A - M Updates

A is for:
Astronaut - Ella got to go to the Dayton (Air Force?) museum over spring break with her friend Addison and hang out like an astronaut. She had a great day and I was happy about that since we really did nothing over Spring Break this year...I was sick as a dog the whole week.

B is for:
Boston - During the April 15th Boston Marathon this year, terrible bombings occurred that killed 3 people and wounded over 180.  Horrific for Boston, heartbreaking for America, and for runners across the world...just unimaginable.  As a newbie runner for the past 3 years, I have ran 3 Half Marathons and maybe 20-30 other races.  The atmosphere at these races is always so amazing.  The feeling when you achieve a goal and cross the finish line is so rewarding.  I just can't imagine being shocked out of such a high by something so terrifying.  A group of us ran in a Support Boston run on Monday night - 1 week after the craziness.  A group that is usually 40 or so turned into a group of 400+ to support the One Fund Boston.  Wonderful to support and be a part of this.

 

C is for:
Cat - We still have one and her name is still Cleo...and she still likes to lay on her back in the middle of any floor. I think she really misses her playmate, Zoe...

D is for:
Dwight - We happened into some concert tickets (thanks for Donna and Lee) to see Dwight Yoakam at the Bluestone.  The Bluestone is a super cool converted Baptist Church in downtown Columbus.  Great place to see concerts now. He was good but not as good as expected. Too much guitar.  Justin said he was probably tuning up for a concert tour and then I just found out he's playing Bonnaroo...good call JPJ.

E is for:
Emotion - After the Boston bombings, I noticed this on one of my race shirts...nothing brings out the emotions of the people and a country like 9/11 or school shooting situations.  It puts people into action.  You go crazy if you sit still.

 

F is for:

Family - I'm so grateful for such a wonderful family.  We don't spend as much time together now that we all go in 1000 different directions but when we do, we have so much fun and it's wonderful to get together. This was the kids at Easter.

 

G is for:

Green - Ella had strep throat a couple weeks ago.  After she started her medicine, we had to throw her old toothbrush out.  She wanted a new electric one.  So, I bought both E and Silas new electric toothbrushes.  They LOVE them.  They light up and and change colors when they are supposed to brush different parts of their teeth and then it shuts off after 2 minutes.  Worth the money!

 

H is for:

Hair - Si had quite the hair day.  He is digging the spiky look these days and then couple that with a VERY windy soccer game...

I is for:

Itchy Eyes - Poor Ella's eyes are killing her because of her allergies.  I finally made an appointment with the allergy doctor and we get in the first week of May.  I feel bad that I didn't take her in the winter so that they could have tested and given her medicine for NOW!

J is for:

Junk - the ongoing battle in our house continues to be a plethora of junk!  It multiplies at a staggering rate no matter how much we sort, trash and donate...I'm pretty sure our front room will never be more than a "sorting room"!

K is for:

pinK concert - kinda cheating, I know. Saw her in March and she was so amazingly incredible.  I totally have a new-found respect for her music and her as an artist and person.  Loved seeing her and gaining a better understanding of what drives  her.

L is for:

Loyal Customers - Justin continues to work his JCS Construction business.  I will tell you: it is tough.  It stresses me to the max because of the inconsistent income, the problems that pop up on jobs, the stress that it puts on Justin and his body.  But I will also tell you - his people LOVE him.  He is fair, he is respectful of their time and their money.  And when he spends a month or three in their home...the kids absolutely adore him...

 

{Dear Mr. Yonger, Thank you for doing our kicken. And thank you for being so nice. You are fast at doing lost of werk. I give you an A++++++  Your friend,Abigail}

M is for:

Mason - and he will graduate in MAY!!  And wow, this year and the last 4 years when he has been in high school have gone so incredibly fast (remember this?).  Yesterday was his Senior night at track. He has ran track all 4 years in high school.   He has worked hard this year to work out, get strong, eat well and get faster.  

I am so...proud...impressed...grateful...for this kid.  I'm so sad on one hand that this baby boy is no longer my baby. On the other - it is so fulfilling to know that he is growing up and growing into what he wants to do with his life.                                  

(And Ella is to my chin now...really??)

Updates N - Z...coming soon.

Happy 2013!!

2013 seems....impossible!!


Ella looks so much older in this picture!


We've been very busy around the house the last few weeks...more cleaning and organizing. I am very excited about the progress that we've made decluttering. Feels good!!

