Ugh....what have I done?

Ok - that's a bit more melodramatic than it needs to be.

I am planning on participating in an 8k in a few weeks.  That's a hair under 5 miles for you non-metric folks.  For months - well, ever since I started running I said 5k was the longest I would ever go.  And I've recently in the last 2 months been able to run the whole 5k without stopping to walk.  So now at least 2 times a week I get in 3.1 miles with no problem. (Well, ok, it's not THAT easy....but totally doable.)

Some friends of mine are running in an upcoming 8k, and I was waffling about being able to do it.  They basically said "Oh just shut up, you can do it!"  Or maybe that was their exact words.....

Cue the rational side of my brain:  I can do 3.1 miles in around 29 minutes.....basically average 10 minute miles.  (My first mile is faster....and then I drop off.)  So add another 2 miles on to that, it's another 20 minutes of running.  If I work up to 4.5 miles before the race and just add chunks of 5 minutes to my current pace, I shouldn't have a problem getting there in 3 weeks.  I'm not planning on running 5 miles for practice....I think getting up to 4.5 miles should be fine.  So now my goal will be to do the 8k in under 50 minutes.  A realistic goal, I think. 

But boy, what a slippery slope this is.....if I can do an 8k.....a 10k isn't much more....just another mile.  Now I'm up to 6.2 miles....a half marathon is 13 miles, right?  Ok, I think I'm gonna set the ceiling at 10k.  For now.

Oh, and the 8k is in the middle of the day.....in July.....let's pray for a cold spell to pass through the area!

Piano recital

Last week Katie did a piano camp.  75 minute lessons for 5 days.  Looking back, they really covered a lot.  There were about 7 kids in the class, all about the same skill level.  She learned all the notes on the staff, where the notes were on the piano, and songs to play with both hands.  She also learned how to draw a treble clef.....I was easily 15 before I learned how to draw those things.

She got a piano book, and is very excited to come back and play on Grandma Mary's piano and Grandma Lyla's keyboard.....so be ready.

In the meantime, here's a clip of her piano recital she gave on the last day of class.  Keep in mind, she's playing for the other 7 students, but also their parents and grandparents.  I spose there was 20 people in the room, and she wasn't nervous at all!

Katie's Party

I better get a post in on Katie's birthday party before it's time to post one about Will's!  We had a party at home for Katie and her friends.  About a month ago I was on the computer looking at party ideas, trying to come up with a craft or activity that would be good for a group of 7 year olds.  I found some treasure hunt ideas and thought that sounded perfect!  The treasure hunt I initially created at an online site had to be shortened and made just a bit easier so that the girls' heads wouldn't explode. 

Overall, I think everyone liked it.  Well - I KNOW 4 of the girls loved it....the other 2, not so much.  But they sure perked up when the treasure chest was opened and they found their goodie bags filled with candy, pencils, paper, stickers, glow sticks, and bracelets.

The night before the party we celebrated as a family and Katie got to open presents from us.  Her number #1 request was for a real pair of binoculars and a compass.  John was able to spearhead that one....much easier shopping for him this year. :)

Opening the lock on the treasure chest. 

The birthday group...all girls from Katie's 1st grade class this year.

Will stayed away.....pretty far away.



Now it's on to Will's birthday in 13 days.  We WERE going to try to win him a birthday party at a local kid's gym.  We were close....but I don't think we're going to win.  Long story short - we're in 2nd place....a pretty far 2nd place.  But that's ok - a family BBQ, campfire and sprinkler session sounds fun too. 

As long as Batman is somehow involved.....

Weekend catch up

Sheesh, going through my pictures and I have SOOO many posts to catch up on!

- Camping trip this weekend
- Katie's birthday party
- Will's early birthday present
- Our newly painted house
- Katie's piano camp
- and more!

