weekend recap

i ran my first official race on saturday. the mayfest in shipshewana. i definitely started out too fast and had to slow down after the first 1/2 block and numerous of times i had to ask myself why was i doing this to myself. i found it to be harder to run on the grassy trails and got passed by a few runners. i'm happy to report that i did end up passing a few of those few runners once we went back to the concrete road. i did not stop or walk at all though there were times when i wished to be ran over by a horse + buggy but i'm glad that didn't happen and that i did finish the race. i just found out that my time was 36.11. that's 9 minute miles. i also came in 6th place in my age group out of 17 and i also came in 67th place over all. there were 107 runners this year. last year, if i would of ran it and gotten the same time, i would of placed 2nd in my age group!! it was sort of fun and very painful and i plan on doing it again next year. keep on runnin'

saturday evening we got mikes folks to take us out to dinner. went to hacienda and had a good time. of course they came to see their grand daughter but the grand daughter decided to sleep the whole time till we got into the car to go home. figures. and yes, she is that way.

sunday i went to donda's baby shower. she is married to my cousin jim on my female parental side. they have a beautiful house, one i wouldn't mind moving into but its in the wrong school district. their baby girl will be one well dressed baby + she will not have to wear the same thing twice even if she spits up!! i'm very happy for my cousin jim. {he picked out her name: allison kathryn ralston} beign at the baby shower kinda made me want to throw a party. love entertaining and coming up with all the little stuff but don't know what kind of party to throw. guess i'm waiting to move into the new house so we can throw a pool/housewarming party....*sigh* hopefully soon!

after coming home from the baby shower i guess mike didn't want to do anything more around the house. kaylee helped him edge, sweep + do some other stuff around the house. we headed down to syracuse even with the gas prices the way they are today, ($3.72 a gallon) to eat at the frog. i've never been there but mike has for lunch. it was a cute little place along the channel of lake wawasee. after dinner, we headed to the "public" beach access + park. kaylee had a great time going playing on the playground.
she was afraid to go down this "big+ dark" slide so she spread her legs open to help her go down slowly. it was a pretty funny sight to see.

the 3 of us cheesing the camera. yes i am that short {5'2"} kaylee cried as we headed home around 8ish. she didn't want to leave. i love being around the water and didn't blame her. the cost of houses to live on the water is outrageous- who would of ever known that you must have at least a million dollars!

love these two!

hate to admit it but this is the last photo of ham i've taken and this was back in march for easter. its all blurry because i had to sneak up on him. he usually gives me head full of hair shots so i'm going to be happy with this very blurry photo.

hamism:

gimp- very uncool person {said mostly to mike}
my interpretation i.e: "mom, your a gimp." actually means "mom, i love you."
isn't he a handsome kid? i love him.

and kaylee, well this is her signature mark- sticking out her tongue! i cut her hair last weekend and think it turned out pretty awesome. when freshly bathed her hair curls more. i'm lucky that she's got some curls because we all know i can not cut straight. i love that it looks like a 20's flapper do- my favorite time in history.

kayleeisms:

balentines- valentines
stomach cake- stomach ache
crosting- frosting
crisbee- frisbee

isn't she the cutest thing? i love her.

i love how much they look alike yet their personalities are completely different. ham's laid back + doesn't need a lot or talk a lot. he was this way when he was kaylee's age too. he's pretty funny + sarcastic+ smart. he's got a thing for farting on or around us.

kaylee's talkative+very needy+ smart. she's got a great imagination + is very funny too. she has a fascination with saying boogers. and for some reason a thing for farting on or around us. hmmmm...love these two!!

lazy tuesday

its noon and guess what i have done so far? nothing. absolutely nothing! besides take ham to school and getting kaylee all of her needs, which is alot but still i haven't touched laundry or the bathrooms etc... and its been nice. i did just get done taking a shower so that's a start. it looks nice outside but its freakin' cold. around 42 degrees. a few days last week, it got up in the 70's what gives? i let ham skip school yesterday. this was the first time he has asked me in a long time and i asked him if it will be worth it to miss and he said yes. {they get to pick one final each semester to not take if they don't miss a day of school} i usually let him have a day or two every year to miss. come on- he's a good kid with good grades and sometimes he deserves a day off just like the rest of us! i also went and bought him the wii. mike said we would pay half but i think we will just pay it all since i'm technically taking his laptop that we got him the christmas/birthday (2006) before. it doesn't do justice for his game he likes to play on it. it doesn't show the graphics etc.. so his uncle burk {his dad's side} got him a kick ass computer this year for his birthday. can we say spoiled??? thought, instead of having the laptop sit and rust away i would use it for my photos + photoshop.

