the unlazy days of summer ...

Today marks the first day of summer vacation (The weekend didn't count. Weekends are nothing like Monday mornings). It was the first morning we didn't have to wake up to get out the door by 7:20 a.m. And the first morning I didn't have to yell at someone to "hurry up and get dressed."

The day had so much promise. We could stay in bed all day. We do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted. Except ...

We couldn't.

Just when I think we will have nothing to fill our days with, we have so much more than any of us could ever wish for.

The girls were up at the cheerful hour of six. This in itself puzzles me, as I literally have to drag them out of bed at 6:45, 180 days a year. After convincing them to quietly lay in bed with me until 7:30, we made our way downstairs before heading to the YMCA.

I had a glorious plan for our morning. We would get to the Y by nine. The girls would go to Child Watch while I did my 3000 meter swim. After finishing around 10:30, I would pick them up and they would get changed for their swim lessons which ran from 11:00-12:00. With a snack and a drink for all of us packed in my bag, I had success in the palm of my hand.

Until, I didn't.

Things started out well. I was in the pool by 9:10. But as soon as I got in, I knew there was trouble. My normally quiet pool (it's usually me, two lap swimmers and a water aerobic class) was bursting with energy. Swarms of children (and their parents) overwhelmed the pool deck. About 15 minutes into my swim, the lifeguards reduced lap swim down to one lane. Suddenly, I was circle swimming with two backstrokers and a breaststroker, who completes one length for every four of mine. Fed up with the traffic jam, I cut my workout short. Only problem was there was over an hour before swim lessons started, we didn't have time to go home and I had three, less than patient, children to deal with.

I swear I answered the question, "How long until it's my turn?", a thousand times.

Just before the tears ...

Eventually, it was their turn. Doodle and Dizzle were champs and Dilly cried through pretty much the whole thing. It played out exactly as I expected. Then, after three long hours, we were able to leave the Y, with a new appreciation for swim lessons and a bucket full of bad attitudes.

Once in the car, Dilly scarfed down her bagged lunch on the way to an afternoon play date, while Dizzle and Doodle complained that they would be "so bored" since they didn't have anything to do. Never one to disappoint, I hooked them up with their own play date of sorts - a play date with school work. Nothing like an hour of mathematics to give them something to do ...

A little multiplication and addition ...

Now it's 3 p.m. and they are creating a behavior chart for themselves, complete with rewards and consequences and I have five minutes of peace for the first time today. And I was concerned that we'd have too much time on our hands this summer ...

Three Things Thursday ...

Beautiful - We got Dizzle and Doodle's school pictures back yesterday. My, um, confident, children were completely enamored with themselves. Shocking, I know.

Before I even had a chance to look at how the pictures had turned out, I heard Dizzle in the third row of our car take out the photos and say,

"Wow, I really am beautiful."

Obviously, my children have no issue with self esteem.

And although I told her she should learn to be modest, I couldn't help but agree with her when I finally saw the photos

Doodle, Kindergarten

Dizzle, 1st grade (left) and 2nd grade (right)

Honestly, I'm not really sure where my babies went. They are 7 and 5. It scares me for what things will be like in a decade.

Embracing Potential - I am the first to admit that I am very hard on my children. I expect a lot from them. I have visions of what they "should" be and at times, I'm not very open to accepting what they are. More often then not, I see them as little versions of myself.

Athletic. Intelligent. Sensible. Composed.

The thing is, sometimes, they're not. Sometimes, they have interests outside of what I am comfortable with. Sometimes, they are blubbering messes and frankly, I don't always know how to deal with it. It's a process. For all of us.

Most of the time, Doodle and Dilly are easy for me to process. They usually excel at the roles I've laid out for them. I can read them like a book and I know exactly what to expect from them.

Dizzle, on the other hand, is complicated. She's emotional and raw. Her strengths lie outside the physical, competitive and driven bubble I seem to force my kids into. She's graceful (despite her clumsiness). She's artistic. She's a thinker. She writes poems and songs, some with a depth, I'm not sure she really understands. Basically, from the time she could walk, she has been singing and dancing her way through life. And I don't know how to handle or foster that.

