Wolf family end of year review

As 2013 comes to an end, I can't help but look back on what a great year it has been. Each member of our family has had a memorable year in one way or another. Here is a short recap...

Tyler achieved big boy status when he turned 2 in October. His car seat got turned around, his crib went away, a toddler bed appeared, and he started drinking chocolate milk instead of plain milk. In the eyes if a 2-year-old, I'm sure it has been a pretty awesome year. 

The highlight of Miss Sadie's year has been starting preschool. She LOVES school and is learning so much, like what intestines are and how to spell yellow. I am amazed at everything she knows. 

Adam started first grade in the fall and spends all day at school now. He is at the top of his class in reading and math, and I couldn't be more proud. If I asked him what the highlight of his year was, I'm sure school wouldn't be at the top, but it is pretty noteworthy to me. He has come a long way. 

Cory started the year off by buying an airplane, and he has had a permanent smile on his face ever since. Need I say more?

As for me, I have enjoyed health and happiness and have been able to watch my family learn and grow. As icing on the cake, I accomplished some personal goals along the way...running a marathon in under 4 hours, running my first ultra, and running the biggest marathon in the world. And although the daily routine hasn't always been easy and I've had plenty of challenges, tantrums, and fights to break up along the way, I will look back on the year with many fond memories.

NYC Marathon: Running with a rabbi and a blind woman

Yes, I recently ran with a rabbi and a blind woman.  But first, let me give a little background...

In 2012, I registered for the NYC Marathon lottery.  When the lottery closed, I learned that I had not been selected to participate.  When expressing my disappointment to a friend, she told me of a charity that helps disabled athletes run the marathon.  The charity uses "guides" to help the athlete complete the race, and they pay the costly entrance fee.  I was intrigued.  I immediately looked into it.  Unfortunately, I had missed the cutoff for the upcoming marathon.

Fast forward to August 2013... On a whim, I decided to submit an application to work as a guide for the 2013 NYC Marathon.  Much to my surprise, I was contacted a few weeks later with an invitation.  I was assigned to help a blind woman from New Zealand run her first marathon.  I learned I would be part of a small team assisting her.  Over the next few weeks, I corresponded with the blind athlete as well as the other members of our team, one of which I found out was a Jewish rabbi.  In the meantime, Cory started feeling left out and worked his connections with JetBlue to get a slot running with the FDNY.

A few days before the race we learned that due to enhanced security at the starting line, my entire team would not be able to start the race together.  Two of us would have to position ourselves a few miles into the race and jump in when our athlete came by.  Those two people turned out to be me and the rabbi.

On November 1, we dropped the kids off with Grandma and Grandpa and hopped on a red-eye flight to New York City.  We landed about 5:15 a.m. on Saturday morning and began our whirlwind tour of the city.  After spending the morning sightseeing, we dropped off our backpacks at the hotel and headed to the convention center to pick up our race packets.  When we got there, I found myself in the longest line I had ever seen.  It stretched through the convention center, out the door, down the street, around the corner, and down the next street before doubling back and ending back inside the convention center.  Fortunately, it moved quickly.  We picked up our stuff, browsed the expo, and left to eat lunch and catch a matinee of Wicked.  After the show (which we totally enjoyed), we headed to the hotel and ordered pizza for dinner.  We called the kids, watched a little TV, and went to bed early. 

The next morning, we dressed quickly, checked out of our hotel, and headed to the Park Central Hotel to store our bags with the FDNY group.  Then, Cory hopped on a bus with the FDNY runners and headed to the starting line while I waited to meet up with my new rabbi friend to travel to mile 4 together.  The time passed quickly, and it wasn't long before Rabbi Michael showed up.  He was super nice, and we got along splendidly.  We made our way to mile 4 and started watching for our team to come through.  As I waited, I ate a banana and looked for a garbage to throw my banana peel in. I spotted a 50 gallon barrel and almost tossed it in...until I realized it was full of Gatorade waiting to be put in cups (see below).

We didn't wait long before the professional runners passed our checkpoint.  They were going FAST!  When the first wave of general runners started coming through, Michael held up a sign he made to help the team spot us (see below).

I was glad we had it.  When it started getting busy, it was a little stressful trying to spot them in the mass of people (see below).

Luckily, we found our runner.  We configured ourselves in a diamond type shape.  One person ran in front and acted as a snowplow.  Vinnie ran in the middle with her husband on her left holding a tether.  I ran on her right for most of the race (slightly behind her to help protect her from getting pushed from behind), and Rabbi Michael floated around as needed.  Here are a few pictures...

 

 

The miles passed quickly.  Between the spectators cheering and the live bands playing throughout the course, it was more of a 26 mile party than a marathon.  We were having so much fun, and Vinnie was doing great.  At the halfway point, however, she tripped on a piece of rubber sticking up from the road.  She went down, and I could not catch her.  She skinned her elbow a bit, which started to bleed, but otherwise she seemed ok.  We helped her up, and she started running again.

Around mile 20, her knee started bothering her.  She took some pain medication and we walked for a while.  Then we started up a slow jog again.  At mile 23, I got a phone call from Cory.  He was about a mile ahead of us and was waiting for us to catch up so we could finish together.  We met up with Cory and finished strong.  My blind athlete finished in 4 hours and 59 minutes.  She did amazing!

After taking a few group pictures and saying our good-byes, Cory and I headed back to the Park Central Hotel to get our bags, have a quick shower, and eat a plate of food (courtesy of the FDNY).  Then, we headed straight to the airport to fly home.  It was a very short weekend, but it was an unforgettable experience. Who knew that running with a blind woman and a rabbi could be so much fun!?!?!!!!

