A Look Back

(Our Christmas card for this year)

 

 

Dodson Family Highlights for 2012

 

Riley

Coached Kendle and Morgan’s soccer teams and his last season of high school soccer (for now)

Ended his work year on a high note – top salesman in his company

Survived another year as soccer city director

 Big salmon fishing trip at the Bonneville Dam

Shot tons of geese/ducks/quail

Enjoying playing some indoor soccer again

 

                                                                                   Sarah

Successfully completed her first half-marathon

Mastered the job of potty training twins

Enjoyed spending a fun and relaxing week at the beach

Loved being a soccer/basketball/softball mom

Walked 18 miles in the pouring rain at Relay for Life but still had a great time

Finally got to see the Forgotten Carols

 

Kendle (10 and in 5^th grade)

Back to back league champ for soccer and undefeated seasons

Hit a game winning triple in one of her most memorable softball games

Enjoyed the challenge of her first year playing AAU

Fishing trip with dad where she caught the most fish

Loves playing in her Mad Mallets marimba music group at school

Ran her first 5k and rocked it

Sang a beautiful solo in her church primary program

Got to meet former professional soccer player Kasey Keller

 

Morgan (5)

Passed level 2 for swim lessons

Was quite the fireball in his first soccer season

Got to be his dad’s hunting buddy

Scored lots of baskets for his basketball team and got his first trophy (which he polishes constantly)

Figured out how to do flips, handstands, and one armed cartwheels

Developing a major power throwing arm for football and baseball

Excited to be learning to read and spell

Continues to be the best weed puller and little worker we’ve ever met

 

Cooper & Kale (3)

Mastered riding their trikes like little racing machines

Fell in LOVE with trains and anything and everything to do with them

Had a blast playing at the beach this summer and going to the river

Turned into huge chatterboxes

Learning to play better together and sometimes even act like friends

Are now big enough to go to the farm with grandpa

Enjoyed following big brother and sister around to their games and being their cheerleaders

Loved going to Country Mercantile and riding the train



It has been a great year for our family. We made so many wonderful memories that outweigh the bad.  I can't believe that another year has come and gone. We met quite a few of our goals for last year and can't wait to see what's in store for 2013!

Thanskgiving 2012

This year as usual we went to my parents house in Irrigon for Thanksgiving. It was a small gathering with just Tamra, Tucker, Jim, my parents and our family. My mom's Thanksgiving dinner is something I look forward to every year. She makes the best stuffing and gravy and pies........ok I am getting hungry again. I contributed the sweet potatoes this year (which were way too sweet) and have also become the official roll maker. I sadly did not take any pictures this year of dinner or everyone that was there. I did however eat a very large amount of delicious food and enjoy being with my family and just relaxing together and laid on the couch like a loafer most of the day.

That night we drove back home and had a babysitter lined up for the kids so we could go do some late night/early morning Black Friday shopping. I've never really done Black Friday shopping or really wanted to, but we thought if we got a babysitter and Riley and I went together it might be fun and a night out none the less. So what the heck. The first store we went to was crazy, but the others were fine and we scored some great deals. I thought all in all most everyone was polite and helpful and it wasn't that bad of an experience and I might even go as far to say that we had fun.

Saturday we met up my family at the fairgrounds in Hermiston for the second year in a row to see the Christmas lights and ride in the horse drawn carriage. It is always fun and the kids love it. Here is grandma Melodee and the kids waiting for our ride:




I love this picture of them all with grandma. I am thankful for this time of year when we are reminded and can reflect on our many blessings and spend more time with those we love.

Halloween 2012

This year Halloween was a lot of fun. We kind of went overkill on the candy, but the twins really got into it and were practicing saying trick-or-treat for weeks. Halloween was actually so warm this year that all of the kids came home sweating in their costumes and complaining of being hot. That is a first! Here are my not very good pictures of my little trick-or-treaters before they headed out the door:




It never fails that either Cooper or Kale are not looking.





I had fun doing Kendle's hair for her Medusa costume




Riley and Kendle did their usual major trek around all the surrounding neighborhood's after the little guys came home. They always get quite the haul. I'm glad Riley likes to go do that stuff with the kids, because I am much happier in my cozy house handing out the candy.

For Kendle

Dear Kendle:

I realize you haven't had it so easy the last year or so. It is hard being the coach's daughter. It is hard having high expectations to live up to. It is hard when others are rooting for you to fail and when they get satisfaction out of watching you have a bad game or even a few bad minutes of a great game. It is hard when people are quick to cut you down from a hero to a nobody. It is hard when the other players depend on you and the final outcome of the game rests on your young shoulders and you have to live up to that moment. It is hard when you'd rather be scoring goals, but instead you are in the box having shot after shot taken at you - the job that few people want that takes courage and the gumption to keep making a comeback when you feel like you could just give up. It is hard when your parents don't know when to stop coaching, rehashing games, and giving tons of unsolicited advice. (They do it out of love though.)

But here is the great part. When something is so hard that few people can do it and do it well, it feels all the better to smash in a goal, make a great save, or win a ball off a great defender. Remember in that game this past season when you battled the best defender in the league for what seemed like forever? You didn't give up. I saw that determination come over you and knew something good was going to happen. That magic Kendle switch got turned on. I could see it in your face and your body language. Sure enough, at what seemed an impossible moment you drove around her with everything you had and scored one of the best goals I have ever seen. That potential that is there made it's appearance and it couldn't be denied. Your dad and I know that when you put your mind to something - great things happen. We are working on not being so hard on you, but we hold your standards high because we know what you are capable of when you give it 100%. You are unstoppable and amazing things happen.

I'm sorry that you have had to deal with negativity and people gunning for you at such a young age, but I know if you make the choice, it can make you even stronger (untouchable even) and you are one of the strongest girls I've ever met already. You are going to learn to take those types of comments and people and turn it all into fuel for your fire that is going to light up your world and the people around you. Don't let it make you bitter, but better.

As a soccer player you are amazing, but just as regular old Kendle Dodson from Pasco, WA you are even more amazing. Don't ever forget how great you are and that your future is as bright as you want it to be. We love you and think you are already a star.

