Catch up time...

I am still riding on cloud 9 after  my Boston Qualifier dream come true. However I have suffered some post race "blues".  For the past 6 months, I have been training with extreme focus, following a schedule, marking off runs, dreaming about the outcome. Then the day comes and goes and the world keeps going around. I have felt a little lost...like "how many miles do I run today". So I have been taking it easy, reevaluating my next goals, enjoying rest days, and eating cake...lots and lots of cake. You see in my intense focus I have forgotten to update you all on my kids and we have had 2 birthdays! Keeping up with their schedules and my training has been nothing less then intense, but now I can take a breath of fresh air and let you in on the mother side of my life for a moment. We have 1 week of school left. While I am a little nervous about this because, let's be frank, when will I run?! I can not wait to be done with packing lunches, homework, carpools, etc. We are ready for playgrounds and pools! The kids are also counting down...we will take one kid at a time.

Asher

 Asher is a kid taking after his Mommy! Every time I sign up for a race, he says "is there one I can do?". So in April, I did a 10K and Asher did a 5K. It was on Easter weekend so the race was also an East egg hunt (with prices included if you found certain golden eggs along the course). This kid ran the entire 5K in bunny ears, leaving the course to pick up an egg, shake it, put it back, grab another, and repeat...and did it in 27 minutes placing 2nd in his age group! Plus his egg won us 4 tickets to the Denver Zoo! Competitive Mary can't help but think "what could he do if he was really trying?!" but she bites her tongue. He will come into his own competitive spirit in his own time. It has been such a joy for me to share these runs with him and see him smiling the entire time.

A week before turning 11, he competed in a local triathlon: 100m swim, 8K bike, 2K run in 39:40. He asked to compete with the 11-12 year olds because he wanted to do the harder course. And again he loved every single second.

 On May 20th, Asher turned 11. The one thing he wanted for his birthday was to go indoor skydiving. He is truly into adventures.  He now says he wants to be an indoor skydiving instructor when he grows up.

It was wonderful getting to meet some of his close friends and see them interact. This seems to be such a weird age...they want to interact with adults so badly but still just aren't there yet. Asher is such a sensitive, caring, and polite kid who seems to touch almost everyone he meets. What a pleasure to raise such a fine boy!

Anna

Anna's life has been all about dancing over the past 5 months. Competition season started in January and we now have 6 competitions under our belt! This has seriously been outside of my comfort zone but this girl thrives on that stage and is already dreaming about her dances for next year. The best part about it for me has been the special one on one time it has given as we spend hours at these workshops and conventions, and weekends away together. She has gotten to dance with world famous choreographers (like Twitch, Sonya Tayeh, and Stacey Tookey), won scholarships, and made amazing friends who lift her up.

Jesse

We have all enjoyed becoming skiers this past winter but this boy flies down the slopes. We are trying to teach him control but there is just no fear there. And yes he is the one kid that has fallen off the ski lift. Isn't that every parent's fear?! Yup it happened but if you know Jesse you understand. He seems to be the one we are constantly losing due to his independence.

Jesse's sport of choice at the moment is baseball. We can't say he is the best at but he is in the process of finding himself, and he enjoys it. There are still moments of drawing in the dirt or staring up at the sky. This may be his sport. It may not. But for now this is where we are and it has made for really enjoyable family afternoons at the games.

 Jesse turned 7 on April 28th. He wanted to go bowling on his birthday with some buddies from school. What a riot! We do not go bowling enough-it was so much fun.

Again it is always special to see our children interact with their friends. They are all making friends in our new neighborhood now that the weather is nicer...and it seems everyone has found a match or two. Jesse is mr. popular and gets along with everyone. The kid still has a smile to melt the hardest of hearts. His favorite gift from his birthday was this Under Armour sweatshirt he is wearing...what is the obsession with Under Armour? And I swear his teacher must think he has no clothes because he wears this every. single. day.

Josie

Ah, what can I say about this girl...my sidekick. It must be hard being the youngest of 4. All she wants is to go everywhere the olders go but most often she is stuck with me (or Daddy). The world is too small for her personality. We spend most mornings at the dog park where she is socializing with every person (and I am off doing laps with the dogs). She has recently started writing and spelling her name.

She is following in big sister's footsteps at the moment. She loves dancing and her Anna spend many hours making up routines. Tomorrow in fact is both the girls recitals and Josie is overjoyed to be on the stage like Anna. Dance has also provided Josie's (and my) best friends. While she spends an hour in class with her friends, I get to chill with mine and then we often do lunch together afterwards (and plan mommy weekends away!).

So I believe that now catches you up on the past few months of our lives! Now I just need to stay on top of the updates!!! I will leave you with a few family moments...

 Easter

Crazy Hair Day

 Hiking

Memorial Day Bolder Boulder 10K