My first ultra: The Antelope Island 50k

Having completed my 7th marathon just a month ago, I have had an itch to try something different.  Since all of my running so far has been on pavement, I decided to try some trail running.  So, I signed up for the Antelope Island 50k.

In most cases, it is probably a good idea to at least try a short run on a trail before signing up for something as long as a 50k, but I figured if I took my time and focused on enjoying myself, I would be okay.  I knew, though, that it would be a lot different than anything I had ever done.

Most marathons I have done start the day prior with some sort of an expo where you pick up your race packet and browse vendors.  But of course, most marathons I have done also have a couple thousand runners.  This was definitely not the case at Antelope Island.  With the race capped at 150 runners, packet pickup was in the parking lot before passing the guard station on your way to the starting line.  I jumped out of my vehicle long enough to sign my name and pick up a bag with my runner bib and a souvenir shirt in it.  Then I was back in the truck driving across the causeway.

I followed the signs to the starting line where a large tent and two porta-potties were set up.  Several cars were already there, and people were out visiting, eating breakfast, or standing in the bathroom line.  I found an area outside the tent to leave my drop bag, which would be transported to the Elephant Head aid station for me.  In my drop bag I left a bottle of sunscreen.  My plan was to take off my running jacket and gloves at the aid station and leave them in the bag to be transported to the finish line.  Then, apply sunscreen on my arms before leaving the aid station.

About 15 minutes prior to the start, the race director gave a briefing and explained the route we would be running.  Then, he headed over to the trail and began marking the starting line in the dirt with his foot.  This was a far cry from the starting lines I have been to before, but to be honest, it was refreshing.  It took the pressure off.  We all lined up and he counted down from 10.  Then, we were off. (see picture below: the starting line)

I told myself before the race began that I would hike the uphill and run the flat and downhill sections.  I knew I would be gaining over 3200 feet in elevation (and also losing it), and I also knew there was no way I could run all of it.  Right out of the starting line, we began an uphill section that climbed for the first 2-3 miles.  I felt a little silly walking at the beginning of the race, and since everyone else was running, I ran too.  Since I was new to this, I decided to watch other runners to see the best way to handle the terrain.  When they stopped to hike, so did I.

In a road marathon, you'll typically have porta-potties every mile and aid stations every two miles.  Don't expect that for a trail race.  Aid stations can sometimes be several miles apart, and the only porta-potty I saw was at the starting line. (If you have to go before then, squat behind a rock or bush.)  The first aid station was at Elephant Head around mile 5.5.  My drop bag was waiting for me on a tarp.  I quickly took off my jacket and gloves and shoved them in.  However, in my excitement, I forgot to apply sunscreen.  Good thing I put some on my face before I left that morning.  Then, I went to the aid station table to get a quick snack.  Now, at a road marathon, you'll usually see water, sports drink, and fruit or power gels if you are really lucky.  Here, it was like winning the lottery.  Water, Gatorade, soda, fruit, cookies, potato chips, power gels, candy, pierogis, and more.  I grabbed a chunk of orange and a few peanut M&Ms.  Then, I headed off again. (see picture below: Elephant Head aid station, my drop bag is the red one with black and white stripe on the side)

The next section of the race was challenging, but beautiful.  The terrain was steep...we climbed over 1000 feet, but I took my time and enjoyed the scenery.  Before I knew it, 8 miles had passed and I approached the North Sentry aid station at the south end of the island.  The volunteers took great care of me.  They filled up my bottles with water and Gatorade, and offered me plenty of snacks.  I grabbed a peanut butter sandwich and hit the trail again.  From here, the trail began a descent to the east side of the island and field of runners really began to spread out.  There were a few points where I couldn't see anybody ahead of me or behind me, but I did see a herd of buffalo.  I eventually caught up to another runner and chatted for awhile.  Aid station #4 was Nine Mile Gate, about 6.6 miles from the previous station.  Again, the volunteers were amazing.  They refilled my bottles, and I grabbed some grapes to munch on.  Then I headed out again for the final 10 miles.  When I came upon the final aid station at Lower Frary, my bottles were still full and I was feeling great.  So I gave them a wave and kept on going.

When the finish line came into view, I stopped to take a picture and silently congratulated myself for finishing what I set out to do.  Then, I followed the flags up to the tent to have my number and time recorded.  A few other runners were hanging out, visiting, and cheering, but otherwise, the finish line was quiet.  No whoop-la.  No medal.  Just the satisfaction of completing the race.  I was presented with a finishers mug, which I promptly took inside the tent and filled with homemade buffalo chili.  Then, I made my way to another table and finished filling up on grapes and M&Ms. (see picture below: the finish line)

So, in case you're wondering how I did, here are the stats:
My time was 5:49:11
I placed 47th out of 103 overall finishers and 12th out of 32 females
I figured placing in the top half of a male-dominated sport on my first try is pretty darn good.  :)

Top of Utah recap

At the beginning of the year, I set a goal to run a marathon in under 4 hours.  When I was getting ready to run the Ogden marathon in May, I knew I wasn't quite there yet, but I was determined to do my best.  As it turned out, my best was pretty darn good, but not good enough.  My time was 4:07.  So, I told myself I would train hard all summer and try again at the Top of Utah in September.

I looked up training programs online and got to work.  The summer started off pretty well.  I was getting up at 5:00 a.m. to run on the treadmill before the kids woke up, and I was pretty diligent for the first month.  Then about the time the end of June hit, it got hot outside and we started doing some camping.  It wasn't long before I started having motivation problems.  I still ran, but not like I had promised myself.  As the weeks passed by, I knew I needed to get myself back into gear.  Finally when Adam got back to school, I started running several times a week with the jogging stroller, and I felt like I was going to pull it off.

