Catching up on things.

Man, things have been busy! There's so much that has been going on and I keep making a mental note of "I need to put that in my blog". This is so much better than a diary.
1. Over the Thanksgiving break, I did a 13 mile trail run - I didn't run all of it, but about half. Not too bad! I'm pretty proud of myself.
2. Also over Thanksgiving, I saw my Dad for the first time in over three years. It was a little awkward at first but worth the trip. It is a relationship that I have wanted to mend for a long time now and I'm glad we made the first step. This was also the first time he has met my 16 month old twins. They discovered his Tupperware and had a blast. While I was there, I visited my Aunt and Uncles and their families too - I haven't seen them in over 5 years. Hopefully I will see them over Christmas.
3. Daily moment of happiness - I went downstairs to get coffee one morning and I know the sugar bowl is empty and I know that I will have to delay my first sip in order to fill it. When I lift the lid, I notice that my wonderful loving husband has already filled it. What a great way to start the day. I'm smiling till noon.
4. I rode my bike for 30 miles on Saturday. I thought I would be in so much pain considering my last ride was 20 miles and around mile 15 my back started to hurt. I felt great most of the time although my poor little butt was ready to get off when I got back to the car. I guess that means I'm getting stronger.
5. The race is three months away. I am SO SO SO nervous. I hope I will be ready. I need to get some hill training in on my bike. I haven't even hit the trails yet and I know I'm going to be terrified the first time I hit a rock going down hill. More for Bev to laugh at. I'll be heading to Atlanta for New Years and mountain biking and for that I am SO SO SO excited.
6. A friend told me babies love to groove to reggae music. I thought I would test this theory. Here is the proof - the very funny proof. My husband and I are big fans of "So You Think You Can Dance" and we discuss what styles the girls dance in - maybe contemporary krump? What do you think?

7. My husband bought me an iPhone for and early Christmas present. IT IS SO COOL!!! I'm in love.
8. A woman at a restaurant told me I was a great mom. I don't really know if she said that just because I have twins (and people think its a very big deal and very hard) or if she saw me goofing off to get them to smile and I don't know even why it mattered to me but it did and I still feel warm and fuzzy.
9. After telling my mom about my 30 mile bike ride she proclaimed, "I'm so proud of you!". That makes me feel warm and fuzzy too.
10. My design business has been keeping me very busy and I have about three huge paying jobs ahead of me - all due around race time. It will be nice to have the money but it will be a rough couple months - LOTS to due. I like having deadlines looming - It keeps me focused.

And that is all I have to say - for now.

Moment of happiness - I went to both Sams and Walmart by myself.

Just got back from visiting my Mom in Florida. We always celebrate an early Thanksgiving. It's so much easier to travel with small children (and husband) when you don't have the holiday travelers to deal with. It was a trip filled with SOOOO much good food and love. I really wish my mom didn't live so far away.

While we were there we gorged ourselves on as much seafood as we could get our hands on - shrimp at the local Clam Stand, stone crab with lots of butter, grouper sandwich and crab cake at the seafood festival. YUMMY!!!

The hub and I spent a day by ourselves at Busch Gardens. It was almost empty and there were several times when we would exit the roller coaster and go ride it again without having to wait in line. I have determined that after 4 rides in a row - I have to stop and let my stomach catch up. Mom got to spend the entire day looking after the girls - she seemed to enjoy it and this was proven when she still had hair when we returned.

While we were there, the Hub and I and my Aunt and her new Hub went to the local flea market. OH MY GOD!! Who knew there was so much crap out there. I was dumbfounded. I'm a process type of person as well as a graphic designer. What amazed me was not that there were people out there willing to buy a Dale Earnheart (excuse me if I have misspelled his name) brass lamp, but the fact that there was a person who thought of the concept, created a design, shipped the design off to some factory in China, and someone actually put the money into producing it - NOT TO MENTION shipping it back across the ocean to sell at a dusty flea market in Florida for $10.95. Why can't we use all that time, energy, and money into doing something constructive - like recycling. Which - if I must say - is exactly where that ugly ass lamp needs to go - the recycling bin. On a positive note - on our way out to the car we discovered the corn dog hut with the best tasting corn dog I have ever had. This was a two dog corn dog and the guy behind the counter brushed the ketchup on (no sliding ketchup for me!!). It's the small things in life that make me happy.