Mom and Dad

Christmas Time is Here

I desperately need to write another catch up post about the rest of October, Halloween  and Thanksgiving but I felt like writing something Christmasy today. December is upon us and I couldn't be happier. I look forward to our fun family activities and also focusing more on our Savior and the spirit of Christmas. In the hustle and bustle of soccer, basketball, school functions and concerts, church parties, shopping and present wrapping, doctor appointments  and all of the other things that tend to take up our schedules this time of year I am making an effort more than ever to go with the flow and enjoy it all without letting the stressful feelings creep in.

One of the things that help our family keep the focus on our family and Christmas spirit is to make an advent calendar, but this year we opted just for a Christmas bucket list of many fun things to do throughout the month. I loved our advent calendar we did last year, but I felt the need to be more flexible this year and simplify.

 

Here is our Dodson Family Christmas

Bucket List:

 

Decorate ginger bread houses and ice cream cone trees

 

Drive around and look at Christmas lights

 

Watch Christmas movies

 

Make and decorate Christmas Cookies

 

Take treats to friends and neighbors

 

Go watch the Senske light show

 

Visit and feed the reindeer

 

Sibling Christmas shopping

 

Make snowflakes

 

Read the Christmas story from Luke

 

Clean out toys and clothes to donate

 

Sleep under the Christmas tree

 

FHE about the symbols of Christmas and a treasure hunt

 

Go sledding

 

Learn a new Christmas song

 

Read our favorite Christmas books

 

Take a family photo

 

Drink hot chocolate and watch the Polar Express



 

Do a service project/leave a secret gift for someone

 

 

 

It is going to be a great month!



Catching Up

We are now into the second month of school, chilly October mornings, jackets and coat weather, and our second month of soccer. I love the month of October and the wonderful things it brings such as cold nights to sip on hot cocoa, fall colors emerging in nature, caramel apples and pumpkin flavored everything, and the anticipation of Halloween and the holidays just around the corner. Here's a little catch up of what's been going on:

Riley -- All the soccer craziness as the soccer city director is starting to die down a bit now that we are into the season. Coaching Kendle and Morgan's team and is finding coaching little boys is much more difficult than he thought! Ha. Busy as always with work/traveling and working hard to come in as the top salesman at the end of the year and earn us an awesome travel voucher for a vacation. Go Riley go! He went to a Seattle Sounders game this past weekend with some friends and said it was crazy but a lot of fun.

Kendle -- Probably the busiest out of all of us. Enjoying school as a 5th grader. This year she is a Peer Helper and also involved in Kids on Stage and the Mad Mallet music group. She LOVES Mad Mallets and thinks it's a blast. She has practice for that three days a week after school. She's also still plugging away with piano lessons at my insistence. Soccer is going great and her team is first in their league. She has scored 4 goals so far and made some great assists. Their last game on Saturday she battled with the other teams top player for a good two or three minutes back and forth with the ball, and finally beat her to smash a great goal in. It was awesome, just proud she kept at it and didn't give up. She hasn't played keeper that much as they need her out in the field more, but the one game she played keeper for half the game she made some great saves. She seems to still be ok with having her dad as her coach and tries not to roll her eyes at him too much (because she knows he'll make her run). Ha! She started AAU a few weeks ago and has awesome coaches we are very excited about. Although she is the youngest on the team and they are playing up at the 6th grade level, she is enjoying it and says she is learning a lot. She got asked to sing a solo in the primary program and hopefully it goes off as good as she's been practicing.

Morgan -- Morgan is growing and getting so tall and skinny. He has no baby fat left whatsoever and is getting a serious six pack. We call him our little muscle man. I try and feed him as much as I can but that boy never stops moving, running, or jumping all day. We decided to wait another year to send him to kindergarten and he is doing school with me during the mornings instead. He enjoys it and is a good listener most of the time and let's me help and correct him when needed. He loves to learn about new things and how things work. He is probably the only five year old I know that can tell you about pumps and pipes and all the water workings and things about a farm. He's also become a collector bordering on the edge of being a hoarder. He is always asking me for jars to keep and store more things in that he has found outside, his treasures. His favorite movie right now is the Sandlot and we recently bought him a new pair of high top Converse which he thinks are the best shoes ever. He is loving soccer and we are working on teaching him not to tackle and knock people over so much. (Save that for football in a few years)

Cooper -- Is quite the character. He reminds us of Charlie Brown sometimes and also does this little thing we call the "Cooper Shuffle" where he kind of just slumps his shoulders and sulks away when he doesn't get his way. He loves to draw and color and takes it very seriously with a studious expression on his face. He can be a stinker sometimes, but he is ALWAYS the first one to tell me thank you after I serve them up meals, get treats, etc......Obsessed with Thomas the Train and trains in general and talks about them all the time. Loves to sneak into my purse and eat all my gum. For some reason, he is always the one that is writing with pen all over himself or something else weird like that. Can usually always make me laugh with his mischievous smile.

Kale -- Slightly more dramatic than his twin brother and likes to put lots of extra attitude into his words to get his point across. Also completely obsessed with Thomas the Train and all other trains. Knows all of Thomas and his friends names. Tries to be a sneaker and get into my baking cupboard and eat all the chocolate chips and marshmallows. Is usually one of the last to fall asleep at night and keeps his other brothers awake. Pretty independent most of the time and wants to do things himself. Loves to sing silly songs with me and his brothers or sing along to the radio in the car. Gives good little hugs and squeezes.

Both boys have been potty trained since this summer and it is awesome! So thankful for that. They are getting so big and already wearing most of Morgan's clothes from about six months ago. Can't believe they will be 3 next month.

I've been not so patiently trying to get over these nasty colds that seem to just keep coming. I was attempting to keep my running routine up and train for another half-marathon the end of the month but I've been hit with another bad cold that has me all stuffed up and barely able to talk. My energy level is just wiped out between that and doing all the other day to day tasks. But I'll keep my fingers crossed that I can get better this week. I've been diving into baking season now that the weather has cooled off and keep finding so many new recipes that sound good to try out. I try and keep every one's schedules straight, sports uniforms and practice clothes washed, after school/pre-practice snacks and water bottles ready to go, and all the random soccer gear, cleats, and what not rounded up. I love that now it is dark earlier, all the kids are going to bed earlier and I have time to catch up on my shows I DVR. I don't feel like my life is all that exciting, but I can't complain. I'm thankful for all the many big and small blessings in our life and for this family of mine.

