The only one who cared...

Family pumpkin carving didn't go so well this year. I had high hopes because last year Spencer and Sam were pretty into it and each did a little bit of the carving. This year, nothing. Sam was the only one to show any interest. His interest peaked at picking the design and agreeing to stand by the pumpkin for a picture when I finished carving the thing. Oh well. Jeremy and I had fun kinda, and he made his delicious pumpkin seeds which was definitely the highlight. Definitely worth the digging.

In Random Order...

The Top 5 Reasons why you will NOT or may NEVER AGAIN be getting a picture of our family in your Christmas Card:

I'm Soooo Bored!

Jeremy and I had to take a mandatory parenting class through Spencer's new private school the past two weeks. I was kind of dreading it because a parenting class? Come on! That is just a big guilt fest that I don't need right now. But actually it was pretty good, and here is one of my favorite moments from the class.

"When my kids come to me and say, I'm bored. I say Congratulations! and walk away. Being bored is the best thing that can happen to a kid. That is when creativity and imagination come alive."

I thought this was pretty funny because I could definitely see myself saying congratulations sarcastically and walking away (can you see why I was dreading the class?). But the teacher really meant congratulations in this exciting way and kept expressing how important it is for us to let our kids be bored sometimes. I realized I don't let my kids be bored that often because I am always shoving some activity or video in their face to keep them "happy."

Yesterday I was getting dinner ready and my kids were really bored. Rolling on the floor, driving me crazy bored. I decided to let it go, and magically after about 15 tortuous minutes they started playing horses and were riding all over the house pretending to be horses and giving each other rides. It was a very nice moment and something I remember doing as a kid. Really I just can't wait for one of my kids to come up an tell me they are bored so that I can say congratulations and walk away. Maybe I will make a bored reward, a trophy or something. Then they can decorate it and maybe I can find some movie they can watch about ideas for when they get bored... oh wait bored is good. Bored is good!

Motto of the Moment

I am thirty-one with three kids and I am very grateful. My boys decorated this cake for me. Some friends had me over for dinner on my birthday because Jeremy was teaching that night. I got to have lunch with my sister who shares my same birthday! Jeremy surprised me with a dinner at my favorite restaurant with some friends. Thanks to everyone for the birthday love!

Happy Birthday to Molly!!!

It's Molly's birthday today, so if you see her, wish her the best!

- A friendly hacker.

Why wait for Halloween?

Super Heroes appear at my house almost on a daily basis. It is nice to know they are around when you need them. Whenever you ask Spencer what he wants to be when he grows up he always says Spiderman. Then we ask, do you want to be bitten by a radioactive spider? That always gives him some food for thought.

Running

Every neighborhood has some crazy walking lady. I think I am definitely in the running in my neighborhood. I am out there a lot, and I like to see how high I can get my ponytail to bop. I don't have any moisture wicking clothing, and sometimes I don't wear the appropriate ankle socks with shorts. Sometimes I even do some boxing punches to kick it up a notch or little dance moves when a good song comes on. Anything to burn some extra calories. Oh well, I am out there and I really don't care.

But lately walking has started to feel kind of boring. My neighborhood is completely flat, and just kind of boring. So, I have been having to walk longer and longer to start to feel anything. And my kids were starting to get bored in the stroller. And then I started to have this urge to run. And I just really wanted to take off running. But I resisted the urge because I HATE running. I think it is very silly, and painful, and jiggly and really painful!

A couple of weeks ago I couldn't resist the urge anymore. Despite my head screaming no, my legs said yes and started off in a slow jog. It was really painful, and I realized I was moving slower than when I was walking. I did that for a couple of days and then I just said forget it. I look ridiculous, and this is really painful.

Then last week I had a new idea. Forget this slow jogging junk, I am just going to run. I am going to run fast. And I love it! I just run my heart out until it hurts and then I take a break, then run again when my lungs are ready. It is not as painful or jiggly and even though I might look silly, I feel strong and powerful. So, now I might be a runner, but I still think I win the crazy walking lady award in my neighborhood who now starts sprinting at random times inbetween her walking. Whatever!