Needle Junkie

Well, not that kind of needle.  I am one of the 80% of runners who gets injured every year.  For me, I've been dealing with Achilles issues for the last month.  In August I hurt my left Achilles and ended up taking almost a whole month to get back to where I was before injury and it cost me a race that I really wanted to do.  After two good weeks back in running I was feeling pretty good.  I'd worked up to 9 and then 12 mile runs on the weekends and my weekly mileage was climbing. In fact, in retribution for not being able to do my 10k I decided to just train for a 1/2 marathon and eventually, running with some girls who were on a full marathon training program, figured I might as well jump in with them where they were in mileage (who knows, maybe I'll do a full marathon after all). THEN came my right Achilles.  I finished a 12 mile run with some friends last weekend and by my mid week medium mileage run I could hardly walk.  I had a 13-15 mile run coming up in 4 days and I was not going to miss it.  NOT AGAIN ACHILLES!  I did some online research and discovered that acupuncture had a good base behind assisting with Achilles issues.  I made up my mind to call a chiropractor (the first ever for me) the next day.  Anyway, two days later I received dry needling treatment, which is actually different from acupuncture, in that the needles go through the muscles to release lactic acid and increase blood flow in areas that are tight.  I had about 20 needles in and through my Achilles and calve muscle and then ran 3 miles the next day and 14.6 two days after that!  Pretty amazing.  I went back for a second session today and had my achy left calve muscle treated too.  One more session after this one and I think I will be set.  While this isn't the most pleasant thing I've ever experienced, I think it's very much worth it to not have to take all the time off that I've had to do before.  I tried to take a picture of my leg with all the pins, but I couldn't twist myself that way, so if you are curious google dry needling on Google images.

Catching Up

If I do one thing well, it is NOT keeping up on this blog.  Summer is over in the Bloom household and we had a really busy, but honestly, wonderful summer.  I can't really do justice to two months of past happenings in one post, but I'm going to do my best, so here are some of our summer memories:

-Lots of family time, complete with sporadic and unplanned sleepovers.  Nothing is sweeter than watching 3-5 kids' faces light up at the suggestion of camping out on the floor under piles of blankets, falling asleep to cartoons.  We got to do this with our kiddos and our oldest niece/nephews several times throughout the summer.  We also had our annual Six Flags trip with our nephews which always makes me have to suck up the "I'm getting to old for this" attitude!

-We got to meet two precious nieces.  Khloe and Alice are as cute as can be!

- We have held true to our "we will take a family vacation out of the country each year" mantra.  We traveled to Atlantis in the Bahamas with the kiddos and Mommom and Papa.  It was so much fun and I really needed that Bahama lack-of-time relaxation.

-I ran three 5ks over the summer and the Color Run was a blast!  Now I am training for a half marathon and while it's tough, I am enjoying the challenge (sort of).

-I had two bouts of poison ivy--lots of fun.  I took so many steroids this summer that I should have no problem training for an ultra-marathon!

School has started and we are back in the swing of things.  That just means everything is crazy again.  That's normal around here.

Who needs a slip and slide?

Keeton and his pal used our front yard as a slip and slide after yesterday's rain.  He is ALL BOY!

5k

We did it!  Yesterday marked my first 5k and I think I may be addicted.  To running.  And maybe that means I need help, because really....who gets addicted to running??

All of us ran.  Jeff and the kids ran 1 mile and I did the 5k.

My sister and me after the race.

Next up, Firecracker 5000 on the 4th and then the Color Run in Indy at the end of July!  Start my 10k training tomorrow.

Found: Hobby (2)

So, I've been running now for 5 months and really only "training" for 10 weeks.  But finally, I feel like a "runner".  I may not be the fastest, but I can do the 5k and not die and not walk and that is huge for me.  I am actually enjoying it too, which is funny because I didn't enjoy running when I ran track for four years!
My first 5k is in a week and I am excited to prove myself.

