Partied out!

We had a birthday party for Adam on Thursday.  He insisted that he wanted a sweet sixteen party even though he left for XC camp and EFY within days of his actual birthday.  I was willing but had some misgivings.  Meg never had a sweet sixteen party.  I felt so guilty about that that I took her to London in June.  Which was fun and amazing but she had PMS and was right on the edge all the time, exacerbated by the marvelous (not!) weather and jetlag.  So not exactly the same as a big party, but I digress.
I wondered how a party for Adam would go.  Haven't had good luck with those in the past.  But, I heated the pool, rented some lights, bought pizza, candy, soda, cake.  Hooked up music.  Lit the fire pits.  And the kids started showing up...and showing up...and showing up until we had 28 kids there!  It was amazing.  And everybody seemed to have a great time.  Meg said that there was segregation between the NP kids and the MPK kids, which was kind of sad but probably to be expected. Just the fact that everybody showed up was pretty great.  Adam loved it, and actually, so did Megan.  Those MPK2 (and some lovely girls from MPK1) kids are so awesome.  They are really the ones who gave Adam what he needed to build his confidence and hone some social skills.  He wouldn't be who he is today without them.  I hope they know how much I appreciate them.  Of course, they created a beast (haha), which has opened a whole new can of worms, but I can deal with it!  Its a happy can of worms!

This house was built for parties.  The backyard is a total party yard.  I have had to stretch my social wings a bit and we have truly had one party after another.  Friends over almost every day.  Sunday dinners with guests practically every week (those are killing me, cooking stresses me out.  I'd rather bake any day!).  It is so much fun!  Lots of great changes, such a blessing to be here.  I am even more assured that the Lord has a hand in all things, and if we exercise faith in Him, it will all work out.  Now if the dang hives would just go away.

Thoughts of the day

Adam with BYU Cross Country Head Coach Ed Eyestone. Adam has been gone for 1 week and 2 days. He went to UT for cross country camp at BYU, what an awesome opportunity for him to meet some awesome runners, I am so excited for him! It really helped him catch the running bug, I am really looking forward to this season. He'll be running for a new team this year, Newbury Park High School...that could be bad, or good, depending on how you look at it. But I think it will be good. He will have the opportunity to run Varsity if he works hard. Anyway, this week he is at EFY and so won't come home until Saturday. I have missed him. Especially when I need something heavy lifted, haha. On the other hand, things have been so much quieter around here...

 I don't know what it is about me that makes me a chronic worrier. Chad loves saying that if there isn't anything to worry about, I worry about that! And he is right! I feel anxiety almost every day, about all kinds of things, stupid things and not so stupid things.
 Today I am worried about my sister, who I called this morning and asked to take Adam to the airport, and she was crying but wouldn't tell me why.
 I am worried about all the repairs that need to be done on all our houses - two rentals in Moorpark and the one we're living in.
 I am worried about the remaining annoying boxes that need to be unpacked. Trying to find new places for old stuff...well, that is kind of a fun worry.
 I am worried about Sam finding friends. He is the only kid who is struggling with fitting in here. I hate one of my kids suffering social angst, but all kids seem to suffer social angst at some stage of their lives. And Sam is such an odd kid, going through such an odd stage in his life. 12 is tough. And man, is he annoying - constantly quoting movies, books, and video games (and I don't get ANY of them)! I need to be more patient with him.
 I am worried about getting my butt out on the road. I have really gotten out of the habit of exercising regularly and my sanity and my butt show it. I hate the butt, and I doubt if I would need to list out these worries if I were working up a sweat more often. However, I can't do much without my sciatica acting up and that makes it hard. I am thinking of getting a second opinion...my neurologist said that I just need to stop anything that makes it hurt, the chiropractor told me that I need to get adjusted three times a week, buy the vitamins and minerals that he sells that are super expensive and not covered by insurance, and get counseling for negative energy and emotions. Yeah, right. Something tells me that he just wants to make money.
I can bike. I just need to do it.
I am worried that my hives will never go away. I am hiving almost constantly these days. I hoped it would get better after I got us all settled but they are worse. I started taking Benedryl in addition to the zyrtec/zantac cocktail twice a day. It makes me drowsy but has been helping somewhat. The constant itching makes me really ornery and I've been yelling way more often than necessary.
 So I am worried that I'm yelling too much and my kids will suffer for it.
 I am worried about getting Megan all ready for college. Need to make a list and start getting things checked off. I can't believe how fast the time is rushing by, and I know I will miss her but be excited for her at the same time.

 But, guess what? Fall is coming! My all-time favorite season! I look forward to Fall all year around. And this year, I get to go to UT for Conference and spend some time with Megan and Mama and maybe if I'm lucky, some sisters. I'll get a look at the fall foliage in an area that actually gets some real Fall weather. I'm excited about that! And after I drop Megan off at college, Mama is coming to stay with us for a few weeks! She will keep my mind off missing Megan. Plus I feel like I should be spending as much time with my Mama as I can, she isn't getting any younger.

