I really, really do like running, folks

 

At the end of last year’s half-marathon.  Fellow marathon training buddies are Laura (in black), Meghann (in white) Stacy (in lavender) Jessica A. (next to chubby me) and Ryan (trying to look manly with the crowd of girls)

I am training for a marathon and I, awesomely enough, ran 18 miles last week.  When I was trying to get some appreciation from my kids on what that actually means, I hit on the perfect explanation:  “Guys.  I just ran for an entire church.  Like, I started running when you walk into Sacrament meeting and didn’t stop till you get done with Primary.”  They were appropriately amazed.

I am seriously loving it.  Truly.  (I’m not pretending I love it so I can keep weight off, PAIGE!)  I really, really am enjoying it.  Here’s why:

1.  One morning, I woke up at 5:45 and it was raining.  But I went outside and ran 11 miles anyway.  Then I came home, showered and got all of my kids to school.  Do you know how In Charge of Life you feel, when you can make your 35 year old, VERY imperfect looking body a) run for 11 miles IN THE RAIN and, then,  b) go on with your stay-at-home mommy life?  So empowering.

2.  I also love how this kind of endurance training teaches you so much about, well, endurance.  There are definitely runs where you feel like you are lifting cement blocks instead of feet (hello, miles 14-17 last week), and your knees kind of hurt and you are kind of winded and you are sick of everything on your Ipod—but you finish the run anyway.  And then, guess what?  About 20 seconds after you are done…nothing really hurts anymore because you are finished.  And it is so worth the 30 minutes of discomfort to know that you really put Mind Over Matter and Did It.  There are so many life applications there, you know?

3.  I have a group of 4-6 friends who are also training and we run together in different groups and at different times.  There is nothing that makes you closer than exercising regularly with someone.  Plus, you have people who actually want to discuss the details of the training plans, running times, Gu vs. excedrin.  And they also know exactly how hard it is to run for 3 hours.

4.  I’m not losing weight, (really?  I know!) but I can eat a few extra cookies while I don’t lose any weight.

5.  And every once in a while, after I’ve chatted with my friends for a 9 miles or so and we all decide to listen to music instead, I blast that music (favorites?  Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Alison Iraheta, Glee) and just GO.  And I feel young and strong and thin and powerful and like I’d rather be there, on that trail, than anywhere else. 

Really.

Awesome Parent Alert

This is the note Ryan passed me at church last Sunday:

As you can see, the verifying of footwear for four year olds

is not high on the priority list on Sunday mornings.

Extra-curricular, extra-fattening, extra jobs Summary

Last week Jane:

performed in the halftime show of the elementary school staff basketball fundraiser.  She was completely and totally awesome.  I would include a video, except you probably won’t watch it .  (Grandparents, ask when you come to visit!)  She remembered all the moves, did them with style and jumped so high.  She’s never taken dance, but she should!

We were there, literally, from 5:20 until 8:20 and we left an hour early.  (There were actually performances and auctions EVERY 8 minutes and it was excruciatingly long.) Especially when the kid on the left wants to get out of the bleachers every 73 seconds and the kid on the right was wapping all of our neighbors in the face with the pom-pom things.

Emma, competed in the 5th grade math team competition.  The Math Team required 2-4 hours of after school practices and 4 hours of extra homework.  It kind of wasn’t fun, but we were so proud of her for sticking with it.  Look how smart it made her:

We apparently like to take pictures of food around here:

Jane brought home a pie cookbook from the school library and begged me to make one with her.  Here we are with her Lemon Cream pie.  (It was really yummy):

 

Emma won a coloring contest at Papa Murphy*s and got the family a free pizza last Friday night.  (Thanks for helping me stay in budget, Emma!)  

  

And I went to an Appetizer Lunch at a friends house and made things Chicken Wings and thought they looked so perfect that I made Ryan take a picture of them.  SO YUMMY.

And Faith is in Screaming When You Don’t Get What You Want Rehab (thanks, Meridith, for the 45 minute Love and Logic for Little People session).  She’s actually been more enjoyable this week after a looong Monday morning.  In the meantime, we thought we’d show you why we keep her around:

(We start ‘em young on the job chart at the Romney house!)

Between the food, the dancing and the Rehabilitated 16 Month Old…maybe our house is a fun place to be?!

Random Acts of Kindness

This is my friend Laura:

We ran together on Wednesday morning and I complained at length about Faith.  (She is truly a difficult, strong-willed, demanding toddler, more than any kid I’ve ever had.)

Well, on Wednesday afternoon, she showed up at my house, with her van running and said: “Hey, I’m taking Katie to gymnastics.  Can I bring Faith along and just watch her while she runs around the gym?  I think she might enjoy it.”

Laura’s youngest is 4.  Laura has 4 kids.  Laura’s in the Relief Society Presidency.  Laura is going to back to school to be a nurse.  Laura could just sit at gymnastics and read a book or catch up on homework, but instead she just whisked away my difficult baby for an hour of chasing and cracker crumbs.

