Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Bridge Run 2011
We went to Charleston, SC this past weekend to run the Cooper River Bridge Run. Andy took off Friday and Monday from work, so we were also able to do some "exploring". It was our first true mini-vacation as a family, and we had a BLAST.
I wasn't sure how Camryn would do, but she loved every single minute. She loved the novelty of being in a new place and seeing new things. She loved the hotel. She even loved her "big girl hotel bed" (aka the pull out couch in our room). Seeing how much fun she had made the weekend infinitely more enjoyable for Andy and I.
When we arrived in Charleston on Friday afternoon, we went to the expo to pick up our race packets, and then took a rickshaw to an italian restaurant for dinner. Our driver (biker?) took us past several horse drawn carriages which Camryn thought were wonderful. She loved seeing the "Nay Nay Nays". Our food was amazing.
Shelton family on the rickshaw:
We hit the sack early on Friday night, and got up around 5 on Saturday morning. Camryn woke up once during the night and was upset because she didn't remember where she was, but once we went in and reminded her, she went right back to sleep like a champ. We got ourselves ready, then got the kids up around 6, and we all jumped in the truck and made it through traffic to the starting line around 7. Thank you Great Papa Hines and Great Uncle Bill for pushing the kiddos so Andy and I could run. We met up with them for the hand off, and Andy and I made our way into our starting corral. It was then that I realized I had been so preoccupied with ensuring that the kids were comfortable, had snacks, etc, that I forgot to leave my pants in the car! It was cold-ish in the morning when we left the hotel, so I put pants on over my shorts. But it was warming up quickly, and I knew I would be way too hot if I wore them. I took them off and hid them in a bush so that Andy could go back and pick them up after the race when he got the car.
Andy and I at the start line:
View running over the bridge:
Post-Race:
We both had a good race, finishing in under an hour. I am proud to announce that I beat Andy by approximately 3 minutes :-P The kids did great with Papa and Bill. We all went out to lunch, and then parted ways. Andy took a cab back to the truck and to get my pants. The pants were gone! Wahhhhh! So I guess my price for having a good race was a pair of running pants sacrificed to the running gods (or theives).
Andy went out Saturday night to watch the Kentucky/UConn game, and I put the kids to bed back at the hotel. They were utterly exhausted after such a long, exciting day. We planned on heading home Sunday morning, but then decided that since Andy didn't have to work on Monday, we could take our time and do something fun before hitting the road. We decided to tour Magnolia Plantation, which turned out to be absolutely breathtaking. I took a TON of pictures, none of which do the place justice.
Hunting for 'gators:
One of the many alligators we saw on the boat tour:
We are back home now and getting back to reality. We did yard work all day on Monday, which included me spreading 33 bags of mulch in our front yard. On Tuesday, I had a physical and got a tetanus shot, which has made my left arm SO incredibly sore!!! Then today, I had an appointment with the eye doctor, and they dilated my eyes. So now I have blurry vision and a headache. However, the weather is beautiful and my kids are happy, so the day is good. I have taken a few days off from running, but I will start things up again tomorrow.
I wasn't sure how Camryn would do, but she loved every single minute. She loved the novelty of being in a new place and seeing new things. She loved the hotel. She even loved her "big girl hotel bed" (aka the pull out couch in our room). Seeing how much fun she had made the weekend infinitely more enjoyable for Andy and I.
When we arrived in Charleston on Friday afternoon, we went to the expo to pick up our race packets, and then took a rickshaw to an italian restaurant for dinner. Our driver (biker?) took us past several horse drawn carriages which Camryn thought were wonderful. She loved seeing the "Nay Nay Nays". Our food was amazing.
Shelton family on the rickshaw:
We hit the sack early on Friday night, and got up around 5 on Saturday morning. Camryn woke up once during the night and was upset because she didn't remember where she was, but once we went in and reminded her, she went right back to sleep like a champ. We got ourselves ready, then got the kids up around 6, and we all jumped in the truck and made it through traffic to the starting line around 7. Thank you Great Papa Hines and Great Uncle Bill for pushing the kiddos so Andy and I could run. We met up with them for the hand off, and Andy and I made our way into our starting corral. It was then that I realized I had been so preoccupied with ensuring that the kids were comfortable, had snacks, etc, that I forgot to leave my pants in the car! It was cold-ish in the morning when we left the hotel, so I put pants on over my shorts. But it was warming up quickly, and I knew I would be way too hot if I wore them. I took them off and hid them in a bush so that Andy could go back and pick them up after the race when he got the car.
