Tuesday

1.  Sunday, May 1st  was Bloomsday. In Spokane, that means that over 50,000 people take to the streets for the world's largest road race. And for me, this year, it meant running. This is my fourth Bloomsday - but I've always walked the whole thing. It's a 12K - which is 7.46 miles. Having run my first 5K race just two weeks before, I was more than a little doubtful that I'd be able to run the whole thing, especially when I considered that the Bloomsday course it MUCH more challenging, with several long hills. Just before mile 5, the course climbs what's lovingly referred to as "Doomsday Hill". That doesn't exactly inspire confidence, now does it? But I decided to run as much as I could... do my best. My longest training run was 6 miles, and when I did that, I felt like I had lots of energy left... so I should be able to pull out another mile and half, right? Well, I DID! Savannah ran with me for the first two miles, then had to fall back, having only relied on her youth (and NO training) to keep up with me that far... I ran alone for the rest of the race (as alone as one can be with 50,611 other people!) I ended up finishing in 1:16:29 - taking 10,068th place. Not too shabby for an old broad who just started running this year... You can see the rest of the family's results here... Kyler came in 611th... crazy boy.
2. I came home from work to find 15 pink plastic flamingos in my yard the other day. It's a fundraiser for Young Life... you can pay $25 to 'flock' someone... and then they can pay to 'flock' someone else. So you'll see this flock of birds traveling all over the south hill. Silly.
3. Kyler's had a bit of a rough go this track season... he's fighting a fallen arch in his right foot - which means lots of icing and physical therapy and rest... while still trying to train and compete. I worry about him every day, that he's doing more damage to the injury. Even so, he finished last week with a PR in the 1600 - finishing in 4:51. One more meet on Saturday and he can get off it and maybe give it a real chance to heal. This injury has the potential to give him a lifetime of problems, but we're working with an amazing group of PTs and I'm hoping it gets better before cross country season.
4. I have been carrying the same little LG flip phone for years... I used my upgrade two years ago to get a phone for Savannah and really resisted going into anything more technologically advanced. When I qualified for an upgrade, I went in to look at phones... and guess what? If you're looking for a simple phone that just calls and texts, you have about two to choose from. And they're ugly. So I decided to take the plunge into the world of data plans and smart phones. I had the nicest employee at the Verizon store who was exceedingly patient with me as he walked me through all the features of all the phones and held my hand as I took the plunge. I am now the proud owner of an iphone. Ridiculous. (And I'll even admit that I like it... but reluctantly.)  I'm trying SO hard not to become a person who's always fiddling with her phone... but wow, you sure can do a lot on that little thing...
5. I've got Paris guidebooks all over the house as I begin to refamiliarize myself with the city of lights and decide what we're going to try to show the kids on our three day layover there... We've rented an apartment for the duration - which is in a completely different part of town from when Asia and I went. I'm so excited to get to discover another section of my favorite city in the world. We're for sure going to the Louvre, and of course the Eiffel Tower... but beyond that, we're still deciding. Really? I'm just excited to eat crepes and wander the streets with my favorite people... picnics by the Seine, wandering the markets... Oh, Paris, you have my heart...
6. Kyler has been going through the process of enrolling in Running Start - which is an amazing program in Washington state where he'll be double enrolled in high school and college at the same time. He'll be able to graduate from high school with his AA and transfer directly into his junior year of college once he's done - and it's ALL TUITION FREE! We'll have to buy books and pay lab fees - but wow - what a great opportunity. It's a huge transition for me as a mom... but we're thrilled that he has the opportunity to do it. Savannah already has her sights set on it as well.
7. Speaking of Savannah... she's become my little baking girl... making cookies and scones and granola bars and whatever else... LOVE having help in that department. She's learning a lot and becoming quite the little pastry chef. I really began to love baking at around that same age so it's been fun for me to see her enjoying it. Gosh, I love having a girl.
8. I'm finding that now that Bloomsday has come and gone and I'm not working toward any particular goal/race, I've lost a little of my motivation to run. Asia is encouraging me to sign up for a half marathon - but I'm a little nervous about losing 3 1/2 weeks of training time while we're on our trip. I need to do some research to see what the training program looks like for that long of a race. There's one in Leavenworth in October that sounds just lovely...
9. We've had trouble with our kitchen faucet for awhile... it's been dripping unless the hot handle sits in just the right place... Asia decided to fix it over the weekend and of course, we ended up with a new faucet altogether. He had a friend helping and they went to the hardware store together to pick it out - which made me more than just a little nervous. Most of you know Asia is extremely frugal and I was afraid he'd come home with something like THIS. He did good though and I have a lovely new faucet... good on him!
10. Occasionally I'll go to upload pictures from my camera and discover that someone's been taking pictures without my knowledge. This is happening a LOT with my new phone, too, as the kids like to play with some of the camera apps. This morning when I went to get track pictures from my memory card, I found these gems... I'm assuming Savannah took them, but I'm not sure. Fun to see the artist in my kids developing before my eyes...