Yesterday, she spent the afternoon practicing a song they are singing at school. She had such a nice tone to her voice that I felt compelled to record her. Immediately upon finishing, she begged me not to post it to Facebook. Too bad that until she's 18, I'm the one with the control over that issue and her plea was denied.

Oh, and I also shared it on YouTube for the whole Internet to see.

I think she's pretty good and I should probably embrace her passion. Oh, and I'm confident that she'll forgive me. Eventually.

Where's My Race Mojo? - I am registered to run the HCA 8K this weekend. It is my all-time favorite race. The course is flat with a downhill finish. The distance is the best one out there. And historically, I have run really well at this event.

But, this year, I am SO NOT FEELING IT.

I'm not really sure why, but my head is not in the game. I don't feel ready (or willing) to race. It's kind of annoying. At this point, I may race. I may run with my sister. Or I may just stay in bed. I don't really know.

Wordless Wednesday: Back to School

My not-so-little 2nd Grader and Kindergartener ...

Dizzle, Kindergarten vs. 2nd Grade

Doodle, Preschool vs. Kindergarten

 They grow up way too fast ...

August Rewind ...

Run Miles Ran: 96.25 miles

Bike Miles Rode: 248.4 miles

Swim Meters Completed: 17150m or 10.65 miles

Rest Days Taken: 7. Surprisingly low considering how off my training game I have been feeling.

Highest Run Mileage Week: 8/20-8/26: 27.25 miles

Highest Bike Mileage Week: 8/6-8/12: 86.1 miles

Highest Swim Volume Week: 8/6-8/12: 6650m or 4.15 miles

Long Runs Completed (10+ miles): 3

Current Book: The insane amount of traveling I did in August really cut down my reading time, but I did still manage to finish two and a half books of the Hunger Games Trilogy. Despite not seeing a preview for the movie prior to reading the first book (and totally having a different picture in my head), I so get what all the hype is about.

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Vampire Diaries. My sister and I just watched the entire third season over three days (obviously, I wasn't sleeping much). And now that we finished, I'm kind of ticked that I have to wait another month until season four begins.

Current Colors: Orange and Pink. Much like my current wrist wear ...

 
Current Drink: Grape, Banana, Lemon-Lime and Strawberry Lemonade Nuun. Can't get enough of that stuff ...

Current Song: Pound the Alarm - Nicki Minaj

Current Triumph: We survived summer and all the craziness that went with it. I learned what I can handle and what I can't. I came to appreciate that you don't have to do something just because you can. Reaching your goals shouldn't be at the detriment of others. Sometimes, you have to be realistic about the sacrifices you make and how they affect those around you.

Current Goal: Be a better me. Each and every day. And to crush my sprint triathlon this upcoming weekend ...

Current Blessing: Generally, I feel like my whole life is one big blessing and I am entirely grateful for that. I don't take anything for granted. Not even for a second.

Current Excitement: Let's see. Where to start? Patriots Sprint Tri is on Sunday. The girls start school tomorrow. We go back to Disney in 29 days. Lots of exciting things in the next few weeks and if we are being honest, I just have a good feeling about the next few months.

2012 To Do List Update:

Fitness:

• Take 70.3 training day by day. Don't get caught up in what is coming, but rather focus on what is. Trust that it will get you where you want to be. - CHECK
• Find the strength to NOT add races to your schedule during 70.3 training. That is your focus, don't screw with that because of FOMO (fear of missing out). - CHECK
• Cross the finish line of your first 70.3 in less than 6:57:59. - CHECK. Goal crushed. 6:39:39.
• Maintain at least one day of cycling and one day of swimming per week, post 70.3. Give J some proof that a new road bike would be a good investment. - CHECK. I'm crushing this one.
• Log 4,000 miles, swim, bike and run combined. - As of September 3, 3349.1 miles completed
• Race a 10K with a finish time much faster than your very dated current PR of 53:17.
• Set a new PR in the Half Marathon, currently 1:57:06 (or 1:56:18, if the half split from the NYC Marathon counts). - Next opportunity, October 14 - Seaside Half Marathon
• Race a Fall Sprint Triathlon. Actually train for the event, unlike in years past. - This weekend!
• Add strength training to the routine. - CHECK. 

