Where did my week go?

It seems like I have lost a whole week. Crazy as it may be I have been so extremely busy this week that now that it is 7 pm Friday evening I really am having a hard time believing the week went by so quickly. I also know that since adding cheer to our routine twice a week, the rest of my weeks may keep going this quickly. {Sigh, Sniff, WHAAAAAA!}
I like routine. To people who know me this is not a surprise. I like eating the same things, going the same places, I like the schedule. This week has been a challenge with the impromptu visit to Dynasty Elite, to having swimming cancelled not once but twice this week, my husband being out of town for 3 days (not uncommon but this week not fun), my routine is ruined. BUT a new routine is here and I have almost come to terms with it. I am going to have to be a little more intentional with my workout planning and I think morning runs are going to be the norm around here for awhile but in the end it will all be worth it.
I hope that I will be able to enjoy the ride and remember the good moments.
Last night, since swimming was cancelled, I took Ashley to her first Beginner Tumbling class. She has never tumbled before so I figured she may need a little help and that it couldn't hurt. So off we went, me and the three munchkins. About half way to the gym it started to rain buckets. Luckily by the time we had to get out of the car it had stopped. We had just stepped into the gym when the monsoon started. I guess since it was raining no one else decided to show up for Beginning Tumbling so Ashley got a private lesson. I think it really helped her to be able to talk one on one with the coach. She practiced her backbends, forward rolls, did a handstand (for the first time), worked on her cartwheel, and did jumps on the trampoline (oh yeah, never been on one of those before either). She did so good and I was able to see how my other 2 handled waiting on her practice to be over. Ryan did good. He kept checking to see if it was still raining (and it was every time) and Lexi is truly a go with the flow baby so I have to say it was definitely a successful first attempt.
Speaking of Ryan, he did so well this week for his first week of preschool. He wasn't able to go to school on Wednesday because he was sick but he actually wanted to go. Today when we were waiting at the door for him to go inside he was just super excited and (drumroll please) he came home in the clothes I sent him in. NO ACCIDENTS- hooray!!!
Well, it's time for bed. Gotta do some cross training tomorrow and a nice 4 mile run on Sunday.

Happy Running!

A Cheer Mom?

Well, my name is Jama and I am officially a cheer leading mom. We signed Ashley up with Dynasty Elite. To be honest, I have been a mess over this decision. I do not like making major decisions. This stems from not wanting to fail at anything (which I do know is inevitable). Ashley is so excited and she did so well at her second practice that I know the decision to do this now is good but I am just a little scared about how this is going to effect our family as a whole. I also know that this is just the beginning and that I need to just suck it up and roll with the punches but I handle things better if I have some time to process it first and this was a decision that had to be made in 48 hours before the next practice. I think I talked it over with everyone I know and actually some people I didn't know but now that the decision is made I am happy with it and have thrown myself (not literally) full force into this whole cheer thing.
I do not however cheer leading terms by any means. Ashley needed some help "practicing" her back bends and cartwheels before cheer practice. Now, something that I know as her mom is that if you "help" her too much she will never try on her own. So.... she fell once or twice while attempting the back bends but after a few head butts on the floor she progressed to a nice fluid back bend with no help. I was very proud of her and impressed that she learned it after 2 practices. We worked on her cartwheel (which I had to demonstrate- hilarious) and she has gotten much better at that as well. She hasn't really done any tumbling so I think she might go to a few beginning tumbling classes to learn some basics from someone who actually knows what they are doing. So for now, I am just cheer mom...encouraging dancing, tumbling, and a lot of fun.