I guess I'll just have to start somewhere.  Since I missed a post for Friday Funnies last week cuz I was too darn busy getting ready to go camping, I'll start with some laughs.  Saturday night John and I went to Treasure Island to see comedian Louis CK.  Neither of us had been to a show there before and only John had even been there before.  It took us a little longer than we anticipated to get there, but we were still in time for the show. 

After finding a very short beer line, we settled down in our 9th row, center stage, seats.  I had gotten the tickets from a woman on Craigslist who had to sell them because her grandfather was retiring and having his party that night.  She only wanted face value for the tickets - so I was happy to find out they actually worked and weren't fakes. 

The show was very funny - if you aren't familiar with Louis CK....here's a couple clips.  WARNING:  The first clip is pretty tame and funny....the second one has lots of swearing....so don't watch if you're easily offended. :)

2 mothers....one blog entry

June is a month of birthdays in our family!  I'd like to take time to send out Happy Birthday wishes to John's mom and my mom.  John's mom celebrated her birthday on the 12th and my mom will celebrate hers on the 23rd.  (I use the term "celebrate" pretty loosely.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Summer of Science

Well....ok, 3 days.  Then I got sick of cleaning up the mess.  Katie got a science kit for Easter and we've done some magnet stuff and mixing colors.  This time we got out the fun goo and made fake snow - interesting polymers for all you brainiacs out there. 

Here's Katie blowing a bubble in our green goo.....

Happy Birthday to Katie!

Katie turns 7 today!!  Here's a blast from the past.....

I just like this picture because I love how Will is looking at Katie.  Oh, how wonderful it would be to spend another day with them at this age....

And here is Katie upstaging the Wicked Witch of the West.

Friday Funny

By OVERWHELMING demand, I have brought back Friday Funnies.  (Ok, like 2 people mentioned that they liked it......2 people can still be overwhelming, right??)

So here you go, Anne.....this one's for you.

Maybe a little tom-boy....

Katie shows she's not all princess tiaras and high heels....

Not a post for cynics....

I got a call yesterday from our church.  The woman on the other end told me that a group of women at church had made a "prayer shawl" for Katie.  They had been told a few months ago of the troubles she's had with her knees and they made her a shawl.

Those of you unfamiliar with "prayer shawls" - they are shawl/blankets made by a group of volunteers who pray for a specific person while making them.  They shawls are blessed and given to that person in hopes of providing comfort and good news. 

I was genuinely shocked - I had mentioned Katie's dr appointments a few months ago when we were really unsure about what we were going to find out about her knees.  And just this past week we had gotten some results back from another test that showed some questionable results, and we have to run those tests again next week.  So this comes at a very welcoming time.  On the other hand - our troubles and concerns seem minimal to others going through hard times right now and I feel greedy for taking the blanket when maybe they should have been praying for someone else. 

In any case - even if you can't get behind the whole "pray while making a shawl" or "blessing" concept, you have to admit it's a nice thought to have a group of people volunteer their time to make you something where you know that they were thinking about your family and hoping for good results. 

So stay tuned for a picture maybe later today.....

T-Ball time!

Will started T-ball last week.  This is his first "summer" activity of the year.  He practices for 3 weeks (one morning a week) then in July he joins a little league for T-ball and has games 1 night a week for 6 weeks. 

They worked on learning which base was 1st base...2nd base...and so on.  They also learned how to put their batting helmets on, and to not smack each other with the metal bats.  You know - the real technical stuff. :)

It was SO cute to watch and Will really had a good time.  There was also a girl from his preschool class there that he knew. 

Running the bases...there's Will right in front.

The bat is heavy!

Running home...

The team name:  The Blue Trains

An update....

If you haven't checked in with the McQuillen Caring Bridge lately, please do so.  Sean lost his battle with cancer on Saturday.  Obviously it isn't fair, but this seems grossly unfair because he was just diagnosed weeks ago and wasn't given the chance to really fight back.  So please keep his family, wife Gina and their two beautiful little girls in your thoughts.