It's that time again...

Tomorrow afternoon we're headed up to Ft. Collins (about one hour north of Denver) for Sunday morning's Colorado marathon. I'm running the half marathon...it's my first half since October's marathon. I've kept up about 30 miles of running per week although in the last month or so I have been struggling with some lower back issues. Finally I'm feeling a lot better.

It will be exciting to see if I got any faster...I've been pushing my pace more this year. Here's evidence...this is my Garmin from the two mile time trial we do. The number by my finger is the average pace per mile. My goal was to be under an 8 minute mile...which I did (7:55/mile pace). Last year I did the same exact time trial twice...the first time I averaged about 8:40 miles and the second 8:20s. We'll see what that translates to on Sunday.

Regardless of my half marathon time this weekend it will be a fun time for the family. We're headed up Saturday afternoon and meeting up with some running buddies (a few who have kids) for a pasta dinner. On Sunday morning I take a bus that shuttles all the runners to the start (at a ridiculously early time in the morning) but the finish is right by our hotel so Jon and the kids can meander out after a leisurely breakfast.

Staying on the running theme, this week was the lottery for the New York Marathon. It's crazy hard to get into although you get in automatically on the 4th year. I had plans to run the Twin Cities Marathon later this year so I wasn't too disappointed not to get in. Next year I'm planning to run New York...if I don't get in by lottery than I may get a charity spot where you agree to raise a certain amount of money in exchange for automatic entry. Anyone out there want to join me in NY next year?

Our first easter bunny...

Family pose with the big bunny. Except for Jon who is an old pro with the bunny, Spencer, Shoshi and I formally met our first easter bunny. Shoshi was a little freaked out but recovered well!

We hope everyone had a great Easter (or just plain 'ole Sunday!). We spent the morning with friends at a brunch at the club where the kids go to school. We went with two other families that both have girls in Spency's class and had a really great time. We then all came home and took a nap.

It's so much fun watching Spencer play with his buddies. He's always been a bit of a ladies man at school and lately Laurel (to his left on the picture above) has been his main squeeze. He moves into the preschool 2 room tomorrow and leaves behind Laurel for a few weeks but returns to Emma (his original girlfriend dating way back to the infant 2 room!) who moved up a few weeks ago!

Go Rockies!

Our first Rockies game of the year was extra special - Jon's mom and stepfather came to visit last weekend and we surprised them with Rockies tickets. Don had a big birthday (happy birthday, Don!) and he loves the Cubbies, who happened to be playing the Rockies at Coors Field. Great game and a fun weekend with family. Spencer got into the action with his Rockies hat, clothes and big floppy finger. He even met Dinger the mascot (from afar...we weren't in the mood to stand on the line that wrapped all around the outfield).



This was Shoshi's first official Rockies game!

Four = the number of runs the Rockies scored in the 8th inning to pull ahead for the win. Sorry, Don!

Our tired little slugger. It was such a long game and went through their naptime but both kids had a blast!

In other news, I am off today (hooray for closed markets on Good Friday!) so I just got back from taking the kids to the zoo. Spencer had his six month dentist visit this morning and we followed the dentist with a mommy, Spency, Shoshi date at starbucks for coffee (me), muffins and yogurt car-pays (spencer's word for yogurt parfait...he can't say f's and swaps the syllables). There's nothing better than a 75 degree friday with the kids!

We're excited for a relaxing weekend. I have an 8 mile run tomorrow (my first half marathon of the spring is next Sunday so this is finally taper time). I've been struggling with lower back pain so I'm not sure how the race will go, but I'm hoping to feel good by next week. Then we're going to a brunch on Sunday with some friends to celebrate bunnies (and everything else you celebrate when overeating and drinking mimosas with friends and family on Easter!). Speaking of which, happy Passover and Easter to everyone.

Wednesday morning....

I can't believe it's Wednesday already. I sat down to pay a few bills before a run and hopped on my blog which motivated this quick update. All my friends bailed this morning on joining me so I'm going a few minutes later (what a treat to head out and hit a few minutes of daylight yet still be home when everyone is still sleeping!).

