Halloween

Here are a few pics for your viewing pleasure. Leaf jumping, Halloween at preschool and Halloween night. My camera sucks, so I'm in the market for a new one. Hopefully Santa will bring me a new one. I've been a good girl. Sort of. Enjoy!

Race report

Here is my race report, as I know all of you are just DYING for the gory details (not!). And if I can figure out how to copy my race proofs (which make it look like I was pretty much standing still, red-faced and sweating profusely...partially right) then I will post them later...

The day was sort of a train wreck from the get-go. I left just a few moments later than I planned (Side note: It is vital that coffee, ahem, takes its effect before running a race. See, gory details!). I still should have had plenty of time to drive down there and get in position early had 11,000 other yahoos, plus several thousand spectators, had not been doing the exact same thing as me at the exact same time. Turds! I was stuck in traffic for 30 minutes. THIRTY minutes, people! Right before a race! Racing (for me anyway) is stressful enough and can take a lot of mental calming and centering. A mental Valium, if you will. Parking, running a half mile to the starting area in a panic and searching for my fellow 2 hour pacees in a sea of chaos does not a mental Valium make. It freaking SUCKED. I finally dashed through a break in the gates lining the starting area only to find myself with the 2:45 team. The 2:00 team was so far up I couldn't even see them. And at that moment the gun went off. Double turds! I told myself to calm down (maybe an actual Valium would've helped at this point, because my focus was nowhere to be found). I always struggle to rein myself in the first couple of miles, and have told myself a million times not to go too fast at the start. So, what did I do? Tried to catch up with my pace team, of course. Too fast. When I finally caught sight of them ahead at about mile 2.5, they were not pacing where they should have been anyhow - they were too fast, just like me. So I said forget it, this is my race and I don't need a pacer anyhow (well I didn’t SAY it, but I thought it in between rapid gulps of air). I dropped back a bit and tried to get my rhythm. I just never felt smooth and never did find my stride. In short, I was not having fun. The highlight of my day was seeing my Mom, who came to cheer me on near the Plaza (about halfway through). She had made a hot pink sign for me (that matched my outfit, no less!) and tried to get a picture, but I was afraid if I slowed down to chat I would've called it a day right then and there. I knew I was going to have to fight and claw my way for under 2 hours. I was already struggling and I wasn't even halfway home. So, I forged on with a brief but happy smile on my face. Love my mamacita - she's always my biggest cheerleader. : )
Miles 6 through 13 are a blur of hurt. As I told Brian when I got home, some days running is like flying (why do you think so many of us do it?), other days it’s like slogging through mud. Unfortunately this day I fought for every step I took. My mind willed me through to the finish. I missed my goal of 1:59 by 1 minute and 44 seconds. Disappointed? Somewhat. Proud of my accomplishment? You bet. Besides, missing my goal will just keep me going back for more! Although hopefully the next one will be a lot more fun. When I dragged myself home both physically and mentally exhausted, Hattie asked me if I had won the race. I responded with a simple, "Yes".

Pics

Here are some pics of the Cider mill, pumpkin patch and preschool open house. HP is still LOVING school. My race is Saturday and the doubts are creeping in big time. Wish me luck!

Good Morning Nap

Hattie is officially loving preschool. She gets so excited when it is a school day (she is doing 3 afternoons a week). She has 9 kids in her classroom. They play outside a lot. Other than that, I don't get a whole lot of information from her. Up until this point when I was not with her, she has been cared for by family who would always provide the highlights of her day. Now that the only 'contact' person is Hattie (and her teacher's letters), her days have become more elusive. More her own, I suppose. Occasionally I do get snippets, like there was a birthday party the other day, she was in charge of cups during snack time (and hopes to be line leader next...who didn't?!?). During her first week she came home and told me with a huge smile that she made two new friends (how sweet is that?). It is interesting moving to this phase in her life when she'll have her own friends, her own activities and personal experiences, and keep a world of information to herself. She's becoming even more her own person everyday. I love witnessing it, even if it can be a bit bittersweet.
Some extra reasons I love her:
She always stops to smell the flowers and notes how lovely they smell.
She tells me how nice I look when I truly get ready...which is not often. :o)
She needs a hug and a kiss before I leave the house. Sometimes even at 5:30am.
When I get home from a run she asks how far I went and then stretches with me.
She calls going to sleep at night her 'good morning nap', as in, 'when I wake up from my good morning nap can we eat pancakes?'.
My sweet love.