Pushing Limits

Last Saturday I completed my first half-marathon. I felt pretty prepared, but the whole week leading up to the race I was nervous and my stomach was in knots. The night before I couldn't sleep a wink. All sorts of different scenarios kept running through my mind. What if my foot starts hurting again, what if I keep coughing the whole time (hard time getting over a cold), what if I hit a wall and get burnt out too early, what if, what if, what if.......................it was a long night. In the morning Riley drove me to the starting area to check in for the race. I got my chip timer and found for some reason it awkwardly wrapped around my ankle unlike everyone else. I know I have small ankles, but this was kind of ridiculous. Finally I looked at a friends and realized mine was almost broken and hanging by a thread. Riley ran and got me a new one which I was so glad to have since the other one probably would have fallen off during the race. Crisis averted!

They called the warning for everyone to start lining up. There were so many runners, just a sea of faces in every direction. Everyone anxious, making sure their shoes were tied tight enough, gear in the right place, ipod's set on their running mix, stretching and moving in place. And then we were off, slowly at first to get the mass of runners through the starting gate and up the hill past the boat launch. I started to get antsy and began to bob and weave my way forward to get some space and pick up some speed. It took about a mile in to get  a good pace going and spread out a bit. I felt my adrenaline surging and kept thinking about a quote I read from a great running coach:

"Run the first part of the race with your head, the middle part with your personality, and the last part with your heart." I didn't want to burn out too early, but was also trying to make sure I wasn't going too slow. My adrenaline was making me want to speed along.

About the 4 mile mark I was keeping stride with another girl runner and stayed that way for another mile or 2. At one point she looked over at me and told me thanks for helping her keep a good pace. That was the cool thing. I felt like even though we were all competing against each other, we were all in it together too. Because 13 miles is a long ways to go and you have respect for each and every person that is puting the effort into completing it. After the turn around I felt a bit of relief, and knew once I got back to the main running trail with about 4 miles left it would be go time. I watched the miles tick down and kept pushing and pushing myself.

At about mile 11 I was suddenly siezed with a painful side cramp that would not go away. I was on the home stretch and I just kept telling myself not to stop, just keep going. For the record, I have never gotten a side cramp like that ever in my last few months of training so why I got one that day I can't say but I felt like it was a test of my will. At mile 12 I was still in pain and wanted to quit and walk badly. I had never wanted anything more than to just be done with this race and I kept asking myself why I had thought this was a good idea in the first place. I was not having fun, I knew I wasn't going to finish in the time I knew I could do it in. I was getting so mad and upset at the situation. Finally I came around the last bend with a half-mile left to the finish and I decided to just give it one last push of everything I had - pain or not. I could see the finish line and hear the cheering. The ending was cruel as we had to run back up the hill by the boat launch to reach the finish and my calves and side were screaming. About 20 feet from the finish line I spotted my children waiting to cheer me on and as I passed through the finish line I saw Riley waiting there for me with flowers. I was done! I simultaneously felt like a million bucks and like I could die at the same time.

Running a race like this is something I never thought I could do. It was so mentally and physically grueling, but very rewarding and worth the effort and months of running. Riley and the kids were my biggest cheerleaders and were always encouraging me and helping me find time to go on the long runs. Cooper and Kale when seeing me put my workout clothes on will always ask, "going running mom?" and I have to laugh. Overall it was a great experience.

 

What to do in the Fall

Here is a little something I made for our family

Fall Family Fun List:



go to high school football games
make apple pie and apple crisp
drive through the Columbia Gorge
go to the pumpkin patch
s'mores around the fire pit
college football on tv (with football food)
walks at the park
bake lots of pumpkin desserts/treats
make caramel apples
drink hot chocolate with lots of whipped cream
soccer games
watch Halloween movies
plan Halloween costumes
take a hike
carve pumpkins
make a fall wreath
plant mums
have family movie nights
collect leaves and acorns

Palouse Falls

Over Labor Day weekend we squeezed in one more little family outing. We decided to pick somewhere we'd never been and just take a drive there. About an hour and a half from our house is Palouse Falls State Park. Neither Riley or I had visited there or heard about it, so we thought why not? We needed to get the kids out of the house for a bit and some quiet nap time in the car for the kids never hurts. The drive went through some pretty no-man's land stretches and at times was pretty hilly and curvy. We're talking no cell phone service for miles around in any direction. Not much in the scenery department to take in either, but upon arriving at our destination we had a beautiful site to see.

There are some trails you can hike that take you close to the falls, but as they are slightly dangerous we did not attempt them with the kids. We would love to go back and explore more another time. We also found another cool spot to go swimming/camping so we'll have to do that too.

Sometimes spur of the moment plans are the best and you just never know what you might find!

Back to School

It is back to school time and I have to admit I am a bit happy that it is that time of year and back to routines, and kids who are usually tired and going to bed at a regular time at night. Kendle is in 5th grade this year, and it seriously seems like just yesterday that I was taking her to kindergarten. She is growing up in the blink of an eye.



She is excited to be a peer helper this year, and have the opportunity to participate in some other great activities offered to the 5th graders. She really didn't want me walking her to class on the first day or taking pictures of her, but I told her to deal with it since it was her last year at that school I was definitely taking picutres.

I tend to joke with Kendle that she is like the "Pide Piper" for younger kids. Everywhere she goes she has a small fan club of kids that latch on to her and follow her around. On the first day of school as we got out of our car to walk to the playground, another little girl ran up to Kendle, threw her arms around her and gave her a huge hug. It was a little girl that rode her bus last year and was so excited to see her! I had to laugh. Also, she is very good to help our little neighbor friend across the street and walks her to the bus stop in the mornings. I tease her that if she was this nice all the time to her own younger siblings, it would help me out a lot! She is a good egg though and I'm glad she is at least nice to other people's kids. Ha!

