Friday Funny

Blue screen of death

So last week my computer started acting all wacky and began going to blue screen and shutting down.  It happened a dozen times before I just gave up and asked John to have his computer guy at work take a look at it.  I grabbed my SD card for my camera out of the computer and he took it to work. 

He brought it home that same night and said that it was fine - never shut down on the guy and he could find nothing wrong with it.  Hmmmm.......

So last night I'm uploading pictures from my SD card (do you see where this is going??) and I get the blue shut down screen again.  So it appears that my SD card....my wonderful 8GB SD card is shot.  I'll have to pick up a new one before I dare take too many more pictures.  Has this happened to anyone else?

In the meantime, enjoy these EXCITING pictures of our snail eggs.  When we went camping in June Katie brought home two snails that she found and we put them in her bug house with dirt, sticks, strawberries, leaves, etc.  Well, they loved it so much that they have laid eggs....a ton of eggs.  In our research of snails, we read that some will hatch and eat the other eggs.  Yummy.  They do best in a humid environment and, lucky for them, that's all Minnesota is right now.  It takes about 3 weeks to hatch and I think it's been a little over a week now.  I'll keep you posted and hopefully they won't crawl out of the little air holes.....

Run like the wind....if the wind is blowing really slow.

I had my first 5k of the summer today.  You'll remember I had another race last weekend where the main focus was to just finish because the heat index was so high.  Today, the race was at 8, and not near as humid.  I had been running 2 times a week or so and have consistently gotten right around 30 minutes, and the last month I have been able to get 29 minutes and a little change....which made me VERY happy as this was a goal I had set for myself last year.

So I got a bit jazzed for today's race because I figured it would be the first "official" race where I break 30 minutes.  I was getting passed in the beginning a bit, tried not to let it shake me.  I'm not racing other people....I'm not running their race....I'm running my own and my competition is the clock.  So did I win?  Not quite.  My time was 33:32.  Almost my worst 5k race time ever.

I did my first 5k last August in IA, 2nd and 3rd in September in MN.  Here are my times
1. 34:xx  (walking & running)
2. 31:xx  (walking & running)
3. 30:13  (walking & running)

I only remember the last time exactly because it got me really pumped and proved to me that I CAN break 30 minutes.  But come on - I run the WHOLE three miles and I could have done better walking???

Today, my one mile time was 9:20......second mile was 19:30..........so then how the hell do I dump out a 14 minute mile at the end???  I didn't walk....I didn't feel like I slowed down.  If anything, I pushed harder the last 1/4 mile.

The winner with the fastest overall time was an 18 year old guy with 18:23.  That seemed slow to me too...I usually see winners with times in the 15-16's.  Funny thing is, I finished 2nd in my female age group.  Yeah, that's out of 6....but still.  So I'm questioning the length of the race.....ya know, gotta find something to blame so I don't have to point the finger at myself.

There's another 5k next weekend.....but I think I'm going to skip that one and plan a longer run here at home instead.  I've got another race August 20th, where it should work for John and the kids to come watch.  And there may be another one yet in September.

So I'm bummed my numbers aren't going down.  But as I was thinking about it, isn't that everyone's complaint?  If you're trying to lose weight....don't you get frustrated every so often that the #'s aren't going down?  Maybe even rising a bit?  I'm not in it to lose weight, but I think performance is the same thing - sometimes #'s just don't go down and we should all just be happy that we are active and getting out there to DO it.  Yeah, I'm trying....but tell that to my head. 

Friday Funny

A little lame....a little funny. :)

Will's birthday party

Since we didn't win Will a fancy party at My Gym, he had to settle for ice cream with just family.  I think he was ok with that.

We had ice cream cake from DQ.  With all Will's candles on top is looks like a jumbled mess....but a yummy mess!

VERY happy to get his Batman underwear!

 Will playing with Batman, Superman, and Metallo (I think)..

...which left Katie to enjoy Will's new racetrack.

Molly's new best friend

We have a baby bunny that lives in our front yard and comes out to visit every morning.  She sits under the front window and drives Molly NUTS!  The bunny is so little and ridiculously tame.  She actually lays down on her side and closes her eyes on our rocks.  And when you go outside near it, it doesn't hop away.  If anything, it tends to come closer.  Poor thing better learn some "bunny skills" or it won't last long!

Gimmie a "K"!

A couple weeks ago, Katie did a weeklong cheerleading camp.  There were about 6 girls all together and it was a nice age range for her.  This week wasn't hot at all....it was just perfect.  In fact, 4 out of the 5 days, Katie took a sweater with her in the morning.

Sunday's Race

I had my 8k race on Sunday....if you can call it a race.  I don't think anyone was "racing"....it was more of a journey.  Everyone was just trying to get to the end.  My friends, Anne, Vickie, and Vickie's husband ran with me.  Well, not WITH me.  They rock.  In fact, they rock AND roll.  The women are training for a triathlon in August and it's obvious that the work they are putting into their training is really paying off!!  They were awesome.

I ran the first mile, and although hot and sticky, wasn't too bad.  Still, I started walking/jogging after a mile.  The next mile and a half weren't too bad....spots of shade, lots of friendly neighbors sitting in their front yards with their sprinklers spraying on the runners.  (Along with 3 fire trucks on the route.)