On the running front....shhh don't tell anyone....my training is going so great I don't want to jinx it by discussing. Shhhhh...4 weeks to go!

Thanks, Pork

Things have been busy lately. I figured with the flooring project 99.99% finished (and awesome!) that the last bit of our summer would sail smoothly into the sunset. You know that never happens. But, we just roll along and try to keep up with the surges. Last week, I hosted 2 parties – one swanky (well, swanky for me anyhow) girl’s jewelry night and one Brooks’ family grab-some-pizza and beer night on Friday. Then we spent the remainder of the weekend at the in-laws hanging out with Brian’s big brother and wife visiting from TX. It was a lot of fun. And a lot of food. And even more beer. The HM training had already been sporadic, to say the least. The 30 pounds of appetizers and dozens of beers did not help. I did manage to get a long run in on Saturday – 7 miles – but probably should’ve stopped at 5-6, with the lack of short runs during the week. I just felt so good that I kept going and now I have sore hips. Super. I swear 2G if its not one damn thing it’s another. Shin splints, stress fractures, IT band flares – it all sucks. Can’t a girl just run? I figured all my cross training and weight training would’ve helped, but nno-ooo. Stupid body. I’m going to stick with it and see how things progress this week.

Hattie is one week away from preschool! I can’t even believe it. She’s growing up so fast. Some days I swear she’s an 11 year old in a 3 year old’s body. Of course, other days, she’s an infant. Such is the life of a toddler, I suppose.
Here are your Hattie-isms for the week. Enjoy.
* When I told her the circus was coming to town and asked if she would like to go she responded with, “No, I don’t want to GO to the circus, I want to JOIN the circus.”
* When playing house (which we do All.The.Time. now), she lets me know me when I fall out of character. It’s usually worded, “You have to talk to me like a visitor, Mama.” Even though everyone knows my visitor name is Fifi Rodriguez.
* During another day of playing house (sigh) I asked her what her name was going to be. “I think I want it to start with a P” she responded. “How about Pearl?” I offer. “No, let’s go with Pork” is the reply. “Okay Pork, thanks for having me over” answered Mrs. Rodriguez.

Doctor Hattie, MD

Creeping back into obscurity here…. Must.Post.Something!
Just a quick one for your Friday afternoon.
Hattie has been playing with her doctor’s kit often lately and always listens to my “heartbeep”. Makes me smile every time. I also love the variations in the phone call she inevitably receives towards the end of each of our appointments. It is always filled with lots of okays and uh-huhs, like she’s listening intently and she says she’ll be right there. Then my appointment gets cut short for an emergency. She is a busy MD.
Pre-school begins in just a couple of weeks, and I may be running another half-marathon in a couple months. October 16th, to be exact. Let the training begin! Happy Weekend!

KaPow!

