either an existing 2nd child, or one on the way, if not already here. Did I miss the memo? Is there a manual that says your children need to be spaced appropriately? I honestly would question the well being of a 2nd child in our household at this point! Granted, we have been living in just 1000 of our 2000'ish square foot home, and Mason still resides in our living room. I know that everyone has their reasons, but I am just wondering if anyone is feeling this. Yes, we want a 2nd babe, but not until we have a tad bit more room, and I've gained all of my sanity back from the 1st years of Mason's life.....

Well, off to enjoy the remainder of Mason's nap :)

How is it almost MARCH??

I haven't written in ages... not that I have been too busy, but really, not in the mood. I have to admit that I am more of a Facebook person these days, as it requires minimal effort! Here is an update on us:
* Upstairs is rocking right along.... painted, wood floors put back down. Now need to refinish floors, put tile in bathroom (a nice white hexagon, accompanied by white subway in the shower), install doors, and 7 new windows! Then, our darling Mason will have his very own bedroom. (He has been in our living room since May!)
* Mason is almost 2! Holy crap. March 17th will mark 2 years since the most joyous day of my life. It also marks 2 years in our house.
* Mike left for Guatemala today for 8 days. He is now a coffee buyer and gets to enjoy the occasional business trip..... Check back in 8 days to see if I am still sane.
* Headaches~ 3 days without one. My neurologist is 95% sure that birth control in general was causing them. We shall see..... and hopefully without a new bun in the oven in the process.
* We booked our tickets to Mexico~! We are going with Mike's family in October... hence the need to wait on baby #2 until after I consume many margaritas on our trip.
* Mason continues to amaze me with his knowledge. He currently loves balls of any sort, screwing lids on and off of things (I learned this the hard way with a bottle of lotion), and talking up a storm. Some understandable, some not. He is still such a sweet, good natured baby... with a hint of attitude :)
Hope all of my friends are well, and I apologize for ignoring all of you for so long!
Karri

So proud of my little booger!

All of my Momma friends can relate: Your child does something so wonderful that it not only puts a huge grin on your face, it also makes your heart speed up a bit, about to explode with pride.
Today was one such day. Mason and I joined a Wednesday morning play group recently, which he loves. The only thing that he did not enjoy was the blow up bouncy toy. Every time I'd put him near the entrance, he would give me a terrified look and run back to the slide.
But today, he overcame his fear and let me place him inside with the other kids! The next thing I know, he was running, jumping and climbing all over the place. He would catch my gaze from time to time and wave :) Oh, to be the proudest Mom is the best feeling! I am sure this is just the beginning........

Paint, glorious paint!

We have finally reached the part of the remodel that actually matters to me.... paint! I admit, during the "behind the scenes" phase, I couldn't begin to explain to you what was happening in this house, except that we had our contractor and an assortment of others coming in and out, disrupting daily life, and my husband's face had started to become a blurry memory! But, now that the drywall is done, life is fabulous. Now we finish painting so that the electrician can come back and finish all of the light switches and electrical outlets!
As I write this, Mike is putting the 2nd coat of Pistachio Lime Beans on our 2nd level bathroom wall. We will be tiling the 3x3 shower with white subway tile, and have white hexagon tile on the floor, I think the green will look fantastic amongst all of the white. I must say, painting in an area where the floors are not finished is wonderful. Not worrying about spilling or getting the roller too close to the floor made it a much more enjoyable experience! Mike did the 1st coat on the ceilings last night, and this week we will also start on Mason's bedroom, a beautiful shade of blue called Coast. Paint color can be quite difficult, but luckily Mike and I have similar taste, and agree on most colors. The green and blue are from the Devine Color Collection at Miller Paint.
The hallway and stairway will be a lovely shade called Jute. Thanks to our friends, the Baileys who remodeled their house a few years ago for introducing this beauty to us. It resembles putty, and it will represent our 1920's house well. I will post actual pictures once we make more progress!

The Good Stuff

I have a feeling that this post will be all over the place, as I am feeling so many different things as we enter this New Year of 2010.
I am not a huge country music fan, but I do love me some Kenny Chesney. When his song "The Good Stuff" comes on the radio, I can't help but get choked up, and I am not kidding you, I have heard it at least 5 times in the past week on random radio stations. Today, as I started to make banana bread "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" comes on while listening to Pandora, and I instantly shed some tears, thinking of my dear Aunt Mary, sweet Julie Brown and so many others. So many special people lost over the years, that can just never be replaced.
"The Good Stuff" strikes quite a cord in me, because honestly, I feel quite guilty about not enjoying enough of life sometimes. This past weekend I worked both days, and both days as I came home, was unable to just sit down and enjoy my family because of dishes, vacuuming, etc. I am simply not one who can ignore such things. This is my least favorite trait of mine (inherited by my sister and I from our Mother, thank you very much!) I am sure that my husband (who had already cleaned before I got home) thinks that I am the most OCD person he's ever met. What does one do to correct this? Try harder? Accept it and do what you can? This is one area of my life that I am unable to figure out.........
If you've never heard this Kenny Chesney song, I demand that you listen to it... every.single.word.
New Years Resolution, for about the 20th time: GOOD STUFF! Really, I mean it this year.

P.S. The picture is of my darling niece, Maddie in Cannon Beach. Such a great shot, so carefree, so young, and having so much fun.