HARRIS HAPPENINGS

Humble Pie, I mean Toes

2011-01-03T20:47:00.005-06:00

So I have pretty cute feet. I've often marveled at this photo at my cute little piggies (I'm in the middle). OK, I'll say it, maybe I've even been smug. I like my toe polish, I like my toe ring, and I like my flip flop tan line. I even like the perfect little separation between my big toe and my second toe. Well, I did. Recently I started to notice pain in the joint of my big toe. This caused me to look at my foot and to my surprise, not only was my big toe bending toward my second toe, but there was a huge bulge on the side. Know what I'm talking about? If not, scroll down. Daringly, I documented it here.

YIKES, right? Nasty lookin' thing! (Sorry for the state of the rest of my toes. I was instructed to remove my toe nail polish.) Out of frustration I took myself to the podiatrist and was quickly schooled on the lovely hereditary condition of bunions. So I have a bunion? Seriously? I'm 38! Evidently, a lot of people suffer from this unsightly condition, but no action is taken unless there is pain involved. Well shoot--I'm in THAT category! The fix? SURGERY. That's right....surgery. Seems like a stupid little thing to require surgery. But this STUPID little surgery requires them the make a 4" incision, shave off excess bone, insert 2 screws into the toe bone and close. Ouch! I probably would have put this surgery off indefinitely but since I already had a surgery in January 2010, this one would be free. All pain aside, FREE is my language!

So, here I am days after surgery. Just for the record, this is about all I'm looking at these days.

The recovery bites! 24 hours elevation and ice, 1 week limited walking, 1 month walking with my lovely new assistant--the surgical shoe, and then 1 more month in an athletic shoe--and I don't suppose that's requested for running. So I wait. I'll let you know how this thing turns out. (Or not, I definitely DON'T have the best track record for keeping up with my blog. But for now, I'm a captive audience.)

Persistent Fisherman

2010-04-16T22:22:00.005-05:00

So we went to Texas for spring break. Scratch went. DROVE. We DROVE to Texas for spring break. We went to visit my dad at his place near Tyler. The boys were suffering from withdrawals from their PS3 and were forced to explore their grandad's farm. They decided to try their luck at fishing. John loaded up all three kids and took them to the fishin' pond. (It's hilarious to hear him tell the story--the kids kept him busy baiting hooks, untangling lines, repairing fishing poles and the like. Not quite the reflective fishing trip you might imagine.) Halle and Grayson soon tired of the exercise and John brought them to the house. Parker was told that he could stay and fish until "dark." (I love the world with no time.) Around "dark" I sent Grayson to fetch Parker. When they finally came back, Parker was proudly carrying the fish he'd caught. I was so impressed with his persistence!

Needless to say, Parker was so energized by his catch that he said he wanted to go fishing again the next morning. It required an early wake-up, and honestly, I thought that he'd roll right back over after his grandad woke him up. But, to everyone's surprise, he got up and went fishing. As the rest of us were finally getting out of bed, Parker came back from the fishing pond with his catch of the day......a 10 LB BASS!!

Wow! What a catch! I think I'd pay a million bucks to have seen him pull that thing out of the water. He was using a broken pole with a 8 pound line. He also told me that instead of reeling the fish in he sort of just backed up to get the thing on land. Getting it into the bucket was an experience all on its own. I don't know how he pulled this off, but to his credit, he did!

Here is Parker and his grandad posing with the fish. Evidently it's quite a trophy as we are getting the thing mounted--all 10 pounds and 27 inches of it. Stay tuned until next fall to see it mounted. (The taxidermist in White House, TX, was quite backed up. And that's a story entirely in and of itself.)

Donor

2009-11-18T21:11:00.002-06:00

Wow! I opened my blog and am amazed that there have been NO posts since April 2009. I guess that's what happens when I don't write about anything. I've actually been thinking about things to post and none of them seem that exciting.....until now!

