At the beginning of the year, I started working on Project 365 for our family scrapbook. I got sidetracked a couple of times and I’m starting over – again. This time I have a better plan for making it work.
I’ve proved that I’m not good at sticking with taking a photo every day! I have decided that I can dedicate some time once a week (at least) to this project. Every week if I don’t have a photo from each day, I at least want to take 7 photos. Ideally, I would like 1 photo for each of these categories: Ethan, Audrey, Isaac, Things I’m Enjoying, Things That are Challenging Me, Friends,and Household. Once I get a few pages done, I’ll post pictures to show you how it’s coming together. This photo of Audrey would go in the “Audrey” category .
Becky Higgins has a similar product she just released for order yesterday. It’s called Project Life. I’ve heard the shipping is kind of hefty. If you know of someone that also wants to order it, maybe you can order together to save costs. Or you can wait and try out the digital version that will be released in January. I really love this concept because it simplifies everything. You just slip your photos and journal cards into the divided page protectors.
Today was the big day for the Chaska Turkey Trot- my first 5k race.
I went to bed early last night. I knew I needed to be up at 6:00 to make sure everything was ready to go and I could make it in time to get my bearings at the race venue. Surprisingly, I slept well. I had been worried that I wouldn’t sleep well, but that wasn’t a problem. I got up on time, got Isaac fed and 2 out of 3 kids dressed, set out the diaper bag and camera bag and left instructions for Nathan. He and the kids would leave about a half hour later. No reason to be there too early!
When I was leaving Winsted, I noticed our friends pulling out of their driveway. They were heading to the race as well, but I didn’t see them as I looked back later. I assumed they stopped for gas. I stopped for a banana at Qwik Trip. I hadn’t taken the time to eat before leaving. When I approached Chaska High School, I couldn’t believe the number of people already there. I later saw that there was about 450 runners.
Part of the excitement of the day was that our friends, Andrew and Marie, would be running. They had registered their son, Josiah, for the race and told the family that they were all going to support me and Josiah. The kids had no idea that Mom and Dad were running. When I saw Josiah arrive to get his number and chip, I approached him and stayed with him. I did my best to keep him occupied! I knew that Andrew and Marie would need to get set to run and I didn’t want Josiah to figure it out. So, I had Josiah help me warm up. He was my “coach”. He had me doing all kinds of pre-run warm-ups. It was fun. Josiah was so excited about it and he was encouraging to me too.
When it came closer to race time, Josiah went up to his folks and noticed that his mom had a number. He was shocked that she was running. She convinced him that she had just decided to do it last week and that he was going to TRY to run, but that she might walk most of it. I joked with Josiah that I would beat at least one person! Even though Andrew was standing there in his running gear (number wasn’t showing though), Josiah didn’t even notice or ask about that. He handed his warm-up jacket and pants to his dad and went to line up. Marie and I lined up toward the back of the pack and Andrew met up with us later. We were near a group of ladies who had recently finished the Couch to 5k program (just like us!).
The gun shot sounded and we were off. I guess the start point was where the first runners had lined up. I expected that there would be a mat that we would cross that would start our race time (we had chips on our shoes to record our time). It took me about 20 seconds to figure out that we were already past the “start” point. There were so many people that I’m not sure I could have broke free to run before then anyway.
The course was very hilly. The first mile seemed to take forever. I found my pace and just kept going. I slowed after the first mile because I was not going to be able to run the entire race at that pace. Once the finish line was in site and I passed my family on the sidelines, I kicked it up a notch and sprinted in to finish! I finished my first race with a time of 33:20. I was very excited. That’s the fastest I have ever run. It felt awesome to complete the race.
Andrew and Marie did awesome. You’ll have to read their side of the story here.
Nathan forgot the camera at home, but he used Missy’s iphone to record my finish:
To give you an idea of the hills on this course, this is a map that shows just one mile. Click on the map and check “show elevation”:
*SWC= strong willed child. That would be the eldest child in our family.
