Mommas ridge training update

At the 3 hour mark with 4 miles left back to my car. Then picking up recovery au lait on the way home! Redwood Regional Park is a trail oasis!

Gearing up

Running the Ridge

It's official. I am signed up for the Ed Anacker Ridge Run in Bozeman this summer, August tenth. They have a selection process and after they have hand selected folks based on a 50 word compelling reason, the others are by lottery.

Here were my 50 words:
I run for many reasons. The main reason I run? Because I can. This race is pinnacle. A MT raised MSU grad, this challenge is a stunning celebration of MT running & turning 40. PS: I work in nutrition @ CLIF BAR & have FREE bars,gels, bloks for ALL!

I am fairly certain it was my free product offer that won me one of the 250 spots in the race. At this point my long-term relationship with running I have run four marathons, two under four hours, and more half marathons than I can count. Running and I have broken up for various reasons over the years but always seem to get back together. We have had a love-hate relationship from time to time.

When I was pregnant with the boys I didn't run. My body had far more important things to expend resources on then. I remember my first run after Eric was born. It was February and I ran five full blocks before I had to stop, turn around, and walk back. I set my sights on running the Nike Women's Half Marathon and moved myself forward toward the goal.

After Noah was born and the sixth week of post-partum cleared the calendar I bought my first Nike pace band. I wanted to run Nike again, but this time I wanted to run it faster.

I have never been so grateful to having running in my life since the boys were born. I run for them. I run for me. I run for all those times I couldn't run and for all those who can't run because of struggles in their lives. Running is something you do when things are good and I am thankful to have it. No run I ever do will be more challenging than pregnancy, a preemie, and parenting two active, beautiful, competitive, athletic, and smart boys.

Twenty-miles in the Bridger Mountains supported with aid stations is an attainable adventure for me. It  gives  something to work towards that is all my own, all about me, and my needs. Moms need to have something that is their own, and I love the feeling of having the support of Eric, Noah, and Aaron. Seeing them during a run and knowing Aaron is having his own marathon of getting them all there means the world to me.

The rest of the family thinks I am crazy. A sure sign that it is just the right adventure for me.

A marathon was crazy, back to back marathons were crazy, running at 2am on the side of a road in Oregon after only 3 hours of sleep in 24 hours was crazy. There are loads of athletes who do far crazier adventures in pursuit of personal satisfaction from feats far greater than a mere 20 miles over 6500 feet of climbing and 9000 feet descending in the Rockies.

Call me crazy and I will say to you, I'd be crazy not to.

Pregnancy, childbirth, and becoming a mother have reinvogerated a more balanced love of running. We are all built for it. Train, get good coaching, good equipment, and good support and you can do it.

Let the training begin.

Blue jays

Heart, speed, natural ability, huge smile, and love for baseball. That is what coach Steve had to say about Eric and  his first season in Alameda Farm baseball..

We're going to get there

"Everyone relax. We're going to get there. Take a deep breath. Now do you feel better Momma?" This was how Eric responded this morning on the way to school when I was stressing out about the stand-still traffic across the island.

You see, as we later found out, the tunnel - which is known to Alamedians as the tube and still after nearly 5 years of living here refer to it as the tunnel - was closed. This happens a few times a year during morning commute and causes everyone to transverse the island to one of the two bridges on the East side.

At first I thought, oh no I am showing my son poor behavior, but then I thought again. He was repeating back to me what I have taught him about handling frustration or overwhelming situations.

We take deep breaths together and practice stillness when we need to calm and take things down a notch. Apparently he recognized Momma need to take a breath and calm her body, AND he new just what to say. Pat, pat my self on the back.

Money

"Mom, I don't need to use my money for an electric train. I am just going to ask Santa then it will be free!"

Bob's

Noah's first trip to the counter of Bob's Donuts. The best donuts in San Francisco and the world.

Silverfish

Eric is making progress towards learning to swim. Today he graduated from Seahorse to Silverfish. Earned a ribbon and everything.

Silverfish

Eric is making progress towards learning to swim. Today he graduated from Seahorse to Silverfish. Earned a ribbon and everything.

Amazed

We have had a stop-start time with Noah and the potty. His recent move from junior preschool in room Mt Rainier to preschool in Mt Whitney has helped to inspire him a bit.

With organic jelly beans as incentive, he eagerly stood at the potty and peed. Eric walked in on the event and exclaimed, " I don't believe my eyes!"

Winding down to wind up

Spring break has come to a close and tomorrow marks the day that we go back to the "routine". We had a week of no routines and it was just the liberation sanity ordered. Everyone has been delightfully happy (so long as Noah is fed every 90 minutes) and my sweet boys could not be sweeter.

I almost feel renewed. Now if I would have just gone to bed earlier I might just feel fully renewed.

Tomorrow it is back to school, back to base camp, back to work, and back to feeding, dressing, and herding these two boys out the door in the morning. The trick is going to be in maintaining schedules and logistics without getting sucked into a routine that stifles our attention to what is really important, each other.

The thing a liked most about my spring break was spending focused and free time with the ones I love.