This is a busy time of year for us with fall softball, soccer, and everything else so it always seems as if September and October fly by so fast and it is November before we know it, but I do love this time of year with the chillier mornings and sunny afternoons and look forward to the weeks to come.

10

This girl turned the big 1-0 last week and it's been a highly anticipated birthday. No more telling people that she's 9 1/2, or allllllmooost 10. Telling people you are in fact 10, just sounds so much better.

 

(Kendle with her 3 layer Devils Food Cake with Mint Chocolate Chip Icing.)

One thing I've noticed about Kendle, is that she seems to make friends wherever she goes. I hope as she grows older that she can continue to use her personality and people skills to be kind to those that need a friend and have an influence for good.  She's got the fight in her, and as her dad and I often tell her, if she can channel that in constructive ways (whether it's sports, school, life goals, etc...) there isn't anything she can't do.

**Here are some questions I asked her as she sat down with me for a brief birthday interview:**

Favorite Color?  Aqua Marine

Favorite Food? Spaghetti

Favorite Treat?  All treats, I love them all (Kendle does not discriminate)

Favorite Type of Music?  Nicki Minaj, Fun. , Flo Rida

Favorite Book?   Harry Potter Series

Favorite TV Show?  Good Luck Charlie

Favorite Subject in School? Art because she loves to draw

Favorite Place to Go? The mall

Favorite Movie?  Diary of a Wimpy Kid

What do you want to be when you grow up? An athlete/Doctor/President/Artist

What is your favorite thing to do in your spare time?   Play my dsi

Favorite sport?   Soccer (duh)

If you could meet one famous person, who would it be and why?   Wayne Rooney or Hope Solo, because in soccer I either want to be a forward like Wayne Rooney who plays for Manchester United or a keeper like Hope Solo who is an Olympic gold medalist.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?    Hawaii in the winter and Paris in the summer. I love the beach, and I've always wanted to visit the Eiffel Tower.

What is one thing you want to accomplish this year as a 10 year-old?   Scoring at least 10 goals in soccer.

And that is Kendle in a nut shell! We love her so.

Long Beach 2012

This was our third summer vacation in Long Beach. We have treasured the memories that have been made in this lovely coastal town that has become like a home away from home. We stayed in an awesome ocean front house this year that was perfect and had the most gorgeous view in every direction. We brought a huge trailer with us this year so we could pack all of the kids bikes and other fun things. There were lots of bike rides packed in for the kids which they loved and the Discovery Trail ran right in front of our house to ride/walk/ and run on. Instead of making lots of plans and scheduling every day like we usually do, this year we decided to just totally take it easy, slow down, relax and pretty much do whatever the kids wanted to do. There was lots of playing and swimming at the beach, walking to Scoopers for ice cream (of course), swimming at an indoor aquatic center, exploring Astoria and visiting some museums, visiting the Saturday market at the port of Ilwaco, and Riley  took the older kids fishing. My parents came and stayed one night with us and the kids loved having grandma and grandpa there. We had gorgeous weather for the beach that day and it was perfect. And of course we had to do our big bonfire on the beach one of our last nights there and have a major smores session. I love having this tradition with my family and I hope as our lives get busier and busier and our children get older that we can keep it a must do family trip. We always come home with lots of tired smiles, extra sea shells and souvenirs, and of course a car full of sand!

Running Music

I thought I'd share some songs from my running/workout playlist. Here's a sample of what's playing on my ipod during my runs:



Live Like a Warrior -- Matisyahu
Feel So Close (radio edit) -- Calvin Harris
Blow  -- Ke$ha
Payphone -- (clean version) -- Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa
Super Bass (clean version) -- Nicki Minaj
Runaways -- The Killers
Good Time -- Owl City and Calry Rae Jepsen
Heads Will Roll -- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Till I Collapse (clean version) -- Eminem
Lights -- Ellie Goulding
Part of Me -- Katie Perry
The Fighter -- Gym Class Heroes featuring Ryan Tedder
Let Me Down Easy -- 2AM Club
Turn Up The Music -- Chris Brown
Best of You -- Foo Fighters


Also, here's a little something from Nike and Ellie Goulding. Love it:

*Half-Way Mark*

I was thinking this morning how since we are about half-way through the year I should sit down and tally up my miles ran so far. I try to keep good track by writing it down, and separating the miles by month. As of this week, I am at just over 300 miles. I  have been trying to work in at least one long run a week, but being the mom of four little ones with a busy husband doesn't always allow for that. I am getting to the point where if my energy level is good and the weather is nice, it feels great, especially the long ones where I can ease up and take my time more.

A few weeks ago while running, another runner  passed me going the opposite direction - a middle aged man with longer hair and a baseball cap on.  He was running at a good speed with these great big strides and he just looked so happy, like he was having a blast. He had a big smile on his face and looked like he was enjoying every minute. It made me smile back in return and put an extra spring in my step. I can't exactly put into words how it changed the way I look at exercising, but it really made me think about how fantastic it is to be able to get out and let your body just have the freedom to let go and burn off some steam. To be physically healthy and able enough to do that is real freedom. I know, I know. Deep thoughts all over the place.

Here are a few things that have helped me this far:

*Comfortable running attire
Good shoes and socks are a must, but the clothes you wear can help you just as much. Not only clothes that are comfortable to wear, but that also do not make you feel self-concious. You don't want to be focusing on constantly having to readjust your outfit. Even if something looks "cute", if it's not practical or doesn't stay in place it's not worth the bother. A good sports bra is essential, you don't want your back or shoulders suffering. Dress for the weather - but remember that the ideal temp for running is about 50/60 degrees so anything hotter than that and you want to be in cool light clothing. When you start burning up a sweat, even 70 degrees feels really hot.

*Distance tracker or timer
Whether you use programs like mapmyrun.com, the Nike running apps, or just the stopwatch feature on your ipod or watch, being able to track your times and distance helps you to push yourself and manage your runs more efficiently. Sometimes I start to feel sluggish or tired, but when I look at my tracker and see that I only have a mile or so left, it helps me kick it into gear and pick up the pace a bit. It's also helpful to go back and look at your stats from your runs to see at what points and intervals along the way you slowed down, sped up, managed hills and elevation, and other circumstances. Especially if you are training for a race, it is very helpful. It's a useful tool to be competitive with YOURSELF and look for ways to improve.