Nutrition:

• Eat like an athlete. Be mindful of the nutritional value of your food. - I've been killing this. But, apparently my scale doesn't care.
• Consume no more than 18 desserts from either Shyndigz or Two Sweet Cupcakes (approximately 1 dessert/3 weeks) - As of September 3, 15 desserts consumed. I need to just face the facts with this one.
• Cut out snacking on the girl's leftovers. Just because they don't eat it, doesn't mean you have to. - CHECK

Personal:

• Only say yes to the projects you REALLY want to work on. - CHECK
• Throw away the credit cards. Stop repeating history. - CHECK
• Ignore your impulses. Take time to process the true value of the things you are filling your space/life with. - CHECK
• Declutter and Organize using this calendar. - CHECK
• Continue to balance family life, training and now, work. - CHECK
• Prioritize and be a good example for the people in your life. - CHECK
• Help and support J and the kids in reaching their goals. We are a team and that must always be the primary focus of our lives. - CHECK

Three Things Thursday ...

Half Century - On Saturday, Sally (Ironman-in-Training) and I will be taking part in the Cap 2 Cap Half Century ride (there is also a Century, Quarter Century and 15 mile Family Fun ride). As of right now, I have zero idea of what to expect. The website is kind of lacking information of any kind. I mean, last time I checked, the course hadn't even been posted.

However, I have been told/read that this is a fun ride, not a race (think big group ride, food/rest stops, etc.).

Hmm? Not a race? Well, apparently, they have never met me.

Of course, this is a race. Just like a group run is a race. And so is running on a treadmill next to someone else. In fact, from now on, if someone else is present during your workout, just assume that it's a race.

Assessment - In preparation for the 2012-2013 school year, I was asked to assess Dizzle and Doodle's learning style, strengths and weaknesses. The lists looked a little something like this:

• self-motivated
• highly competitive
• works best when being held accountable
• extremely focused on perfection when give a task she feels drawn to
• analytical
• high energy
• tends to vie for leadership position and/or likes to be in control

Is it just me or do they sound like little endurance athletes in the making?

Do What You Love - The other day I wore my Ironman branded jacket to the grocery store. After I checked out, an employee asked the following question:

"Do you like doing those Ironman workouts?"

A seemingly innocent question, but I was instantly compelled to slap some sense into him.

I answered, "Yes. It's a big part of my life, but I love it." But all I could think was, "No, dumba**, I spend all of my free time doing something I hate. Don't you?"

When I came home, I reflected for a moment and then taught Dizzle the two lessons I got from that interactions:

Lesson #1 - Do what you love.
Lesson #2 - Don't ask stupid questions or risked getting slapped upside the head.

Three Things Thursday ...

Sign Up - Today is the day that Doodle has been looking forward to for months - Kindergarten registration. How did my baby grow up so fast?

Last weekend at soccer. Note: blue hair gets WAY MORE stares than pink.

Anyway, she's been talking about it incessantly and even started a countdown. I really hope she realizes that all it entails is me filling out a bunch of papers and her being "screened" for readiness/placement. We might need some cupcakes to deal with the let down.

On Film - I know you have been sitting around for months thinking, "TMB talks about her swimming so much. I really wish I could see what she actually looks like when she's getting her fish on."

Well, wonder no more. Thanks to the cell phone video taping skills of my girl, Sally, you can now watch 38 seconds of my attempts at not drowning.



Go ahead, critique away. Especially if you know the key to swimming 1500m in 14 minutes ...

Find Your Fit - Spring sports have started up again around here. Doodle is back playing soccer and as expected, she is kicking a** and taking names. Soccer (well, all contact sports) is Doodle's thing. She's strong and coordinated and a little ball of muscle. Oh, and there's that whole not liking to lose thing. It kind of makes her unstoppable on the field.

Doodle (#3) on a breakaway ...

Need proof? She scored three goals in her first game and cried that she didn't score more. Go figure.