I signed up to be a bone marrow donor. I hope I'm a match. We've been studying in Sunday school and small group about topics revolving around giving.....of our resources, our time, and our money. So I hope I'm a match for someone...and that God will be glorified because of it.

In the meantime, I guess I'll go rake the neighbor's yard. (Jeff, too bad I moved, right? But just think, if you ever find yourself needing some marrow, maybe I can help you there.)

Halle's first soccer game!

2009-04-18T23:33:00.002-05:00

Coach Dan is reminding the girls which way they are going!

Whoa! Halle dribbled all the way down the field!

Kicking the ball in

Takin' a little break!

A celebratory ice cream cone at Tate's for a great, well-played first game!

Random pictures from Easter Break

2009-04-18T23:16:00.005-05:00

Rebecca and Jen

Kaylor took to Grayson immediately. She wanted to be right beside him. If she could have crawled inside his skin I think she would have! He was so sweet to her. He held her while he played on the computer.

At mealtime, Kaylor had to sit on the bench by Grayson.

Here's Johnny earning his Uncle (& Daddy) title!

Kaylor and Halle were drawing together with Johnny.

Hudson was content to play with the "horseeeee" in the barn....

....that is until the dolls and strollers came out......

Kaylor with all the babies.

I think out of everyone, Bella had the best time! She really built a relationship with Hudson! She doesn't share her doggie bed with just anyone!

What a great time we all had!

Easter 2009

2009-04-12T23:00:00.001-05:00

Harris Family Easter Photo

Let the hunt begin.....

Above: Parker and Hudson

Below: Kaylor

Parker and Grayson searching the shrubs for eggs

Looks like Halle's on to something....

Sweet little Hudson

Papa helps Kaylor and Hudson with their baskets

The hunters show off their loot!

The sweetest one-year old faces you'll ever see!

Becca, thanks for sharing your adorable children with us on Easter. We were so glad to meet them for the first time!

New Visitors to Wheaton!

2009-04-12T22:49:00.001-05:00

We had a houseful of guests for Easter! Jen's parents: Judi and Chalmer Wiegman came from Dalhart along with Rebecca (Jen's brother A.J.'s wife) and their two children, Kaylor and Hudson.

Sweet Kaylor crashed on the way home from church. She slept right through our Easter pictures AND even through lunch!

Easter pics in the yard.

Poor Baby Hudson fell asleep after his big Easter lunch and after talking to his Daddy on the phone.

See more Easter fun photos under the Easter 2009 post.

Seriously?

2009-04-06T22:45:00.001-05:00

Photo take 4/6/2009. I'm looking on the bright side. The last winter storm of 2009 was one day earlier than last year (I hope!) If this trend continues, by the time I'm 76 years old, winter will be over by March.

Thomthin'th Mithin'

2009-03-24T22:28:00.002-05:00

Halle lost her first tooth!

Luckily, she has watched her brothers loose teeth for years and so she knew JUST what to do with her tooth. Into the tooth pillow it went!

And behind her pillow as well.

A toothless grin awaiting the Tooth Fairy....

......which earned her 5 bucks!

She has decided that loosing teeth is quite lucrative. She's already lost another one and two more loose! Looks like the Tooth Fairy might have to get a second job!

The New Crue

2009-03-07T22:11:00.002-06:00

Just wanted to let you know that there is a new band in town.

Members include: Grayman on the guitar

Brianna-Rock on the drums

Halle Jane Pink Pants as the dancer

Bella and the stuffed animal crew as the audience

And a special guest appearance from Johnny Ringo!

Tickets on sale NOW! Don't miss it!

A Girl and Her Dog

2009-02-27T19:09:00.000-06:00

Halle Riding

2009-02-19T13:53:00.000-06:00

Halle takes horseback riding as party of her weekly therapy. It is great for her to grasp the reins, and it takes strength for her to pull the reins to her hip to steer the horse--especially on the right side. Her regular physical and occupational therapists at the hospital have commented on how much the horse-back riding has helped her. It simulates her own walking and she has to learn to sit tall and straight and also hold her core in the center as the horse shifts right to left. She also gains strength by posting (standing) and keeping her balance as the horse moves. Best thing is she LOVES it! She would make my daddy proud.