*Make it a game
Pick a marker or something farther in your path and sprint to it. Find someone walking or running ahead of you and try to catch up to them or pass them. f you listen to music, vary your running speed to match the beat. Give yourself little personal challenges and set *small goals each time. One time when I had been running for about 3 miles or so, another lady came bounding onto the running trail behind me all fresh and ready to start her run. The competetive side of me kicked in and I pretended I was in a race and I was not going to let her pass me even though I was getting tired. I sped up and sprinted for a while, and when I looked back she was way far behind. A little immature yes, but kind of fun and the best feeling ever! (sorry lady)

*Set small achievable goals as stepping stones to the big ones
The old saying goes that you have to walk before you can run right? Well yes and no. Sometimes you have to push yourself to prove to your body and your mind, that what they were telling you was wrong. Your mind might be telling you that you can only walk, but your body might be raring to go saying, hey we can do this -- give me a chance! Physically yes, sometimes our body gives off warning signals like cramps or not being able to catch our breath (oooh, believe me I've been there)and it's important to pay attention and take a break when those things happen. But more often than not, it is our mind that pulls the switch and says, nope that's all I can do -- I'm done. Don't believe it! You can begin to build up your distance, endurance, and speed by setting small goals and sticking to them. I figured out early on that if I could run 1 mile without stopping, I could run 2. And so on and so on. This is all coming from my own personal experience and what has worked for me, but the biggest obstacle I had to overcome was not quitting on myself.

*Have a personal mantra
Everyone has a favorite quote. Everyone has experienced something hard or difficult in their lives. Find something that resonates with you, and let that help you through the tough parts. One day I decided I was going to run farther than I had before and the little negative part of me just wanted to laugh and be like, "This is never going to happen. You aren't going to make it. What makes you think you can do this? You know you are going to quit and get tired." Then I had a memory of being in the hospital with Cooper and Kale and thinking the same thing. How in the heck am I going to do this? I don't know how I did it, but I did. And that's pretty much how everything is in life, it seems impossible until you do it. So now, when I'm feeling kind of weak and wimpy I just think about my twin boys, and say to myself -- "I had two big twin babies. I can do this. That was hard. This is just running."  I also think about my favorite quote: "A block of granite which was an obstacle in the path of the weak, becomes a stepping stone in the path of the strong." That is some powerful stuff right there. And repeat and repeat and repeat..............

*Cross training
I try and do a couple days a week of free weights and other leg exercises on my days off of running.
I believe it has made a big impact. Also, ab exercises to strengthen the core. I highly recommend the leg pyramid to tone up and strengthen your legs. The free weights help balance out my back and shoulders, along with toning of course. I've had back problems pretty much my whole life and the weights really help as odd as that sounds. Bike riding, swimming, roller blading, playing your favorite sport, or hiking are also some other great ways to do some lower impact exercise and work some other muscle groups. Got to give your knees, shins, and feet a break from the pounding impact of running.

*Take care of yourself
I've learned the hard way that you have to be kind to your body or it's not going to do what you want it to do. Stretching is sooooo important. Taking care of sore muscles and aches and pains can head off big injuries later on. Listen to your body and give it time to heal or rest. Also giving your body the fuel it needs to work hard is essential. Protein and the right amount and kind of carbs is important. As women sometimes we are so focused on the "losing weight" part of the equation that we forget that it takes energy to workout and burn off excess calories and that energy has to come from eating enough good food to get us through. I've gone for runs where I didn't have anything for lunch except a salad, and believe me it wasn't pretty. It's like a car running on fumes, sooner or later it's going to have to pull over and get more gas or it's going to stop working and leave you stranded.  Hot baths, ice, ibuprofen or other anti-inflammatory, and a good foot rub from your hubby never hurts either. Also, drink water like it's your job.

*Find a time that works for you
Now that it's summer and my morning routines are a little more relaxed, I've been able to get away for some morning runs. The good thing about going in the morning is it is done and out of the way and it's not too hot yet. It feels good to start the day out right. The flip side for me is I don't have very much get up and go in the morning. My energy level is just not at it's optimum. I so wish I was more of a morning person. When I run in the evening I feel like I have the most energy and get my best distances/times. It feels good to run as the temperature is dipping down and the sun is setting. The flip side to that is you don't want to eat dinner to closely to the time you will go running and sometimes it interferes with date nights, sports, or family plans. Personally it's my favorite time to go, but harder to get away. I've ran a few afternoons lately when it was hot and that was not something I wanted to do again any time soon. When I run indoors on my treadmill, the best time for me was in the afternoon when the twins were napping. It's all a personal preference and what works for you.

*Reward yourself
This can be a hard one for many women if you are anything like me. We tend to not think of ourselves first or do that many nice things that will actually benefit us. New running shoes, downloading new songs to workout to, going to get a pedicure, or going out for a super good treat are a few of the things I've done to just give myself a little pat on the back for sticking with it. Start tracking your miles and set up little rewards as you go.

*Music, music, music
You know that good feeling you get when your favorite song comes on the radio and you instantly feel like your mood is lifted? Having a good running playlist is probably one of the most important things that have kept me motivated and interested. If you're starting to get bored, switch it up. There have been many a time that a song has helped me make it that last mile or picked up the pace. Never underestimate the power of some good beats.

*Stop comparing yourself to others
As the saying goes, comparison is the thief of joy. The point is that you are trying and that is what counts. I always try to remember that I am in competition with no one but myself. At the end of the day, what I've accomplished is all that matters.

I think this about sums it up:

5th Birthday

Morgan turned the big 5 last week. We had a fun time celebrating and welcoming him into this new age. He is ALL boy. Dirty, jumping, karate kicking, flipping, bike riding, super hero pretending, bad guy chasing, and hard working. The night of his birthday I reminisced about his younger years, rereading blog posts that made me long for those snuggly and cozy days with him as a baby. Days when Kendle was just starting school and the Morgster and I would spend quiet mornings together. How as he grew, he became my little shadow and loved to help me and follow me everywhere. Now as he is officially a "big boy", I appreciate the hugs, kisses, and time spent with just the two of us even more. I love this crazy, energetic, happy boy. He is so much fun and his dad and I are so proud of him. We feel so blessed that we are lucky enough to have him as a part of our family.