Andy and I at the start line:
View running over the bridge:
Post-Race:
We both had a good race, finishing in under an hour. I am proud to announce that I beat Andy by approximately 3 minutes :-P The kids did great with Papa and Bill. We all went out to lunch, and then parted ways. Andy took a cab back to the truck and to get my pants. The pants were gone! Wahhhhh! So I guess my price for having a good race was a pair of running pants sacrificed to the running gods (or theives).
Andy went out Saturday night to watch the Kentucky/UConn game, and I put the kids to bed back at the hotel. They were utterly exhausted after such a long, exciting day. We planned on heading home Sunday morning, but then decided that since Andy didn't have to work on Monday, we could take our time and do something fun before hitting the road. We decided to tour Magnolia Plantation, which turned out to be absolutely breathtaking. I took a TON of pictures, none of which do the place justice.
Hunting for 'gators:
One of the many alligators we saw on the boat tour:
We are back home now and getting back to reality. We did yard work all day on Monday, which included me spreading 33 bags of mulch in our front yard. On Tuesday, I had a physical and got a tetanus shot, which has made my left arm SO incredibly sore!!! Then today, I had an appointment with the eye doctor, and they dilated my eyes. So now I have blurry vision and a headache. However, the weather is beautiful and my kids are happy, so the day is good. I have taken a few days off from running, but I will start things up again tomorrow.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Overdue Updates
Wow, it has been a busy month. I can't believe my last post was over a month ago...oops!! I have been procrastinating writing a new post because I feel like I have so much to update on that I don't know where to begin. I am really bad about procrastinating in general. Anyway, here's what we've been up to:
1.) Camryn is talking like crazy and using small sentences now. Her hair is getting long and she is getting taller. She is really starting to look (and act) like a little girl. She loves her little brother (Baby Car-Car), and takes good care of him.
2.) Carson is getting bigger each and every day. He can roll over as he pleases now, loves playing with toys, and thinks his big sister is the best thing in the world. He is constantly laughing and smiling.
3.) Andy is playing soccer two days a week now, and even running with me. He has really been working on getting himself in shape and healthy, and I am so proud of him for that.
4.) I am still running a lot and feeling GREAT in that department. We have a 10k race in Charleston coming up on April 2nd, a relay race in May, and a "warrior dash" in August. And the grand finale for me this year will {hopefully} be the City of Oaks Marathon here in Raleigh in November.
5.) Grammy Dot (Gimmy Dot) and Grandaddy Bob (Gob-a-gob) visited us for a week at the beginning of March. It was so nice having them here, and so much fun for me to watch the kids get to know them and vice versa.
6.) Camryn has been sick this past week. First, she had a fever and headache. She was waking up at night, hot as hot can be, squirming and crying "eyes, eyes!" It was heartbreaking. The next stage was laryngitis. She has no voice at all. Seriously, nothing. Poor kid! They tested her for Strep and Flu at the doctor and both tests were negative, thank goodness. We were sent away with "It must be a virus, just ride it out" as usual, so here we sit. She seems to be feeling better now, though she is coughing now and still sounds awful.
Alright, I am running out of time, but I want to get some pictures up. I promise to be better about updates.
< 3 to all!
Playing outside is tough work:
Somebody loves his Daddy:
Helping Dad feed the dogs and give them treats. One of Camryn's top 5 favorite activities:
Precious Cargo:
Photo op with Gimmy Dot and Gob-a-gob:
Carson's first big boy bath:
Camryn pinching baby brother's cheeks:
SUPER CARSON:
1.) Camryn is talking like crazy and using small sentences now. Her hair is getting long and she is getting taller. She is really starting to look (and act) like a little girl. She loves her little brother (Baby Car-Car), and takes good care of him.
2.) Carson is getting bigger each and every day. He can roll over as he pleases now, loves playing with toys, and thinks his big sister is the best thing in the world. He is constantly laughing and smiling.
3.) Andy is playing soccer two days a week now, and even running with me. He has really been working on getting himself in shape and healthy, and I am so proud of him for that.
4.) I am still running a lot and feeling GREAT in that department. We have a 10k race in Charleston coming up on April 2nd, a relay race in May, and a "warrior dash" in August. And the grand finale for me this year will {hopefully} be the City of Oaks Marathon here in Raleigh in November.
