M|C|C|M|D

So, I have a little touch of OCD. And, I also enjoy running on the treadmill when it’s below, say, 50 degrees outside. Here’s a fun game to play when you’re slogging it out on the treadmill and you’re trying to keep it interesting. At the same time, this little mind-game increases your endurance and stamina (a wee bit).

As I reach the end of my run and whatever my goal was that day–some days it’s to run for 30 minutes, some days it’s to complete a sprint workout, some days it’s to get in a quick 2 miles–I pick one of the three readouts on the display and say, “Go until that reads x.” Then, once I reach that I look at one of the other two and say, “Go until that reads y.” Than once I reach that I look at the last one and say, “Go until that reads z.”

Here’s an example, ’cause that’s not very clear. Today, I did a sprint workout that took me to 24 minutes, but my mileage was kind of low due to the slower recovery laps, so I said, “Go until your time is 30 minutes.” I jogged at pace for 4 more minutes, at which time I was within .2 miles of 3 miles. So I said, “Go until you’ve run 3 miles.” By then, I was at about a 470 calorie burn, so I said, “Go until you’ve burned at least 480 calories.” At which point I was at a 5K distance and had run for 35 minutes.

Some days I start at a different point on my readout, be it distance or calories. I find it most rewarding to pick the readout you’re closest to a rounding-this-up-will-give-me-a-nice-mental-payoff on and going from there. Before you know it, you’ve gone a little farther, stayed active a little longer, and burned off one more cheesy-poof.

This weekend’s weather was great and so was our time at the FPT canal days. Fun times had by all. Enjoy!

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New pictures from our first trip to the playground since winter overtook Rochester

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Dottie is famous for sleeping on the floor while I work!

D&C article about working remotely, featuring yours truly + the Dot.

It’s officially official! While we were having French toast and coffee last weekend, we suddenly decided that it was THE day for putting the boys into one room and making the other bedroom a palyroom.

We’ve been talking about it, well, since Miles’ ultrasound and we knew this was a possibility. We thought about making the switch before Christmas, but it seemed a little early. Since the week before Christmas Miles has been in the toddler room at daycare and sleeping on a cot and he’s been doing great, so we decided now or never!

We flip-flopped a bit about which room would be for sleeping and which for playing, but settled on the smaller room for sleeping ’cause all ya do in there is sleep, right? Thankfully it all happened in a blur, as that’s how projects go with Michael, and the crib was dismantled and in the crawl-space before I knew what hit me. Definitely had a pang of sadness as we packed that little bed, mobile, and bumper up. So many good memories of standing at the rail and singing or just gazing at 2 sweet faces z-ing away.

I digress! The bedroom came together quickly and nicely and the boys are doing a great job of sleeping together. I love going in to wake them up and having them already be chit-chatting to one another softly. Too cute! The playroom took a bit longer to pull together, but once Michael got back from Target with the Clostemaid cubicle wall cubbies, the space really looked orderly *and* inviting.

We’re one week in and things are still going well. The only downside is that Miles used to sleep until 9…10 if we let him on the weekends, but with Colin getting up at 7-ish every day to hit the head, those bonus hours of sleep seem to be no more for Mr. Miles. Oh well, he’ll have plenty of time to make up for lost sleep in his teen years!

The play room is loads of fun, too! They spend lots of time in there reacquainting themselves with toys they had long forgotten about due to their inaccessibility. I definitely feel like this was an upgrade, even if the move did tug at my heartstrings a bit and cause me to shake my head at how time is flying by. Bittersweet, my friends.

Let me set the scene for you. I go in to get Miles up this morning and he has a fierce sinus infection right now. Material that is of an unnatural color is emitting from his eyes and nose. If you’re a mom or a dad, you’re not going, “Eww, gross!” you’re having a flash of recognition.

So, the kid has said material all over his little face and I get him up and get a warm washcloth and mop up his face and work his right eye open, which is totally sealed shut, and then I assess the bed. Ya know, it’s not in terrible shape! There are a couple pieces of dried, er, um, mucus laying on top of the sheet not even fused to it. So, I corral what I see and clean up the bed. I’m thinking, I can change this sheet, which I just changed two days ago, or I can leave this one on until this business passes. I’m not saying that if I go in after a nap or in the morning and the sheet has been obliterated that I’m not going to change it, but it’s looking in surprisingly good shape.

Am I the only parent who makes this type of decision? Am I totally lazy or just practical? You all know what a hassle it is to untie all those tiny bumper ties, pull the bumper out, pull the mattress out, change the sheet, and then redo all the undoing, right?

Made you look! By whooping it up, I mean that it’s 5:37 PM, local time, and I’ve been up since 4 AM, Rochester time, and I’m sitting in my hotel room sipping a hot chai and watching the news. The news is on at a funny time in Chicago.

My eyes have looked better, I’ll give them that! It would probably be a lot better for my eyeballs if, instead of staring at my computer screen, I was reclining on my bed with my eyes closed. But… I can sleep later, right? That is, I hope I can sleep with no ambient home noises (Michael breathing next to me, fan on low, Dottie snoring off in the distant background, and the random (very random since the boys are great sleepers) fire-drill from one of the kids that ’causes us to be drawn up out of deep slumber and go running across the house to see what’s the what.

Tonight, I’m thankful for a wonderful husband who steps up to the plate and does a fabulous job manning the boys while I’m “out of pocket.” I’m thankful for a smooth flight out and an easy trip into the city, and I’m thankful for the smart people who I’m fortunate enough to be on a team with. Tomorrow, I’ll be thankful to get home to my family and get hugs and kisses from all my boys (and little Dottie too!)

So, in this book Colin and I read, there is a farm with some old-school silos. He did not know what they were, so we’ve been talking about them for a couple days on and off. We’re now in Bemus, and I knew we’d pass some farms with silos on the way down. Sure enough we did and Colin got to see them in person. Fabulous.

Tonight, I’m tucking him in and he says, “I know what silos are… They are quiet but stinky!” and then cracks up. I correct him, “You mean silent ones? Were you and Daddy talking about farts?” like I even have to ask! Boys!!