That leaves mile 2.5-5......all sun....no shade....and blacktop.  It was along this section that two friends of mine were camped and ready with MUCH needed water.  Thanks Ingrid and Katie, it was a perfect spot and we all agreed that it was a good thing you were there. 

The last mile down mainstreet seemed to take forever!  It helped that there was a crowd lined up for a parade that would start an hour later....but I still couldn't run the entire way.  So, run a couple blocks, walk a block, etc.  In the end, it was a good feeling to having "done" it.  But I don't think I want to do much more than 5 miles for a while. :)  My time??  1:01:03.  My "perfect" goal time would be 50 minutes, but the fact that I was only 10 minutes over that, in a 108 heat index is a pretty damn good thing.

Here is Anne and I towards the beginning of the race.  If you look at Anne, it's obvious it's towards the beginning.  Looking at me, however, you'd think we were on mile 4. :)

Sweet, sweet finish.

Friday Funny

Thanks to my friend, Katie for sharing this!

Heat wave

Boy it's nice out today...and yesterday was beautiful too!  Tomorrow is supposed to rain, but still not get very hot.  It's supposed to be 95 here on Sunday.  Did I mention that I have a 5 mile race on Sunday? :) 

I was supposed to get in a 4.5 run yesterday....but I didn't get on the treadmill at naptime and John golfed late so I didn't get one in last night.  I was thinking about calling the neighbor girl to come over, but there was no answer when I called.  So, I figured that I'd get up early and run this morning....but 6:10 rolled around and I could NOT yank my butt out of bed.  The next thing I know, it's 6:32 and too late to run and make it back by 7 in time for when my "Pebbles" (1 1/2 year old) drops in.  Luckily it's still nice out so I'm determined to get a run in tonight.  Then, maybe a shorter run on Friday night.....then rest up for Sunday.

But, to be honest, I know I'm not going to be able to run the whole 5 miles when it's 95 degrees out.  So I'm not as concerned with "training" for it at this point.  I'll run a bit, walk a bit, yadda, yadda, yadda.  I know I'll finish just fine - but not in 50 minutes like I wanted.

I don't know why the "time" I run is so important to me - just a trait I guess.  I feel like I have to get faster....rather than just do it.  I'm getting better at that...but timing myself is still on my mind.  I think it's just proving to myself that I can do it.  Breaking the 5k in 30 minute mark was a great feeling, and I've slacked off ever since. :)  So maybe timing myself isn't the best idea.

Also - it's not that I like running.  But I don't have a lot of free time in a day, and I can get a real sweat worked up in 25 minutes.....and it's free.  So I feel like I get a big bang for my buck, so to speak.  But I was thinking about when someone "becomes" a runner.  Is everyone a "runner"? (Just non-practicing) :)  If I run 50 feet am I a runner?  If I run 50 feet every day, am I a runner?  Do I have to be able to run a mile?  Because when I started this last summer I sure didn't feel like a runner....could only run about 1/2 mile.  Now I can run 3.1 miles or more....and I still feel like an impostor.  :)

Happy Birthday Will!!!

John William turns 4 today!!!  Can you tell what kind of a party we are having???

Luckily, John, Katie and I don't have to dress up as villians.

The passage of the Will's........

A funny story....we ate supper at Noodles and Company Wednesday night.  Will said he had to go to the bathroom, so I took him.  As we were walking to the restrooms, he starts chanting "mens, mens, mens,mens..." I told him that we were actually going to go into the women's room.  He stopped dead in his tracks and shouts "But, I'm a MAN!"

Happy Birthday to my favorite little man....

Friday Funny

Will's favorite new ride....

This is ONE of Will's new favorite toys.  It was initially going to be saved for his birthday....but he found it/saw it....end of story.  I'm kinda glad we gave it to him early because he's had SO much fun with it.  He even rode it in the local Kiddie parade for the 4th of July.  And it reminds me of my AWESOME Knight Rider big wheel.....ranks right up there with my banana seat bike.  I LOVED going as fast as I could, then whipping around and skidding to a stop.  And of course talking to "KITT".

And then the ducks came out to watch Will motor up and down the sidewalk. 

Eat his dust.....

Stay tuned...this isn't Will's only new ride.  He and Katie both got new bikes over the weekend that they are pretty darn excited about!



On vacation!

Technically, now that I am getting paid for doing what I do everyday....I can also take a "vacation" where I just take care of 2 kids instead of 3. :)  John took the rest of the week off and we are spending some family time together.  Tomorrow we're heading to one of my favorite pools to go swimming and watersliding, and I think it's actually going to be nice out!

We went camping with some friends a couple weekends ago...you know, before the Minnesota government shut down and took the state parks with them.  It was a FUN time with about 7 other families!  Totally worth the mosquito bites.

I HAD to post this one....Angie was an innocent victim of the old marshmallow on the picnic table.

 Will teaching Dad the finer art of roasting.

I "think" they were playing horseshoes....  :) 

Waking up with smiles....



Friday Funny

Let's see how many of you are over 25.....