Ella and I picked up another hobby tonight--horseback riding lessons! This was my little girl dream and I'm really excited to share this hour each week with my daughter.  Ella was quite the natural and loved every minute.  She wasn't afraid to trot her horse, saddle it, groom it, or feed it.  Funny thing is, that I was actually a little intimidated at first.

These two hobbies made me realize something.  I have let a lot of self doubt seep into my life, especially this past year.  When everything seems like a question mark and every decision seems like a mountain I am not sure I can climb, these two hobbies just might keep me sane.  With running, I have to focus very hard on my breathing. If I don't, I can't pace myself.  Also, it was such a huge accomplishment to get to my 5k distance that it made me face myself with the "I can do this" mentality.  I am going to keep setting goals and see how far this can take me.

The horseback riding, while only lesson one, taught me a few things too.  First, I tend to doubt myself before I even begin.  I have never had any reservations around horses but I was worried I'd look too inexperienced or embarass myself when trying to saddle it.  Once I got on, I was good.  I looked at Ella who had no fear at all and was completely okay with being told to loosen by grip, use my knees, etc.

I realized tonight that I've let a lot of myself go these past few years.  When people asked what I liked to do, there wasn't much there.  So, I am feeling a little liberated and a little more confident, which all in all, is pretty good for a couple of hobbies!

While passing the casino...

Keeton says, "That's where Daddy says you steal money and smoke cigarettes."  Too funny.  He meant "spend" money, but it might as well be getting it stolen with the Bloom luck!

Happy Birthday to my Little Man-20 Things

I'm not going to spend any time on here speaking of my sadness that my "little man" is six. I mean, that sounds crazy...why would I be sad? Ah...another post, another day.

Instead, happy birthday to my sweet little boy! I found this post on pinterest and thought it was very true. We are particularly focused on potty-humor at this point in life. Sigh.

 20 Things a Mother Should Tell Her Son

1. You will set the tone for the sexual relationship, so don't take something away from her that you can't give back.

 2. Play a sport. It will teach you how to win honorably, lose gracefully, respect authority, work with others, manage your time, and stay out of trouble. And maybe even throw or catch.

 3. Use careful aim when you pee. Somebody's got to clean that up, you know.

 4. Save money when you're young because you'll need it some day.

 5. Allow me to introduce you to the dishwasher, oven, washing machine, iron, vacuum, mop and broom. Now please go use them.

 6. Pray and be a spiritual leader.

 7. Don't ever be a bully and don't ever start a fight, but if some idiot clocks you, please defend yourself.

 8. Your knowledge and education is something that nobody can take away from you.

 9. Treat women kindly. Forever is a long time to live alone and it's even longer to live with somebody who hates your guts.

 10. Take pride in your appearance.

 11. Be strong and tender at the same time.

 12. A woman can do everything that you can do. This includes her having a successful career and you changing diapers at 3 A.M. Mutual respect is the key to a good relationship.

 13. "Yes ma'am" and "yes sir" still go a long way.

 14. The reason that they're called "private parts" is because they're "private". Please do not scratch them in public.

 15. Peer pressure is a scary thing. Be a good leader and others will follow.

 16. Bringing her flowers for no reason is always a good idea.

 17. Be patriotic.

 18. Potty humor isn't the only thing that's humorous.

 19. Please choose your spouse wisely. My daughter-in-law will be the gatekeeper for me spending time with you and my grandchildren.

 20. Remember to call your mother because I might be missing you.

The P-Town Pantones are signed up for the 5K Color Run!