Multiple Emotions

Some days I feel that I have multiple personalities. Today I am so happy that school has started yet I am very sad that I have 2 kids that are in school. I was not sad at all yesterday when I was screaming at them (haha) but today I was sad. I went for an early (5:50 a.m.) 3 mile run this morning which I think did help me to be a lot calmer today plus it definitely energized me. I had all kids fed, dressed, and ready to go by 7:30. My run went so much better than I thought seeing as I ran outside instead of my usual treadmill. When I dropped Ashley off at 8:30 I felt good about it. I then took Ryan to his first day of preschool. I am just proud that neither he or I cried a drop. When we picked him up he said he had a great day and had so much fun.

Now Ashley has been asking me if she can join a competitive cheer leading team. Up until now I have been really hesitant in allowing her to even try. I mean we do Upward which isn't competitive but it allows her to cheer. Dave feels that I should enroll her in Dynasty Elite . I think that tonight we are going to go to a practice. I don't know whether I am ready for this but we will wait and see.

I am now in week 2 of my 10K training and so far I am right on track. I did my long run on Saturday and I felt really good afterwards. If the training keeps going so well, I just may register for the Disney Princess Half Marathon in March. Maybe.

Happy Running.

Balanced

This week has been wonderful and stressful at the same time. Dave had his first triathlon this last Saturday in Clermont. Oddly enough my first tri was there too, but that was SEVEN YEARS AGO! It was very nice to be able to cheer for him and be an encouragement and for him to understand that I had already swam that lake, biked those hills, and ran those miles. It was also bittersweet because it made me realise how much I miss training for something. Well, a little thing called 3 kids pops up and priorities must shift.
This is where a little thing called balance comes in. I struggle so much with this. Having played sports my entire life, you are always striving to be the best. You are competing with others and you must give 110%. I am struggling because as much as I want to give 100% to my husband, 100% to my kids, 100% to my quiet time, 100% to myself (training, running), I just can't and when you can't you feel like you are failing someone and then the guilt comes a knocking.
I need to be able to train for something and to make that training fit into my life so that I do not feel like I am taking time away from my family. Once again...I am struggling.
So, I am trying to cut myself a break on the mommy guilt and say that I am so happy that school starts Monday. School will allow me to be able to do the (minimum) training so that I can reach my 10K goal and who knows maybe even keep on training for the half marathon in March.
I will be able to give by 100% to everyone but I also have to be able to adjust my schedule and balance my time.

On a lighter note this month I have ran 58 miles. Not all at the same time but that is what training is all about. I am happy with the total so far and I am looking forward to October 11th with high hopes and a lot of happy kids too.


Happy Running!

Training Week 1

Training while family is in town is absolutely fabulous. I have babysitters handy to watch my kids whenever I want to get out and run. I was able to run daily and sometimes twice a day which is in my world- pure heaven. I love my children but sometimes I need a little quiet. My kids also know that a running mommy is a happier mommy and so we will continue running. So I have run a total of 26 miles this week. I am happy with that as it is my first week trying to get into a routine. Once school starts in 2 WEEKS I will be better able to get my runs in without feeling guilty. I am so happy to be a runner again.

A Huge Joke

Well after that last post running was still not a viable option because yes dear ones we have another beautiful baby girl in the mix now. Alexis was born November 18th 2008. We are so blessed to have all 3 of our kids in our lives but it takes away a lot from training time. I have officially signed up for 2 races. One a 5K in September and a 10K in October so we will continue with this blog as a journal of sorts to keep track of my progress as a "serious" runner. Wish me luck.

Vacation- Day1

So the kids and I are on vacation in Orlando while my mom is going to an IRS conference. I have to admit that although I am on my own with my kids all the time it is way different when you are not in your home and there are theme parks involved. Today was check-in so we didn't do all that much. We went to lunch at T-Rex which is probably one of my top five restaurants of all time. Then we came back and went to the splash pool here at the hotel. After swimming we decided to do what else but go shopping. We went to the Florida Mall and it was AWESOME, just like I remember from when we lived in Orlando. (A lot of good shopping memories at the Florida Mall!) Well, tomorrow we are going to Animal Kingdom so PRAY- pray hard for me with 3 kids by myself.