We had an interesting conversation today. It happened in the middle of telling Ethan a consequence for a poor choice. He informed me that the consequence would not work and that it would not help him to make better decisions later.
The most depressing revelation about the discussion? He’s absolutely right. Unless he decides that it’s worth it, he wont do it. As a parent, I need to figure out what will make it worth it to him. “Because I said so and I’m the parent” works for compliant children, but not for a SWC. I didn’t get it before I had one. It really irks me (and honestly, sometimes throws me into a rage) that my child questions and balks at discipline. He doesn’t feel bad or sorry that he got in trouble. He’s just mad. And what am I supposed to do when I take away the one thing that really matters to him and he decides he is just stubborn enough to dig in his heels anyway? I’m left with no leverage and he still isn’t obeying.
I had a tantrum today. I let Ethan get to me and I was so angry that I really hollered and I ended up breaking a toy- on purpose. Yep. Ugh. Ethan forgave me. He told me that he still loved me and that he didn’t have enough words to tell me how much he loved me. He said he would obey better if I talked quieter next time. I tried the talking quieter later, but he still didn’t obey. I put him in his room and shut the door and didn’t yell or lose my temper. I am going to put a sticker on my sticker chart now. Maybe if I can go a week without yelling at him, I can earn some cool reward.
Again, Ethan got up before he was supposed to and didn’t go back to his room and stay quiet. I didn’t make him take a nap today though. I just had him rest on our bed. I took this picture after Isaac woke up and finished nursing. The boys hung out together for a while.
Ethan has to take a nap in the afternoon if he gets up in the morning before his light comes on. If he gets up to use the bathroom and doesn’t go back to bed and lay there quietly, that’s his consequence. I don’t know how well it’s working though. He wouldn’t be quiet and go to sleep this evening. He’s probably not tired. First, he had to be up because Audrey wasn’t staying in bed. Then, he wouldn’t just lay there. He was wadding up his blankets and leaning over the side of his bed. Ugh! He was so incredibly naughty last night that Nathan packed up the PlayStation. Ethan has to earn 10 magnets on his chart to get it back. He can only earn 3 a day. He earned two by the time we tucked him in, but as of right now, he’s lost both of them because he was naughty at bedtime. I’m so frustrated. His verbal ability is making me insane. He will not stop talking. We tell him no, or give him a consequence and he ALWAYS has to try to talk his way out of it. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Lately, he has been telling us that whatever the consequence is, he doesn’t care. I don’t know how to be a good parent to him. Why does it seem like it’s impossible for him to obey and stay in bed with his eyes closed. How difficult can that be?
Our day started at 4:00 with Isaac crying. 2 hours later, it was followed with Ethan and Audrey getting up before they should have and not going back to bed when we told them. Isaac’s schedule has been so completely messed up. He has been fighting naps now that we no longer swaddle him. He’s too big to be swaddled and the blanket is ending up around his head and that’s not safe. It’s not an option to do that anymore. I was so exhausted and worn out and the day had hardly begun. Ethan was being particularly naughty. I know that “this too shall pass”, but it has become one of my least favorite sayings. Please don’t post that if you post a comment! I sat an cried this morning. I wanted to run away. On a lighter note, today is Nathan’s birthday. We had chili and corn muffins for supper. For dessert we had crazy cake and ice cream and cool whip. I did a tempo run tonight. A tempo run is when you start out slow and gradually increase your speed until you’re running full throttle as fast as you can for 2 minutes. Then you gradually slow down. I had new shoes that I needed to try out and it was fun to get out. I am still figuring out how to gradually speed up. I have one more run before the race on Saturday. I plan to do a slow 5k distance on Wednesday and then rest until Saturday.
To bed early tonight.
*** maybe not so early. Ethan was still awake at 9. Both kids had spankings tonight. What an awful way to end the day. ***
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