Dizzle, on the other hand, opted not to play soccer this year. After four seasons of watching her struggle (she's pretty much the opposite of Doodle), we agreed that she needed to find something better suited to her.

Apparently, that's cheerleading. *cue shock and awe from this uber-tomboy*

Dizzle (far right) "looking cute"

first attempts at stunting (not sure if that's even a proper term)

She loves it and if we're being honest, she's actually quite good at it. Thankfully, she's also quite good at running and she can't deny that she has perfect form. Now, if I could only convince her that running is as much fun as cheering. It would probably help me cope better.

Three Things Thursday ...

Shocking - Since I dyed my hair pink a few weeks back, people have been asking me if I chose the color to support Breast Cancer Awareness. Depending on who's asking, I say, "Um. Sure, that's why." or "Not really. I just thought it would be fun and it is a nice coincidence."

Honestly, I can almost always tell what people really think of it just from the look on their face and usually telling them that I did it as an awareness measure, somehow makes it seem less deviant. Go figure.

But, this morning, I totally read someone wrong. I was at Dizzle's school and one of the teachers asked me if there was a meaning to my hair color. I thought she was on board with the crazy pink hair so I said, "Nope. I just thought it'd be a fun thing to do."

Her reply? "Oh. (pause and loss of smile) That's nice."

See what I mean? Apparently, deviance is OK, as long as you have a good reason.

Six Minutes - Speaking of Dizzle's school, I visited this morning to join her for PE class. They were scheduled to run as many laps as they could in six minutes. It was awesome. Dizzle paced herself well and ran the whole time, finishing 5.25 laps (.58 mile) in the six minutes (10:20 pace).

When we got back inside and the teacher was tallying everyone's mileage, she asked how far I ran. I said I also ran 5.25 laps. She replied, "OK. I just wanted to check because some of the parents in other classes have run farther than their kids."

WHAT!?!? This was a race? I didn't have to stick with my kid? I could have schooled them all?

Don't get me wrong, it was great to run with Dizzle. But I already told her that next year I am going to crush her ...

10 Days - There are only 10 days until the NYC Marathon. My training plan does not have a taper built in. Yet, I am not freaking out at all. I guess this is what "trusting the plan" feels like ...

Three Things Thursday ...

School - On Tuesday, Doodle started her final year of preschool. To say she was excited would be an understatement. I swear my kids can't run away from me fast enough. Seriously. Need proof? This was Doodle in the fall of 2008 when she found out that Dizzle got to go to school and she had to come home with me.

If it wasn't so hilarious, I'd be upset.
But, the tears are behind us. Doodle was nothing but smiles as we left for school.

And yes, I flat-ironed my 4 year old's hair. And no, I don't see a problem with that.

Exercise - In addition to preschool starting on Tuesday, so did soccer. Not only do I love soccer, but it's a great way to tire your kids out for the rest of the day. (Note: Dizzle's in the pink top)

Another great way to tire your kids out is to host group exercise classes in your playroom. A few nights ago while I was cleaning up after dinner, I overheard J coaching the girls through core strengthening exercises and stretches. This is what I walked in on ...

Isn't that how your family bonds?

Virtual Race - Have you registered for my virtual race HERE yet? It's my way of saying thank you for donating to Grassroot Soccer for my NYC Marathon fundraising. So, if you've already donated and want a chance to win some great prizes HERE, all you need to do is let me know your race distance, name and blog address (if applicable). If you haven't donated and want to race, head over to my fundraising page HERE, make a donation of any size and then send me the above info.

The race runs through Sunday, September 25th and the winners will be announced on the 26th. And don't forget to send me a link to your finishing time and race report link once you are done.

new things ...

This week, our family is all about trying new things.

On Friday, we bought a new car - a 2011 Chevy Traverse, which brought an end to my chauffeuring services.

On Sunday, we became members at the Science Museum of Virginia. Most of us just expanded our minds, Doodle just lost her head.

And today, Dizzle started the first grade.

And although, my photo taking skills were lacking this morning, she still seems so much older than when I sent her off to Kindergarten last fall.

But, perhaps the most momentous event to happen to us this week is that Dilly has begun potty training.

