All it takes is all you've got

Easy 8 around Countryside.  Lifted weights at City Park Fitness center afterwards and took my shower there because our water is turned off while we are in transition between kitchen sinks/cabinets.  Oh joy.  I also filled up a couple of water bottles at the gym so I don't die of thirst today.  I'll be glad when the home rennovations are over.  Oh, I also found out I can do the Pilates Reformer class at the fitness center since one spot opened up.  The class is 14 sessions every Tuesday and Thursday until the end of August. Starts tomorrow.  I'm looking forward to strengthening my core!  Now if my kids will just get on board with the child care! I seem to have trouble with one, two or all three of them every time I go.  Today Ali cried sporatically they said, and she was very upset by the time I got back to pick her up.  I try to bribe Abe and Breanne with special priveleges if they be good while they are there and go without a fuss but unfortanetly as I picked them up Abe was pestering a 2 year old boy and one of the child care girls was trying to get him away from the little guy.  So when I got in the hall I had a little chat with him about being nice while he's in child care and I told him I was sorry he chose to have a privelage taken away because he was a bully.  He did NOT like that and bawled as we walked to the car.  Breanne was well behaved until we had to walk down the staircase to leave and she suddenly out of the blue started wailing that she wanted to go a different way.  That is the only way to go I'm not sure where she got the idea there was another way.  I think she must have just been feeling left out because the other kids were having cows so she assumed that was her cue to melt down too.  When we got in the car to drive home, I decided to start having cows too and we had a nice whine fest to get everyone's frustrations out.  Mine was pretend and very obnoxious (think "most annoying sound in the world" on Dumb and Dumber).  Anyway, it all ended with the kids laughing at me and now we're home and the girls are asleep.  Ahhh....

Moral of the story; please dont judge Moms with whiney kids when you see them in the grocery store, gym, ect.  It is usually not their fault.  Kids have their own free agency and are usually whining because of a poor choice they have made. Oftentimes they whine for no apparent reason at all despite the Mother's best efforts to be patient and loving.  I've sure gained a greater appreciation for my Mom through the past few years.  As my kids have episodes, I have flashbacks in my mind of being in their shoes.  I remember being 4 or 5 years old and often whining in the grocery store.  Mom would open the loaf of bread or box of granola bars to silence my mouth so she could finish shopping.  In fact, it seems that every time she took me grocery shopping we had to apologize to the checker for some food item being open because I needed a snack.  One time (I was probably 8 or 9) I remember laying down in the middle of the mall because I was so tired of walking around all day looking at boring stuff.  Mom had to bribe me with a big pretzel just to get me off the floor and to the car.  And now the Karma comes back to me.  :)

Must nap later.  Aaron and I were up 'till 1 a.m. installing our cabinets so the granite installers can do an accurate template today.  Then they will fabricate the granite and install it Thursday.  

Ran an easy 9 miles around Standley Lake.  7:20 ave.  Felt pretty good but really tired when I got back.   

Feeling like some type of illness is coming on.  Slight body ache and sore throat.  Better take it easy and get lots of sleep. 

Full blown flu hit last night around 5 p.m.  I literally hit a wall; fever, body ache, migrane, at least I wasn't puking.  Called Aaron to come home early but the earliest he could make it was 6:30 p.m. and by the time he got here I just handed off the kids and went to bed.  Slept 12 hours and still felt pretty gross this morning.  Did not go running this morning but felt good enough by 11:30 to go to my pilates reformer class so at least I did that.  

Feels like my body is slowly conquering this bug and hopefully I'll feel completely better soon.  Body ache is not as overcoming and headache is less intense.  Don't know if I'll get a long run in this week since I was planning that for this morning and Aaron is leaving for a guys trip tonight so I'm on my own to find child care for the kids.  I guess I'll just see how I feel and call a sitter to come over Saturday morning if I'm up for a long run.  Tomorrow I may just go to the gym and get in some treadmill miles. 

Called the neighbor girl to come watch my kids for an hour while I went running since Aaron is in Yellowstone fishing with his Dad and brothers.    Ran easy since I am still feeling pretty weak from the flu.  Every time I tried to push the pace a bit I induced a hacking fit.  Almost coughed up a lung once, but at least I didn't puke.  Decided to just take it easy and averaged 7:39 min/mile.   I asked the neighbor girl to come back again tomorrow morning so I can run again.  If I'm feeling any better than today I'll try to go for 12 or 13 again, but I think I'll wait to bump up the long run distance to 14 until I am completely recovered next week.  

I also emailed the coach of a running group in the area to see if I could jump in on some Saturday long runs and possibly a few Tuesday evening speed work sessions.  I think I'll join them next Saturday and see how I like it.  He said he has a few guys training to go sub 2:45 this fall, so I should definitely have people to push me. 

Still feeling pretty weak from the flu that may be turning into an upper respiratory infection based on the amount of coughing and congestion I am having.  Ran easy again today 7:34 min/mile ave.

One year ago today I was going on walks every few hours in an attempt to progress labor with my third baby.  Around 2:00 p.m. I sent Abe and Breanne to their friends house and labor really started to pick up.  I called my midwife and she arrived about an hour later.  Aaron and I labored together in our bedroom and the midwife and her assistants came in to check on us every 20 minutes or so.  Around 8:30 p.m. our sweet baby Ali joined our family!   It was another peaceful, amazing homebirth and Ali was a healthy 8 lb 20 inch bundle of joy.  Now she is a happy (most of the time), exploring, giggly, fun 1 year old!  Happy Birthday sweet girl!