The morning of the marathon, I was a bundle of nerves.  We got up at 4:00 a.m., got ready, and headed out the door.  After parking and catching a bus, we were on our way to the starting line.  When we arrived, there were two very large white tents set up with propane heaters inside for warmth.  After standing in line for the porta potties, we headed to the tents to keep warm.  It wasn't long before it was time to take off our sweats and leave them in drop bags to pick up at the finish line.  Then, at 7:00 a.m., the gun went off and the race began.

The first half of the race was pretty much all downhill, and I kept up an amazing pace.  The first mile flew by, and I tore off my long sleeved shirt at the first mile marker and dropped it in a clothing box.  When I reached the first aid station at mile 3, I didn't even slow down.  I was carrying my own water and didn't need to stop, so I passed right through stations at miles 5,7, and 9 also.  When I hit the station at mile 11, I slowed down long enough to take a few gulps of Gatorade, then took off again.  I hit the half way mark at 1 hour and 51 minutes (a new best), and I still felt great.  By the time we exited the canyon and the course flattened out, though, I could feel my body slowing down.  I looked at my watch for the first time at mile 15.  My average pace was 8:30, but I knew I couldn't keep it up much longer.  Right about then, the 3:45 pace runner passed me.  I was disappointed to see him.  At the same time, I was happy that I had kept that pace for so long.  When I ran the Ogden marathon, the 3:45 pace runner passed me at mile 8.  So, I knew I was ahead of where I was before and still had a great shot at meeting my goal.

Well, my pace continued to slow down, and it seemed to take forever to run between aid stations.  I wouldn't allow myself to walk between them, but whenever I hit one I allowed myself to walk while I took a drink and ate fruit.  I apparently walked a little too much, because the 3:55 pacer came up behind me with a few miles to go.  I silently cursed him.  I was exhausted, but I pressed on.  As I got closer to the finish line, I looked at my watch and suddenly realized I had only 2 minutes to make it to the finish line.  I started to panic, but then rounded the final turn and it was right in front of me.  I made it with 54 seconds to spare.  Final time:  3 hours, 59 minutes, and 6 seconds.  Average pace: just over a 9-minute mile.

I achieved my goal, and I'm thrilled.  Of course, I was secretly hoping to beat it by more than just 54 seconds, but at least I beat it.  Not bad for a girl that couldn't even run a mile in junior high without nearly passing out or throwing up or both.

So here I am, three days post-marathon.  I'll give my legs another day or two, then it's time to start gearing up for the 50k I'll be running in 3 1/2 weeks.  :)

Let's see what this body can do!

Six weeks. 

Three marathons. 

I may be officially crazy, but if I can pull this off, it will be an incredible ending to a great year. I don't have any doubts, but let's face it, that is 83 and a half miles of racing, plus training during the week. It sounds intimidating, but i think it will help that i will have a different focus for each race.

Race #1: speed. 

The Top of Utah Marathon is this weekend. It is my best shot at getting a sub-4 hour marathon. So, I'm going to run my little heart out and see if I can make it happen. 

Race #2: endurance. 

The Antelope Island 50k is on October 19. It will be my first ultra marathon.  Since I have never been farther than 26.2 miles, I'm not going to push myself to be fast. I just want to finish. 

Race #3: enjoyment. 

The New York City marathon is November 3. It is the biggest marathon in the world. Since I will be accompanying a disabled athlete, I don't think speed will be an issue. And since it is only 26.2 miles, endurance shouldn't be a factor. So for this race, I'm just going to focus on motivating my disabled athlete and enjoying the experience and the opportunity to be there. 

Having said that, the next six weeks will likely test my toughness - physically and mentally. Since I'm unwilling to give up any of them, however, it's time to see what this body can do!

My trip to PetSmart

I'm a good Mom. At least I try to be, which is why I took Adam to the pet store this morning to get a little doggie outfit for Sprocket's birthday. Yes, that's right folks. Sprocket will be turning 6 soon, and since he is part of the family, we will be celebrating his special day once again. 

As we headed into PetSmart, the kids were drawn to the little pet Halloween costumes in display in the main aisle. I think Adam secretly wanted the little Buzz Lightyear costume, but as I looked at the price tag, I knew we wouldn't be getting it. I wasn't about to pay $25 for a little doggie costume. That is almost more than I would pay for a child's costume! So we put the costume back on the display and headed to the pet "apparel" aisle. 

It wasn't long before I found some little doggie t-shirts that Adam was thrilled with. He picked one out and we headed to the checkout. After ringing up my $7.49 purchase, the clerk asks me if I had a PetSmart card and if not would I like one. I told him as politely as I could that I didn't have any pets and wouldn't be making purchases on a regular basis, so no thank you. What i was really thinking was "uhhhh...I'm not a pet person." I quickly explained my need to buy my child's stuffed puppy a present. He said I was a good mom and wished me a good day. 

This got me thinking about pets. My poor kids have been asking for one, and I've been dragging my feet. Pets are noisy, smelly, and make messes. So why have them? I guess some people want them for companionship or as part of their home security system, but personally I think chickens would be a little more useful. At least chickens lay eggs. Cats and dogs lay poop. 

Conversations with my kiddos

I have three kids.  All of them have different personalities, and all of them are at different stages in their development.  Consequently, my conversations with each of them are all different.

My conversations with Tyler are short.  I do most of the talking, and he gives one or two word answers when required.  A typical conversation with him sounds something like this...

Me:  Good morning little buddy.  Are you ready for breakfast?
Tyler:  Yeah!  CRUNCH!!!
Me:  OK.  Let's go downstairs.  (I pick him up and carry him downstairs.  After setting him down, he points at the TV.)
Tyler:  Toons.
Me:  OK.  I'll turn on cartoons.  What would you like to watch?
Tyler:  Buppies!
Me:  Bubble Guppies is not on right now.  You can watch Dora or Team Umizoomi.
Tyler:  DORA!!!