Spring break

Several weeks of anticipation and the moment Eric (and I) has been saying is "next week" for the past 2 months is finally here. We are in Tahoe for some glorious spring family time, minus Dad who had to work. Don't feel sorry for Dad. He is on a spring break of a different kind. He has been wined and dined by ad men all week.

We are also doubly fortunate to get to spend spring with Grandma Lorraine and Grandpa Jerry and Aunt Karen with accommodations generously provided by Oma and Opa Thies. Their Truckee cabin, that could sleep a small army, was open for the week and has provided us with straight-up luxury: king-sized beds, 24 hour Disney channel, hot tub, workout center,  and trails galore to name a few. Thank you DIL and FIL. This is so good.

Momma, mommy, mom, (all me) feels fortunate to soak up days in the way we are really meant to spend them. Here the clock is of little mattere and we move to the rhythm of our loosely made plans that evolve with the day, that's how we roll.  No expectation other than answering the call of our emergent desire to do or not do something, go or not go somewhere. The biggest question of the day being will we nap or just go to bed early.

Today we found ourselves drinking pink lemonade bubbly in the hot tub all afternoon.

Pineapple

Noah  tasted and painted with pineapple in Mt Rainer with his friends recently. Here are some quotes from the children from the activity. 

Pineapple tasting-

Niko- Yucky

Owen-Good

Lily-Uh yummy more

Jax-I want one

Noah.T-Good to eat

Colt-Good,yummy,dirty

Noah.G-Dirty

Milo-Have,have

Reza-Pineapple

Noah loves his fruit. 

Happy Easter

We even went to church....on our bikes and boys in Giants t-shirts. For some Easter also represents the resurrection of spring baseball!

First lesson

Noah' s first swimming lesson. He cried a little but was very brave and confident.  He has watched Eric enough to be ready for his own hand at it.

Friday fun

Today Noah's school was closed and I had some big things at CLIF to do. He was home with Gina and I had some guilt but the things at work were biggies....career defining biggies. So I sucked it up for several hours. Then headed straight in to a fun filled hang out time with the boys. We went to swimming lessons and came straight home, popped in a movie, snuggled on the couch, all three of us under a blanket, with a box of honey graham bunnie crackers. I even left all out bags of stuff, wet suit and all in the car. It was liberating. And you know what? Everyone was ten times happier then we would have been had we all soldiered through dinner and all. Friday fun day can happen even when Momma has to work.

Friday fun

Today Noah's school was closed and I had some big things at CLIF to do. He was home with Gina and I had some guilt but the things at work were biggies....career defining biggies. So I sucked it up for several hours. Then headed straight in to a fun filled hang out time with the boys. We went to swimming lessons and came straight home, popped in a movie, snuggled on the couch, all three of us under a blanket, with a box of honey graham bunnie crackers. I even left all out bags of stuff, wet suit and all in the car. It was liberating. And you know what? Everyone was ten times happier then we would have been had we all soldiered through dinner and all. Friday fun day can happen even when Momma has to work.

Little league

Six years ago I couldn't have even imagined this day. Eric had his first little game. He plays for the Bluejays and Coach Steve is great. Bu kids himself, he does it for the love of the game and sharing it with these little boys and girls.

Happy big 3 birthday Noah

Noah is sweet and kind and spirited and he is three years old. Noah is in the junior preschool at Clif Base Camp and on his birthday it happened to be the student prepared picnic. Once a month the parents are treated to lunch prepared their children. Each time we have this event I say I am only going to stay for a half hour -work and workouts calling - but each time I can't bare to leave. This lunch was no different. I stayed extra long and read him a story then he says, "You go now Mom." This is my queue. He gives this queue each day when I bring him to school and I have discovered if I stay any longer after his send off, he is begging me to stay or take him home. It is his way have making our separation possible. He gives me a hug and a kiss and then says go. Today he also added another little "tear jerker" for Momma. "Thank you for having lunch with me today."

 My baby is really three years old and while his sentences are choppy with pauses as he shapes his words, he is putting words and thoughts together like a three year old does. He is reasoning and attempting to reason with his brother. His personality is blossoming and showing up in a whole knew way. Where we once had to guess at what he was thinking he now openly shares his thoughts. At times its surprising to hear what he has put together. What he has to say is so important to me I never want to miss a word. Happy Birthday!

 Party time with Zane, Taavi, Jayden, and Colt

New Legos from Colt

Party #2 with the Family! Eric always eager to help his brother out, especially when presents are involved.

Birthday cup cakes from Gina

Whip cream!!

Bicycle painting in Mt Rainer

Good morning Mt.Rainier parents,

This week in Mt. Rainier. We welcomed Niko Belur to our class. He has jumped right in to the routine in Mt,Rainier and is doing a great job. Way to go Niko. We also celebrated Noah Thies's birthday with streamers and super cool car shaped banana muffins. Thank you Tara for making the muffins and reading a book to the class. A great big thank you to all the families who purchased books for our class. We have read all them a few times and the children are really enjoying them!! Have a great  and safe weekend and we will see you all on Monday!!!

With Love Ms Rochelle & Ms Sarah