I've picked up with my running again too. I took a couple months off because of hip and hamstring pain but I'm finding it actually feels better if I keep it moving. I've signed up for two 15k (9 mile) runs in March and April. I've got some training to do!
I love running in the winter!





We took Silas' birthday snack in after school started back up. That way it didn't get lost with all the class holiday celebrations. We made snowman cookies that I had seen on Pinterest. I love that site!


This coming weekend we will have the birthday party...better late than never, right?!?

Last weekend I ran and it was 64, in Ohio...in January!! By Monday it was back to 28 and by this weekend I think it's going down to the teens and single digits. Ouch.

Tonight we had a spectacular colored sky...I felt like I should be drinking a Mai tai with it.


I started 2013 of by sitting down and making a list of goals and things that I want to change and focus on. I had about 13 things. Some big, some small. I felt last year was too rushed and harried. This year I plan to slow it down and focus more. Concentrate on the things that mean the most in life.
#1 on my list was to have my parents over for dinner at least monthly. They live just a few miles away and yet I/we felt like we only saw them on holidays. Our first dinner was tacos. Nothing fancy but it was fun and we all enjoyed it!

There are many things on my list for this year that will take time and require that I actually focus a little bit...that might be tough. It's another YOSP for me/us!!
It's a big year in that Mason will graduate in May and start college somewhere (he's leaning towards staying close to home). We will have a big Younger family reunion here in July and then we will be looking at Fall and Christmas again!

We miss Zoe girl. All of us miss her. Silas told me it was too quiet without the nails clicking around on the wood floors. I agree, I notice that too. I also miss her when I come downstairs in the morning. I still look for her in her spot by the front window.

I feel like 2013 is going to be a great year. A couple friends have started the year with some very tough health news and I pray for them that this year turns out happy and healthy for them too.


- Posted using BlogPress (so hopefully all the pictures post okay...)

Who Needs Weight Watchers??

I've decided to create my own Infomercial on how to lose 9 pounds in 9 days!  Results guaranteed!  Just lick some raw chicken and the rest will take care of itself...

The Sunday evening before Halloween, I started to feel icky.  My stomach was unsettled and I felt blah. By Monday morning, I was in bed and miserable. Fever, chills, stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting...it was bad.  I figured I had a nasty GI bug and I'd be better in (hopefully) 24 hours.  And then I was hoping I'd be better in 48 hours.  And then by Wednesday, I was so bad that Justin took  me to the ER for IV fluids and medicine.  I could not keep anything at all in my body.  Water and Gatorade went right through me and any form of food at all got thrown up.  It was all I could do to lay in bed and make it to the bathroom when I needed to (which was about every 15 minutes). On Friday night (day 5 of being sick), the ER called me at 9:30pm to tell me the labs had come back and it was salmonella.  I was shocked but that REALLY explained why I felt so terribly horrible for so long.  I went in the next morning and they gave me antibiotics.  The entire next week I was still having symptoms and pain so I got to go in for a CT scan to make sure my appendix and other innards weren't infected.  Luckily, all looked good.  After 2 full weeks and 9 or 10 days with no solid food...I was beginning to feel better.
When I was really sick the first week, Ella made this sign to go on the bedroom door:

One of the best decisions made was to go ahead and go on my Hocking Hills trip with book group towards the end of week 2.  Donna offered to drive me there and back, and I could lay around there just as easily as at home.  It was GREAT to get out of the house and away from the sick bed.  The change of scenery did me good, as did all the food that everyone brought.  It really jump started my appetite again and I was able to eat again and get some calories in me.
I sat on the wonderful porch at our cabin/house and soaked in the sun and read magazines.  I took a couple small walks and dozed off when I felt nappy. I got to stare off at the cows...

and watch the pretty grasses blow in the wind....

and breath a little deeper on my walks around the property...

 

It was exactly what I needed for a healing weekend.

and I'm sure that Justin was ready to get me out of the house too...

While I was sick, Justin took total care of the house and kids, while trying to work too.  It really kicked his ass.  Together, we really do a great job of dividing and conquering.  That one of us was totally down for the count made both of us realize how lucky we are to work so well together.  It really made to think about my health and being more proactive in keeping BOTH of us healthy.  

Unfortunately, while I was sick, Ella was also not feeling so hot.  She must have had some kind of stomach bug (she did not have salmonella symptoms).  She got sick an hour before Trick or Treat and did not get to go :(

Silas was sad that we didn't go with our neighbor friends like we usually do.  Mason took him around the neighborhood but it was a bummer of a Halloween for all.

