Put Me in the Zoo

Yesterday the kids and I drove to Birmingham for a little trip to the zoo. We met my sister Sara and her kids and a few of her in-laws, the Archibalds, there. We had a fun (and hot!) few hours strolling through the zoo. Well, the adults strolled while the kids ran. Why is it that kids only seem to have one speed (full out sprint) when at touring/look-see type locations? By the time we made it home I was B-E-A-T, worn out, and wilted!

Obviously not wilted by the heat, this little guy was putting on quite a show!

On a sidenote, I'm two days away from completing the Couch to 5k program I started a few months ago. I cannot fathom the fact that I can now run for 25 minutes straight! It's incredible! Usually I have my BRF (best running friend) Mallory with me, but yesterday I was solo. It was daunting, but thankfully there was a pregnant woman on a treadmill at the UA rec center. You may wonder why that is significant. Let me tell you...I wanted to stop. I wanted to quit running. I didn't think I could make it for 25 minutes all alone. See, Mallory is about 10 years younger than me and she's my motivation. I make myself keep pace with her. Anyway, I didn't have her yesterday and I was scared I'd couldn't hang. Enter aforementioned pregnant lady on treadmill. I saw her and I knew I had to run as long as the pregnant lady. Y'all, I will not be outdone by a pregnant lady (nevermind I don't know this lady and she could be a marathoner for all I know)! So I ran and ran and ran and after a while I noticed she wasn't on the treadmill anymore and I was at about 20 minutes. So, thank you unknown pregnant lady for being my motivation! Without you I may not have made my current record.

All in all, it was a sweaty, runny, happy day! I hope your summer is shaping up to be that way, too!

Much Love,
J 

Day 6 -- Rainy days and Mondays

Yesterday was rainy so there was no trip to the pool (boo!). Instead the kiddos and I got some organizing done in my office. Inspired again by the book The Happiness Project, I drug out the box of the kids' school and artwork I'd been saving for years. I sorted the one box into three (one for each kid) and labeled them. Now, when we get papers etc to save the kids each put them in their own box. I'm still hoping to sort them into expandable fileboxes, but baby-steps.

In addition to the paper sorting I organized the school supplies stash, hung some maps as artwork on my office walls, moved an old dresser into the office for game storage, and FINALLY put a rug on my cold office floor. I love it so much I may actually work in my office now . . . maybe.

Evie begins her dance with her "suitcase" ala Gene Kelly

After organizing was through the girls and I sat down to watch one of my favorite musicals, Singin' in the Rain. All the singing and dancing inspired the girls to try some "tap dancing."

Kallie's final pose in her "tap" routine

Organizing, dancing, musicals; so, how's your summer shaping up?

 Much Love, J

Days 4 - 5 -- The Weekend

Fruit salad with lime dressing. 
I pinned this on Pinterest from Dena at Oh! You Cook!

Saturday and Sunday were busy because of our church's stake conference, but it was a good kind of busy. We were spiritually fed. Saturday also included a visit to the grocery store and Sunday a trip to the library.
Speaking of fed, I've been cooking up a storm from recipes on Pinterest and have found several to add to our regular rotation. Yummy! This summer is shaping up quite nicely indeed!

Much Love,
J 

Day 3 - Cousin fun

Too much excitement for one sentence today . . . My sister Sara is in town for a few days, so today after my run (week 7 day 2 of C25k) we met her and the Archibald cousins at the UA Rec pool for swim time. Her in-laws Breesa, Chief, Serene and Breesa's baby Liv joined us. K enjoyed a nice day off with a good workout and time at the pool, too. Fun! Tonight Sara and I had some sister time shopping in Birmingham at (among other places) World Market -- my most favorite store in the universe! It was a busy and fun day, just like summer should be.

Much Love,
J

Day 2

Boats on the Black Warrior. I thought these were tug boats, but they are dredgers.

Yesterday the kids and I rode the Riverwalk trail (5 miles!), K was invited to play softball with some friends from church (they won, by forfeit), and my sister Sara and her kiddos came to town (yay, cousins!).

Much Love,
J

One-sentence, Day 1

So, I'm going to need more than one sentence. Just be warned I will break the one-sentnece rule, often!

Holdyn earned his Compass points badge, one compass-point, and three other activities pins at scouts last night.

Evie finished Bud, Not Buddy, which has 19 chapters.

Kallie and Evie are practicing roller-blading and getting pretty good at it.

I'm trying to convince K to join me jogging because I'll need a new exercise partner come August.

Much Love,
J

Beginnings -- Summer

Yesterday was the "real" first day of summer break for us. I've been out of school since early May and the kids finished up on May 23, but with two days of room cleaning, a busy weekend, and Memorial Day, yesterday was our first, do-nothing day of summer.

Hopefully, I can convince him to spend a lot of time like this over the summer!

We're reading, playing Uno, and trying not to spend too much time watching TV and playing video games (Holdyn). I've made a schedule. We stuck to it yesterday and I blew it this morning, by sleeping waaaay too late, of course.

I've been reading Gretchen Rubin's memoir, The Happiness Project. I really like it and have found some habits I'd like to cultivate. Foremost of those is keeping a one-sentence daily journal. I already keep a sort of Commonplace book or junk journal filled with to-dos, quotes, ideas, musings, scattered thoughts, whatever. But, I'd like to record our days and be better about keeping this blog, so maybe a one-sentence journal style will work.

My resolutions from New Years have been hit or miss successes. Hits -- I have kept up with exercising and I'm pumped about that! My friend, Mallory, and I have just about finished couch to 5k and are scheduled to run in the Color Run on Labor Day in Birmingham. I'd planned to run a 5k BEFORE my 35th birthday last year, but it didn't happen. The Color Run is Sept. 3, so I'll at least run a 5k DURING my 35th year. Revision is a great thing, no? Misses -- I have not been faithful in writing everyday and the take a photo a day project fizzled after about a week. To be fair, I write A LOT. It just doesn't happen everyday. I'm ok with that right now, but once I begin my dissertation that will need to change. Thankfully, a friend gave me the book Write Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day. It will be a huge help when the time arrives. As for the photo project, I have no excuse except I guess I wasn't as interested as I thought I'd be. I'll try it again sometime, though.

Well, that's a VERY brief update. And I've left out a ton, beach trip, trip to Nashville, 5th grade graduation, end of the year awards, Memorial Day with the family.

Tomorrow...summer continues and the one-sentence journal begins!

Much Love,
J