We had quite an interesting week at our house. Here's a recap:
After almost two months of living in chaos with torn-up floors and stairs, tools everywhere, closets emptied and jammed into living spaces, garage and kitchen filled with lumber and tools, and a half inch of sawdust on Every.Single.Surface in the house - - I believe the end of construction may be in sight. May be. I don't want to jinx anything. But we are planning to lay the final pieces tonight on the stairs. After that, we need our contractor to come install some rails for us. Then we'll have some finishing work, like reinstalling the baseboards and spackling and painting, but that is it. Why does every home improvement project take ten times longer than you think? And how do messy people live like that?!? Our house is far from perfectly ordered and clean. At any given moment there are toys littering floors, mail and magazines on tables, closets disorganized and too full, clean clothes in baskets in our room....but living in the mess we have completely throws everything in my life off. It makes me stress-y, grumpy, snappish and lazy to boot. I cook less. I exercise less. I don't really clean even the things that I could clean. Its terrible. So, needless to say, I am soooooo ready to get things back to normal and enjoy our beautiful 'new' house! The floors do look amazing, by the way. The stress will be a small price to pay when its all done.
Hattie has been wonderful through the whole process. Kids are so resilient. Her play space has been cramped and littered with tools and closet junk, and it doesn't even affect her. She's awesome (have I mentioned that before?). We went last week to tour a preschool that was recommended to us by a couple of our neighbors. Brian and I both had minor reservations about it - mostly just that it is a 10 minute drive away and we know there are one or two preschools within walking distance. However, as soon as we walked in the door and met the director we were completely sold. The classrooms were great, class sizes small, the cirriculum is well-organized, and the director was the sweetest lady who was wonderful with Hattie. We spent almost an hour walking around and looking at rooms and speaking with the director. I think Hattie will love it there! She will miss the cut-off to start kindergarten next year, and this school has a Pre-K class, so she will be attending for two years if all goes according to plan. We're all very excited!
Lastly, and on a CRAZY-strange note, we experienced an explosion at our house on Saturday night. A large explosion. We had been gone all night at a birthday party for my father-in-law, and Brian and I were laying in bed when we heard a HUGE noise. I thought someone had thrown a brick or put a shotgun blast through our front plate glass window, but there was a weird pressure-change that occurred with it too. We raced down the stairs (I seriously don't think either one of us touched the floor or the stairs) to find that a 4-Liter glass jug of homemade dandelion wine* had exploded on our countertop. And this was no small explosion. It sent glass almost 30 feet up into our family room, embedded shards of glass a half inch into the drywall and left several good size dents in the side of our fridge. There is an indentation in our ceiliing, and the window 8 feet across broke. There was a layer of fine glass on every surface in our kitchen. And stinky, sticky dandelion wine everywhere. We spent an hour sweeping, cleaning and bleaching before calling it a night (it was 1am at this point). Yesterday we spent another couple hours cleaning and mopping before we felt comfortable enough to go barefoot again. I am sooooooo incredibly thankful that we were upstairs when it happened. I shudder to think of the outcome had we been downstairs. Can't even go there. But, we're fine and that is all I'm focusing on. We ate our breakfast out on the porch and watched a great rainstorm while the house aired out. And our kitchen is cleaner than it has been in two months, so there is a nice side to every story.
* Sidenote: My friend recently made us a yummy batch of beer and we had a cocktail party to share it. He brought the jug of wine with him that night. No one drank much of it, and there wasn't enough alcohol in it to keep mold from growing inside it. I had meant to pour it out a couple days before when I saw it had gone bad, but then I put some other bottles in front of it to return to him and forgot all about it. The mold must've been a huge gas-producer and the pressure caused the explosion. KaPow! Ah, the power of microbes...

Success!

Greetings! So, I can officially tick the box “triathlete” (you know, because it comes up so often!). Two Sundays ago I completed my first triathlon. Before the race, as you know if you’ve read the last post, I was feeling quite unprepared and nervous. My training had stalled and I also had a health issue that almost kept me home. BUT, race morning I was feeling good and, strangely enough, unexpectedly calm. Like, really, really strangely calm – especially after the stress-y week I had. I hit my snooze button, lingered over my coffee and emails, and finally rolled out the door about 6:00. This is unheard of for me, even on 5K race mornings! I think I was either seriously blocking out what was to transpire, or I had come to terms with the fact that I was not really competing, but just hoping to complete.
So, I arrived and saw the mass of people marked and waiting for the race to begin. I believe there were 700 competitors in all the divisions (duathlon and triathlon – individual and team). Thus, 700 bikes on about twenty racks for me to weasel my mountain bike into. This sounds really goofy, but that was the most stressful part of my day! I was so nervous I was going to knock over 50 other (really nice!) bikes hanging precariously on the racks for their quick get-aways later. But, I shimmied in and tried not to touch anything after that. My first success!
I got marked and hung around for awhile by my bike. Ate a banana, used the potty and then swam over to the start on the beach. I figured if I could get through the swim (my weakest area), I would be home free from there. Still strangely calm. At 7:45, 50 women and I were standing in the water waiting for the horn. It blared and we were off! I started in the back and outside hoping not to 1) get kicked and 2) get passed by every other swimmer. I did not swim any freestyle at all – only breast and side stroke. Even with that, I still maintained pace with the slower swimmers and was NOT the last one out! When I was about halfway through, I spotted my Mom and Dad on the dock with the other spectators. I was waving like crazy before I realized I had better not do that, as pumping your fist is the cue that you are in trouble and need assistance. Oops! Thankfully no life boats scooped me out of the water; and the boost of seeing my cheering section got me through!
As I ran up the boat ramp for my first transition, I shouted to M&D “I didn’t sink!” and thus began my permagrin that lasted the next 5 hours. I hopped on my bike for the two loops around the park. It’s just a 9 mile ride, but the course is very hilly. Didn’t even phase me, as the permagrin continued. Thank God I didn’t swallow any bugs with that mouth all agape. I was encouraging the slower riders, saying thank you to every volunteer (there were probably more than a hundred of them!) and generally just being goofy. With my ride over, I dropped the helmet, parked the bike and was off for the two and a half mile run. My cheering section kept my spirits lifted, and the run course (with the exception of the ‘dam hill’) is pretty and lined with yet more volunteers. And the smile remains til the finish! I finished about mid-pack; 64th of 113 women. I was elated and can’t wait to do another! Even my Mom, after seeing the race day excitement and grins is considering doing one next year. Now, how stinkin’ cool would THAT be?!?!?! Go Mom!

