Rock n Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon

On Sunday I participated in the Rock n Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon. It was my first ever and I didn't necessarily love it while I was running it, but I'm ready to do another one! I struggled more than I thought I would and unfortunately just had a bad running day. I knew from the get go it was going to be a LONG 13.1 miles, but nevertheless I crossed the finish line.

Here are some of the photos from that day.

Center City shot - this was soon after the cross over the start line.

Don't mind all the faces I am making in the photos - this was at the end when they surprised us with a hill just before the finish line. I'm in the zone and just ready to be done in this photo.

Staring at the ground helps to keep me focused on the here and now rather than how far I have to go.

Don't know the guy next to me, in fact I don't even remember running past him.

A cell phone shot just before the race started....this is the friend that I trained with throughout the summer and ran the race with., Sandie.

AND....the FINISHLINE!!! I couldn't have been happier to see something come to an end! I am in the this photo - on the left behind the person with their hands on top of their head.

I was very excited to have the opportunity to do something like this. Running is my outlet and I have really come to enjoy it, so being able to accomplish running a half marthon was a great feeling! Thanks needs to go to Jeff and my parents for watching the kids so I could get my training runs in!!

Piper's 1st day

I may be biased, but I think she is just so adorable. I want to eat her up!!! She was so excited to go to her first day of school/playgroup and of course Mommy had her all decked out in a new outfit (right down to the shoes). She had a blast!!

1st days of school

No one wanted to smile for me for their first day of school photos. Peyton started 1st grade on Aug 31 and is loving it!

To his defense he was coming off of battling a stomach bug...

Parker started preschool today. He did ok. He cried when I first dropped him off. He is much different than Peyton so that was an adjustment for me. I struggled to hold it together seeing him cry because I was leaving him, but when I picked him up he was smiling.

Unfortunately on the way to pick up Parker, someone pulled out in front of me and I had to slam on my breaks, getting the back one stuck!! I was stranded in the parking lot with Jeff two hours away at the Hazleton plant for work! Fortunately my Sister in law saved me and picked us all up!!!! Thanks Em!

It felt like a "Not Me Monday!"....My flip flop broke while running errands with Piper and Paxton, I am 2 minutes late picking up Parker because of having to run home to get new shoes (it was either that or go in on his first day barefoot - great first impression that would have been), not to mention the whole car situation, then its 1:00 and the kids still haven't eaten lunch due to the car breaking down, we get home and I see that the chicken I was defrosting for dinner leaked raw meat juice all over the counter and floor (guessing there was a hole I didn't know about) and then I pick up both babies out of their seats from lunch and they are soaked (diapers were overloaded!!). I was so ready for naptime to just breathe...BUT that didn't happen!! Ugh! Can we just start over tomorrow??

He finally smiled, but of course was looking away! He told me he wasn't going to ride in my car, he was just going to wait for the bus to pick him up! :)

Piper needed to have her picture taken too with her backpack. :) She starts a preschool playgroup next week. She's very excited to be "going to school" just like the boys.



Birthdays

Peyton and Paxton had a birthday party together this year. Peyton turned 7 and Paxton turned 1! The kids enjoyed getting their faces painted by About Face II.

Argh!

ROOOAAARRR!!

Our sweet little princess with her butterfly and flower.

All of the kids with their painted faces.

It was so windy that I don't really have a shot of him blowing out candles, but he got the monkey cake he wanted.

Paxman loves his cake!

Can you tell?

The man!



Fun at the park



Our 4 Things

Thing 1, Thing 2, Thing 3, & Thing 4!

We have four things this year and I absoulutely love this shot of them!

"Vacation"

So vacation wasn't really a vacation but it was still nice to get away. I just took my "job" with me to a place without baby gates or limits! Having two in diapers did me in with all the sand and having to carry a baby who was covered from head to toe in sand, meant that I was too! I spent the whole week just helping kids with whatever they needed all week!! And unfortunately I broke my 1 year streak of no big heart episodes on our 3rd day at the beach! Bummed about that, but will take it over having them all the time!

We went with friends of ours and had a great time creating memories together.

Of course I uploaded all the photos in the wrong order- from the end of the week to the beginning but you get the point! :)

Piper sitting in a hole that some boys dug.

Peyton was our fish! He spent most of his time swimming and boogie boarding.

Tried to get a family shot on the beach, but Piper was having no parts of it! What else is new? 

It was hazy this day, but got some great shots with the sun burning its way through the clouds.

Parker really loved the water too - a little more aprehensive than I expected but he still had a great time.

Love my little Paxman!

Bribery to get this shot was the playground that was off to the right!

Ride time!

Daddy's little girl - riding the pink tea cup and all!

Paxton loving the beach! He had his binky in the entire week because just coming off of tongue surgery we didn't want any sand in his mouth  - he surprisingly kept it in most of the time!

Digging with Daddy!

Our four P's

It was so windy this night - hence the reason my hairs is flying all over! I had a dress on this night, but had to stop and buy shorts because I couldn't push a stroller and hold down the dress the whole night!