It's going horribly. She keeps asking for her diaper and is calling me a "meanie," but we'll survive. Hopefully ...

kindergarteners ...

At school, Dizzle and her classmates complete certain assignments and they get put together in a binder. That binder then gets sent home with one student each day until everyone has had a turn to view their classmates creations.

Last night, it was Dizzle's turn to have the notebook. The children's assignment was to finish a sentence and draw a picture. The sentence was:

The _____ is on the _______.

Most of them were pretty standard, but then I turned the page and stumbled on this gem. It was so funny, I couldn't help but share ...


Absolutely classic ...

10 years later ...

This Saturday is my 10 year high school reunion. I always thought I would be excited for this day, but honestly, as it gets closer, it's kind of losing it's appeal.

I think part of this stems from the fact that I had a "movie scene" reunion in my head. You know the one. The girl who everyone expected to turn out one way, shows up and shocks everyone with how she has transformed herself in the years since they last had contact. But now, with the prevalence of Facebook, I feel like I already "know" everything I want to about the people in my past. And they could just as easily find out about me, if they so desired.

And if we are being honest here, I'm not really a social person. I have a few uber-close friends and that's pretty much it. I don't really "try" when it comes to friendships. Like with love, I feel that if people are supposed to be in your life they will be. Friendships should be easy. The ones that are tend to last and those that aren't will eventually dissipate.

With that said, of all the people I went to high school with (I graduated with over 400 people), I only still speak to one person. And she's been one of my best friends since I was three. So, I'm sure Saturday night will be interesting.

But, maybe I am wrong. Maybe I will have a blast and the night will be worth the 80 dollars J and I forked over for it. You never really know.

What I do know is that you are about to be treated to a flashback.

This is my senior portrait ...


And this is me and G on Halloween ...

This is me as the quarterback for our Powder Puff Football team during the fall of senior year ...

This is proof that "the quads" (shown below) ...

are a genetic gift. I've had them all along ...

(Note: I wore those sandals to my senior prom. And I still have them.)

Was your reunion worth the trip back home?

Three Things Thursday ...

1. Last night, I met with Dizzle's teacher for a parent-teacher conference. Going in, I was confident that she was academically thriving. All of her graded papers have had "100%" written across the top. Plus, I have spoken to Dizzle before, so I kind of know what she knows and what she doesn't.

The part I was worried about was her behavior. Now, don't get me wrong, she's a very well behaved child, simply because she is a RULE FOLLOWER. With that said, she is also a BIG TALKER. Like a "doesn't stop to take a breath" talker.

I deal with it at home by telling her to "shut it" or simply ignoring the constant stream of vocabulary vomit. But, that's not going to happen at school. School tends to be a place when excessive talking isn't tolerated. And I already knew she was talking straight through lunch, since she comes home with a nearly full lunch box on most days. I just didn't know if it was rolling over into the classroom.

So, how do you think the conference went?

Yup. I was dead on. She is killing it academically, already exceeding the end of the year assessment standards. (Yes, I'm bragging. Deal with it.) And apparently, she DOES NOT SHUT UP in class. And it's not just chatting to her neighbor. She's also big on interrupting her teacher. So much so that she got a time-out for it today. And the kicker is, she's 100% aware of what she is doing. Kind of sounds to me like someone thriving on being the center of attention. Wonder who she could have gotten that trait from?

2. After the parent-teacher conference, I jumped on the treadmill for a tempo run. I wanted to get a feel for my goal race pace, so I planned on a mile warm-up followed by four miles at race pace followed by a one mile cool-down.

Things started off well. I ran the first mile in 10:00. Then I picked it up to goal race pace (8:00). But after the first mile at that pace, I was feeling strong, so I decided to push it a little. Mile 3 clocked in at 7:53. Mile 4 was 7:47 and Mile 5 was a 7:41. When I hit the 8K mark, the clock read 41:11, an unofficial PR (even with the 10:00 first mile).

Did I mention how I am going to kill the 8K next month?

3. Speaking of the 8K, I know that G, J and I aren't the only ones running the races of the Richmond Marathon. And with that in mind, I wanted to see if anyone would be interested in meeting up for dinner the night before the race.