Chef Halle

2009-02-11T01:46:00.002-06:00

Halle got an apron and cookie kit for her birthday so we decided to make them. Kinderbear helped us.

Mixing it all up!

Placing them on the pan.

Would've been great if I had taken a picture of her EATING the cookies, but hindsight is always 20/20. I will tell you, though, they were YUMMY!

Halle's 6th Birthday Party

2009-02-10T22:20:00.001-06:00

Halle entertaining her guests with song at Twinkle Teas

Halle blowing out her candle

Madame Halle

Darby, Alie, and Emma in the puppet show

Madame Halle getting her nails done

All of the princesses!

Halle's 6th Birthday

2009-02-10T21:38:00.000-06:00

Evidently, she takes after her mother with a love for the weather!

Guess who will play soccer this spring?

The birthday girl after school.

Trying out her new bike in the spring-like weather!

When Halle was almost three I did a scrapbook page that asked the following questions:

When you're 3 will you still....

Watch Dora non-stop?
Suck your thumb and hold lovie?
Want everything to be pink?
Let Mommy rock you?
Be my girl?

Now at 6, wanna know the answers?

She's watching Dora right now, although she doesn't watch it non-stop
Lovie has been confiscated although she STILL sucks her thumb at night
Pink is ok, but she'll tell you that BABY BLUE is her new favorite color
The rocking chair is long gone although I suspect she'd still let me rock her if it were around
There's NO DOUBT she's my girl!

Wicked!

2009-01-21T21:32:00.000-06:00

Parker, Halle and I went to see Wicked in downtown Chicago. We all loved it!

Wicked was in it's last days after playing for years in Chicago. Johnny and I saw the show last year with his parents, and Parker and Halle had been asking to see it ever since. When we heard it was on it's way out, how could we not take them? It's awesome to live in Chicago and have access to such wonderful musicals.

You might wonder where our third child was through all of this? Let's just say that Wicked wasn't on the top of Grayson's list. He and Johnny will be attending a sporting event instead! Hopefully a Cubs game when the warmth returns.

Weather Report 1/16/09

2009-01-16T23:26:00.000-06:00

Months ago I was advised to stop blogging about the weather. Now it has been brought to my attention that without the weather blogs Wheaton Harris 5 has become, well, stale. Can't argue with that. It's just that the nay-sayers took the wind out of my sails when then put a stop to the weather blogs. See what happens? I think some people should just be happy to hear from me.....at all.

SO, WELCOME to the return of the weather blogs. I thought I'd start off with something dramatic. Take a look at THAT outdoor temp as registered on my satellite clock. Wanna move to Chicago anyone?

Grayson's 9th birthday

2009-01-10T21:15:00.001-06:00

Grayson had his party at Brunswick Zone with 49 of his closest friends.

He enjoyed his Baskin Robbins ice cream cake. Perfect for the blizzard that was taking place outside.

I think he gets his great bowling form from me.

Joey, Zak, Quinn, Parker and Jordan having a good time.

The whole birthday party crew.

Can't believe that next year he'll be in the double-digit range!

A Look at our Christmas

2008-12-25T22:32:00.000-06:00

The kids opening their stockings.

Bella awoke to a new bed, a new rawhide bone and a new rope toy! She was in her element!

The Dog from the North

2008-12-24T13:13:00.004-06:00

Bella loves the snow! I thought she would be a princess and gingerly step into the snow to do her business. Nope! She thinks she's a snow plow. She heads straight into the snow nose down. She LOVES it!

She would stay outside for hours if I would let her.

At least her coat looks warm.