Lessons from the Glow Run

Last Friday night Kendle and I ran our first race together - a 3 mile night glow run along the Columbia River here in Pasco. Our Relay for Life team sponsored the event and it was a total blast. Everyone was decked out in all sorts of neon and glow in the dark accessories and clothing. Not only was the race itself super fun, but the fact that so many people came out to show their support for such a good cause was awesome. I'm so glad that we had such a great experience participating in our first race.  I usually don't consider myself a very competitive person, but there was something about running and raising money for cancer and thinking about those that we have lost and those that are dealing with cancer right now that just made me want to run my heart out for all of them.

I had a personal PR for a 3 mile run at 24:06. Pretty sure if I could have started sprinting right away I could have made it under 24 minutes. It was hard bobbing and weaving through all of the people at the very beginning, but eventually it cleared out and I was able to get a good pace going. Kendle and I started out side by side and she was actually cutting a nice path through people for me. She kept up a good pace with me for the first half mile or so. She had a great time of 30:52. She ran her little heart out, I was pretty darn proud of her. She came up with her own system to get through the race: sprint, run, jog, and then walk when she got tired. She loved it and wants to do another race soon.

 I have to share this experience from the race that has stayed with me and I think it really taught me something that I needed to see, feel, and learn. Kendle and I were keeping pace together really well at the beginning, I was sprinting pretty hard to get a good start going and she was keeping up. About a half mile in I could tell she was starting to struggle and slow down. I was tempted to slow down with her and give her a break, but I was trying to be this fast race runner lady and wanted to do my best, so I made the decision to go on ahead and leave her behind. As I put distance between us, I took a glance over my shoulder and I could see her slowing and getting swallowed up by the darkness and the sea of runners. It made me kind of sad. She was trying so hard and really wanted to finish with a good time.  My next thought was just to concentrate on running as fast as I could so I could be to the finish line in plenty of time to watch her finish and take a picture. I found a fast person in front of me to keep pace with and did my best to keep up with them the remainder of the race.  After crossing the finish line myself, I stood and cheered with others on the sidelines as the other racers came through. In the darkness it was hard to make out who was who, and I kept searching and searching for her face to appear among those nearing the end. When I spotted her face among a few other runners approaching the finish, I felt like I had just learned a profound lesson that I as a mother needed to learn at this exact moment in my life. It literally felt like I had a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. [At this point in our mother/daughter relationship, we don't always get along and very rarely see eye to eye. We disagree more often than not and I've been frustrated with the yucky road I felt our relationship was heading down. It is something that I have been trying to figure out how to make better and worrying that her and I would never have the type of bond that I wanted us to have. I would lay awake at night imagining her going off to college and leaving the nest without her feeling like she has a strong link to me. That's a terrifying feeling for a mom.]  But I realized as I saw her cross that finish line, that sometimes as a mother you have to just go on ahead and hope that what you are teaching your kids and the love you unconditionally give is good enough for them to make it across the finish line in their own time and in their own way. At some point in their life you have to loosen the reigns and just have hope. You can't always run with them and hold their hand and pull them along and slow yourself down with frustration and worry in the process. I recognized the fact that I need to lighten up on my feelings to control most everything in my life and take a lighter approach to our relationship. Don't force things.  I'm going to try my best not to be so hard on her. I already knew she was amazing and is capable of great things, but I'm not going to push so hard and not try and make her get where she needs to go, because she is already well on her way and will get there on her own. I read a great quote the other day that said something along the lines of "Don't be so worried about raising a great kid, that you forget you already have one."  I had the distinct and overwhelming feeling when I gave her a big congratulatory hug that everything is going to be ok with us. Not in my time which is usually now, now, now, but in time. It was kind of ironic, but I felt like that finish line represented the possibility of having a fresh start.



If I had my own Nike running poster, this is what it might say:

"That's me in that picture. I am 32.  Mom of four great kids. Wife to a hard working husband. Three years ago I never thought I'd be running. Never thought I'd love running. Never thought I'd call myself a runner. Now I'm looking forward to more races. And training for a half-marathon. Most days I have to be super mom. But when I'm running, I just concentrate on being super fast. Here I come."

Oh yeah, and that girl in the picture with me? She's a stud. An academic. Softball, soccer, and basketball player. And now I'll add runner to that list. Future doctor, writer, professional soccer player, President of the United States, mother, marathon runner -- whatever she wants to be.

Spring Happenings

I am still alive! It's been about a month and a half since my last post. We've had computer ups and downs and I haven't been able to blog. Riley bought me a laptop for mother's day so now I am good to go although we are still working on repairing our hard drive so we can transfer all of our important stuff to a new tower. But that's kind of boring I suppose so enough of that.

So much has been going on in the last month or so. Here's a rundown, beware of super long post:

Kendle's soccer team finished another soccer season and the icing on their cake was also winning the Spring tournament. These girls went undefeated in the fall as well and have really improved and become a "team". We now have this huge trophy sitting on our piano and I'm not quite sure yet what we're supposed to do with it. I'm thinking we should let all the girls take a turn keeping it at their houses.






Can't say enough good things about this group of girls. Riley does such a good job with them and even some of the girls who played for the first time this year have really come along. It's been so much fun to watch them.

We've also been full throttle into softball season. Because the league has so many teams, Kendle's age group (10u) has been playing mostly late night games starting at 7:30 or so. That means on most of those nights we don't get done until after 9:00, and some of the games haven't been finished because the field's lights which are on timers have shut off. It has been neat to see them play under the lights at night though and it hasn't been too cold, just hard when we are taking all the kids with us because that is way past their bed time. Kendle's favorite position is catcher, but she also plays shortstop a lot. I can see her improvement since last season and she has really enjoyed her team and coach this season. So far they have only lost one game and usually outhit the other teams. This is her first year where they are hitting off of actual fastpitch pitching instead of coach pitch, so it took some getting used to but she has come through for her team and made some pretty clutch hits when they needed them. They only have a few games left and then will play an end of season tournament for their division championship.