G and I have discussed a place (Italian, located in the suburbs of Richmond), but I want to get an idea of how many people there would be before we commit/announce. So, if you are running Richmond and want to meet up, shoot me an email at racingwithbabes@yahoo.com to let me know. And be sure to include how many people will be with you.

chaos ...

I don't try to hide the fact that my life is often chaotic. I am overscheduled and overworked. We tend to walk a fine line between smooth sailing and total destruction. Or at least it feels that way.

The vast majority of the time, I like my jam-packed schedule, as I am the type of person who tends to work better when there is a lot to get done. Loose deadlines are my downfall. I know this. But, even though I usually run through my daily checklists without a second thought, some days it's not that easy.

Yesterday was not that easy. It all started on Sunday night when J's car was smoking from underneath the hood. We both thought it best that he not take Dizzle to school, but head to the mechanic to get it looked at instead. So, I took Dizzle. And normally, that would be OK. But, yesterday, I had zero wiggle room. And I had already used that up.

Dizzle and I headed to school at 7:35. I dropped her off and was back at my house at 7:50, which gave me exactly 10 minutes to get Doodle and Dilly ready to leave the house for the day. I was assigned to work in Doodle's preschool yesterday, which meant we needed to be there by 8:45.

So, you are probably saying to yourself, "Well, T that gave you 45 minutes to get to preschool. Easy peasy." And that is where you would be wrong. Sure, if I left at 8:00 I would have 45 minutes to get there, but I failed to mention the fact that I had to drive Dilly to G's (my savior and training partner) house first. And G lives 15 minutes away. 15 minutes not in the direction of the preschool.

Still, leaving at 8:00 should have given me enough time. If I actually could have left at 8:00. Which I was going to. Until Doodle spilled my ENTIRE CUP OF COFFEE into the driver's seat of my car. So, I had to go back inside and get towels. And a new cup of coffee. After 10 minutes or so, we were on our way. And I made it a whole half mile before the coffee on the seat had soaked through to my pants. Fun times.

Eventually, we got to G's and I dropped off Dilly. She was happy and cheerful. For about three minutes, then apparently, G had to deal with my crying child for the next 4.5 hours. (Did I mention that she's my savior?) Anyway, Doodle and I then headed as quickly as possible (without excessively speeding) to school and we got there - one minute late.

Didn't I tell you I border on chaos at all times?

(Note: The day did slightly improve after that. Well, until we picked up Dilly. Her crying wasn't just for G. She also cried for hours on end for me. Needless to say, by 5 p.m., I had had enough of everything ...)

Three Things Thursday ...

1. So, preschool started for Doodle on Monday. Here's a few obligatory first day photos ...

Things are going rather smoothly. And I'm not really shocked. I don't exactly have "clinging" children. In fact, I am pretty sure that they prefer it when I am not around. Whatever. Who really cares? It's not like I sacrificed my body and mind for them or anything. Wait, wait, wait. That wasn't my point. What I was going to say is that the start of preschool has shown me that Doodle may be as OCD as I am. When I asked her what she thought she was going to do at school yesterday this is what she said ...

"First, I am going to wash my hands. Then I am going to play at the rice table. Then it is circle time. Then I am going to have snack. Then it will be time to play outside. And then we will have lunch. And then I will go potty."

Um, OK, Doodle. I didn't realize that you had your day quite so planned. Or that bathroom breaks are now scheduled ...

2. I totally forgot what running with a stroller is like. Yesterday, G, D and 3L headed out for our first 10 mile stroller run of the year. And it was ROUGH.

Of course, I was stupid and let G (who is notorious for hilly routes) plan our run. I was feeling good for the first 5.5 miles (running a 9:35 pace), but just before mile 6, G offered to push the stroller. I let her and I just about died. Apparently, running with the stroller and then passing the stroller off is worse than just running with the stroller the whole time. It went downhill from that point on. Shockingly, we still finished the 10 miles with an average pace of 10:01. I guess it could have been worse ...

