So, as I am so new to this whole blogging world I wonder...is it okay to post something about me on this blog? Or is this for the kids and recording the special events and moments in their lives and I need a separate one for posting about myself or what inspires me?  Who knows...and frankly I don't have time to start another blog so here goes.....

 I went on a run tonight.  Nothing special....3 miles (hopefully) at my typical, slow pace - which is so slow I won't post the time because most of you are way more impressed by me saying I ran 3 miles.  Instead of plugging in the ear buds or running with a friend I ran solo.  I also decided to take a quiet, country road instead of my typical, also quiet run through our small Southern town and neighborhood.  It was so amazing to run without the noise of my Itunes in my head.  I thought that I probably need to do this more often on my typical three mile runs and leave the ear buds for long runs (if I ever get back to running enough to manage some of those).  Because right now more than running for fitness, weight loss, or my pure love/hate relationship with running I run to have some time away from the busyness of my life and finding a few moments of solitude and peace.  It also gave me time to talk to, and more importantly, listen to God.  And maybe I was just looking for something to tell myself that God was talking to me but I swear I felt his presence in the peace of the run.  His touch in the gentle breeze, his presence in the deer watching me from the edge of the woods, and best of all his voice!  Telling me that I run from him but that if I'd just seek him I'd see he was there.

I felt so good about choosing to run, choosing to do it without music, and on another path and I was feeling so good that I even PUSHED myself to finish with what runners call a negative split.  This is when you take less time to run the second half of your run (or something like that).  Yes, it was by mere seconds but just the fact that I was PUSHING myself at the end of a run was inspirational to me as a runner.

I was so excited about this run and in such a happy mood because of it I went into the house feeling super recharged and with intentions of capturing the run through a simple facebook post.  But then, I walked in the house and just when I thought this run couldn't get any better I was greeted by Junior who asked if I ran fast.  Feeling good about the effort for the negative split I said "Yes", but then in my more typical, self-deprecating way I added "well, fast for me".  Then he clapped his hands and said "Good Job Mommy" and so, just when I thought this run could not have been any better he made it fantastic!  Add to that the fact that he was super concerned about how I was covered in bugs and super sweaty (the down side of an evening run on a country road in Eastern North Carolina in July!)

The Boys First Trip to the Beach

June 30, 2012


Yesterday we took the boys to the beach for the first time.  Alex and Junior had been asking to go to the beach since some time this Winter when we were doing a yoga video and they got all excited seeing the beach.  Of course, I was all into this..took a little longer to get Rob to commit (plus to find time to squeeze it into our schedules).  Thankfully, we thought ahead and called Rob's Aunt Jean who has a place at the beach and luckily she was there.  Not sure how we would have dealt with nap time without her.  Plus it was the first time she was able to meet the boys and we had a blast!

Of course, Alex clung to Aunt Jean (anyone new!)

Alex was a little unsure of the water but would venture in with Aunt Jean.  Rob made a good point when he said "I can't imagine going to the beach the first time as a 5 year old".  By the end of the day he allowed Rob to carry him into the water pretty deep and even took a slap in the face from a wave..and still wanted to go back in one more time!  


Junior and Noe went back and forth from water to sand.  They loved sitting down at the edge of the waves and letting the water (and sand!) wash over them.  But they also both entertained themselves in the sand - digging, finding shells, making little castles, and eventually Junior burying himself in the sand!

But Noe definitely enjoyed the water the most.  By the afternoon he was holding onto my finger and almost laying back in the water.  I think he would have walked in over his head if he could've made it out there.  He let Rob carry him way out and wanted to go back out time and time again!  As you can see from the pictures he LOVED it!  

We Can't Wait for Our Trip to Emerald Isle In August!