Out of Town!!!

I will have great things to post and pictures to share in a week or two. I just came back from running the Ragnar Race in Washington State-it was breath-takingly beautiful and I will NEVER run the Utah Ragnar again!!!! I did 18 miles this time around and looking forward to running it again next year. Just get a little better each year, that's my goal!

I am off to girls' camp this week and I am excited about that. I am missing my children and honey but glad to be able to go.

Chasie has smooth moves!

This is Mallory, the girl Chasie fell in love with at preschool. I don't know how much they talked though. Usually, they would play "cats" or sometimes "dogs". Sometimes they would play house and Chase was the dad and Abby was the mom and Mallory was the cat-what is this with cats??!?!??!?!

Anywhoo, at Chasie's preschool graduation, he wanted to take a picture with Mallory and so he went and talked to her, I think she talked back-not sure though and so they were standing side by side and I said,"smile" and Chasie inched closer and put his arm around her-smooth!

Must have gotten it from his father!

I better keep my eye on him.

THE CAT CAME BACK!!!!!

Yep, two days later, the cat came back-dang it! I have no idea where she went and she is probably freakin pregnant again!

Psycho Cat Missing!

I am not kidding, our psycho cat has gone missing! I am not kidding, I saw it yesterday morning when Kaitlyn and I left for Erika's pilates class and we haven't seen it since! Of course, I was the last one to see her. I promise, I didn't do anything but Kaitlyn keeps asking me, "Mom, are you sure you didn't have anything to do with this?"
McKay goes out and looks around, calling "Kitty" at the top of his lungs almost every hour. His eyes are all red and swollen from crying this morning. He keeps saying, "I lost another kitty!" I don't know where she could have gone.
Meanwhile, the kids talk about which kittens to keep right in front of him that sets him off.
Oh, the drama!

Grateful for Maren's perspective!

So, this past Wednesday was my last running class. We were to run the mile for the last time and the goal was to beat our time. It was soooo hot on Wednesday, over 110 and the air quality was horrible due to the fires.

Anywhoo, I picked up Maren from her friend Maci's house (the girl beside her in the picture) and I told Maren that I was going to drop her off at the house and then head to my running class.

Maren asked me, "Mom, are you a good runner?"

I said, "no, Maren, I'm not"

Maren, "well Mom, maybe running just isn't your talent. You need to find something that you are good at! What are you good at Mom?"

"I don't know Maren, what do you think I am good at?"

silence for a moment and then she answered, "I think you are good at being a mom!"

My heart about burst and I thought, I could totally screw up this run tonight and I would be just fine because my daughter thinks I am good at being a mom!

But, I cut off another 12 seconds-I think I cut off almost 3 minutes from the very first mile we did on the first day of class-I'll take it!

What to do with a psycho cat?

Ok, many of you know that we have a pyscho cat who just had kittens (well 6 weeks ago). This is the cat that we all prayed would live after Chasie almost "tickled" it to death with foam coming out of her mouth etc.
This is also the cat who attacked Steve a couple weeks ago and he had to get a tetnus shot and put on antibiotics, was on crutches for a few days because he got "cat scratch fever" ! Who knew it was true-I always thought it was just a song!
SOOOOO, she has mellowed out a bit and we are trying to give away the kittens. Well, I am trying to give them away and the kids all cry.
Tonight, Maren went out to the garage and picked up a kitten (we have been doing it for 4 weeks now) and psycho cat attacked her. Scratches up and down her legs etc. SO, Steve and I say, "bye, bye psycho cat" and then McKay cries because, "I love her so much, it is the longest cat I have ever had!" Have I mentioned we haven't even had the cat for a year? The sad thing is, it is TRUE-it is the longest time he has ever had a cat. Not the best luck with cats-me running over one by accident and the other one we left with the neighbors to watch when we went on vacation, never to be heard of again. (pscyho kid across the street probably got to the poor cat!)

So, what is a parent to do? I am trying to comfort McKay and Kaitlyn is telling him to ditch psycho cat and keep one of the kittens-the one who is a boy so it won't turn INTO a psycho cat! My word, does EVERY female in our house have to suffer from PMS?
Steve is looking at McKay kind of funny and all I have to do is say "goat boy" and he feels a little more compassion towards McKay because Steve cried for DAYS and still hasn't gotten over when they had to put down his pet goat, Eleanor-which is a post for another day!

McKay and I made a deal, we would get rid of the kittens, get psycho fixed and if she still attacks people, she is out of here.
Of course, he is going on his first over night camping trip tomorrow, maybe psycho cat will magically "disappear" while he is gone! That happened to my grandma's cat when I stayed with her one summer and she peed all over my stuff-constantly! I accidently left the front door open and the cat got out and my family doesn't believe it was an accident-but it was!
Maybe I am the one who is unlucky with cats, or the gets are unlucky around me-by accident of course!

Why do I judge?????

Have you ever judged someone and then found out what is going on with their life and feel like such a scumbag after that happens????
I did that this last week at swimming lessons. There is a mother there who is made up to a T and she has a 3 year old that still has a binkie with a princess crown on it. Her older son is in the same class with Chase. He goes to the private Christian school here which caused me to judge her even more. She arrived the first day late and kind of breezed in mouthing her apologies etc. Her son's name sounds like one of those fancy made up names like Brogan or something.

Well, two days ago she struck up a conversation with me as her daughter was looking into my purse. It turns out that her son was diagnosed with Luekemia when he was 3 and she was 9 months pregnant with her daughter. The first year of that baby's life was spent at the Ronald McDonald house at Stanford as their son fought for his life. He just finished kindergarten and is considered in remission but every month they need to drive to Standford to run tests to see if he is "clear". That is why she was late the first day of class. If he remains cancer free for 10 years than he has beaten cancer. But now they have to watch to see what the radiation, chemo and steriods have affected him.

So, as she was wiping of the daughter's binkie who is now 3, she said, "I know she is too old for this, but I am just trying to survive, it is just easier." I felt like a heal and needed to eat a big helping of humble pie!

McKay as his hero, Ben Franklin

This is my son McKay who ate up American History this year. I think he read his whole history book and I am NOT kidding! He earned the Great American Award and was so excited because the medal is "as big as an Olympic Gold Medal!"

He was assigned to play Ben Franklin in the "Walk Through the Revolution" production. He was hoping he would get Ben Franklin because Ben didn't own any slaves and McKay was very concerned about that.

McKay memorized the part except for the last part-he added that. We love McKay! Enjoy!

5 Things I never thought I would say but things change once your a MOTHER!

5. A berry patch is where berries grow like strawberries NOT where they bury people who die.

4. A cat walk is where people walk over busy streets NOT where cats walk.

3. You put what, where?

2. Yes, I know these pills and the container look like a face compact, but they are really mom's birth control pills and what did your teacher say when you showed them for show and tell?

1. New family rule, all members must where underwear at all times, especially to school!