5.) Grammy Dot (Gimmy Dot) and Grandaddy Bob (Gob-a-gob) visited us for a week at the beginning of March. It was so nice having them here, and so much fun for me to watch the kids get to know them and vice versa.
6.) Camryn has been sick this past week. First, she had a fever and headache. She was waking up at night, hot as hot can be, squirming and crying "eyes, eyes!" It was heartbreaking. The next stage was laryngitis. She has no voice at all. Seriously, nothing. Poor kid! They tested her for Strep and Flu at the doctor and both tests were negative, thank goodness. We were sent away with "It must be a virus, just ride it out" as usual, so here we sit. She seems to be feeling better now, though she is coughing now and still sounds awful.
Alright, I am running out of time, but I want to get some pictures up. I promise to be better about updates.
< 3 to all!
Playing outside is tough work:
Somebody loves his Daddy:
Helping Dad feed the dogs and give them treats. One of Camryn's top 5 favorite activities:
Precious Cargo:
Photo op with Gimmy Dot and Gob-a-gob:
Carson's first big boy bath:
Camryn pinching baby brother's cheeks:
SUPER CARSON:
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Greatest Show On Earth!
Andy was out of town last week, and I think I am still recovering! Whew! We did fine, but it is incredibly exhausting to be the only parent present 24/7 for an entire work week. Carson is still waking up 2 (sometimes 3) times per night (working REALLY hard to change that, ughhhh!!) and Camryn is now getting her two year molars, meaning she often wakes up uncomfortable at night. On top of that, I ran almost every day last week, and hosted a Valentine's Day party at our house for our playgroup. By the time Friday rolled around, I was one tired mama.
So happy to see his Daddy after a long week apart:
My silly girl:
On Sunday we took Camryn to the circus, and you would have thought that she had died and went to heaven! She was very much looking forward to seeing the "egg-a-beets" (elephants), and talked about it all day on Sunday before we went. We walked in just as the show was starting, and an elephant was walking a lap around the arena. She started waving furiously and almost jumped out of Andy's arms she was so excited! I wasn't sure if she would be nervous about the show or enjoy it, but she definitely enjoyed it. She ate popcorn and waved at the animals the whole time. It was precious. I am glad she had fun, because by the time we left, Andy and I were exhausted! Thank goodness we bought our tickets ahead of time and chose two seats on the end of the row. I was sitting in the inner seat next to a very large man, and the seats in the RBC Center were much smaller than I remembered. Of course, when you squeeze two adults, a toddler, a baby, a diaper bag, a huge bucket of popcorn, two beers (yes, they sell beer at the circus..who knew?), a chili dog, and a soft pretzel into two arena seats, it is bound to feel a bit cramped I suppose. In the end, we survived to tell the tale, and Camryn made some wonderful memories to last her until we go again next year.
Playing peek-a-boo with the Egg-a-beets:
I think Carson was slightly overwhelmed:
Family portrait the man next to us was kind enough to take:
Camryn shoveling in the popcorn:
One happy kid:
The weather here is beautiful, and we are looking forward to the weekend. I managed to do a 7 mile run this morning, and plan to do another long-ish run on Saturday or Sunday in order to take full advantage of the spring-like temperatures. Can't wait.
So happy to see his Daddy after a long week apart:
My silly girl:
On Sunday we took Camryn to the circus, and you would have thought that she had died and went to heaven! She was very much looking forward to seeing the "egg-a-beets" (elephants), and talked about it all day on Sunday before we went. We walked in just as the show was starting, and an elephant was walking a lap around the arena. She started waving furiously and almost jumped out of Andy's arms she was so excited! I wasn't sure if she would be nervous about the show or enjoy it, but she definitely enjoyed it. She ate popcorn and waved at the animals the whole time. It was precious. I am glad she had fun, because by the time we left, Andy and I were exhausted! Thank goodness we bought our tickets ahead of time and chose two seats on the end of the row. I was sitting in the inner seat next to a very large man, and the seats in the RBC Center were much smaller than I remembered. Of course, when you squeeze two adults, a toddler, a baby, a diaper bag, a huge bucket of popcorn, two beers (yes, they sell beer at the circus..who knew?), a chili dog, and a soft pretzel into two arena seats, it is bound to feel a bit cramped I suppose. In the end, we survived to tell the tale, and Camryn made some wonderful memories to last her until we go again next year.