The only draw-back is what you find UNDERNEATH the snow dog when she comes back in. Unless I get the blow dryer after her or rinse her in warm water, she will melt all over the house. Silly dog!

Christmas Photos for Aunt Doris

2008-12-23T08:50:00.003-06:00

Johnny's Aunt Doris asked for some pictures of our house at Christmas. I had taken some of the kids a few weeks ago while trying to get a picture for our Christmas cards. Here are a few that didn't make the cut!

Parker on the upstairs landing

Parker in front of our new tall, skinny tree.

Grayson in front of the back window revealing our winter wonderland!

Parker, Grayson and Halle hiding our skinny tree.

Me and my sweetie. We used this picture in our card. Don't ask....I mailed them late....it should be coming!

Sweet Halle under the stockings that Nana made.

Grayson by his favorite Christmas things...the nutcrackers.

Halle Jane

Halle and cousin Chatlie at the American Girl store in Chicago. Nana treated us girls to a lovely Christmas dinner along with Alyssa and Molly (Halle and Chatlie's AG dolls.)

Sorry for the "posed" pictures Aunt Doris, but I hope this gives you an idea of what Christmas looks like at our house. I'll try to take some more candid shots and post them for you. Have a VERY Merry Christmas!

Friends

2008-12-23T08:15:00.003-06:00

Jen, Helen & Wendy

Meet two of my very best Wheaton friends, Helen and Wendy. Our families have spent a lot time together over the last year, and the three of us have been meeting on Tuesday mornings to do Beth Moore Bible studies. I am thankful for good friends!

Dangers of the Ice and Snow

2008-12-21T21:59:00.005-06:00

You've probably noticed that I haven't been blogging lately. It's either because I haven't found much blog-worthy or I've been too busy to notice stuff that should go on the blog. At any rate, something blog-worth DID happen today and I have time to post it! And you'll be thrilled to know that it's about my very most FAVORITE topic-----the weather!

I should've known that it was going to be a bad day. When you wake up and the temperature gauge says -9 degrees nothing good can come from it. We had no business being out of the house, but of course we had to go to Grayson's first indoor soccer game of the season. We all loaded up in the van and were on the highway when all of a sudden there was a loud CRASH, a hard SMACK and I was cold and wet.

And there you have it. A very large sheet of ice came off of the roof of the van in front of us and went right through our windshield (and notice the lovely dents in the roof). At first I was just shocked at the ability of snow from a car to smash through our windshield, but we quickly assessed that no one was hurt and were so thankful that the ice hit where it did. A few inches to the left and it would have hit Johnny, and few inches to the right and it would have hit me. A few inches lower and it could've blown the whole windshield. I am feeling God's protection at this very moment!

The inside of our van is covered with ice and glass. Although a lot of the windshield remained in-tact, lots of tiny pieces of glass adhered to the ice particles from the snow ball and are now littered all throughout our van. You can't touch one without the other.

We were close enough to Gray's game that we continued our journey. The front desk provided us with a roll of duct tape, and it did the trick. (Is there NOTHING that duct tape can't fix?) Needless to say, it was a very chilly ride home, but we made it. The car is still a mess....who wants to vacuum up icy glass chips when it's still below zero? None of us. We headed for the fireplace to thaw out. I think we'll just stay home until it warms up to double digits. The high today was supposed to be 5, but I don't think it made it. Tomorrow will be better. It's supposed to get up to 9....positive 9....18 degrees warmer than today. Yippee.

The Polar Express

2008-12-13T21:21:00.004-06:00

All aboard! We took the kids on a trip to the North Pole via the Polar Express (aka the Metra Train.)

It was super cold outside but felt GREAT inside the train.

Nana and Granddaddy (and Bitty Baby) got to go with us, too!

The kids got sugar cookies and chocolate milk.

Halle enjoyed cuddling on Daddy's lap while listening to the Polar Express story.

We took several family pictures, but Halle and I looked the best in this one! It's hard to get 5 people looking great in one photo!