here's a project that i started this weekend and hopefully i will be able to finish it soon. or i should say hopefully i will get off my lazy butt and start sewing. i have all the pieces cut out. isn't it cute? i have enough pieces cut out to make 2 of them.found it from stacy julian's blog. you can find the instructions + download it here.

here's a pic of kaylee running in circles around me as i'm trying to take her picture. she thought it was pretty funny to be doing so. i think the pictures turned out great for her moving around. and these are her new kicks. i love these shoes on her!! and we always get compliments on them. in the winter we get her a pair of k-swisses just like mike's. not the same style but the same brand and he loves it.

my parentals surprised me last night with a $100 gift card from pier 1 for my sweet twenty -sixteenth birthday. they know i love that store!. so now i really want to move to the new house and decorate. as i was writing my post yesterday i got an email from our realtor saying that we have 2 people interested in the house. they just don't know if they can qualify for a loan. fingers crossed and prayers said that someone will come with an offer!! ok, i'm off to do something productive.

clearing my mind

i know i shouldn't let this house selling thing get me down but it does. i had high expectations that our house would sell fast and everything would be stress free but it hasn't been. we had a great turnout last weekend for our second open house and everyone that came through commented on how great the house looks etc.. yet no call backs. i don't think i would be as nervous if we haven't already found our dream house. i just hope no one comes and steals it from us!!

i signed mike + i up for the 4 mile race this saturday. i went running yesterday to see if i can make it and to get a feel of 4 miles. as i started out i asked myself why am i doing this for? i felt every pain in my body. i haven't had enough run time to be running in a race. after the first mile things started to get better. i had to remind myself that its just for me- to complete something. i just hope i don't come in last place in my age bracket. how embarrassing would that be?? i know, its all mental on my part. i can do it and it will be fun!! plus, its great exercise and i need all the help i can get to get rid of my "muffin top" ya know, the roll of fat over your jeans or bikini. i only have about a month left before hawaii.

i also thought about taking some classes and maybe become a graphic arts designer but i dont think i have enough artistic talent for that. or to be a professional photographer. i might be better or have more of an artistic eye than lets say mike but not enough to get paid for it. *sigh* i'm one of those people who have big dreams and can talk the talk but no ambition in getting it started. sad huh? its like my mind wants to do something but i have no heart, no determination, no take charge power. i guess i will stick to what i know and thats being a simple girl who says she can do something but actually never proves it.

wants + needs

kaylee + i went out shopping yesterday. needed to find a birthday present for a little one's first birthday but felt like i needed a purse first. a smaller, summer purse. this is my current purse which i love except mine is zipped topped. this is what i carry my camera in and its a load especially when i'm headed out for a quick trip somewhere.

i bought this little purse except the color is more similar to the one below but more white. i really really like it.

i think i need this camera for my smaller, summer purse. isn't it purdy?? its got all the bells and whistles too for a point and shoot camera. i'm on a mission to try and find it as cheaply as i can. i even tried to win a $505 gc from the pioneer women's website so i could get it for "free" but didn't win. i didn't think i would win but it never hurts to try. mike doesn't see a need for another camera though he does see a need for a big flat screen tv or two. go figure. the camera would of been nice to have had friday night with our friends out and it would be handy to have when i don't feel like lugging around the big dog.

happy spring day to me

look what i got in the mail yesterday! i participated in a favorite spring swap hosted by bree at life at 123 house

love the white vases + still trying to find a place for the birds nest. its pretty cool + i know there's a perfect spot for it. the harry + david strawberry chocolates were way yummy! {notice the "were", i ate them last night and just finished them for breakfast.} i also got 3 flower seed packets. i cant wait to move to the new house so i can plant them and watch them grow.

here's what i sent out to my recipient:

lots of note cards, chocolates + flower markers. i made the "family" picture and sent her some goodies for her two little girls too. its alot of fun doing these swaps and i wish i could find more. it does get a little nerve racking because i want to make sure the person receiving the goodies like them just as much as i did.

the weather has been awesome these past few days/week so kaylee and i are off to enjoy it with a little swing set + baseball action.

cute as a bug

kaylee is playing with her dress up clothes at the moment while i'm on the computer looking around. she keeps saying "touches" and i said " i dont know what "touches" are. she then goes to tell me " they're accessories, i said."