Mountain Morning

Once the sun came up I woke up, curled up in the covers, slightly chilled by the morning breeze. I laid there, listening to the birds outside and enjoyed the noises floating in from the open window in our room. Once I got up I had a little sore throat and was congested. But, as ironic as it sounds, I knew if I got outside and got some fresh air in my system I'd feel better. Once Rob woke up I got my running stuff on, grabbed Ruby and my iPod and headed out. As I listened to praise music, I watched the morning mountain life. Squirrels and bunnies ran in front of me, darting back and forth to the trees and bushes. Birds took flight overhead, singing their songs. Butterflies danced around me. Mustangs grazed in the distance. The sun was high in the sky but not too high to make it outright hot. The air was thin but not so thin as to make it hard to breathe. It was a PERFECT morning for a run! Back when I started training for my half marathon, I had struggled with the course I ran today. This morning I could've run it if I had pushed myself but I was enjoying God's beauty so much that I didn't want to make the run miserable. I definitely wouldn't have won any races but I ran at a pace that allowed me to take it all in. After my morning run with Ruby I knew it was going to be a great day with my guys and I was right. I'm so thankful that I get the chance to start my mornings with a gorgeous mountain run once in awhile.

Some Days You Win.....

and some you don't. Yesterday P had a great day! We went swimming for an hour or two in the morning with his friends then played outside after his long nap. He laughed a lot and thoroughly enjoyed life. Today has not been like that. It started with him crying hysterically when he first woke up. When I asked him what was wrong he said, "Hurt". He's good at communicating for a 2 year old but there's still a lot he can't tell us. At times, like this morning, the communication barrier causes frustration. When I asked what hurt he said his head, but had his hand on his little butt. When I asked again to clarify he said his knee but held out his hand. So, after inspecting his body, I came to the conclusion that it all hurt based on what he told me. He had a hard time eating his waffle and even asked to turn Thomas off at one point....both are sure signs something is off in his little world. Since he's not running a fever I decided to go to his make-up gymnastics class and his first swim lesson. At gymnastics he did GREAT! He followed directions, did a "bear crawl" on the bars and really did well on the trampoline. On the way out to the car he peed all over himself and me (gotta love swim diapers!). That should've been a clue as to what was coming! Swim lessons were a nightmare. He cried from the moment he saw the pool. After 5 minutes I decided not to fight it and took him out. Normally I would persevere but my "mommy instincts" were telling me something was not right. On the way home he fell asleep and he actually let me carry him from the car to his crib and lay him down without fussing. He asked for his blanket, llama and cow then curled up in the fetal position and just laid there. I checked on him about 10 minutes ago and he was just laying there, not asleep but looking relaxed. I hope our little man feels better soon because I don't like days like this. :(

~Patriotic Pride~

One thing I learned during the 30 Day Photo Challenge is that I LOVE taking pictures of flags. I love what they represent, how they look no matter the backdrop and how they are beautiful whether flying proud or hanging still. So, today, on my way to one of my favorite places on Earth I was going to take a picture of beautiful Lake Tahoe. Instead all the flags grabbed my attention. I don't know if it's because it was just the 4th of July or because the small town is patriotic but I loved seeing flags on most businesses and homes. It brought a tear to my eyes to see so much patriotic pride. I thoroughly enjoyed a wonderful lakefront lunch with a good friend and was going to take pictures of the lake on my way back home but I ran out of time. So here are the pictures I took today, after a great time at one of my favorite places.

Friends

Growing up, my favorite song was a friendship song by a christian artist. It talked about nurturing friendships that will last a lifetime. Once I make a friend, I do what I can to maintain that friendship. After going for a walk with a friend yesterday, I got to thinking about my friendships in life. Most of my friends I've known for at least 10 years. Some I've known all my life. Although my friends and I are busy with our own lives and schedules, when we do see each other, we pick up exactly where we left off. That's why I'm glad the busyness of June is over and I have time to meet up with friends for the rest of my break. I thought I'd get bored with 7 weeks off but that can't be further from the truth. Now that all the big events are behind me for the Summer, I have time to get projects done around the house and spend time with friends. In fact, I get to enjoy a beautiful walk in the Sierras with a friend of mine today. All this friend time is good for the soul and I'm blessed to have such great girlfriends in my life!