My conversations with Adam are at the other end of the scale.  He does most of the talking, but he requires me to be an active participant by providing one or two word answers when called upon.  A typical conversation with him goes like this...

Adam:  Mom?......  Hey Mom!.........MOMMMMMM!!! (he will continue until I answer him)
Me:  Yes Adam?
Adam:  Can I play with Cameron tonight?
Me:  We'll see.
Adam:  Last time we played the Wii together and we almost killed the big monster.  We made it to the purple castle and Cameron died, and I tried to kill the monster by myself but I died too.  (He then goes on to describe in great detail the events of the game.  After several minutes, he brings me back into the conversation.)
Adam:  Mom?.....MOM!!!!  Hey, MOMMMMMMM!!!
Me:  What?
Adam:  So, can you text Cameron's Mom to see if we can play tonight?

Even though Adam does most of the talking, our conversations can be somewhat exhausting.

Miss Sadie is on the extreme end of the scale.  Most of the time, she does not require my participation at all... only my presence.  She just talks.  I get worn out trying to follow her train of thought, so I admit that I don't always pay close attention to what she's saying.  As a result, I can't really recap a typical conversation with her.

My kids love to talk, but our house is about to get a whole lot quieter.  The summer is coming to an end, and Adam and Sadie will be starting school soon.  After a bit of break during the day, I'll be ready to hear everything they have to tell me about school.  :)

The 1, 2, 3 countdown

One week until Adam starts soccer practice.
Two weeks until Adam goes back to school.
Three weeks until Sadie starts school.
I'm calling this my 1, 2, 3 countdown.

It's hard to believe Adam will be in first grade this year.  Having him at school all day will sure be different, but I'm ready.  I hope he is too.  Sometimes I worry I've babied him too much and not given him the opportunities he needs to grow.  For instance:

Adam is the only kid in his swimming class who won't get his face wet. 
All the other kids his age in the neighborhood ride bikes without training wheels. 
He is the only kid his age I know of that insists on wearing winter gloves when eating popsicles so his hands won't get cold. 

Have I gone wrong somewhere?  In my effort to be a good mother and shield him from the world, have I been coddling him too much?  The evidence says yes.  I hope I haven't done any permanent damage.  :)

In other news, we bought Sadie her first bike helmet a few days ago, and she is super excited.  Here she is riding around the neighborhood.

8 more weeks

I'm sure my faithful readers have noticed that I haven't blogged in awhile. I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, I've just been overwhelmed with life. I have been consumed with tantrums, fighting, keeping the kids busy, and training for my next marathon (which is just under 8 weeks away).

Since I don't want to dwell on the tantrums and fighting, I'll focus my blog today on marathon training. This next marathon is an important one for me. I hope to reach a major milestone: running a marathon in under 4 hours. 

So why is this such a big deal? Well, an article I read recently put it pretty well. The author had done some research on what percentage of runners can complete a sub-4 marathon. The answer: between 20-25 percent. So in other words, if you can run a marathon in under 4 hours, you are in the top tier of runners nationwide. This is a pretty big deal, especially for someone like me who did not grow up being very athletic.

I told myself that I would train hard this summer to achieve this milestone, but between the heat and dealing with tantrums, I have had a hard time motivating myself to get up and run before the kids wake up. I guess you could say I have been in a bit of a depression. However, I have been running faster than ever lately, so I know I at least have a shot. 

Getting this close to a milestone has given me an opportunity to reflect on where to go from here. Do I challenge myself to go faster or farther? If I decide my next goal is speed, the next milestone would be to continue to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I would need to run a 3:40 to qualify. If I want to go for distance, that means joining the world of ultra marathons.  No, I'm not talking about one of those crazy 100 mile races...yet. I would start with a 50k to see how my body responds. I have actually looked into this, and there is a 50k on Antelope Island in October. I guess first things first, I need to work on that sub-4 marathon. 

A sign of what's to come

Sadie is officially registered for preschool in the fall, and she is beyond excited.  The place I will be sending her invited her to come and spend a day to check it out.  So, on Tuesday after I dropped Adam off at Kindergarten, I took Sadie to preschool (backpack and all).  Then, I headed home with Tyler.

The house was soooooo quiet without Sadie's constant chatter.  So, I turned on some music, and got to work.  I couldn't believe how much I was able to accomplish.  Maybe this is a sign of things to come.  I weeded the entire garden and raspberry patch, I washed all the dishes in the sink, I folded a batch of laundry, and I ironed three shirts.  I felt I was starting to come down with a cold, so then I turned on PBS and let Tyler watch Clifford the Big Red Dog while I closed my eyes.

When I picked up Sadie at 3:00, she was very excited to tell me all about her "first day of school".  She can hardly wait to go back.  Now every day she asks if it is "fall" yet.  I hope this won't be a long summer!

I'm not a master gardener...yet

Every year I dream of growing a beautiful garden.  Every year I fail.  It's not that I don't have skills, it just seems like every year I'm either pregnant and have no energy or I have a baby and no energy.  Since I am neither this year, I set high expectations for my garden.  One thing I forgot to factor into the equation:  I have one of the busiest 18-month-olds known to mankind.

I managed to get a modest garden planted with a few basics.  But every time I go out to work in it, I have helpers.  Sadie and Adam trample the onions and lettuce, and Tyler picks up dirt by the handfuls and throws it.  I decided it was time to get their swimming pool out...