Fast Approaching

Sunday is D-day. While I am always up for a challenge, I have a feeling this race is going to be pretty comical. As I’m sure everyone reading this knows, triathlons are races consisting of 3 sports: swimming, biking and running (almost always in that order). The one I am attempting is a sprint distance (very short!)-- it is a 500 meter swim, 9 mile bike and 2.5 mile run. Done separately; piece of cake. Combined? Let the laughs begin! I have not truly attempted a brick workout (training on 2 of the 3 disciplines together). I am still uncertain what I am wearing. I do not yet have road tires for my huge, heavy mountain bike I will be riding. I have not tried my zip laces on my running shoes, nor ever worn a swim cap. I have also not practiced my transitions.
Obviously, going from swimming to biking and biking to running requires some ‘costume changes’, if you will – aka transitions. Everyone gets a small transition area next to their bike for changing shoes and clothes, and storing helmets, glasses, race numbers, goggles, water bottles, etc. For most it’s a science. For me it’s a last minute checklist of varied objects thrown on the ground and me desperately hoping I’m not forgetting something (like clothes or my bike). As I said, it should be pretty funny. The best racers can be in and out of transition in a minute or two (that includes running barefoot from the lake to the bikes and then from the bike dismount area to the racks). I’m shooting for 5-10. And remembering at least half of what I should be doing. Yikes. C’mon, not last place!!!

Tomato Protection

I’ve always been amazed at children’s ability to learn language. Hattie has gone from being a helpless, drooling, unfocused little being to jumping, giggling, reading and talking nonstop in just 3 short years. Although sometimes we still lose a little in translation. Here are a couple of my favorites of late:
Mama, you may have to hold my hand on the apple-gator (escalator).
You’re making me gravy! (crazy)
Hokey pokey snokey! (Okey dokey smokey!)
If there’s a fire, you go outside. If there’s a tomato you go in the closet and protect your head. (tornado drills at daycare)

We’ve been super-busy lately installing our beautiful new bamboo floors and then rewarding ourselves with an adult-only weekend at the lake. Hattie had a blast at my Mom and Dad’s house and actually told me when we got home she wanted to live there forever. Guess the only thing we need to worry about when leaving her in the future is whether or not we’ll get her back! Although I’m pretty sure my parents would help usher her out the door. Ha!
On a more frightening front, my triathlon is next weekend! I am crazy-underprepared. Haven’t been doing brick workouts, haven’t swam in several months, been busy laying floors and drinking at the lake instead of training, and now I have a head cold to boot. My goal has gone from finishing near middle of the pack to not finishing dead last! Will give you all a race report in a couple weeks.

Not what I was thinking...

The other day Hattie and I were out running errands. We were discussing a Clifford book we had checked out from the library a few months ago. In it, one of Clifford’s friends has to go right home because his mom is calling him home for dinner. (I know, you’re on the edge of your seats already…you can check it out from the library to find out how it ends.) In my motherly mind, I am thinking of what a great opportunity this is to inject how important it is for kids to listen and do what their mom’s say. So, I reiterate this to Hattie. Her response? “Yeah, he has to go home right then so his mama doesn’t eat all his dinner!” Touché young one, touché.