Our big man! Can't believe he's going to be 7 already! We've been taking him to the beach since he was almost 2!

This is how Paxton spent his mornings. Unfortunately it didn't last long and I could never get an afternoon nap out of him!

Well that was our beach trip in a nutshell.

Pax's surgery

July 13th Paxton had his frenulum surgery(tongue tie cut). This photo was taken pre-surgery (with Jeff's cell which is why its a little grainy). Unfortunately the pjs weren't gender neutral. We spent the morning hanging out waiting for him to be taken back for a procedure that took no more than 15 minutes. Forutnately Jeff and I fell apart at different times  - I had a hard time handing my baby over to the nurse knowing they were going to put him under and Jeff had a hard time seeing him post surgery. He was a mess afterward and had a rough couple of days until he started to heal. He is doing great now and is even starting on some table food, something that was impossible pre-surgery! 

This was on the ride home. He was exhausted!!



Paxton is 1 year old!!!

 Paxton is 1 today! I know I say this all the time, but man time flies!! I can't believe its been an entire year since we were blessed with this little guy!! This face just makes me laugh. He's the best addition to our crazy family of 6! We love you Pax-man!

Yummy!! He loves his cake!!

A fist full of cupcake!!



Here's to a fun summer...

So far this summer has been plagued with sickness for quite a few weeks! Piper is now recovering from an ear infection and Jeff is recovering from a sinus infection. Hoping that after this we are done!!! There has been more illness than I can count and I am looking forward to a healthy household!

The rest of this summer has a lot of big things coming up for our family... On the 13th, Paxton will be having his frenulum (tongue tie) surgery. We are anxious for him to be able to eat food without choking and throwing up. I am very excited to have this taken care (something that I have been fighting for his whole 11 months of life) but I am also so scared. He will have to go to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and be put under for surgery as well as have a breathing tube and heart monitor. While I know he will be in good hands, I get sick to my stomach every time I think of having to leave him and watch him be wheeled away to surgery. Its not major surgery, but putting one of your children under anesthia where anything can go wrong is still nervewracking.

Three short days after his surgery we are going to Ocean City, Maryland for a week. We are going with friends - Carrie and Mike and their daughter Kate. It will be so nice for all of us to get a break from life here at home.

We will be home for three more days and Jeff and I go away to celebrate our 10th anniversary. I can't believe how fast 10 years has gone by.  We have grown so much over the years and have created such a beautiful family and life together. It may be crazy but it's our's and I wouldn't change anything for the world. Love you babe! (pray for Grandma and Grandpa and "Silly hair Grandma" as they will be spending those 3 days trading off with the kids)

Shortly after we get home Paxton (our very last baby) will officially no longer be a baby anymore! :( And life will begin with THREE toddlers in our house at one time!! God help me now!!!!!!!! Pax is quickly figuring out how to make himself mobile. He has started crawling on his hands and knees (no more commando) and is pulling up on things with a side step here and there! It won't be long before he is walking!

And, sadly I will be turning 30 three days after Pax turns one! Goodbye to the twenties! :( Not sure what's in store for the big day, but maybe no one will remember and I can just remain 29 forever!

In late August Peyton will be turning 7!!! Our first baby will be 7!!! Did you get that?? I can't believe we will have a 7 year old! Its seems so strange to have kids out of the toddler "survival years".  Just as strange as having no more babies in the house (since we have had one baby every year now for the last 3 years!). Just as strange as it is to think we have been married for 10 years! And just as strange as it will be to think that I am still 29! ;)

Soon after Peyton's birthday, he will be going to first grade - which he is very excited about. I don't think he knows how long "all day" is when we talk about how he will no longer just go in the afternoons. 

And just before the summer is over I will be running a half marathon in September - that is if my old stress fracture holds out. I have unfortunately been having some soreness. I'm hoping that's all it is and that it will go away soon so I can get back to running!

So, as you can see our summer is packed with big events!! Stay tuned for many photos to come....

Old friends. New memories.

A little over 7 years ago Jeff and I moved into our first house in Telford, PA when I was pregnant with Peyton. Little did we know that we would find some really awesome friends that I know will always be a part of our lives. Scott and Candace have become such great friends and although they are now an Army family who we see very little of, we are able to pick up right where we left off whenever we are together. Candace has become my sounding board, as she too is a mom of 4 small kids and its always nice to have someone who can understand those rough days. Just having someone who can relate makes all the difference.

They are traveling the country and seeing family and friends before they leave to go to Germany for 3 years. We were fortunate enough to work it out to see each other on Wednesday. The kids played for hours while we all caught up and just enjoyed spending time together again.

Its crazy to see how much our lives have changed since we first met....

 ~Grayson, Parker, Peyton, Reagan (we only had Peyton when we met and they only had Gray and Reagan!)

 ~This is Tavian.

~Jaelyn and Piper hamming it up!

~And Candace and I (and Paxton). Two Mamas crazy enough to have four kids!

Although we can't spend hours playing cards anymore and having dinner together, facebook and the phone will do for now. :) Love you guys! Will miss you greatly and hope to see you again soon!