I inflated their pool, rinsed it out, and put a few inches of water inside.  The kids were thrilled.  No sooner did I turn my back, though, and Tyler started making trips back and forth from the garden to the pool with a determination to throw as much dirt as he could in the water.  He had great fun, but Adam and Sadie were not pleased.

Time for Plan B.  I had been planning on making Tyler a sand/water table to play with outside.  This situation motivated me to finish it....fast.  Here's what I did:

Made a trip to Lowe's for a 2x4, a 2x6, some screws, and a large mixing tub
Cut the wood to make a frame for the mixing tub
Screw it together
Add some legs
Insert mixing tub
Fill with water and toys

I thought about putting sand in it, but I was afraid Tyler would throw it all over the yard.  So, for now I will stick to the water.  Tyler can throw as much dirt and rocks as he pleases in it.  Maybe later I will try sand.  In the mean time, kids are happy.  So, I can get back to gardening.  I'm not a master gardener yet...  First I need to master the art of keeping my kids busy.

Team Adam

Last weekend was Adam's first 5k.  We wanted to do the race as a family, so we registered everyone except Tyler.  The day before the race, we picked up our t-shirts.  Sadie was so excited to be part of the team that she took her shirt to bed with her.

On race morning, we ate breakfast, put on our matching shirts, and headed to the starting line.  Gotta love Adam and Sadie with their headbands on...

Adam had been "training" for weeks, but hadn't been running very far lately.  So, I figured we would be walking more than running.  When the race started, we began jogging.  Adam periodically needed a break, so we walked while he got a drink and an energizing jelly bean. 

To get him running again, I motivated him by encouraging him to pass people.  It worked, but it may have inflated his ego a little too much.  Every time we passed someone, he would turn to them and say, "Team Adam passed you!"  By giving a little encouragement and commenting on how many people he was passing, he was motivated enough to keep running and finish strong.  He was thrilled to get to the finish line and realize he won second place in his division.  After a popsicle and some water, it was time for the awards ceremony. It was cute watching him run up to the stage to receive his award.  As icing on the cake, he won the grand prize drawing at the end of the ceremony.  Once again, he ran to the stage and waved to the crowd and got his picture taken with the tether ball system he won.

Three days post race, Adam is still wearing his medal around the house.  He is very proud of it.  Go Team Adam!

Always use the right tool for the job

I have something rather embarrassing to admit.  I screwed up.  My few faithful readers know I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist, so I hope this shocking revelation doesn't shake their faith in me.  :)

For Mother's Day this year I wanted to give Mom something a little different than the traditional hanging flower basket.  Since she has a new deck to enjoy, I thought I would make her a nice deck chair.  So, I reviewed some plans I found online and made a trip to Lowe's for the wood.

The first step of the project requires you to cut two pieces from a board with unusual angles.  Since I didn't have an angle finder, I thought I could just "wing it" and be okay.  So I estimated where to make the cuts and continued with the project.  Everything was going great.  I cut, sanded, and painted the boards.  Then, I began to assemble.  The seat portion went together great.  Then, I attached the legs.  I sat down to test it.  Actually very comfortable and very sturdy.  Then, I stood up and looked at the legs.  My heart sank.  This is what is what I saw...

It doesn't take a genius to realize the angles I "estimated" were way off!  Lesson learned.  Always use the right tool for the job.  I just need to figure out when it is okay to "wing it" and when you absolutely must follow the instructions.

After much internal debate, I decided to finish the chair as is.  Here is a picture of the finished product... This picture was actually taken from a pretty flattering angle.  :)

Unfortunately, I am too embarrassed to give it to Mom for Mother's Day.  So, Mom, if you are reading this... I'm so sorry.  I have since purchased the tool I need and would be happy to give it another try.  I would even paint it any color you want.  I could even do a matching set with a chair for Dad.  Or if you would rather, I could make you something else or buy you a nice traditional hanging flower basket.  :)  I actually have been wanting to try making this bench...

Are my readers disappointed in me?

It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game

One of Adam's most endearing qualities is that he is one of the friendliest little guys you will ever meet.  He makes friends at school.  He makes friends in the parking lot at Walmart.  He makes friends wherever he goes.  No matter where he is, he waves at people, says hello, and introduces himself.  He has even been known to give hugs to checkout ladies at the dollar store.  He is just plain social.  I didn't even think about this when I signed him up for soccer.

Adam has always had a love for any kind of sport involving a ball.  So, naturally, I half expected him to be the star of the soccer team.  I envisioned him leading his team to victory...kicking the ball down the field and scoring goal after goal.  That's not what I got.  What I did get was a little boy who was just excited to put on his uniform and hang out with other kids.

Game after game I have sat on the sidelines and watched Adam run around the field with the other kids, and I have wondered why he wasn't being aggressive with the ball.  Every time he did kick it, he would stop and wave at me, giving someone else the opportunity to swoop in and steal it.  I finally realized that he wasn't in it to win.  He just wants to have fun with other kids.  His favorite part of the night, I think, is doing the team cheer and congratulating the other team after the game.  I see him out there giving high 5s, fist bumps, and hand shakes.  Then he runs to the sidelines where snacks are handed out.  :)

Last night I told him before the game that if he scored a goal, I would give him 30 minutes of bonus time on the Wii.  What I got in return was somewhat of a transformation.  That kid played the entire game.  He was all over the field, kicking the ball and almost scored a goal.  At one point, he kicked it down near the goal and one of his teammates was able to score.  The opposing goalie raised up his fists in frustration.  Adam, being the social boy he is, assumed the boy was cheering for them and ran up and gave him a high 5.

Well, Adam's team still ended up losing, but Adam didn't know any different.  He had fun, played hard, and made friends with every single player on the opposing team.  After it was over, Adam gave out more high 5s than ever before.  Then he ran to the sidelines to get snacks from his coach.  The other team liked him so much they gave him some of their snacks too.  I guess it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.

