We Did What?!?

Well we spent most of this week getting ready for Halloween, putting the final touches on costumes and putting faces on the pumpkins. Rilyn had to make a little pumpkin for school.

Its a princess. Casen's favorite part about doing the big pumpkins was stabbing them with a screwdriver to make the holes for the pieces. I'm still trying to decide if I should be worried.

We do things the easy way around here and use the Mr. Potato Head pieces. This week is got really cold all of a sudden. Friday when we went to take Rilyn it school I came outside to an ice block instead of a car. I wish I wasn't in such a hurry so I coud have taken a picture. I had to pry the doors open because they were frozen shut and when I popped the trunk to get the ice scraper out I had to stick my fingers in the cracks and crack it open. The wiper blades had to be peeled off the windshield and don't even get me started on how long it too before I could see out all windows and mirrors safely. It was crazy! Then Saturday. Morning I went running with my friend Carrie pretty early (like so early that my car said it was 36* at the lake. Bbrrrr! Anyways, as we're making our way around the trail Carrie says oh my gosh it's snowing. I thought she was going crazy so of course I was like yeah right. Until a few minutes when one little white fleck smacked me in the face. Serves me right huh? Anyways, it snowed on us for the rest of our run abut nothing stuck. I was so shocked. It isn't even Halloween yet! We never got snow this early in Erie. Oh and if you thought that was the end you were wrong... Later that afternoon I went up to e church for super Saturday crafts and when I came out of a building an hour and a half later I found my car covered in snow and the men shoveling the parking lot! Are you freaking kidding me?!? Well we made the most of the 6 inches we got. The kids and I had a blast throwing snowballs and building a snowman.

This was really Casen's first time really getting to plat in the snow. Last year he spent all of our time in the snow in a sling inside my jacket sleeping. I think he enjoyed it. Rilyn was much happier once she put on gloves. Lola hated every minute of it and can't wait to go thaw out in AZ. The snow postponed our trunk or treat which stinks but now we get to look forward to two days of trick or treating. Sounds fun!

Sleepy Hollow

This weekend we went to Sleepy Hollow for a run I was doing.

Ashlee came with to help me with the kidos and we had a blast!

The town was a lot bigger than I thought it would be. I was expecting some tiny town with a little bed and breakfast. Ashlee was expecting something that looked like the town in Practical Magic or Hocus Pocus. Instead we got something that looked like a college town with lots of huge beautiful homes. It's right off of the Hudson river and everything was hilly and just beautiful. My race was pretty cool. It went through a neighborhood and a park and along the Hudson. You were supposed to dress up so I was Richard Simmons. A very nice gay boy complimented my leg warmers. I think he wanted a pair too. The headless horseman was at my race which was really cool (even if his horse was the wrong color).

After the race we did some sight seeing. We saw the grave of the guy that wrote the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving.

We went and found the horseman's bridge (which is not actually the bridge in the story but they pretend it is).

We thought it was funny that the high schools mascot were the horsemen.

The whole town was decorated with scarecrows and pumpkins.

I have to say the funniest thing we saw was crossing the bridge over the Hudson on the way home had a sign for the suicide prevention hot line. It started with "Your life is a gift" so I started thinking ok yeah another "no texting while driving sign" and then it says 24 hour suicide prevention hot line and I started cracking up because of where we were. Obviously I don't think suicide is funny but the fact that they would put a sign on the entrance to the bridge makes you wonder and the fact that they have it on one side of the bridge and not the other. We decided that they must care more about the people that live in Sleepy Hollow. Anyways, it was a quick trip and Rilyn barfed twice (awesome) but other than that it was great. One more thing to cross off the list of things to do out east before we head west. Thanks for all your help Ash. You're the best!!

Recovery

Well the first part of this week was pretty low key. The kids and I just hung out at home and didn't do much else besides look at the pretty flowers my parents sent me.

But then I started feeling normal again so we had some of our usual fun. Rilyn and I made chocolate sugar cookies and frosted them to look like skeletons. Rilyn wanted boy ones and girl ones so we made bowties and hair bows to tell the difference.

Dr. Dad wanted to know why the poor cookies didn't have knees or elbows. Apparently he thinks I'm a magician and a cook because I'm pretty sure the only way to get more bones on these guys would be by magic. We also attempted our family pictures this week. I think attempted would be the best word to describe the process. Two kids in 55 degree weather trying to pose for pictures doesn't go that great.

I have a feeling we're going to have to try this again before Christmas.

26.2

Well this week was spent in preparation for my big day, kinda selfish huh? Anyways, the real fun began Saturday night when we ate yummy pasta and the kids colored signs for me. (No I swear I didn't make my own signs.)

Then it was off to bed for everyone because I had to be at the buses before 6:30. Not quite sure how we made it there because the only morning people in our house are under 5. Off to the start line I went. To say I was getting nervous would be a huge understatement. The race started with a boom, literally. A civil war reenactment group shot a cannon. Most of the race is downhill so that was pretty nice. I was averaging about a 10 minute mile until about mile 14. Then my wall started to form. I kept pushing though and managed to keep running until about mile 22. Then my wall was like one around a prison. About 100 feet tall and covered in razor wire. Intense right. Anyways, the next 4 miles totally sucked and I switched between running and walking (run downhill, walk uphill). Coming into this run my main goal was finishing but I wanted to try to do it in 5 hours. I crossed the finish line at 5:03 but since I was in the back of the pack at the start line I didn't cross the actual line until a few minutes after 8 so I'm pretty sure I made it in like 5 hours exactly.

The best part of this run was getting to finish with my family and friends (Hi, Mike and Cassidy). Throughout the race I would see runners stop and get a hug from their kids or a pep talk from a friend and I'm not gonna lie I was a little jealous. It definately made me want to give whatever I had left (after 26 miles there really wasn't much) so that they would be proud of me. Thanks for all the support guys!! (If you want to see me finish go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsMZNQw2LjE&features=youtube_gdata_player) My next marathon is in February (I know what you're thinking, hey crazy isn't one enough?) and I am hoping to do it closer to 4:30. Now I need to go take a nice long nap and try to regain feeling in my legs.

Scouting Fun

This last week I got to really use my 8th grade shop skills and cut up some boards for scouts (I'm a cub scout leader in the ward again). We were making tool boxes and I had to cut enough for 7 boys.

It was way fun. The best part was getting together on Wednesday and watching the boys light up when they found out that they got to use tools and build something. I wish I would have taken pictures of them making the tool boxes but we were a little too busy for that. I'm in scouts with one of my best friends and its a lot of fun! We get to pretend that we know what were doing when we're both totally winging it (Cassidy is way better at it than me. I think its because shes a teacher so shes better at leading). I did take a picture of what I did with the left over pieces of wood. I added to my halloween decor.

I think my witch needs some hair but other wise I love them. Anyways, my cuties had a fun week too. Casen helped me cook

and had his first sucker.

The weather was pretty nice a couple of days so we walked to and from school. Casen decided that he wanted to walk with his sissy.

They are so cute!