Arboretum Pictures

Arboretum

Hello! See, I'm still here! On a roll!
Things have been very busy at our house. We’ve been picking out new flooring for our entryway and family room. Seems silly to say, as we haven’t even begun to lay the floor (yes, we’re doing it ourselves – pray for us) but it has been extremely stressful. For being a pretty laid-back person, I stress about funny things. Picking out household stuff is totally thrilling and terrifying to me. I ran into the same issue with the furniture we just bought. I LOVE to decorate, but it doesn’t come easily. I fret and want, then don’t want, then go back to look again, change my mind, change it back. Eventually I find something else I really want that doesn’t go with the first item and we start all over again. After all that we FINALLY picked out bamboo flooring that I hope will look spectacular when we’re done. Keep your fingers crossed for us on installation day!
On the Hattie front, things are going great. She’s being fantastic, especially for being 3 (who ever started the ‘terrible twos’ phrase obviously hadn’t made it to 3 yet!). She has her moments now and again, but overall she’s one of the quieter, more subdued and shy toddlers you’ll ever see. We went out to the Overland Park Arboretum the other day (one of my favorite places in the city) with the hopes of getting a couple of good pictures, since I am a slacker mama and never took her for her 3 year pictures (yes, we are now three and a half). Lately, when you ask Hattie to smile for a picture, you get the word “cheese”, with not a hint of smile or look to the camera or anything else that would indicate a photo moment. Just a word that has been ingrained to be spoken in response to “Smile!”. Hence, we had a somewhat disappointing outcome – only a couple pics facing camera and even less with smiles! Oh well, we’ll keep trying. Will post them soon.
Bon weekend!

Resurrected

Yes, really, truly, it’s me! Writing! On my blog! Who would’ve thunk it. Believe me when I tell you that I am going to work hard (think dwarfs in a diamond mine) to resurrect this here blog. I can do it. I will do it! Or at least that’s what I’m saying today.
Here are a few catch up pics of Hattie. We’ve got some Easter pics, some from the fountains at Crown center, her and her cousin Luke at the piano, and her in her summer dress and snow boots of course. Don’t question the fashion people, just go with it.

BlueStem

Last night Brian and I had a wonderful opportunity. We were fortunate enough to not only eat dinner at one of the finest restaurants in Kansas City, BlueStem, but we were able to eat with the chefs & owners (husband and wife Colby & Megan) and our good friends Ted & Jackie who own Room 39 (another of the city’s finest). We were not disappointed! Tons of fantastic food, tons of great wine, fun company, AND a celebrity sighting! Steve Martin was having dinner when we arrived. Missed getting a snapshot, as they ducked out quick when they were finished. Dang! Promise he was there - scout's honor.
Here’s what was on the menu (and yes, there were only six of us!).
Truffled pommes frites (aka awesome French fries) with 5 dipping sauces (siracha aioli, green goddess, heirloom tomato ketchup, garlic aioli, and truffled mustard). By far the fanciest & tastiest fries this world has seen!
Smoked salmon with capers, egg, crème fraiche on toast
“La quericia” cured meats (believe it or not, that refers to a pig that is raised on a mostly acorn diet – crazy, yes? Tasty, yes!), with cornichons (one of my favorite words to say)and more of that awesome truffled mustard
Kobe beef tartare – three words: Oh. My. God. It was WONDERFUL. I WILL make a trip down there for a plate of that all to myself. Soon. Like, maybe tonight. Seriously, it was amazing.
Okay moving onto the main courses – no, we aren’t even there yet!
Mussels with coconut milk, lime & chili. Yet another winner. I would’ve never in a million years ordered this dish, and yet it was in my top 3 of the night. I think I polished off a dozen of them and then dipped bread in that sauce. Heaven.
Mac & cheese with bacon. Know how to make a fantastic mac & cheese better? Add bacon.
Pulled pork sandwich. There is some unwritten law that says you must like bbq to live in KC. Typically I break that rule and stay out of the dozens of bbq places around the city. This was pretty damn good, though. Colby’s homemade sauce was perfect…sweet, spicy & smoky.
Shrimp & grits. Another one of my favorites of the night (have I said that yet?). I don’t think I tasted grits until I was out of college, so my knowledge is lacking, but these were incredibly creamy and soooooo good with the slightly spicy shrimp.
Steak with a tasty chimichurri sauce. Who doesn’t love steak?
Buttons popping, we moved onto dessert. Sometimes you’ve just got to power through...
Milk chocolate frozen mousse & various ice creams
Bittersweet chocolate tart with candied kumquats and bergamot ice cream
You can never go wrong with chocolate. Ever.
All in all, one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten. Make a trip down, you will NOT be disappointed.