If that’s not true friendship, I don’t know what is.

Heard around here lately

Funny stuff that grandparents and Blurb books like me to blog about:

Jane, during a Primary lesson about the resurrection (referring to the fact that her body will be made perfect upon resurrection): 

“Mom, that means I’ll have to pierce my ears again!”

Seth, while playing with one of the neighbor girls:

“Kylynn, you have to say to me: ‘Husband you look very beautiful in that dress!”

Faith, every time she sees our fish swimming in it’s bowl:

“baa baa baa” 

 

Gabe, while observing Jane and her friend Eden, sledding down our stairs:

“I hate to tell you, but that’s not even close to a respectable luge.” 

(Because he’s such an expert and everything).

 

Emma, on her latest poster assignment for class: 

The Lepricauna

There was once a lepricauna

Who liked to sit in a sauna.

The steam got too hot.

So he fretted a lot

And now he is a gonna.

Embarrassing Confession #1

I run out of gas, all the time. 

Seriously, like 4-8 times a year.  Who does that?  A few weeks ago, I did it twice in one week.  I know.  I’m a 35 year old, who can read a gas gauge and figure out mileage and everything.   This is why I think it happens:

1.  Ryan and I have this new strict budget and I’m always trying to stretch it to the end of the budget period.  So I put, like, $10 dollars in, thinking it will get me 4 more days and then try to live in denial that it won’t.

2.  I am complete optimist.  I always think things are going to work out the way I want:  “I know I only have 20 miles left in the tank, but I think I can make it 24 to piano and back.”

3.  I have discounts at gas stations 10-15 miles away and so I try to fill up at those and sometimes don’t make it.  I was so happy Ryan was with me the last time and telling me how to put it in neutral so I could coast down the hill to one of those faraway gas stations.  (I kept thinking, “Oh good, he can either push the van or run and get some while I hang out with the kids”).

Here’s a picture of when it happened last:

It was Sunday and church had just gotten out and we were .5 miles from home and I ran out at the stop sign.  With at least 5 ward members behind me.  I kept waving them by, because I saw Ryan’s car at the back of the line.  One nice friend, who told me his wife does this, too (sorry, Amy!), got his gas can and filled us up.  And I puttered home, a little sheepish (but slightly relieved to hear another adult does it too, sometimes).

You don’t even know how many Dear Heavenly Father PLEASE Bless Me To Make It To The Town, I Won’t Ever Do This Again Prayers I’ve said on our long road trips.  It’s bad.

So when I say I’m running out of gas…I’m being more literal than figurative.

One of those Summaries again

I forgot to blog about the Valentine’s party I did for Jane’s class.  It was no big deal, except I don’t think I’d helped in a kid’s class since Faith was born and all of the children were shocked that I was doing something.  And I took this picture:

My mom (who is a kindergarten teacher) brought all of her Valentine’s Party stuff up for me and I just basically used it all.  Sewed paper hearts, decorated head bands and bingo:

—see?  No big deal.

Speaking of Parties I Was In Charge Of—I put on the Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet again.  It had a birthday theme, which was completely awesome, because all I needed for decor was streamers and balloons:

Gabe made this cake (ripped off from Kristin, Laurie and Christie—yay for blogging!), which had nothing to do with the birthday theme:

My friend Michelle took pictures and emailed them to me.  I tried really hard to find a cute picture of myself in my AWESOME scout shirt.  Turns out, surprisingly, I do not look so cute in a tan den mother scout shirt:

We also celebrated Ryan’s birthday with a trip to a Mexican restaurant:

some of his favorite food,

and a house decorated with 35 reasons why I love him:

(We also invited ourselves over to the Daines for a birthday dessert.  I made the dessert, but Ryan stresses a little over chaos and noise and he decided that he wanted the chaos and noise at Heather’s house for his birthday).

Random funny pictures of the last few weeks:

Faith getting ready to run with her hat, Mp3 and Garmin watch:

Jane’s Crazy Hair Day hair:

Faith’s Cute Hair Day hair:

Jane's newest sleep aid (that’s a headband):

Now I need to go clean up my kitchen…or I could borrow Jane’s headband and then I wouldn’t see the syrup dripping off of the counter.  Hmmm.

The nicest birthday card ever

Today was Ryan’s birthday.  My dad (pictured above) sent him a card with this, written inside:

Ryan,

Someday your beautiful Daughters will marry worthy Priesthood bearers.  Then you will begin to understand the wonderful feelings I have for you.  It is such a blessing for a father to know that his daughter will be loved, honored and cared for forever.  Jessica is such a special woman, but the two of you together are without equal.  Thank you for the peace this gives me.  As for your children, they are so blessed to have you in their lives.  I wish I had been as good to my children.  My love and respect for you has no limits.  I look forward to many more years and birthdays that will bring us closer and closer.

Love,

Mike

(Ryan gets choked up about once a year.  This was 2010’s.)

Quick Quote #38

Seth, who has been coughing quite a lot lately: "Okay, cough: That's IT for coughing!!"