A perfect record

It's been a busy two weeks at the Wolf House. Adam and Sadie have had swimming lessons 4 days a week. Adam also started soccer practice twice a week and has school five days a week. On top of that, I've been planting my garden, weeding the raspberry patch, trying to stay on top on the housework, and fitting in short runs whenever I can (marathon season is almost here and I'm not ready!).

Today was the last day of swimming lessons. Adam and Sadie have come a long way in two weeks. They're not ready to progress to the next class quite yet, but I'm proud of what they've been able to accomplish. Adam can now float on his back and kick his legs without help. Sadie isn't quite there yet, but she's close. They both have issues getting their faces wet, but they have been able to go completely under water, which is a huge improvement from day 1 of class. Today after demonstrating what they have learned, they were able to go play on the water slide until class was over. They had a blast. When it was time to go home, they were both pretty sad and asked if I would please sign them up for more swimming lessons. :)

So, it looks like we may be spending more time at the Aquatic Center when I can find an opening in lessons that will work with our schedule. In the meantime, I have got to find Miss Sadie a new swimming suit. One-piece swimming suits on little girls are too impracticle. Sadie ended her two-week swimming course with a perfect record of interrupting class every day to go potty. Don't get me wrong...I'm happy she is potty trained. It's just a little hard to run her into the locker room in the middle of every class and pull that wet swimming suit down over her body when I have a wiggly little boy that is struggling to get out of my grasp and run away. What she needs is a cute tankini that covers her belly and has matching bottoms. Oh, and a bigger bladder would be nice.

Is it a comedy or horror show?

Most days if you were to read about my daily activities it would bore you to tears. Today my day has been somewhere between a horror show and a comedy.

My morning started out like any other. I got up and fixed breakfast for the kids. Then while I was fixing my breakfast, Adam spilled his entire cup of strawberry milk all over the floor. I stopped what I was doing and wiped up the mess. Then, I pulled out the mop to finish the job. After that was cleaned up, I went back to my breakfast. A few minutes later, Tyler threw his Cheerios all over the floor. Again, I stopped what I was doing and got down on my hands and knees to clean up his mess. Shortly after I finished my breakfast, Tyler reached up and grabbed Adam's bowl of Cheerios and dumped the whole bowl on the floor. I went back into "clean-up" mode.

By this time, I seriously needed a few minutes to myself. So, I put my running clothes on and went to the basement for a short run on the treadmill. It felt great. After I showered and got myself ready, it was time to get the kids dressed for swimming lessons. First, I tracked down Tyler. I started taking his pajamas off and a rather large handful of Cheerios spilled out. I tried to attach a picture, but Blogger isn't cooperating. The kid had Cheerios indentations on his feet from all the cereal at the bottom of his pajamas. Next, I went to track down Miss Sadie to get her dressed. I walked into her room and was horrified to find blue crayon scribbles all over the tan carpet. I about had a heart attack. I wanted to get to work on cleaning right away, but it was almost time to leave for swimming lessons. So, I got Sadie dressed and went to check on Adam to make sure he was ready. Fortunately, he was. It was time leave.

I sat everyone on the floor to get shoes on, and Sadie informed me she had to go potty. So I ran her into the bathroom. When she finished, I helped her off the potty and pulled her swimming suit up. While I was doing that, Tyler grabbed a Barbie dress Sadie had been holding onto and threw it in the toilet. Sadie screamed, "It's ruined!" Then, she began to cry. I promised to wash it later, and I hurried all the kids out to the car. Sadie sobbed most of the way to swimming lessons.

Well, we made to to swimming lessons and back without any disasters. As soon as we got home, I started fixing lunch and got the kids up to the table to eat. Adam said the blessing with Tyler screaming in the background because he was hungry. As soon as "amen" was said, Adam grabbed his cup of juice and ...... accidentally spilled it all over the floor. It would be funny if it wasn't true. I gave Tyler a bite of sandwich and ran to get towels to soak up the mess. Then, after giving Tyler another bite, I ran upstairs to get the mop to finish the job.

Adam is at school now, and I am taking a short break from cleaning crayon out of the carpet. Then I need to get that Barbie dress in the washing machine. Hopefully the rest of the day is smooth sailing. One thing I know for sure: Adam will be drinking water for dinner. :)

Daylight savings and my life as a chauffeur

The time change has been rough at my house.  Really rough.  I am a morning person, so it didn't phase me in the least.  My kids, however, have not adjusted quite so well.  Normally they are morning people too, but it has taken all week to get their little bodies back on track.

Tyler and Sadie are usually up around 6:30, give or take.  Adam wakes up closer to 7:00.  Not this week.

Sunday morning, I was up at 6:45.  Sadie and Tyler woke up about 7:30, and Adam came stumbling downstairs at 8:00.  Since we usually leave for church at 8:45, I knew we wouldn't make it in time.  By the time I got the kids fed and started getting ready, I knew we would not only be late but that we would probably miss sacrament meeting entirely.  I was correct.  We went straight to Primary.

Monday morning was not much better, but after a week of adjusting, they are almost back to normal.  Today Sadie woke up at 6:30.  Tyler woke up at 6:45, and Adam, was up at 7:15.

In other news, my life as a chauffeur will begin soon.  Adam and Sadie start swimming lessons on Monday morning.  Sadie is so excited to be in the same swimming class as Adam.  She is now convinced that she is 5 years old since they are in the same class.  Adam also starts soccer practice sometime next week. His coach should be getting ahold of me today or tomorrow with more details.