 We are told by apostles and prophets that where there is faith, there is no need to fear. I am working on my faith. I have been practicing turning things over to the Lord - this whole move was an exercise in faith and is turning out to be mostly great. And I know that if I trust in God and have faith that everything will turn out to be good for us, then there won't be nearly as much to worry about.

 As President Hinkeley said, “Things work out, it isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out, don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. If you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. If we will put our trust in him, if we will pray to him, if we will live worthy of his blessings, he will hear our prayers.”

 I will do my best, it will all work out.

Big big big year

2012 has been the biggest year for our family so far. In Feb. Sophie got baptized.
In April, Megan turned 18.
 In June, Megan graduated from Moorpark High, and we went to London for 9 days. Also in June, Sam turned 12 and was ordained a Deacon. 
In July (next week), we are moving to Newbury Park.
 Also in July, Adam will be turning 16 and getting his driver's license, and be ordained a Priest.
 In August, Chad and I celebrate our 20 year wedding anniversary.
 Also in August, we will be taking Megan off to BYU. And who knows what will happen after that! Hopefully things will slow down a bit after that.

 The move. Everybody wants to know what prompted us to move. Truth is, I have been praying for over 4 years for a way to move, but when the economy crashed, we lost all the equity in our houses so we couldn't afford to sell. Then one day a few months ago, a friend called about renting our other house, and in a flippant comment, said, "or the one you're living in now!" It was like a lightening strike. I immediately started doing my homework - what would this do to our taxes, what it would cost to move into a comparable home, and where homes were available. I had to work to sell Chad on the idea, but it didn't take long. After a month of frustration when we couldn't find a home anywhere, we just decided to leave it up to the Lord. He knew what would be best for our family.
And a few weeks later (while I was in London), Chad called and said that he found a perfect home in Newbury Park. That was the LAST place he wanted to move, but we feel good about it, and when you leave something up to the Lord, you take what He hands you. Its going to be great. The house is bigger than our current house, with a backyard like a resort. Its closer to the office.
And the ward.
We haven't even attended the ward yet, and our kids have already made friends. Megan and Adam went to NP youth conference and met a bunch of kids...Adam especially hit it off with a kid there and they are already best friends. Hallelujah, finally! I don't know why the Lord didn't show us a way to move sooner, because I knew if we could just get Adam and Megan in with a different group of kids, they would be fine. Everyone in the entire family is excited about this move. It will be a fabulous new start for us and I am so happy.
Every day, I see amazing answers to prayers and feel such peace. Its a beautiful place to be. But of course, there is stress too, as with any move. Once we get all moved in, its going to be a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to decorating the place.
I feel so blessed. My hubby is such a great provider for our family and that allows us a lot of freedom that we wouldn't otherwise have. My kids love each other and enjoy spending time together. Many nights, all 6 of us pile up together on our big bed, playing games on various iPads and iPhones, and laughing at each other. And I get text messages from Megan AND Adam all the time, telling me that they love me. I don't think that is the norm, for teenagers. I love it.

So its been the biggest year for our family, but its going to end up being a fabulous year!

Mother's Day 2011

Great Mother's Day this year:

1) Chad baked cinnamon and orange rolls (Pillsbury) for breakfast. Which I ate while getting ready for church. I dislike breakfast in bed...the crumbs in the sheets are annoying.

2) Sophie and Sam gave me the gifties that they made at school - Sophie's bejeweled butterfly pin (seen pinned on my shirt above) was beautiful and she assured me that there were 52 jewels on it!!! I wore it to church. It matched my dress. Loved it! Sam made me a picture frame which needs a picture of us - I'll have to get working on that right away.

3) The kids hugged me and sang to me and linked arms with me during the whole of church. And colored cards for me.

4) I came home to a delicious dinner of pot roast, vegetables, rolls, and a special surprise, yams and apples (complete with marshmallows on top) heh heh, and peanut butter chocolate ice cream. I didn't have to prepare it and I didn't have to clean up. Except for the crock pot and dessert dishes. Those were in the sink this morning.

5) I got to sit on the porch swing, smelling the honeysuckle that is blooming like crazy in the backyard, and chatting with my Mama for over an hour. I love that lady!

6) Then, I got to wear a very special crown, made by Sophie, out of printer paper, plastic spoons, and blue flowers glued to bobby pins (left over from Megan's prom hair ensemble), while I opened my gifts. An electric can opener, some candles, 3 packs of gum, the game "Farkel", a new shower head, and some really sweet cards from my hubby and kids. It was great!

7) And the very best part of the whole day??? NO FIGHTING!!!

The day ended with a little tiny bit of mother's guilt...can't really have a Mother's day without it...but I got over it pretty quickly. I had a great day! Thanks, Chad, who headed the whole thing up - he is really wonderful with holidays. And my much-loved kids who held in their annoyance with each other until today. Love you guys!

Running Running Running update

Megan won first place in the Marmonte League championships for the 300m hurdles. So proud of that girl! As soon as I get them, I will post pictures. Chad took them with his new iPhone and hasn't transferred them to the computer yet. Megan combined her competitive streak with a lot of faith and prayer to win that race...I love it! Good job, Megan!