(It didn’t work.  His cough doesn’t like to be bossed around.)

Why I don’t have a food blog

At a get together a few nights ago, I said that my dream job would be writing a food blog.  (I LOVE these:  Our Best Bites, Taste Buds, Conversations with a Cupcake.)  When I mentioned that we were having cinnamon puffs for Emma’s birthday, Andrea commented that she’d like the recipe.  Since I had some pre-preparation notice, I thought: “I’ll take pictures and post the recipe on the blog.”

Here it is.

Cinnamon Breakfast Puffs

1.  Mix together 1/3 c. butter, 1 egg and 1/2 c. sugar.  Stir in 1/2 c. milk.

Here’s a picture of the batter:

(Food blogs always have pictures of the baking process.  They also have better cameras.)

2.  Mix together 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1 1/2 c. flour and 1/2 tsp. salt.

(Food blogs DO NOT show their 4 year olds helping.  And if they did, their 4 year olds would have matching pajamas on.)

3.  Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and combine thoroughly. 

4.  Fill greased muffin cups—I use mini-muffin cups because it makes you feel slightly less sick when you eat 5 mini muffins, instead of 2 regular ones.  I think it’s less calories, too.

5.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes (if you are using a mini muffin tin.  I don’t know about a normal one.  REAL food bloggers would know that, but with Everyday Romneys, you are on your own.)  They should be golden brown when done. 

Also, real food bloggers would have a picture of golden brown-ness here:

Instead I have a picture of the world’s messiest kitchen.

(Food bloggers always have 1. sparkling kitchens and 2. non-cracked bowls and non-melted spatulas.  They also put away their fry pans from last night’s dinner and do not leave their bowls in the recesses where their soaking gas element used to be.)

6.  Pop the muffins out.  Immediately roll in 8 T. of melted butter (my recipe says 6 but it looks like this: 6T 8T, so you’ll want to go with my fattened flavored up suggestion). 

(I think I have to get nicer nails, if I want a food blog.)

7.  Roll dripping ball in a mixture of 1/2 c. sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon.  I think on food blogs, adults take the pictures because when my kids take the pictures you get this:

Right.  A picture of my hands, with no evidence of popover rolling at all.  Let’s try again:

Slightly better.  (Ignore the staining on my plastic, dollar-store bowls).

8.  Serve warm, definitely.

Oh wait.  That picture’s lame.  Let’s try another picture.  Maybe on a blue plate:

What?  Was I stacking blocks?  And the glare from the counter blends with the muffins.  Lame, again.

Maybe I’ll take some of the happy eaters:

(Ew.  That one looks gross.  He obviously ate them, as you can see, but: Yuck.)

(You might be able to see the popover if her bottle wasn’t in the way AND you weren’t distracted by her Baldness-Caused-By-Bow-Rippage).

Oh forget it.  They existed, the kids ate them and loved them. 

Good ahead and try the recipe.  They are really good, even if this blog isn’t. 

Special Events Summary

In the last few weeks we…

• have had Grandma Dorrie visit us.  She spends so much time with the kids, that some of them (hello.  Faith?  I’m talking to you…) don’t know what to do with themselves now that Grandma isn’t around to pick them up and read to them all of the time.

• had a Valentine’s Day date.  Ryan and I had a gift card to a nice restaurant here in town and we really enjoyed ourselves.   Here’s a picture of Ryan’s humungous burger.  After the restaurant, I pulled the “It’s Valentines Day so you have to” and made Ryan go with me to the stake dance.  Let’s just say that we had a fun time (less dancing, more amusement at the crowd that type of event draws).

• had the 14 days of Valentines.  Which included shirts:

haircuts:

(Everyone else got to go to a salon, but we figure Seth’s noggin isn’t worth $12 and Ryan did it at home)

and candy making:

  

• had Seth’s five year old checkup.  I’ve never seen a child more excited for shots.  Seriously, the day before he kept saying:  “I’m so essited.  Tomorrow’s when I get my shots.”  I promise I tried to warn him, gently, that they really hurt.  There was great disappointment on that funny face when the first one went in.   Also of note, the doctor was questioning whether I’m sending him (because of his late August birthday) to school in the fall.  I told him yes, that socially and academically he’s really ready.  He then asked, “Is he able to sit for long periods of time?”  I don’t know why he’s so concerned:

 

(This is what he was doing the whole time.  Obnoxious.  And he really can sit still.  Ask his primary teacher.)

• Had Emma’s birthday. It went off without a hitch.  Here’s some pictures of the breakfast

lunch

and cake

I seem to be able to only take pictures of the food involved in our celebrations.  (Food=Love, right?)

• had an extremely demanding and yelling and crying baby.  Argh.  Cute, but bad:

 

(here she is pointing to her “shus”.  Yeah, 15 months old and says “shirt”. 

Maybe it’s the smartness that makes her feisty?)

And since, the demanding baby still lives here, I need to go.  She and I are taking a trip to Costco, where we can DEMAND samples to our hearts content.