Powerbar Team Elite

I've completed nearly three weeks of training, which is a word a use loosely since technically, my race calendar is still blank.  But, I see progress!  Ever since Sedona, I have tried to keep things really simple.  And, letting go of certain pressures made me feel so much lighter.  Right after I realized that I had a little bit of pep back in my step, I also got the memo that I made Powerbar's Team Elite.  I am so excited and honored to be part of such an extraordinary group of athletes.

I think I have a few more weeks to go before I am comfortable enough in myself to sign up for some races. I have been noticing some signs of aging, which is an adjustment.  My warm ups, for example, keep getting longer.  My recoveries are getting longer, too.  I seem to also need more sleep.

Things that used to be easy, like pushing the stroller, also are not easy at all anymore. Although that is probably less about me and more about my kids.  My now really big kids:

 The other day, we ran to Costco to pick up a snack for Hayden’s preschool.   On the way there, our pace was pretty quick because it was all downhill with a tail wind.

We ended up getting a bag of veggie chips, on sale for $3 (Hayden wanted Goldfish crackers but the veggie chips were practically free!!)  Neither kid was willing to hold anything because it would infringe on their ability to eat samples, so we were limited what we could fit into our cart.

I narrowed it down to a few select items, including a massive bag of mandarin oranges to pair with the veggie chips.  Because we all know veggie chips are not really vegetables, and I wanted to please all the preschool mommies with contributing a healthy snack.





My kids weigh roughly about 39 and 41 pounds.  But, add in every single costco sample x 2, and  they weigh more like 42 and 44 pounds.  And then add in 10 pounds of oranges and we are over the BOB 100-pound weight limit.

So, what happens when you exceed the weight limit?

First, it is really heavy.  Especially when you are running uphill and in a headwind.

Second, the stroller makes a lot of creaky and uncomfortable sounds.

Third, all the tires slowly deflate.

About half way home, Hayden asked me, "Mom, Why are we going so slow?”  That is when I noticed he was letting his feet drag on the ground.  But, we eventually made it home and Hayden brought in his snack.

Fast forward to Valentines day - the preschool teacher handed out adorable heart-shaped valentines that read, "orange you glad we are friends?" 

and inside was taped a familiar mandarin orange. 

So - I am thinking our my hard work was in vein. 

Next time, we will just stick with the very light veggie sticks.

Our last run of 2012

Distance:  7.1 miles.

Pace:  8:30.

So, it wasn't our fastest run and it wasn't our longest run. There was a point in the beginning of the year when I knew, by instinct, that I would probably never push the stroller far nor fast again.  But, this was perhaps our most productive run.  In fact, we ran all our errands.

Our first stop was Costco for free samples:

And to pick up something from the pharmacy:

We also had our infamous lunch of pizza AND hotdogs:

Next, we ran to Walgreens to pick up some digital pictures and Christmas stuff for 50% off.  We got Christmas lights, candy canes and whatever else we could cram into our stroller.

And then finally we ran to the grocery store.  This would have been better if we had more room but we got some Christmas coffee peppermint coffee creamer for $1, yogurt and popsicles:

OK, so I understand that a play-by-play of our run is not the most exciting entry, nor am I closing out the year with a rooted deep-thought or retrospective post.  But, this run is a good summary of what our life has been like this year.

1) We ran.  I ran a lot.

2)  We went to Costco an embarrassing amount of times.

3)  We ate food.  A lot of food.  

4)  We went to the grocery store because you just don't need 20000 servings of mustard. 

5)  We bought junk because it was on sale.  I confess, when my three year old tells me that he needs to have a blue cup that lights up or My Little Pony bubble bath, I agree with him if it's under $5.

We are ending this year happy and healthy (aside from a brutal head cold) and my only resolution is to do everything possible to ensure that we are just as happy and healthy in 2013.

From a running perspective, it was good racing year, probably the result of staying uninjured.  My main accomplishments were winning the 5K summer series and placing 2nd and 3rd overall in triathlons despite my lack of swimming skills.  I don't really have any athletic goals for the next year except to continue to train my weaknesses.

This year found out Brenna has Apraxia but she has not let this stop her - both kids are flourishing in preschool and becoming little independent people.  Like right now...it's quiet because they off playing together.  Hmmm, or because they in my room taking all my socks out of the drawer.  Or because they have discovered the boxes of Powerbars in the pantry.  Or because they found a Sharpie and are drawing imperfect circles all over the living room walls.  Or because they have turned on the bath and poured an entire bottle of bubble soap.  

And that is my queue to end this post.

Running Errands

This week required two trips to Costco.  (Both times to drop off a prescription, the first time they were out of the medication and it's twice as expensive everywhere else!)

Costco is usually a safe haven for us because of their deluxe shopping carts but our first trip was not as serene as usual.  In fact, an old lady had to step in and scold my kids at one point!  Mind you, it was a gentle scolding in a controlled, neutral and patient voice - perhaps some mothers would be irked at this blatant overstepping - however, it worked so I thanked her.

I was not especially looking forward to repeating this errand.  Especially for something that should be quick and easy, like dropping off a prescription, there is a lot of work involved:
- Get kids into their respective carseats
- Park by a cart (usually in the back)
- Battle with each kid individually to strap them in
- Keep them entertained in line
- Walk around and get free samples, since its an expectation at this point
- Deal with the repercussions of limiting each sample to just one

I decided to take a different, more literal, approach to running this errand.

We ran.

The kids willingly and eagerly put themselves in the stroller.  Hayden even buckled himself.
It was a peaceful jog to Costco that included a lap around the dog park.