Happy Independence Day!

(I didn't take this picture but wish I had. Love it!)

For several years today has been my favorite holiday. I think it's because the 4th of July is one of the few holidays that is the same as it was over 200 years ago. It's about celebrating freedom. It's about time with family and friends. It's about the more simple things that Hallmark hasn't gotten ahold of yet. I enjoy all things 4th of July! My favorite part of the 4th is the fireworks, hands down. The only bummer part about having P so close to the 4th is that I've missed fireworks the past 2 years. So I'm excited to say that I will get to see them tonight if all goes as planned. This morning Rob, P and I went to watch the local parade. It was during P's naptime so he didn't make it the whole time. But he's been sleeping for almost 3 hours, which I'm hoping ensures fireworks watching tonight with our good friends. Whether you're staying at home or spending time with friends and family, hiding from fireworks or enjoying them, I hope you take time to thank God for the freedoms you are able to enjoy and by all means please thank a soldier for serving for our country!

2 Years Ago Today.....

2 years ago at this very moment I had just been checked into the hospital....for the 3rd time due to contractions. But I knew without a shadow of a doubt that today was the day that we'd welcome our lil man into the world. At 3:57 on July 3rd we did just that. He was perfect coming out and is not too far from it 2 years later. P is a miracle child in every way possible, from beginning until now. He has defied odds and is one happy, healthy, smart toddler today. God knew the perfect child for us when he created P in my womb and I'll be forever thankful for that. He can make me laugh at the drop of the hat, has a memory like an elephant and learns things way too fast. P is my world and there is nothing I wouldn't do for him. He makes my heart swell with pride and the sweetest thing to my ears is hearing the word "Mommy" come from his lips. That is a title that I take seriously because it's the best and biggest job I've ever held. I want to make every moment in his life special, knowing that when he's an adult he's had the best life I can possibly provide for him. Time is going by way too fast though and I want it to slow down even if just a little bit. Just yesterday I was holding him in my arms for the first time and now he's so independent. He brings me joy beyond belief and I thank God daily for blessing us with such a sweet, happy, energetic, HEALTHY boy!

Birthday Fun

Birthdays have always been a big deal to me and my family. Even as an adult, Rob teases me about making my birthday celebrations last an entire week. But I love it and, although he's only turning 2, I want P to love his birthdays the way I do. So yesterday we started the birthday fun celebration. It's one of those days that I wish I could've captured in a bottle to last a lifetime. We started our day the usual way with coffee/cuddle/Thomas time. I had a lot on my agenda to get ready for his party but realized that in a couple years he won't want to have morning cuddle time. So I dropped what I was doing and cherished the moments we sat together, watching Thomas. After we had adequate time together I thought I had talked him into going swimming. Last Summer he was a little fish but this Summer he's not into pools. Either way I was excited to swim. But when we got down the hill to run one errand he really wanted to go to the park. Although it wasn't my first choice, we had a lot of fun going down the slides together and climbing structures. He was one pooped puppy but after a super long nap he was ready to go again. We were waiting for my parents to get to town so we just played in the yard. He kept going to the neighbors' to see their horse. Then he and Ruby (our dog) got into a water "fight". Both of them were drenched and P was laughing hysterically. I'm so glad I had a camera with me to capture it on film because it's one of those moments I want to cherish forever. We ended the day with a BBQ feast and angel food cake. P got to open one early birthday present from our neighbors, which he played with until he went to bed. It was such a fun day and I'm looking to celebrating him and what a miracle he's been all weekend long!