3. Although I have run 21 miles in the last three days, I still have 32 more to run this week. Tomorrow will be another attempt at 10 miles with the stroller (I won't be passing it off this time) and Saturday is my longest run of marathon training - 22 miles. I'm freaked out and totally confident at the same time. Wish me luck!

wanted: a nap and a 26 hour day ...

The first week of Kindergarten was tiring. Well, it was tiring for me. I'm not quite convinced that Dizzle was any more tired than usual. Not that I am shocked. We're talking about a kid who walked approximately 5 miles a day for an entire week when we went to Disney and never took a nap or crashed early.

OK, so back to my point. Kindergarten wiped me out. I thought that having one less kid to manage would free up some time, but instead, I found myself running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

Maybe I had more going on. Maybe I have been slacking all summer. Or maybe, just maybe, my overachiever personality kicked into high gear and I tried to accomplish as much as I possibly could in those 6.5 hours each day. Who knows?

Fine. I know. I did it to myself. I overloaded my days and I struggled to get my runs in. But I DID get them in. Between early morning runs and late night treadmill sessions, I logged 42 miles during my cutback week. But I am going to be honest, it was hard. I'm not adjusted to this new schedule and it's a little overwhelming. Oh, and did I mention that this week I'm scheduled to hit my peak mileage of this training cycle (52 miles)?

I think I need to breathe.

Plus, our schedule gets another shake up today. Doodle starts preschool at 9 a.m. And like Kindergarten, I am sure it will be a blessing and a curse - at least until I figure out how to juggle it all.

Do you think there's any chance of a nap and/or a 26 hour day? No? Me either.

Three Things Thursday ...

1. Remember back in May when I was complaining about how school was over and I was never going to be able to get my runs in? Well, guess what? School has STARTED and I can not get my runs in.

Currently, my midweek runs are 5, 10, 5, 10. During the summer, G, the rest of our posse and I would meet at 5:30 a.m. and get our mid-week long runs in. 10 miles by 7 a.m. Now, that school is back in session and we all need to be home to send our crews off every morning, 10 miles just isn't happening. Sure, we can get those 5 milers in, but if I have any intention on running 10 miles before school, it needs to be at like 5 a.m. from my front door.

Fortunately, G's youngest and Doodle start preschool next week. That means we can resume our "preschool stroller runs" with Dilly. On Wednesday mornings, we will alternate pushing my single BOB for 10 miles. And as torturous as it seems, I am looking forward to it. But, when do I do that other 10 miler?

2. A few weeks back, I won a personalized bibfolio from the lovely Lady Em. Yesterday, I went to pick it up. Just look how freaking sweet this thing is ...

Thanks Lady Em!

3. If you like my bibfolio, then you are going to love my next giveaway. Here's a few hints:

• It's hosted by one of my favorite bloggy peeps, Suzy HERE
• The prizes will be personalized to the winners. Yes, I said WINNERS.
• There might be some reference to my love of cupcakes included in the prizes.
• If I can get my act together, it will be posted tomorrow ...

Dizzle's First Day ...

After five long years of non-stop parenting, I am finally getting a break (OK, not a break, but a small reprieve). Because, yesterday, Dizzle started Kindergarten.

The day went pretty much how I expected it to. Neither one of us cried. And neither one of us thought that the school day was long enough (6.5 hours, in case you were wondering). Dizzle loved every aspect of the experience. And she especially enjoyed rubbing the fact that she's a kindergartner in Doodle's face.

Aren't sisters the best?

August Rewind ...

How is it September already? I feel like it was just yesterday that I was complaining that I would never be able to get all of my runs in with the kids at home all the time. And as excited as I am for school to start up again, I'm kind of going to miss my summer running schedule. (Someone remind me of that next May when I start complaining ...)

Anyway, here is my August 2010 in review ...

Miles Planned/Miles Ran: 200/208.42 (my first time over 200 miles!)

Rest Days Planned/Rest Days Taken: 9/7 (Shelly's 10 day challenge contributed to this)

Highest Mileage Week: 8/23 - 8/29: 48.37 miles

Long Runs Planned/Long Runs Completed: 5/5

Donuts Burned: 149.82 (my favorite statistic on Dailymile)

Current Book: Earlier this month, I finished the third book in the Twilight series, Eclipse. I will hopefully get through Breaking Dawn on my upcoming trip to Seattle.