Natural Highs

This came to me in an email and I just wanted to share - and to remind me that it's the little things in life that really make a difference.

Natural Highs

1. Falling in love.
2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.
3. A hot shower.
4. No lines at the supermarket.
5. A special glance.
6. Getting mail.
7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.
8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.
9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.
11. Chocolate milkshake (vanilla or strawberry).
12. A bubble bath.
13. Giggling.
14. A good conversation.
15. The beach
16. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter.
17. Laughing at yourself.
18. Looking into their eyes and knowing they Love you
19. Midnight phone calls that last for hours.
20. Running through sprinklers.
21. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.
22. Having someone tell you that you're beautiful.
23. Laughing at an inside joke with FRIENDS
24. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
25. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.
26. Your first kiss (either the very first or with a new partner).
27. Making new friends or spending time with old ones.
28. Playing with a new puppy.
29. Having someone play with your hair.
30. Sweet dreams.
31. Hot chocolate.
32. Road trips with friends.
33. Swinging on swings.
34. Making eye contact with a cute stranger.
35. Making chocolate chip cookies.
36. Having your friends send you homemade cookies.
37. Holding hands with someone you care about.
38. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.
39. Watching the _expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present from you.
40. Watching the sunrise.
41. Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful day.
42. Knowing that somebody misses you.
43. Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply.
44. Knowing you've done the right thing, no matter what other people think.

This is for my friend.

Hey Mange - I love you.

My father and I haven't talked in over two years - we had a fight. He hasn't met his twin granddaughters. There's a chance I might see him over Thanksgiving. I want this tension to be gone from my life but I'm nervous.

Happiness moment - when I run I don't jiggle nearly as much. Progress is being made.

The road trip.

I love road trips but I hate the hours leading up to departure. I like to leave the house clean, the dishes done and the bed made (hopefully with clean sheets). Add this to getting the kids packed, the dog packed, and me packed and of course there's the last load of clothes that need to be put in the dryer then folded. On top of that, there's this deadline we put on ourselves which no matter how on top of it I think I am, we are always an hour past that magical time. Then as my husband is loading the car (which I feel like I will need to repack because I KNOW I can get another cubic yard for the dog who is now resigned to the very back of the car without access to the window) we will have to wrangle the cats who will be determined to hide inside when we want them outside or vice versa. The babies will poop. The dog will be excited and jumping all over everyone because she knows SOMETHING is going on and if she's lucky, she will be a participant. It just stresses me out. Then the miracle happens, we are loaded in the car, doors are shut, engine is running and we pull out of the driveway after doing the last minute gear check - babies, dog, cell phone, hubbies cell phone, ipod with updated podcasts and playlists, chargers for everything, advil, cheerios, lights off, air up, doors locked...CHECK!! Suddenly, the stress is gone. We are on the road. The world is ahead of us. We are happy. Hmmm.... French fries anyone?

Moments of Happiness

Yesterday, I couldn't watch Oprah because my babies were laughing too loud.

Today, one of my babes was choking on a piece of carrot (not funny), she coughed and out shot the carrot and some other stuff. Her sister went into a giggle fit at the sight of the carrot being launched out her sister, across the kitchen and onto the floor. Now that is funny. Em just had a look of surprise on her face.

It's getting better all the time.

Yesterday I ran a 5K with my husband...AND I BEAT HIM!! It's not that much of an accomplishment because I have been training and he has not. But I still beat him and that feels very good. I once again suffered from calf cramps which I know is because I don't stretch nearly enough. I also beat my time by two minutes. There is another race in two weeks on the same course and I think I may run it to see if I can beat my time again.

My moment of happiness today was my 15 mile bike ride. I have done this ride before and today it almost seemed easy. It ends with a major climb and it didn't seem nearly as bad this time. Maybe the bike going uphill isn't such a bad thing.

Fall is finally here.