At our arrival, we did not stop - "Just dropping off a prescription!" I told the door lady.
She smiled and waved us in.
We went straight to the far left side of the store to the pharmacy.  There was no line! 


We dropped off the prescription and did a quick lap around the store, giving new meaning to "fueling."  After depositing just one of a few free samples into their snack bowls, we emerged from the store in record time without a peep from either kid!

If it were not for the other shoppers, Costco would be the ideal place to go running with a stroller. The isles are wide enough to accommodate our stature and the stroller effortlessly glides on the smooth concrete floor.

The back of Costco is the perfect place for running fast:


It may seem like the kids are always eating in our photos. That is because they usually are:


But don't be fooled, eventually their snack bowls do become empty. Sometimes Brenna will start to doze off and sometimes Hayden will sing songs.

Hayden also likes to look at books, preferably Thomas the Train books.


Brenna likes to steal Hayden's book - no matter how many books I bring, she must have the one that he wants.
The only thing better than Hayden's book is my hand, so we run like this:


It's not the most comfortable thing to run like that, but it certainly makes me smile every time I glace down.

Sometimes All You Can Do is Laugh, Part 2

In case you forgot: Part 1.

Grocery shopping with two toddlers in tow is simply never easy. To avoid this, one of my favorite things to do is go to the grocery store when my husband is home, or on the weekend. This way, I can bring one kid.

Everything about the experience is easier with one kid. I place the single child in the single cart seat, so that they are facing me. Instead of fighting over who holds my purse, the single child holds it without anyone stealing it.

We walk through the store and the single child has all my attention. I dont have to chase anyone, or break up any fights. No one screams. I dont have to beg anyone to be quiet.

We walk around the store and I point out things.
What color are the bananas? Yes, they are yellow!
Oooh, look at this pretty apple!
Do you know what these are? Yes, they are your sweet potatoes!

Every so often I lean forward and kiss the forehead of my single child.

Even though I know its an act, I feel like such a cool, chill, complacent mom. I never get frazzled! My single child is perfect!

But mid-week outings cannot be avoided.
We always need something.

Yesterday was the last day that Chex cereal was on sale for $2.25. I had four $1-off-2 coupons, which meant each box was $1.75. This is a good deal so off to the grocery store we go.
Update:And of course, the DAY after we rushed to that sale, three other grocery stores put Chex on even a better sale. They must conspire against me.

I park next to the cart corral. There are no double carts.
I put my son in the front seat. He screams.
I put my daughter in the basket. She screams.
I switch them. They scream.

I push my screaming kids into the store. We go directly to the cereal isle and I start selecting my 8 boxes of Chex cereal. My son climbs out of the basket and starts selecting his own boxes of cereal. He throws boxes of Raisin Bran into the cart.

My daughter wants to join in on the fun and demands out of the cart with a blood-curdling scream. She kicks her feet against the cart.

By now, my son has filled my cart up with boxes of Raisin Bran.

Sometimes all you can do is laugh, right?
And record video.





After this, my kids ran to the other side of the store, ignoring me as I called their names, and giggling in delusional delight that they think they could actually outrun me.

I buckled down the ringmaster and he quietly accepted his defeat.


And now we have a pantry full of corn, rice, wheat, cinnamon and chocolate chex.

Sometimes all you can do is laugh

My grocery store, Frys (which is Kroger in other parts of the country) has senior citizens day on the first Wednesday of every month.

On this day, all senior citizens (55 and older) get 10% off their entire bill. They also put out free coffee and donuts. Now, as much as I love a stale powdered donut, this is not the best day to go grocery shopping. The store is overran with old people all stocking up for the month. This is a true test of patience when shopping with two toddlers because the checkout lines are long - and they are slow.

We are usually the only family at the store on senior citizens day. I think other people avoid this day...the store is crowded and as much as I dont want to make any negative generalizations about old people, at my specific grocery store, they dont seem to be very friendly.

So why do I knowingly grocery shop on senior citizens day? For the 10% discount, of course. The discount comes off when your store savings (VIP) card is swiped - and my birthday year was entered incorrectly when I registered. Whether or not this was done on purpose is irrelevant.

My kids like grocery shopping. They sit in the car attachment of the cart and honk the little squeaky horns. They also like to play the Grocery Store Screaming Game. To play this game, one baby screams. Then, the next baby screams louder. Then they laugh, which makes it almost cute for one second, until the screaming continues.

Look, I am not going to say its not annoying.
It IS annoying.
But they are toddlers and this is what toddlers do. Sometimes I can ask them to be quiet and they listen. Sometimes I give them balloons to distract them. Sometimes I even give them a small piece of cookie in exchange for being quiet.

The screaming game is still better than the fighting game (where Brenna repeatedly pulls Hayden's hair and pokes his eyes) so ultimately, it doesnt bother me.

But it does bother the senior citizens.
I lost count of how many bad looks we got somewhere after 20.

And I find that strange considering most of them cannot hear anyway.

At one point, we are walking down the deoderant isle and this old lady comes up from behind me with a sponge. "Your KID dropped this," she scolded me. Apparently my DD had been reaching for anything in reaching distance.

I look around, surrounded by old people glaring at me, old people music blasting through the store's speakers, my kids screaming at the top of their lungs and now my DD is grabbing all the deoderants off the shelf...and I still have this one old lady growling at me.

What could I do?
Sometimes there is only one thing you can do - laugh.

So I laughed.

And we survived. Until next month.