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Could that show be anymore of a train wreak? Probably not. But I can't stop watching.

Current Colors: Turquoise and Orange

Current Drink: Water. Lots of it.

Current Song: Secrets - OneRepublic

Current Triumph: I killed my races in August. On the 12th, I finished 1st in my division at the Moonlight 4 Miler in 32:13. And then, on the 22nd, I finished 3rd at the Pink Power Sprint Tri without a single minute of bike or swim training in over two years. I'm feeling kind of confident right now.

Current Goal: Remain injury-free through this training cycle and demolish my half marathon PR at the You Go Girl! Half Marathon on September 26th. Tall Mom is pacing me for this race and I have SUPER HIGH hopes!

Current Blessing: Pretty much everything. Life is pretty sweet right now. And I don't take that for granted.

Current Excitement: Did you know that Kindergarten starts in 6 days? And that preschool starts in 12? I might be slightly excited for that. Just saying.

sweet deal ...

In case you didn't know, there is tax-free shopping (school supplies and clothing) in Virginia this weekend. Hmm. That reminds me. I should probably go stock up on running gear ...

(Cue the sunshine and butterflies ...)

Sorry about that. Back to my point, I am all about a deal and was not going to pass up what is essentially a 5% discount. So, early yesterday morning, I loaded the girls into the car and headed to Target. I knew I could get all of Dizzle's school supplies there (even the four pre-cut tennis balls. Seriously, they are on the list.) And I figured that I would take her to pick out an outfit for the first day.

Right. So, about that. When we got to the Girls' department, all I could see was CLEARANCE. And before I knew it, I was picking up things left and right. I couldn't control myself. The deals were so amazing that we ended up going to a different Target later in the afternoon to see if we had missed anything.

Two trips and $80.52 later, Dizzle and Doodle had brand new wardrobes ...

Crazy, right?

In the end, we bought 22 pieces for $80.52. That is $3.66 a piece. And really, the deals were better than that. I bought each of the girls a sweater (at $10 each), so that they could wear the outfits year-round. Which means, we got 20 of those 22 pieces for $60.52.

And thanks my habit of purchasing items a size up when they go on sale, the girls have plenty of leggings and tees to layer the pieces when it gets colder.

Not to shabby for a year's worth of clothing ...

preschool, I will miss you ...

Yesterday, on the way to the girl's school trip, Doodle said to Dizzle, "I don't want you to graduate from preschool."

I got choked up. It was so cute. Well, at least until Dizzle replied. She turned to Doodle, rolled her eyes and said in her snarky tone, "Oh. I am definitely graduating."

Sisters.

Speaking of preschool, tomorrow is the last day of the year and I am genuinely sad. For no other reason than I get SO.MUCH.DONE during those four hours. I run. I catch up on all my errands. I run. I clean up my house. I run. Wait, did I mention I run?

Over the past few weeks, G and I have built up our mid-week long run to 9 miles. It's a glorious 9 miles that I spend chatting with one of my very best friends without the interruption of our children (Dilly, although there, is surprisingly quiet and well behaved). From 9:30 until 11, we put one foot in front of the other. And unless we can figure out a way to bring along our six children that wouldn't kill us (i.e. pushing a triple stroller) or drive us crazy, our mid-morning runs are OVER until September.

Which means that we will be running SUPER EARLY. And if you didn't know, I'm not a fan of early. But, we have no choice. Knowing this, we tested this new run time this morning. I met G at 5:45 a.m., in a location central to both of our houses, for eight miles. It hurt to get out of bed. With less than six hours of sleep, I wasn't really ready to run. But I did it. And I survived. In fact, it really wasn't that bad once I got moving. And I was quite energized afterwards. Well, at least until 2 p.m., when I hit a wall. I needed a nap hardcore. But, my kids don't nap. Which means, neither do I. I'm thinking I'm going to be tired a lot this summer. So, when does school start again?