What else is going on with Miss Kendle? I was able to attend one of her field trips to Sacajawea State Park a few weeks ago and that was pretty fun since I had never been there before. It was a very pretty park and they had a great little visitors center. They also went to the Whitman Mission in Walla Walla last week. She's been practicing for her piano recital that was on Monday night (we will be glad to not have to hear those songs for a while) and has been working on her audition for their school talent show next week - she's going to do a hula hooping routine and we're still working out the kinks. She's also been singing in their school's performance choir and the spring concert is next week. And let's not forget soccer academy for club soccer every Friday and I talked her into running in our Relay for Life's 5k run next week. Busy, busy! They've had lots of testing going on at school as well and I think she is looking forward to summer and laying low for a while if that's possible.

Morgan's life as a 4 1/2 year old is pretty sweet. He loves going to preschool, playing with his friends, jumping and doing flips on the trampoline, digging in the dirt, pretending he's farming, and playing baseball. He just missed the birthday cutoff for playing tee-ball this year, I was pretty bummed because he is so good. That kid can hit and throw like nobody's business and he definitely could use an outlet for all of his energy. I think we are going to get him into some summer soccer and then he will be able to play real soccer in the fall. We're pretty excited to watch him play, he is such a natural -- as long as he can keep his cry baby tendancies to a minimum I think he'll love it. Ha! He loves to ask questions and MUST know the real answer. He probably asks me at least 1000 questions a day and then some. We all get annoyed watching movies with him because he talks through the whole thing and wants to know why, why, why?????? He is still a hard little worker and helped us remove a ton of rocks last weekend from our backyard. He never complains, just tells you when he's tired and needs a little break. He amazes me with his little mind and his ability to entertain himself and play all day long just singing, talking, and imagining.  He could dig in the dirt all day long. No wonder his favorite movie right now is Holes. He starts swim lessons the day before his birthday and is stoked for that. He's pretty much the coolest little dude and everything I hoped my little boy would be like someday.

Cooper and Kale at 2 1/2 are........................well....................Cooper and Kale. Saying they are busy doesn't even begin to sum it up. They pretty much make the word busy look lazy. They are extremely fast, fearless, and smart which is a deadly combination. My goal every day is just to make sure no one ends up permanently maimed and that we all survive to live another day. My house has seriously taken a beating the last few months from all of their "adventures", but at the end of the day I love them still and am thankful for the entertainment and joy they bring to my life even if I don't always appreciate it in the moment. It is definitely a challenge to try and stay one step ahead of them at all times.  I have to be equal parts Sherlock Holmes, Lara Croft Tomb Raider, and Mary Poppins to even remotely keep up with them. On some of the warmer days we've been having, they've had a blast running through the sprinkler and playing on the trampoline with the sprinkler, but without fail - one of them will end up getting the hose and chasing the other one around spraying him right in the face and making him cry. They are both starting to talk more and turning into little jabber boxes. It cracks us up to hear them say new phrases like "Hey mom", "Here you go", "No Thank You" (which they try and say to get out of anything they don't want to do and it really is cute) or their personal favorite when someone has hurt their feelings "MEAN!", which they say when they are feeling slightly insulted or ripped off and is usually accompanied by a good finger pointing at the one to blame. They've also picked up a few not very good things like "idiot" and "shut up", that their older siblings get in trouble for every time they say them. Why do they always pick those words up so easily but not the ones like cup, shoe, or whatever else is useful? (Long inward sigh.........................)

Here are a few of their individual character traits at this age:


Cooper:
Ring Leader
Mischievious glimmer in his eyes
Mastermind
Blond hair fluffy and spiky like a baby chick
Wants to do it himself
Climber
Jumper
Contagious laugh
Forgives easily
Little Morgan Junior
Jokester
Plays the hardest and usually the first to fall asleep
Mostly easy going

Kale:
Slight flare for the dramatic
Can be picky
Cuddler and hugger
Likes to pick out his own clothes
Usually sleeps in longer in the morning
Likes to blame everything on Cooper
Happy crinkly eyes and smile
Holds grudges a little longer
Almost always says thank you
Kendle junior
Funny
Is a big tease

Their current favorite movies that they request over and over again are Fantastic Mr. Fox (or Fox to them), Coraline, and Home Alone. Please don't judge me.

Riley finished up high school soccer at the beginning of May. They had a pretty lackluster season due to some injuries and other circumstances, but managed to end on a high note by beating Kamiakin for their last home game that was senior night. Pretty discouraging after placing 4th at state last year, but that's how it goes sometimes. His job with Sprague keeps him hopping this time of year and he was the top salesman in his area last month and got some good recognition at their last corporate meeting he attended. He's gotten a couple of big contracts he's been working hard for and picked up a few more in their golf tournament he played in a few weeks ago. No better place to make business deals than on a golf course right? Ha. He is a hard working guy and always thinking about ways to improve and do better at his job. He has enjoyed coaching Kendle's age group in the new soccer academy program they started this year and will be their club coach for this next season. It's often a challenge for him to walk the line between dad/coach at practice and it can be frustrating for him if Kendle doesn't listen, but I think he handles it a lot better than I could. He's been doing lot's of yard work and other chores that I throw at him in his spare time.


I feel like I've been on the go every day for the last two months, but it sure does make the time go by fast and I know that soon it will be summer. I enjoy watching the games and activities our kids are involved in and I feel blessed that we are able to make it all work at this stage in our lives even when it feels crazy, there is usually still a little fun mixed into the bunch. I think I will admit I'm eating my words and have fallen in love with running. I've been running by the river trails when I get the time and I love it. Howard Amon park's trail is my favorite and especially in the morning it is beautiful and makes my runs go by so fast. It feels good to take the time for myself and have some quiet to think, reflect, pray, mull over problems, and find peace.  After finishing a big run Monday morning I got kind of emotional thinking about what is possible if you just make up your mind to do something. It has been such a good stress reliever on top of the physical benefits of getting in better shape. I've had a few people ask me if I'm training for anything, and although there are a few races I want to try and do in the coming months I'm mostly just training for a better life and well being.  On another note, I've been putting together plans, getting ideas for our yard,  picking out paint colors, and cleaning out closets and dejunking in preparation for some major house/yard work we are about to embark on in the next few weeks. I hope I can remember to try and take lots of before/after pictures and not get discouraged if things don't get done as quickly as I'd like.