Playing peek-a-boo with the Egg-a-beets:
I think Carson was slightly overwhelmed:
Family portrait the man next to us was kind enough to take:
Camryn shoveling in the popcorn:
One happy kid:
The weather here is beautiful, and we are looking forward to the weekend. I managed to do a 7 mile run this morning, and plan to do another long-ish run on Saturday or Sunday in order to take full advantage of the spring-like temperatures. Can't wait.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Lofty goal.
As I mentioned, I have been running a lot more in the recent weeks that I have in the past year. Not running was mostly due to me being pregnant, but partially due to me not making time for it. I am trying REALLY hard to make time lately (and time for "me" in general). On the days when I can't get out on my own, I have been trying to work it into my daily schedule with C and c. Easier said than done with an unpredictable infant and an opinionated toddler. When I run in our neighborhood with the BOB Duallie in tow (well, out in front), I make a deal with Camryn that we can stop at the park on our way home. She loves it. Honestly, the park in our neighborhood is not nice AT ALL, but there are swings there and a mostly weed-filled sandbox, both of which she really enjoys. She likes to sit on my lap on the big kid swing, yell "Weeeeee" and wave to Carson in the stroller while saying "Hi Baby Car Caaaaarrrr!". It sometimes pains me to stop mid-run, but to see her joy on the silly swing at the crappy park definitely makes it worthwhile. I am going to try to not let the "work" associated with getting the kids ready so I can run get in the way of me doing it. That's my new goal, and a lofty one at that.
Camryn's lofty Goal:
Swinging:
In the sandbox:
My running partners:
Camryn's lofty Goal:
Swinging:
In the sandbox:
My running partners:
Monday, February 7, 2011
Spring, is that you?
We have had a few warm(ish) days lately and it feels like heaven. Even better, our hydrangea is beginning to sprout buds, sure proof that spring is almost here!! I have the worst cabin fever right now. So does Camryn. We were able to take her to the park yesterday afternoon, and she cried when we left. I told her to say "Bye bye park" as we were leaving (this is what I usually do to help her cope with leaving a place/toy/event that she is enjoying). She refused and instead began saying "Hewo park! Hewo park!" in a last-ditch effort to get us to stay. Poor kid! They were closing the gates in 30 minutes, and it was past dinner time, so we HAD to go. I am so looking forward to consistently warm weather, longer days, and spending the whole day outside.
It was fairly nice out this morning, and I made sure to get outside with the two Weeds as it is going to rain this afternoon. Here are a few pictures:
Going to visit the pups:
I love the North Carolina sky!
Self portrait of Carson and I, please excuse the hair and lack of makeup!!!
My budding hydrangea:
Aaaaaaaand, this is what it looks like when you tell an almost 2 year old that it's time to go inside:
Andy is out of town all week for training in Wilmington, so wish me luck and send me energy! <3
It was fairly nice out this morning, and I made sure to get outside with the two Weeds as it is going to rain this afternoon. Here are a few pictures:
Going to visit the pups:
I love the North Carolina sky!
Self portrait of Carson and I, please excuse the hair and lack of makeup!!!
My budding hydrangea:
Aaaaaaaand, this is what it looks like when you tell an almost 2 year old that it's time to go inside:
Andy is out of town all week for training in Wilmington, so wish me luck and send me energy! <3
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Marbles...again!
We went to Marbles Kids Museum again today. Camryn was confident, well behaved, and had a fantastic time. Carson also had a great time while he was sitting in the stroller. Pics below:
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Fresh Air
It is still chilly here, but it was sunny and NOT windy this afternoon, so I took the opportunity to take Camryn out to play. Between bad weather and the kids being sick, we haven't gotten out of the house much lately, and I think we are all going stir crazy!! I am hoping for continued good weather tomorrow and this weekend. Here are some pictures of the princess enjoying the yard today:
Riding her bike:
Playing with her puppy Violet:
Surprise!!!
Collecting "nuts" (acorns):
And, because we never have pictures together, Camryn and Mommy:
Here are a couple of pictures from earlier this week:
Best friends (Seriously, they are best friends!):
My super human son can sit up at 12 weeks old!
And here is Carson in his seat (well, Camryn's seat...they share it now!)
Riding her bike:
Playing with her puppy Violet:
Surprise!!!
Collecting "nuts" (acorns):
And, because we never have pictures together, Camryn and Mommy:
Here are a couple of pictures from earlier this week:
Best friends (Seriously, they are best friends!):
My super human son can sit up at 12 weeks old!
And here is Carson in his seat (well, Camryn's seat...they share it now!)
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