happy birthday to our beautiful anna!

7 years ago today anna eleanor graced our family with her presence.

she arrived when we least expected her but needed her most.

scott and I like to think that each of our daughters' names has a story.

anna's was chosen at a time when emotions were high and in memory of two wonderfully strong women that had recently passed before her.

today we can say without hesitation that these women are looking down on anna and they are so proud of the young lady she is and will continue to be.

plus they would think she's a hoot!

happy birthday to our beautiful anna (banana...I'm sorry I can't help myself).

happy birthday wishes

*I started a post last month on our fantastic "banana" in honor of her birthday. some things have come up that have required our attention as a family. but don't be surprised if you see a "super banana" post in the near future.

prayers please

if you pray to a higher power could you say a little prayer for my mum?

thanks.

shake your bells

How lucky are we?

The Essex County Velo time trial series route runs right past our home.

Every other Wednesday night we break out our Christmas jingle bells and cheer on the riders. As they speed past the girls shout "Allez!" or "Go, Go, Go!"

We've taught them well.

Julia is stationed as lookout on her scooter at the corner and shouts "Shake your bells!" to us when she sees someone coming around the bend, "Shake your bells!" like Paul Revere (you know, only on a scooter).

Lucky for us Daddy likes to ride his bike really, really fast. So when he decides to do the time trial our bell shaking skills are put to the test. But we're good. We can pick him out of the crowd. When we do...

We shake like we've never shaked before.

Daddy going really, really fast.

the poor mom's ice bath

*Warning*: This is a training based post.

Unless you are curious about what goes on in the life of a mom/struggling wannabe athlete this post may not be for you.

Trust me, my family is my life and so training will always come second.

As I type this all I can hear is the giggles of 3 little girls being lifted up by their daddy so that they can touch the ceiling (the 13 yr old little girl included). That being said, I am realizing that as an individual, as a person I have found something that keeps me healthy and makes me happy and in return not only sets an example for my girls but makes me a better mom.

I have a hard time blogging about my training because as passionate as I am about it I can't fathom how anyone other than myself or my (very immediate) family could find any interest in it at all.

Then there is the part of me that fears that if I do post about said training it will come across as boastful which would actually take the joy out of it for me.

When I have a morning like I did today...running 13.3 miles with 2 friends that made me laugh and push to my potential how do I not share? We pulled down a time that just last year I could never thought possible and it was fun. Our run ended alongside the Essex River and we enjoyed what I like to call "The Poor Man's Ice Bath." We cast our shoes aside and plunged into the icy waters where we were relentlessly attacked by midgie bugs. As brutal as the little buggers were we toughed it out wanting the benefit of the cold water on our tired limbs.

In 2 weeks and 1 day I will be taking on 13.1 Boston. It is an inaugural half marathon that starts and finishes at the historic Prowse Farm where the Suffolk Resolves were drafted for the first continental congress in 1774. The course is described as rolling (you can't fool me...just say hilly). The course runs through the Blues Hills Reservation which includes Great Blue Hill (please stop saying hill). I am hoping to use this race to gauge where I'm at this point in my training for Chicago and hopefully secure a spot in a corral .

I have to say I'm feeling ready. At 6:45 when I left this morning I went room to room to say good morning/good bye to my girls. One of my little birds in their sleepy slumber wrapped her arms around my neck and said "I hope you do good Momma". I know what she meant on an obvious level but the fact that she cared enough to give me love and support, even half asleep made me realize that I have done good...and it has nothing to do with training.

Here are a few "official" photos from the tri.

just in case there was ever any confusion...

Jane's middle name may be Scott but she is all me...only better!

She can do all 3 at once.

red bud

When Scott and I bought our home from the previous owner she had one request.

"Take care of that red bud."

At 80 years old her children grown and her husband passing before her she was finally ready to move on from the home she lived in since the age of 17.

At the closing she told us how her husband had planted the tree when it was only knee high. Red buds are not really zoned for this area so it can be hit or miss on whether or not they will thrive. If they do it is still very rare to see one grow as large as "ours".

Every spring when the tree blooms the emails from friends that have driven by roll in, people passing by on foot and bike shout out how pretty the tree is and we have more than one stranger knock on our door to tell us how much they love the red bud.

As a family we really look forward to seeing it's beautiful purple flowers pop and it is a great reminder to Scott and I of how grateful and excited we were the day we took over the reins of this old beauty.

View from the girls' reading nook.

strawberry fields and camera bag

Life, it's funny.

Sometimes you find a friend or a friend finds you.

Ironically it tends to happen at a time that neither of you are in the "market" for a new friend.

It typically starts with you connecting on an obvious level (in this case the love of sport) and are pleasantly surprised when you realize not only do you have in common more than you thought but your kids get along too.

Then you think...

Our spouses will never get along. I mean c'mon, that would be too good to be true. We're not old friends tolerant of each other's ways biased by history and loyalty.

But guess what? Sometimes it happens. You meet a good friend, with great kids that have fun and spouses that can genuinely have fun hanging out together and roll their eyes at the lot of you.

I guess to put it simply, I spent the day strawberry picking with a great new friend and our kids had a lot of fun and I know that our spouses would have loved it too if they didn't have to punch the clock on a Saturday.

I have always loved photography. One day I hope to have the time to give it the energy I feel that it deserves. While I don't think that software can compensate for the real deal...I am loving Camera Bag (I know you are saying "duh, there is a huge watermark on every picture"). It is giving me the effects of the multiple cameras that I would love to own.

Can't decide.

Worth it?

Or go old school?

The many faces of Grady

Is he naughty?

Yes.

And...

No.

When you come to our house he will indeed maul you relentlessly.

But out of love.

God forbid you bring a lil one.

He loves lil ones and for reasons unbeknownst to me lil one's ears. He is so persistent. So much so that it comes to the point that there is nothing left to do but to retire Grady to his kennel.

I find myself defending him...

"He really is a good boy!"

"It's only when people come over!"

"He really likes baby ears but honestly, who doesn't?! You're telling me that you don't want to nibble them too?!"

But it's true. He scares lil ones (and sometimes big ones) regardless of where his heart may be.

It's tough though because for me when the children are at school and Scott is at work, I have a fantastic little friend that nonchalantly follows me around...mellow as mellow can be.

I'm going to keep working on it Grady. We'll find a way to contain some of that energy so you can be seen as the good boy you are. Not just to me.

stay focused!

This weekend we hopped in the car and headed to Route 1 where there a ton of furniture stores. A & J's birthdays are quickly approaching and the plan is to finally tackle their atrocious bedroom...starting with the addition of a bunk bed which would free up some much needed space in their shared abode.

It started as a joke. "Oooo Boston Interiors, I've never been! They are always dissing "us" in their commercials. Let's stop!"

When I walked in the first thing I saw was this...

with THESE...

Arrrgh! I'm obsessed! I can't stop thinking about how wonderful these would look in my home! I have a gross 8 year old Pottery Barn couch that it definitely on it's last leg. Between 3 kids, 1 vengeful cat (he used it as a litter box when he decided that he was not happy being left behind on vacation) and a wild man of a dog...let's just say there will be a big bonfire at our house the day we purchase a new couch. Unfortunately, Boston Interiors lies! They were actually pretty pricey compared to The Barn but we don't have anything that I love nearly as much as these.

*Sigh*

I'm sorry did somebody say bunk beds?