Silas did look good in his costume though - which luckily Aunt Amanda was able to help him figure out how to get it on!

Ella's very cute costume will have to wait until next year now...

In the week leading up to my Salmonellaism (which I still have no idea where I got it), we finished up soccer for both Ella and Silas.

We have a couple months off before they both start indoor soccer in January.

I ran my 3rd Half Marathon the Sunday before the sick Sunday.  It was not my best time of the 3 (2nd best time) but it was mentally the easiest of the 3 and the most fun.  I ran with a few friends and it really seemed to make the miles fly by. 

   

Heather and I crossed the finish together.  So fun 

running with her!

We also managed to squeeze in our annual pumpkin patching - and Mason's girlfriend, Yamine, came with us.  

 And for Halloween, Justin and I dressed up as Flo and Mayhem (the insurance commercial characters).

(sorry about the blurry pics)

So that is the last month...I hope to never repeat that salmonella (or anything resembling it) ever again!!

When We Last Left Off...

Seems to have been awhile since I last posted!  Dang, time flies when you have to work for a living!

Since the camping and back to school updates, we've been busy getting back into a groove of school, getting up at 6am(ish), homework, packing lunches, paying  for schools fees, paying lunches, girl scouts, after school art and choir programs, homecoming coming up (Mason is actually going he says!), soccer...ya know.

First, running:  I've really been hurting and not running much.  I pulled my hamstring back in (Aug?) and it's been hurting since.  I've done a few fun runs and they have been fine.  I'm worried about the Half in October but know I can finish...but it may take awhile to recover.  I really want to finish it though because Alison will be at Mile 13 as a Children's Champion! It's very important for me to make it to the end AND still have enough strength and energy to hang out and have fun with her there!
In August, 12 of us girls did the Tap N Run and we were the Blue Mooners.  We had a TON of fun running in our tutus and buttocks!

Strides for Hope is the Ovarian Cancer run and has become one that I really enjoy running with my friend Heather, who lost her mom to ovarian cancer 2 years ago.  Our team is Carla's Rum Runners and the rum and coke toast after at 10:30am has nothing to do with why I run it!

We are back in the soccer groove too...this year is a little different.  Ella has gone up a league.  Justin is no longer coaching her.  She's playing for Coach Sam, who coached her indoor league.  It's been a bit of an adjustment but she is loving it!

 Daddy and toothless Si watching one of Ella's games.

Justin IS coaching Si's team again this year but he's the assistant.  It's been hard for him to give up a little control over "strategy" and how to coach the kids but it's been great because he's not doing the organizing for snacks, trophies, etc.

And this look on his face is one we see often.  I love it.

And for your amusement - go back and look at this post of Silas and his soccer arms/face :)



Oh, and I got my hair cut!!  First time in a LONG time that I've chopped it off...but it was time!!  I don't think I had my hair out of a ponytail in 2 years and I was sick of it.  This is quick and easy, I like that I can do something with it when I'm so inclined (like going to a concert!) but can still get it into a (albeit, the teeniest ever) ponytail!

Last weekend, Justin and I went to Put-in-Bay with 4 other couples.  MY FIRST TIME THERE!  We had so much fun!!
We got there on Friday, early evening.  Caught the Jet Express by the skin of our teeth at 5:45pm.

We milled around the island, had a little dinner and drinks and then chilled and got ready for our Saturday morning PIB 5K!  After a very soggy Friday night, we had incredible weather for the morning run.

 

Doug and his babes had a great run!

We spent the rest of Saturday watching the Buckeyes game and bar hopping.  We found a super fun band that night and got to dance and have a great time.

We're really looking forward to doing it again next year.

The last but definitely not least update is our progress on the house (a YOSP update the I've failed to do lately!).
So, one of the things that we really wanted was to convert the 1st floor laundry into a mudroom. Justin put a laundry area in the newly finished basement and that allowed for the laundry room by the kitchen to be turned into a mudroom.

It was a big project and the first portion (tear out and tiling the floor) went pretty smoothly.
Building the cubbies went fairly smoothly too.  The problem really started when trying to get the cubbies INTO the space.  That wasn't as smooth!

And then TA DA!  It all worked out and I have my mud room!!

It is such an awesome space.  The baskets at the bottom hold shoes, the ones above can be used for gloves, hats, etc. Papers will go in there, hooks for book bags, jackets, hats, umbrellas...
Top shelf holds lunch boxes and other odds and ends. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!


It's been a fun and productive month!  Much more to do in October!!