Some things on our list:
Outside:
-Getting rid of the dirt (aka Morgan's farm) on the side of our house and planting grass. If we're feeling generous we might leave a small boxed in sandbox for the boys.
-Getting rid of the pea gravel in the firepit area, planting grass there as well, and making a paver stone surround for the firepit itself
-Hanging up new outdoor lights in the backyard
-Sanding and restaining our picnic table
-Making a fountain for the front and back yard
-Planting some more decorative plants in the back yard
-Touch up the trim and repaint the front door

Inside:
-Painting kitchen cabinets
-Refinishing counter tops
-Adding beadboard and trim to kitchen island
-Repainting all the trim and doors
-New kitchen faucet
-Fixing holes, dents, and other damage on the walls
-New paint for all walls
-Fix cracks in the ceiling
-Address carpet issues in hallway and bedrooms
-Spruce up bathrooms with new paint and hardware
-Add more shelves/storage to laundry room
-Improve functionality of our bedroom closet

Other:
-Organize garage by adding more shelving, food storage area, and place to hang or store bikes.

I will be lucky if we even get half of that  a quarter of that list accomplished, but I'm aiming high! :) Other than that we are making some fun summer plans, counting down the days until school is out, planning a super fun birthday party for the Morgster, and cramming in as many night time smores sessions as we can on windless nights.

Catching Up

I posted a while ago about how our computer was on the long list of things the twins have destroyed. We are still waiting to find a good deal on a possible lap top instead of a regular desk computer in the hopes that I can then take it and hide it and they won't be able to mess with it. In the meantime I am thankful for my smart phone and Riley's laptop from work that he has been so kind as to let me use the last work or so. But that's the boring stuff, here's what else has been going on:

Kendle started softball and so we are now on overlapping mode with soccer and Riley's high school coaching schedule. So far, no major mishaps or crazy scheduling conflicts. Helps that Riley also coaches Kendle's team so we can plan practices on days that work with everything else that is going on. Her soccer team has so far been enjoying another hot streak and remains undefeated. She's been enjoying attending the competitive league trainings on Friday afternoons and is looking forward to that starting after regular soccer is over. She's moved up to the age for softball where they actually pitch to each other, so this season should be interesting. Lots of ducking and evading wild balls I'm sure. Her team seems pretty fun though and her coach is nice and very organized. School is going good for her, she had another excellent review at parent teacher conferences and although it's nothing new, it is still nice to hear that your child is excelling and being a star student. Almost makes up for how they act at home right? She stays consistently pretty far above grade level in every subject and currently her favorite subject is writing. Anywho, we love her teacher and wish she could move up to 5th grade with Kendle next year. Kendle also loves their reading buddy days when they get to read to the kindergartners and anything else she can help with at school. She has made some new fun friends this year at school and through sports and just really enjoys life for the most part.

Morgan and the twins have entered the dirty season. It's starting to get nice enough to play outside a lot so they love to dig in the dirt and by the end of the day they all look like pig pen from Charlie Brown. I am constantly sweeping up dirt and doing laundry but at least they are happy and somewhat self entertained. I read somewhere the other day that little boys should play outside as much as possible because they thrive with touching, seeing, and experiencing learning firsthand especially in nature. I guess my boys have that covered! Morgan made a cute bird feeder at preschool today and was excited to come home and hang it up in the backyard tree. He has been anxiously checking it for any bird activity since then. He is also a flipping machine on the trampoline lately. He can do all sorts of tricks and entertains us. Cooper and Kale are SO close to being fully potty trained. It has taken so much longer with them because it is just harder with two of them, but I've tried to keep at it and they've almost got it. I think we need to throw a big end of diapers party here pretty soon! I'm trying to enjoy this stage of life with them, but as many mom's know the terrible two's can be pretty terrible at times. The only way to get through it most of the time is trying to laugh about the crazy stuff they do I suppose. Sometimes I just wish they could both be happy and content at the SAME time, they are always the opposite of each other.

Spring Break --- Her and Morgan both went to Seattle/Tacoma at the beginning of spring break with my sister-in-law and mother-in-law and some of their cousins. They got to go to the science center and the zoo and they had a fantastic time. Last Friday Riley took them on a fishing trip up past Dayton a little ways and they had a blast. They left super early in the morning while I was still asleep. Kendle was the super fisher and caught not only the biggest fish, but the most fish. Riley said she loved it and was so excited every time she caught one. Morgan had fun too, but most of the time would rather look for sticks or cool rocks. They came home and were very hungry, tired, dirty, but happy kids and I'm so glad they had a fun time to get away with just their dad. Later that night we took Kendle to meet up with my mom in Kennewick so she could spend the night at their house and travel to Portland with her the next day for my twin neice and nephew's birthday party. She had a great time seeing her cousins and having one last day of fun before spring break was over. I think the kids had a fun spring break this year.

 


I still don't have much "spare time" these days, but I'm finding that I treasure and enjoy our family time much more now when we are all busy. I'm also finding that I treasure and need my workout time to help me get rid of stress. I think Riley can tell the days I didn't get a run in because I may be a bit more grumpy! I feel like I've kind of reached a stale mate on the weight loss, but I guess something is still working because my clothes are getting looser. Someone commented to me the other day that my "skinny" jeans were looking kind of baggy. I think I lose weight from the top down and the feet up and then it all meets in the middle. The hardest part to get rid of. My mom and I were joking that we needed to market a new brand of jeans called "Big Waist, Skinny Legs". I'm hoping that now that the weather is nice I can take the kids for more walks or run around the track during Kendle's softball practice's. I can't wait to get out and get some more yard work and gardening done and do some spring cleaning to the exterior of the house. I just love spring and how beautiful everything starts to look. I miss the green grass and the flowers. I also have a long list of home projects I want to get started on in the next little while. I know Riley is excited for that! I think at this point he will be glad to do anything that doesn't involve fixing toilets. Ha, ha.