Running Running Running

The past fall, winter, and spring have been packed full of running for our family. I can't even begin to say how proud I am of all of us! Megan and Adam started out with Cross Country last summer, mainly as a way for Adam to make some friends before starting his freshman year at Moorpark High. It was fun to see THEIR relationship morph - still a love/hate relationship, but now they consider each other best friends. Which is good because both of them struggle socially. Anyway, back to the running. WHO KNEW that Adam was such a great runner??? He really took to distance running and is one of the top freshman on the team (he has a rivalry with one of the other freshman that pushes him to race harder). Plus, he loves running. Like when he gets really upset about something, chances are I will find him out running around our block. So healthy! Megan didn't like the distance running so much but did it anyway for Adam. She had a lot of fun.
Skip forward to spring and track season. Here, Megan came into her own. She decided to try running hurdles, just for kicks, and found out that she can jump like a deer! I am still in shock that Megan can hurdle! She is only 4'11, for heaven's sake! I had to see it to believe it, and then she goes and breaks the school record. Wow. Megan also runs the 100, the 4x100 relay, and the 4x400 relay (which I know from my track days is a killer race and usually made me puke). Now, a word about track meets. They are the longest and boring-est sports activity EVER! I have sat there for 12 hours before, just to watch my kids run for a total of about 15 minutes each. But it has been worth every minute. For the most part. It is best when Chad and I can trade off. But so rewarding to see them excell!

And then, after Chad broke his ankle last fall and had surgery to place a titanium plate and 13 screws, we didn't think he would ever run again! But he started running a few weeks ago and is now up to 2 1/2 miles! So proud of him! And mostly, pain free.

As for me, I ran two major races this spring. I ran the Chesebro Half Marathon in Agoura in March (my time for the 13.1 miles was 2hrs 30 minutes - not as fast as I wanted but at least I finished!), and the S. CA Ragnar Relay in April (the Ragnar is a 200mile, overnight race with a team of 12 people running 3 legs each. My total distance was 14miles, and my average pace was 10:33)

I loved the half marathon!

It pushed me to edge of my ability and I felt such a huge sense of accomplishment afterward! I wasn't running it for speed, but now I want to run another half in November (the Santa Barbara half) just to beat that time. The Ragnar? Well, the running part, I LOVED. But the no sleep, grumpy, emotional part...not so much. I am just grateful that Chad was our van driver during that crazy 36 hours, because he kept me from having a major meltdown. I don't do well on no sleep, mentally or emotionally. At all. There were two specific incidents that about did me in, both occurred AFTER I ran my last leg. Go figure. Anyway, Chad wants to do it next year SO SO SO bad...I am not so sure about that. Maybe if we can put together a team full of people I don't know, so that if I make mistakes or have a meltdown, I don't have to face them at church the next day...and put up with all the comments (enough already!).
But back to the running part. My very favorite leg was a 7 miler, at 10:30pm, in the middle of nowhere, with no one running anywhere near me. It was pitch black, no traffic, and all I did was settle into my happy running place - "the zone" - and ran my heart out. It was awesome! I was eating energy beans and sucking water out of my hip holsters on the go, so I didn't have to slow down for anything. I had a pace of 9:55 - a PR! I was so happy at the end of that 7 miles - practically euphoric! I beat my teammate (who I was supposed to pass the "baton" (slap bracelet) to at the exchange point) by about 5 minutes, so I was waiting around for awhile. Which kind of stunk. But the reason why was because I ran so much faster than they expected that I came in sooner (that, and I think they had trouble finding parking). I can deal with that. That was also the exchange where I saw an entire field full of strange lumps...finally figured out that those were runners rolled up in sleeping bags, laying right in the dirt, trying to get some sleep! Wow. Crazy!
The other two legs were tough ones both physically and mentally, because of heat and terrain. But I managed to run straight up a nasty, 4 mile hill (affectionately nicknamed "hell hill") without stopping, so I felt pretty good about that. I was pushed right up to the edge in every possible way during Ragnar...but I survived and came away from the experience feeling amazed at what the human body can do...what THIS human body can do! I have always hated my short, stubby legs...but they can sure power me up hills, and they are so muscular that I think that is why I haven't gotten injured yet ( I run upwards of 35 miles a week, with hardly a twinge). Like my older brother once told me: "your legs are like tree trunks. but hey, you will never get knocked over in a flood!" So I am taking stock and being grateful for what God gave me. Every. Day.


You'd think we would get sick of all this running. But we don't. Instead, we all just sit around and talk about it all day. And when we aren't together, we are texting, emailing, or Facebooking each other about it. We plan what races we can run together in the future. We brainstorm ways to increase speed and endurance. Even Sophie loves it! (Sam, not so much. But I've got plans for him...)
SO GLAD we discovered running!

Work in progress

Facebook and work have not been good for this blog. I am so far behind and there are so many things that have gone on in the past 5 (FIVE?!) months that I don't even know where to start. But rest assured, I will be back.