When we arrived at the North Pole, guess who we picked up? Who knew??

After our train ride, Santa met us at Starbuck's for coffee.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Halle's First Ever Angel Party

2008-12-09T20:32:00.002-06:00

Ten little angels joined Halle for her first Angel Party--a tradition that my sister, Andrea, started when her girls were little. When Andrea moved to Houston, she mailed me her Angel Party box and urged me to get started with Halle. How could I refuse? The girls were all so cute dressed up in their wings and halos!

Each Angel brought and angel ornament for the gift exchange. It was fun to see all the unique ornaments--no two were alike.

After decorating pizza angels with sauce, pepperoni and cheese, the girls decorated angel-shaped sugar cookies. Here are Halle, Kelly and Kelsey in the various stages of decorating (and tasting!)

The girls also made several angel crafts--they decorated their wings, made an angel ornament and also an angel bracelet. Craft-time was very busy, and I was so blessed that my bonus parents were here (John and Jane Harris) to help me accomplish this! They were such a HUGE help!

I can't wait for Halle's Angel Party next year! What fun!

A Vicious Cycle

2008-11-13T22:25:00.004-06:00

It all started during the 2008 Summer Olympics. A small thin line across the bottom of our TV screen. It wasn't that bothersome....and it would come and go.

Fast forward to November 5. I turned on the TV for Halle at lunchtime and our screen had been reduced to a very small box in the middle. And it was sort of slanted. And you couldn't really see the whole picture. I turned the TV off and back on thinking that it would heal itself like it had done with the small thin line. Nope. Not this time. So I waited a day. Then two. Evidently there was to be no self-healing. And I was beginning to miss my TV. I was amused that I NEVER wanted to watch TV during the day....until I COULDN'T. Then I missed it. And Johnny was out of town.

By November 7 we were the proud owners of a brand new high definition (HD) 40" flat screen TV. Nice! But wait a minute. You can't actually USE the HD feature unless you have a HD receiver. I guess we'd better upgrade that. Thanks DirecTV! But now our movies don't look good through our old DVD player. Hmmmm. Better get a Blu Ray player. That'll fix it! And the Blu Ray player is so cool that it can streamline Netflix movies and play lots of them on demand.....but you have to have an internet connection. When our house was built 13 years ago, they didn't think to put a phone jack or a internet connector by the cable jack. Better call the phone company. Oh, and all of the DVD's we own? They look better but not nearly as cool as the Blu Ray DVD's! I guess we will have to replace our movie collection.

As the dust settles on our new purchases I feel like I've been had by a very sophisticated marketing scheme. Or did we do this just to satisfy our want for electronics? Either way, pull up a chair and bring some popcorn....I think we have a new theater.

Halloween

2008-10-31T21:03:00.000-05:00

Parker dressed up like......

.....a pre-teen!

Grayson dressed up like.....
... Indiana Jones!

Halle dressed up like.....

....a little teapot!

We attended our second annual trick-or-treating party at the Larson's joined by the other Harris'. A good time was had by all!

The Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-25T21:13:00.000-05:00

We had a tradition when we lived in Texas to hit the Flower Mound pumpkin patch at some point in October. I'm not sure how it happened, but our first fall in Wheaton did not result in a trip to the patch. My sentence for not making it happen was to endure questions ALL YEAR long about why we didn't go to the pumpkin patch and could we be sure to go this year?

Since we have such beautiful falls, there was no shortage of pumpkin patches. Only, I learned that a lot of the pumpkin farms are also apple orchards. Unfortunately, by the time we had a free weekend to hit the patch (soccer eats up most of our October weekends), the apple-pickin' time was over. So, we settled for the pumpkins only and have decided to go earlier next year so we could pick apples.

I remember complaining that in Texas it was always too warm on pumpkin patch day. I would dress the kids all up in their fall sweaters and they would be sweltering by the time we were finished. They were also always "squinty" because the sun was so bright! What I've learned about Illinois pumpkin patch days is that you don't have to worry about the squinty eyes, but since you have to wear heavy jackets to keep warm, you can't see the fall sweaters. I think I need to create a simulated indoor pumpkin patch for the picture taking!