Better Than Cocoa Puffs

Breakfast at my house is usually very simple.  It's like feeding your pets.  I throw out some milk and cereal for the kids and let them fend for themselves.  OK.  Maybe it's not quite that bad.  I DO usually fix oatmeal for Tyler, but that's about it.  Then, I fix something for myself...toast, bananas, or the occasional breakfast burrito.  It's a pretty rare occasion for me to fix a hot breakfast for the whole family to enjoy....usually a holiday where I fix waffles with strawberries and cream.  It's not that I'm lazy, I just like to keep things simple in the mornings.

This morning I decided to treat my family to a real breakfast.  Side note:  This year in Primary, the theme is "I am a Child of God."  We have been talking about how we are all different and special.  Each week, we spotlight one child from Jr. Primary and one child from Sr. Primary.  We give the kids clues about the child and try to get them to guess who it is.  I am in charge of doing the spotlights for Jr. Primary.  Well, two Sundays ago for the spotlight, the little girl's favorite food was German Pancakes.  I realized that it had been years since I had eaten them and that my kids had probably never had them.  I vowed to fix them in the near future.

Today was the day.  I mixed up the batter and popped it in the oven while the kids were munching on their usual cereal and chocolate milk.  When the German Pancakes were ready, I explained to the kids what they were, and I gave them a bite to try.  One bite and Adam was hooked.  He pushed his bowl of cereal aside and asked for a plate.  Tyler took a bite and immediately threw the rest of his Cocoa Puffs on the floor and pointed to my plate.  I guess you could say they were a hit.  When they were gone, Adam asked me to fix another batch.  He was not too happy when I told him no.

My poor kids.  There are obviously better things out there than cold cereal in the mornings.  I need to try really hard to fix them a hot breakfast more often.

Soccer sister

Last week I registered Adam for a spring soccer league sponsored by the city. He is super excited. Sadie is in tears.

I tried explaining to her that she wasn't quite old enough. More tears.

I tried convincing her it would be fun to cheer with mommy on the sidelines. Even more tears.

There was no consoling this girl. She desperately wants to be big like Adam, and nothing I could say would make her feel better. There might have to be dance lessons or tumbling in our future. For now, though, i have an even better idea...swimming lessons. In fact, maybe I should sign them both up. It might be a brother-sister bonding experience if they do it together.

Why are my kids in such a hurry to grow up? Even Tyler is not satisfied being little. Today I took the kids shopping. Tyler rode next to Sadie in the shopping cart at Smiths, and it thrilled him to death. He cried when I took him out. I guess being big is just fun.

The Never-Ending Paint Project

When I first started building Sadie's new bed, I didn't think about how long it would take to paint. I was only focused on the building phase of the project. Well, as it turns out, it's a pretty big undertaking. In fact, I'm pretty sure it will take longer to paint than it did to build.

For starters, this bed has about 60 rails. When I built it, I drilled 4 pocket holes in each rail.  These holes later had to be filled in and sanded down before painting.  Now, each rail has to be individually painted (front, back, both sides, and the top and bottom between each one). Unfortunately, one coat of paint isn't enough. So, the project is moving rather slowly. Kind of wishing I had a paint sprayer at this point, but at least I'm not on a deadline. I would like to finish the project sooner rather than later, though. As Cory has lovingly pointed out, I have a huge mess in the garage to clean up when the project is done. (Check out Cory's workbench covered in sawdust in the picture below.)

When life throws you a bone...

Question:  When life throws you a bone, do you accept it?  Life has thrown me one, and I've been trying to decide what to do with it.

For Christmas, I ordered an iPad2 with 64G for Cory.  It was not brand new.  It was refurbished, but it was in perfect physical condition.  The company promptly sent it.  I turned it on long enough to make sure it had a full charge.  Then, I wrapped it.  When Cory opened it Christmas morning, he was so excited!  After playing around with it for awhile, he discovered that the camera didn't work.  He was so bummed.  We decided to return it and see if we could get a replacement.

The day after Christmas, Cory contacted the company I bought it from and explained the defect.  They said they didn't have any more in stock, but they would gladly refund our money.  They emailed us a shipping label, and we immediately sent it back to them.  In the meantime, Cory found another iPad online from a different company and ordered it.  The new iPad came, and he has been thrilled with it.

Then one day, the most bizzare thing happened.  We received an email from the original company we ordered the iPad from.  They received the one we shipped back to them, and they were processing our refund.  An hour later, we received a package in the mail from them.  Another iPad.  I was baffled.  They had originally told us they did not have any more in stock.  I immediately checked our credit card statement.  We had not been charged for another one, yet here it was.

I decided to wait for further action until the refund had gone through (I didn't want any confusion on their end to halt the refund process).  Then, we contacted the company to let them know about the extra iPad that was shipped to us.  Their response:  We have no record of shipping another iPad to you.

So, here I am with a dilemma.  Where do I go from here?  The little devil on my shoulder tried to convince me that it was okay to keep it.  I turned it on and started to set up my internet connection, email accounts, etc.  A few minutes into it, the little angel on my shoulder told me to stop and make contact with the company one more time.  In my message to them, I briefly explained that I was certain the iPad came from them.  Would they please check their inventory to make sure they weren't missing one?  Now I wait for their response.  If they ask me to return the iPad, I can do so with a clear conscience.  If they continue to insist that it is not theirs, I guess I will graciously accept the bone that life has thrown me.

The odds are against me, but I'm making progress

It's been a challenging week. Adam is off track and in need of constant entertainment. Sadie has been even more emotional than usual, if you can imagine that, and busy little Tyler has been making non-stop messes like this...

On top of everything else, temperatures have been frigidly cold, and the kids have a serious case of cabin fever. I try to send them outside for a few minutes everyday so Tyler can nap in peace, but it has just been to cold to make it last very long.