I was so sick and tired of the heat. All I wanted was to feel the cool air on my skin in the morning when I let my dog out to pee. It has been unbearably muggy and hot here for the past three months - until yesterday. Ahhhhh. I was watching the author of Live, Eat, Pray on Oprah and she talked about keeping a journal of the happiest moment of the day and yesterday, it was going for a run with a chill in the air - or maybe it was the gentle breeze flowing through the house because for once, I could open up the windows. I love fall and I love change. Which is probably why I love spring too.

I'm also happy because I get to see my best friend next weekend and we'll spend some time in the woods hiking. We have both been training for the adventure race next spring and it will be nice to be able to train together for once. I have lost 6 pounds so far. That will be 6 pounds I wont have to drag up a hill on my mountain bike - because as I said before - bikes were not meant to go uphill. I don't care what Lance Armstrong says.

Time to clean the kitchen. And why does it never stay clean? Ugh.

The terror is here.

My twins started walking on Wednesday, September 26th. They have been practicing all weekend and now Lily has been walking all morning with no crawling. They still crawl if they want to get somewhere in a hurry but they are officially walkers.

Bikes were not meant to go uphill

I have been training all week. I did a bike ride on Tuesday or Wednesday, a run by the river on Friday and today I did a 2 1/2 hour trail run/walk followed by a 10 mile bike ride. Wow. It took me a while to recover from today's workout. This was my first ride going up hills and I seriously think that bikes were not meant to go up - only down. WHEW!!! I thought my legs were going to fall off. I'm going to be a little sore tomorrow.

One thing I have discovered now that I'm training again it how much I love being out in nature. The first time out on my bike I saw three snakes and a mama deer and her baby. Today I saw a HUGE millipede with orange legs and a chipmunk with it's cheeks so full of something, I thought they were going to burst.

I think it's time for bed. Good night.

I am back on my bike

I don't know how she did it. Damn she's good. Since I have moved to Arkansas, I haven't done much mtn. bike riding. Who am I kidding - I haven't done ANY! I am out of shape and I have twin girls to care for (age 1). But the Beaver did it. We are signing up for an adventure race in March of next year. Six short months away. I guess it's a good thing I'm a stay at home mom. My girls better get used to being pushed in their double jogger stroller. Their added resistance will be a good thing going up the mountains.

I just don't know how I'm going to fit it all in though. I have a very busy freelance schedule, a husband and the girls AND a very messy home. Maybe this new adventure will make my home life more streamlined and will make me more focused. God knows I need it.

Enough of my apprehensions. I'm going to attack this head on and we will succeed. We are going to finish strong.

Yesterday, I went on an hour long walk with the girls - going up any hill I could find. Then it was down to the river for a bike ride. Note to self - wear some shades to keep the bugs out of my eyes and put some batteries in my light - don't want to run anyone over when it gets pitch black outside.

Today - sprints at the track. Should be very interesting with my butt fat jiggling. Need to start losing some weight.

Those Who Poop and Do Not Wear Diapers

One of my cats pooped in the kitchen last night. My husband and I were fixing dinner when we smelled something like a dirty diaper. We were quite perplexed since the diaper wearing inhabitants were sound asleep upstairs. Evil, evil kitties. Abby - nicknamed "Whore" - and obviously the guilty one, came over to the now clean spot about an hour later and tried to cover it up (with what, I don't know). I hate them. But I love them. Ugh.

Here I Am

I guess the time has come. I have a blog. I don't really know why. I suck at keeping up a diary. I suppose this is where I keep the babble that goes on in my head for any stranger to read. Maybe it will hit an accord with someone out there in Iowa - or maybe New Mexico - or maybe nowhere.

I have twin girls who just hit the one year mark. A dog who barks randomly and two cats who are either crying to either get in or get out. Right now, I think everyone is asleep. My house is quiet. What a relief. I really do treasure nap time.

I'm a graphic designer by trade and have fortunately been able to do freelance work after the girls were born. It's nice to stay sane with doing adult work when I'm not chasing the girls around.

I'm a gardener who has no time for gardening. I am a neat freak on the inside, but my home doesn't really show it. I love being lazy, but I'm not a napper and like to stay busy. All in all, I live each day as it's own day and let life lead me where it wants me to go.

Time to get some work done!