End of October

I don't have many memories of Halloween growing up.   I slightly remember collecting my candy in a pillow case.  I do remember the year my mother made my costume, though.  I was a bat.

I suspect this was a safe choice for my mother, who has never resembled a Betty homemaker of any sort. Bats are perhaps one of the ugliest creatures to spawn on the planet, so this gave her a lot of leeway.  Even a horribly hideous costume would be successful, as long as it was brown.

What I didn't realize back then, as I was standing in brown tights, deformed wings, and tears streaming down my cheeks, is how much work goes into everything when you are the parent.   This last week in October has been filled with fall festivities - all of which has left me somewhat deflated.

I want to give my kids warm family experiences to remember, however I had many of those experiences and yet all I remember is that butchered bat costume.

One thing I may consider giving up next year is the pumpkin patch.  The problem with pumpkin patch is its opened during October.  Even though this year we waited until the last weekend to go, it was still 91 degrees.  After a long car ride and smothering the kids in sunscreen, we waited in the sun to ride the ponies.

And then we took a hayride to the pumpkin field so that the kids could pick out overpriced pumpkins. 

They each selected a small pumpkin that they  I had to lug around for the remainder of the day.  

Shortly after our trip, all the pumpkins at Sprouts (even the large ones) went on sale for $1.  So, not only did we pay $20 to get into the farm, we overpaid 400%  for our pumpkins.  

Hayden's pumpkin got carved and sent to school,

Brenna's pumpkin still sits outside our decorated house, which now needs to be un-decorated.

Albeit work, I admit, I did have fun decorating.

In addition to the deformed panda bear and Mr. Wonderful  from last year, I created three new characters using butter knives and fake blood.

On Halloween, my creativity continued as I made Hayden's favorite food:  Hot dogs.

I made them look like bloody fingers!!

At first, I was quite proud.

But then he refused to eat them since they did, indeed, look like bloody fingers.  

Hayden did like his costume though (Thomas the Train).  Brenna was a mermaid and a little more demanding and dramatic.

After celebrating at each of their respective preschools, it was time for them to pay me back by collecting as much candy as possible.  Previous years proved their trick-or-treating skills to be sub par.  I mean, last year, we practically had to drag them around the block.   This year, they walked on their own, with very little whining, and we even made it off the street.  And, Hayden only tripped and spilled his candy twice!

They really enjoyed knocking on the doors, perhaps too much, and did a good job holding out their buckets for the droplets of candy.  Unfortunately, we came home without any Twizzlers or Butterfingers and too many tootsie rolls.

One thing I have learned raising twins is to take as many shortcuts as possible.  Next year, we will just buy a pumpkin in the comfort of a clean and air conditioned Trader Joes.  And the hot dogs will remain plain, boring hot dogs.

In hindsight, I do appreciate the effort my mother put forth when attempting to create my bat ensemble.  It's a lot of work to get a kid into a costume, nonetheless make the costume.

And for this reason I will spare myself the stress and stick to the consignment stores.

AZ State Fair 5K

I don't really like writing race reports too many days post the race - all the magic and memories quickly dissipate once I return to real life.  Although I would describe this specific race as more mediocre than magical.

Aside from a 5K three weeks ago, I have not done any speedwork since the beginning of August.  So, I wasn't expecting too much from this race...I just knew it was going to be a fun race because it was at the state fair.  I love the fair!  I also knew it would be a great race to distribute my SunRype bars, since there would be a lot of kids and people like this:

The race was at 8 a.m. and the fair opens at 10.  I did my warm up around the empty fair, inspecting the rides and the different food offerings.

The race was only $22 and you received four passes to the fair.  Each pass is worth $10 so it's almost like they pay you to do the race.  I will be bringing my kids next weekend but one thing is for sure - we won't be eating!   An ice cream cone, the size you get at McDonalds for $1, cost FIVE DOLLARS.

I could tell during my warm up that it was not going to be my best day.  But it was a free race so I was just going to go with it and enjoy it.

I was disappointed in the course.  Aside from starting and ending at the fair, it was very boring.  And there was wind.  We know I hate wind.


My first mile was 6:02, which is a standard first mile.  Unlike my race three weeks ago, it did not feel easy.  Mile 2 was 6:05 and also did not feel easy.  Mile 3, which was in the wind, was 6:15.  Ouch.

The course was short (3.04) so my time was 18:43 but it would have really been 19:03 on an accurate course.  I came in 2nd place.

I brought home a new stuffed animal.
His name is Dos Ajos for obvious reasons.

Our previous Panda only had one eye:

And, I swear, I did not remove his eye for Halloween.  He has always been missing an eye.

I also did not decapitate Mr. Wonderful's head.  One day I found his body in Hayden's room.  A few days layer, his head was located in the ballpit.  

Anyway, this race reminded me that I have two upcoming races:
a duathlon in two weeks and a triathlon in four weeks.

As previously stated, I have not been doing speed work.  Nor have been been doing bricks.  Or bike rides.
I kept thinking, I don't need to worry about these races...they are not until November.

But yet here it is - the end of October.

It's not like I have not been running - I have been running a lot, with very talented, amazing and interesting people.   These people have seen things, done things and know things.  For the first time in a long time, I feel like I am learning things.  But alas, if you don't use your speed, you lose your speed.

After the race, there was a kids race.  This is standard and I have been waiting for the day when my kids would participate.  And by participate, I mean actually move from Point A to Point B.  I passed out fruit bars to the kids and took note that a lot of them were three years old.  There was even a two year old!  There was no reason why my kids could not do this.

Well, except one reason.
I am not sure if you have noticed, but in every recent picture of Hayden, he is wearing a pair of car sandals.  In rain or shine, he is devoted to these shoes.

And yes, they are doing yoga in Home Depot.

It is an acceptable sandal.  But not an acceptable running shoe.

I had a pair of shoes for Hayden, it was just that he refused to wear them.  With winter approaching, I knew his feet would require socks.  And I was dreading having the kid who wore socks with sandals.  Inspired by the kid race, I knew it was time to make a move.

We "lost" the car sandals.

They were not in his room, they were not in the playroom, they were not in the living room nor under the couch.  

There was a small fall festival at the nearby church and Hayden wanted to go.  But, he could not go without shoes!  Forced with the decision to stay home with no shoes or wear running shoes, he wore his running shoes.  Although reluctant at first, he was easily impressed with how easy it was to run away from me.

Luckily my camera has good zoom.  As usual, he found something gross to lick. 

The bounce house.

Different shoe, same boy.

It's that time of year again!

Well, at least in the mornings.



Yes, its the park.
Yes, this means its time for pictures of the kids in swings.
Like here and here and here.
Not that I necassarily want to fill this blog with redundant pictures, but when you are one mom, dealing with two kids, the sweet confinement of swings is a blessing.

Because when they are not confined, they are climbing.


But never the same structure, of course:


A summer growth spurt has left them with new, longer and stronger limbs. So now they can climb everything. Which creates yet another problem: Just because you can climb up, does not mean that you can climb down!


So yes...we like the swings.

And we like fall. We were getting desperate towards the end of summer...sometimes we would go to Albertsons just to walk around!