Despite the challenges, I am actually making real progress on Sadie's new bed. I made it through my first box of 100 screws.  The railings are well underway and should be complete mid-week in time to borrow Cory's truck to go get the boards for the playhouse portion on the bottom. Then, I will just need to find someone to borrow a jigsaw from so I can cut the door and windows out.  I have really enjoyed working on this, but I think I will wait for warmer temperatures next time I plan a major project.  I have spent a lot of time in my garage in freezing temperatures with no heat.  I hope Miss Sadie loves it when it's done!

A bit ambitious, but failure is NOT an option

I have been having so much fun with the compound miter saw I got for Christmas. I finally finished building frames for the builder-grade mirrors in my bathrooms, and I touched up the corners with caulk and paint. I have to say, they look pretty darn nice. Truthfully, I'm a little surprised that I did such a good job on my first project.

I may be a little over confident now, but I have decided to attempt a larger (and very ambitious) project: a new bed for Sadie. Not just any bed, though. This is a playhouse loft bed with a playhouse on the bottom and a bed on the top. I found the plans on Ana-white.com. See below...

I know what you're thinking...little girl with a new saw is going a little crazy. I know it is an ambitious project for a beginner, but failure is NOT an option. I have already shown the plans to Miss Sadie, and she is over the moon with excitement. Unfortunately with the time I have to dedicate to it, the project will take weeks. :(  In the mean time, I hope Sadie will be patient.  She is very emotional and will be heart-broken if I can't pull this off.  She cried for 20 minutes today when the library didn't have the particular book she was looking for.  Imagine her disappointment if this project fails.

Phase one is in the works: building the railings. Follow my progress in future blogs.  There is not much to show at this point, since I am only on day #2, but check out my nicely drilled pocket holes on the rails!

Keep AT LEAST one eye open at all times!

As a child, I was taught to fold my arms, close my eyes, and bow my head for prayers.  Now that I am a parent, I try to teach my kids the same principles.  However, I find that I have a hard time practicing what I preach.  You never know what will happen when you take your eyes off your kids for a lengthy prayer!  So, as a policy, I pretend to close my eyes, but I keep one eye cracked just enough to see what is going on around me.

Here is how church went today...  Midway through the first prayer, I hear Sadie tell Adam, "Close your eyes!!!"  Apparently neither one of them were doing what they were supposed to be doing.  I was keeping my eye on Tyler and couldn't see the other two kids out of the "crack."

Midway through a baby blessing, Tyler wandered off.  Thank goodness I saw where he went.  If my eyes had been closed, I most likely would have panicked when I opened them since he wasn't visible from my vantage point.  After the blessing was over, I quietly tiptoed 4 rows ahead of us to where he was sitting on Brother Borchert's lap.....playing his iPhone.  It was a coloring book app, and he was busy coloring a kitty.  (What can I say???...My kids have a thing for electronics.)

Yes, I am convinced that keeping one eye open at all times is definitely a good idea.

I can build it, yes I can!

Have you ever watched a Bob the Builder cartoon? In each episode, Bob and his gang help with renovations, construction, and repairs with various projects. Bob's catchphrase is "Can we fix it?," to which the other characters respond "Yes we can!" 

I have been feeling a little Bob the Builder-ish lately.  When I asked Cory for a saw for Christmas, I think he had serious concerns.  He probably wondered what a girly girl like myself would do with a saw, and I'm sure he thought I would surely cut off a finger trying to operate one.  Hopefully my first project has turned him from a skeptic into a fan.

Awhile back I came across a blog where someone had built a frame for their builder-grade bathroom mirror.  The tutorial I read sounded like it would be a great first project for me to work on.  After a trip to Lowe's to buy the materials, I unpacked my new saw and asked Cory to give me a few pointers.  Then, Cory stood back and let me give it a whirl.  Here's what I did.

I measured the mirror and bought some moulding/trim and Liquid Nails at Lowe's.  Then, I cut each piece to fit the measurements on a 45 degree angle.  After a few coats of paint, I took the bottom section of the frame and glued it right on the front of the mirror using Liquid Nails.  I let it cure overnight, then I added the other three pieces.  I had planned on touching up the corner seams with some caulk and paint, but it actually looks pretty good without doing anything.  Here are the pictures.  Not too shabby for a first try.  Now I have two more bathrooms to complete before moving on to another project.  :)

A house full of party poopers

New Years at the Wolf House came a little early this year...

Our festivities began mid afternoon with special activities every hour. I blew up several balloons and stuffed each balloon with a piece of paper describing the activity we would do that hour. Then I labeled each balloon with a specific time to "pop" it (3:00, 4:00, 5:00, etc). The activities were simple things, like make hot cocoa, play balloon volleyball, and turn on some music and show everyone your best dance moves. The kids loved popping the balloons each hour to see what we would do next.

Knowing that nobody would make it until midnight, I only came up with enough balloon activities to make it until 8:00.  When we popped the last balloon, the activity was fireworks. We had a few small fireworks left from celebrations this summer, but nothing too exciting. I think Adam was less than impressed and asked if we had any that shot into the air and exploded. Tyler loved the fireworks, though, and Sadie was just happy to be having a party.

After fireworks, we headed inside and turned on the tv. Sadie fell asleep on the couch at 8:40, and Tyler wasn't far behind. Adam probably would have stayed up awhile longer, but we were tired, so we tucked him in bed at 9:00.  After watching the Times Square ball drop at 10:00 local time, we turned off the tv and talked until we both fell asleep around 11:00.  Quite the party at our house, huh? Trust me, you would go to bed early too if my three energetic kids lived at your house.  :)