I NEVER thought I would post a blog on this topic, much less be excited about it, but I just signed myself (AND JEFF) up for two races this summer!! Since Christmas, I've been trying to run. I needed a hobby--one that physically pushed me to the point of mental exhaustion. I say trying because for some reason, my body does.not.want.to move like it did when I was a teenager. Sigh. Gone are the days that I could do a two-mile run just because I thought I might as well join the track team and still, I didn't look like a complete loser. Now, it is April and I am finally at that point that I think I might be able to run a small distance without stopping to walk and not die. Because I tend to lack follow-through (ahem, the blog) I am pretty darn proud of myself for having been committed to this for the last four months, two of which I have stepped it up and am really pushing myself. So, I needed a goal. Drumroll please...on June 2nd I am running my first ever 5K! Jeff is also running the 1 mile version with Ella and Keeton. The kids are just psyched to get a t-shirt. BUT...on July 28th, Jeff and I are both running another 5K with my sister, her hubby, and my good friends Seth and Patty. This race is going to be a blast! It is in Indianapolis and is called the Color Run. Basically, you get hit with paint each kilometer until you are completely covered in it by the end. I don't normally like to get dirty, but this sounds awesome. Our team name is the P-Town Pantones, thanks to Zack's clever artsy-knowledge. Totally excited. Check out the run at thecolorrun.com

Hilton Head

A week's vacation went by much too fast! we had a blast in Hilton Head with three other couples and a total of 8 kiddos...let me tell you, the noise level was intense at times! The weather was perfect and we all came back with some color (some of us are red...er...Ella and Jeff). We spent most of our time just relaxing at the wonderful house we all shared and our private pool. Lots of seashells were collected, I got to do my runs on the beach in the mornings, and we took a day trip to Charleston. We also got to spend some time with my family, which was nice. Back to reality on Tuesday, but I am certainly looking forward to the Bahamas in July! I've been sitting on this post for more than a week because for some reason my Mac doesn't want to let me post the picture which are clearly in iphoto...well, hopefully I can figure it out later.

Finally

Finally have an appointment for Ella to be seen by someone who might know how to deal with her alopecia. After seeing our pediatrician on Thursday, they are going to send us to Iowa. I am just hoping we can figure out what is causing this and get a handle on it.

I brushed my teeth with deodorant

Or soap, or whatever leaked in our overnight travel bag which contained the toothbrushes. Yuck.

Day for me

I had the day off today but Jeff and the kids had school. You can imagine that rarely ever happens. I really had grand things planned...sleep, sleep, sleep. But alas, the kids had to get to school and that was my responsibility today. While sleep never did make it on my list of events today, I did get quite a bit done! Had my nails done, went tanning (looking forward to Hilton Head), ate lunch at school with Keeton, had a grown-up lunch with a friend, ran 2 miles, started dinner in the crock-pot,baked cookies for the kids after-school-snack, and now I'm even posting to my blog!! I have less than hour before I have to go get them from school, so I probably will just watch some tv and forgo the nap. It was odd not being at work today, but so nice not to feel rushed!

Extra day

President's Day afforded us a three day weekend and I feel like a lot got accomplished. Work has been insanely busy and this week won't be any different. So, this weekend I was able to get a few hours of work done which will help me out this week, Keeton had a sleepover (his first ever), had lunch with the family, and then today I had a one hour massage (heavenly and much needed), filed our taxes, and even made dinner (from scratch, mind you) and baked some chocolate chip cookies. I really think just one extra day a week would really make me a more sane person!

Three Things

What three things would you grab for keeps if you could only take three (let's say a house fire or whatever). It can't be people or pets and it has to be your belongings (not the kids' stuff). I would first take our laptop because that has more information/photos than a photo album anymore. Anyone remember those? Then I'd grab our safe because presumably, that's where the important things are. Really, I would. Finally, I think I'd take a little music box that is in Keeton's room. It's a cheap plastic thing that is a bit broken, purchased in a gas station someplace. It was my Papa's and I can remember so vividly him getting it out of his master closet when we'd visit, winding it up, and letting us watch the little boy and girl dance around and finally peck each other on the lips. Just holds great memories. You?