Yesterday morning was a tough speedwork. It was a half mile hill that gained 200 feet and I ran up (and down) it 5 times. Then it was off to work, then to the doctor to get Shoshana her one year shots (finally...her visit was about 2 months ago and she was sick so she couldn't get them then) and to check out Spencer's ears since he woke up saying he had an ear infection (he did not...he's fine). Shoshi screamed for about two minutes and then was fine after Spencer gave her a lollipop (that's my girl!). We got home, Spencer played doctor for a few minutes and I was off to a city council meeting to give a presentation and get a bond issue approved (which they did, part one of two). Thankully Spencer was still up watching his new favorite movie the Incredibles and I crashed about the same time he did!

Here are a few pictures I never posted from my parents' visit in February.

Now...off for my run. Have a great Wednesday.

Pirates...

Spencer found a television show he will finally sit still for...Jake and the Neverland Pirates. Jon and I also get a kick out of it. So when we took him to the pirate exhibit at the museum yesterday he couldn't wait to explore and look for a pirate key and Captain Hook! With my new point and shoot it's so much easier for me to drop my camera and my bag and bring it along for a random photo op. I'm loving that little critter, although I just deleted 700 pictures from the last month. It will take me another month to go through them all, but in the meantime, enjoy our little pirate...

One other feature I just found on the blog...I can add you to a list that sends out a note (presumably an Email) every time there is a post. Let me know if you would like to be added to that list (you can drop me an Email separately or post a note on the blog).

Happy Monday!

Guess what I just learned...

You can sign up to receive an update when I post a new blog entry. Go to the bottom of the page and click "Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)". You will then be the first to know of all our exciting happenings... ...such as an update on our weekend adventures.

Yesterday was 85 degrees and an active day. My run was a really tough 14 miler that gained 1,000 feet of elevation. Fun times! Then Shoshi and I went to a birthday party while the boys stayed home and relaxed. Last night we took the kids out to dinner (I was craving a big bowl of queso after my run) and I finally bought a garmin for my car. I'm hoping Jon will set it up me...hint hint. Today is a different story. It's 50 degrees colder and snowing (no joke). We took the kids to the museum of nature and science where they have a pirate exhibit. We saw a friend of Spency's from daycare there (and I did prenatal yoga with Abby's mom and have been friendly with ever since) which made it extra fun for us.

Now we're hanging around and enjoying what's left of the weekend. I took a few pics at the pirate exhibit I was going to upload but Shoshi is throwing cheerios at the dog so that will have to wait! Have a great night.

What a week...

This is definitely one week I am glad has passed by (which I don't say very often) and I am so glad Saturday morning has come.

Yesterday I had to take a securities exam (the Series 63) after the firm hired a new compliance officer and realized none of us had this required license. The info relates not at all to stuff I know from working in the investment banking world (which I have now done for about ten years, so it would have been nice to have known at least one question from that experience). So I had to study...a lot. And of course this had to be the week Jon was out of town. The good news...I passed my test, Jon came home and met me for a celebratory lunch yesterday with the kiddos still in school and the weekend is here and life is good. Hooray!

So now onto the best part of the week - hanging with Spencer and Shoshana. What a fun time to get to spend time alone with them (of course we all missed Jon!). Shoshi is walking everywhere and talking a lot (ie dah dah dah dah dah). She loves playing with Spencer and it's so much fun to watch them laugh together. In the car the other day Spencer said "mommy...stop talking to me...I am talking to Shoshi".

I still have some picture downloading to do from our trip but in the meantime here's one more of the four of us that I found.

I'm off for the "Parker run" with my group - today is a 14 miler that is nothing but big hills. Last time I ran this route I ran 20 miles and it gained 1400 feet of elevation. Then we're off to a birthday party for a friend I work with's little guy turning one and then a very big nap is in store for me!

Have a great weekend.