Getting crafty

We really haven't had to do too many room overhauls in the new house, though we did tackle the dining room about a month ago. After completing that transition I started looking for a sideboard but couldn't find one I liked. Then I came across a blog where someone stenciled the top of a chest and I really liked the combination of the modern pattern with the traditional piece of furniture. I bought a "craft sized" stencil from Cutting Edge Stencils (http://www.cuttingedgestencils.com/) in the Rabat pattern. There were so many to choose from I had a heard time deciding. I've never stenciled anything before so I watched the tutorials provided on their website and then braved myself today for the project. I didn't do anything special to prepare the old table we have had in the basement. I figured it was distressed enough to not need sanding, plus I wanted the dark finish to not be marred where the stencil wouldn't cover it. I'll admit I wasn't really sure how to place the stencil the first time...go to the edge and then have to fill in at the end or just put the pattern all the way to the end of the table? I went with the latter, but now I think I was supposed to fill in at the end. The only other snafu I encountered was realizing that I needed to wait for the paint to dry before placing the stencil again, since you have to overlap the stencil in order to continue the pattern. The website said you don't need to wait, which might be true on walls, but since wood doesn't absorb the paint, it is necessary to let the first print dry. Here's the during:

Here's the finished table. I still need to put a clear poly on top to protect it and then find some accessories, but for less than $30, I was able to turn a too-scratched-up-to-use table into a really unique sideboard!

I'm thinking that I'd like to use a wall-sized stencil from Cutting Edge to paint an accent wall in our master bedroom. A tad more intimidating, though!

Dance Pictures

Ella did a great job today and we are ready to head to her first competition in March!

Dance Mom

Tomorrow is Ella's preview show for the dance company's kick off to competition season. This is my first experience with travel anything, and while I know all travel-moms have their stigmas, I am a little worried about this "dance mom" thing now that Ella is in this group. I was telling my mom about some of the "new to me" concepts, such as purchasing specific make-up and company jackets when she asked if I ever watched the show "Dance Moms" on Lifetime. So, Ella and I watched several episodes on the laptop that very night and have been hooked on the new season ever since. Thank goodness the company Ella is dancing with is NOT like this one, but I bet we'll run into a few of these proud mamas while we are at various out of town competitions this year. Could be interestig...might provide good blog stories!

Confusion

Does anyone else sometimes want something so very much, even knowing how very impractical that might be? I'm talking major life-changing, here. Not like, "maybe we'll go to a new place to eat tonight" or even, "hey, let's sell our house and move our entire lives"...that decision was easy. So then you give yourself mini-deadlines to decide if you are crazy or not...wait it out. In the two years I've been doing that this has become even more unrealistic, yet I can't shake it. If only things were as black and white as Keeton's world. Today he said to me, "Mom, I've got good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?" I told him bad. He had to move his clip down today, which means he got in trouble at school. But before I could even think of a consequence, he told me he earned an "I Care Award" for being honest with the teacher that he was talking, which resulted in the clip being moved down. Now tell me, how do I discipline for this? He gets in trouble, but then gets rewarded for admitting to it. I went with the two cancelling each other out in the end.

2012. Time.

I am getting a little friendly pressure (thanks to Papa B.) to write an update! And, believe me, I had many intentions to do so over the last two weeks while we were all off school. I actually had all sorts of ideas, but ultimately, it never happened. Everyone went back to school/work today and a very nice, restful two weeks came to an end. I have to say that I was really sad to see it go so quickly--I got to be just a mommy for most of my time off and I loved it. 2011 was a rough year for us as we've adjusted to many life changes, most of which revolved around me and work and my additional schooling. I have certainly had many moments of guilt about that and while I love what I do, it takes a lot of patience from Jeff and a lot of understanding from the kids to make me successful at it. I can't go to all their soccer games, and Jeff (and Papa) is the "dance mom" and homework guy. I worry so much that I am not such a good mom, in return. Anyway, the reason I say all this is because for 2012 we made a family "bucket list". All of those items involve us just being a good family and spending quality time together. In fact, my word for this year is TIME, in the family sense. We kicked off last Sunday with our first item. Every Sunday we will eat a "fun" meal on our good china (which I had NEVER used until Sunday), simply to remind us not to take life too seriously. I mean, pizza, and 8 & 5 year olds, and fine china--can't take that seriously, right? So here's to 2012. Time.