The kids had a great time wandering through the corn maze.

Although at times, they were stumped on which way to go!

Amber requested some fall foliage picks. Amber this one's for you!

They each picked out the perfect pumpkin....

.....and even got to wash it at the pumpkin washing station.

...To be continued next year. Look for apple pickin' pics!

The Marathon

2008-10-20T22:14:00.002-05:00

Autumn, Janda and I--contemplating the map of the course on October 18. Wow! That's a lot of miles!

On October 20 we stood in front of the same map VICTORIOUS!

Can you say 26.2 AND bust? Bust is what Autumn and I did to our knees as we both ran on injured IT bands. Stinkin' IT bands. You can't run with 'em and you can't run without 'em! After the marathon we were reduced to not moving and icing! It is weird that just hours before we were on our feet running a marathon and by that evening we couldn't have even run around the block!

All in all the marathon was a success. Since I entered the race injured, my goal was to finish. I am happy to report that I achieved my goal. Unfortunately the competitor in me wants a re-do because I'm not happy with my time. In August, uninjured, I ran a 2:06 half-marathon. My time for the full marathon was over 6 hours! I don't know how we endured SIX hours out there, but we did it! But I would love to run the same course healthy and see how I could do.

If I can get my IT bands to cooperate, I think I might run Chicago in 2009 and attempt to beat my pitiful PR (personal record) in 2010. That shouldn't be too hard! And to think I thought that I'd run only ONE marathon......

Time to RUN LIKE A GIRL!

2008-10-17T20:50:00.005-05:00

Janda, Autumn and I arrived in sunny San Francisco today!

Niketown has the name of EVERY runner on their window! Here I am by mine!

Looks like we have a challenge in front of us, but WE WILL CONQUER!

Side Effects of Kindergarten

2008-09-15T22:25:00.003-05:00

This is what happens in the afternoon after a busy morning at Kindergarten. You might just want to curl up with your favorite blanket and take a nap.....most days.

Time to Build an Ark

2008-09-14T21:36:00.000-05:00

It started raining on Friday. Just a light sprinkle. I actually went for a little run after dropping the kids off at school. It was nice and refreshing. After I got home it started raining a bit harder, and harder and then it was pouring. It rained and rained and rained. When we woke up on Saturday morning the ground had already had enough. Even though the rain wasn't coming down hard anymore there still was no place for the new moisture to go. And thus the problems began. We noticed that water was beginning to pool in our backyard. We checked out our front yard and realized we had a situation! The water was completely covering our cul-de-sac and came up in our yard well past the sidewalk. AND IT WAS STILL RAINING!

Parker decided to rescue his soccer goal before it floated down-stream.

This is the view from our house up to the main street. It looked like a lake!

This is the view from our neighbors yard.

While we were fortunate enough not to have water leaking into our basement, that was not the case for everyone on our street. Our neighbors had an issue with rain water filling up their basement window wells causing water to leak into their basement. We spent about an hour and a half dipping buckets of water out of the window wells and depositing the water onto their lawn. It kept the situation at bay, but if you stopped it filled right back up. At one point I feared that we might be doing this all day, and then Reid showed up with a PUMP! He stuck it in the well and voila! all the water was pumped out in a matter of minutes. I'm glad he showed up but was secretly wishing he had made an appearance an hour earlier!

Here were are, looking like drowned rats! But, the basements stayed DRY!

After the boys got the window wells under control, our attention shifted to that of our children. Here you will see water running into our neighbors side yard looking for the french drain. Too bad it didn't realize that the drain had no where to drain to. Everything was so saturated and full that there was no place for the water to go. So what did it do? It created a swimming pool!

The kids got on their swimming suits and blew up the rafts! They had a great time!

Luckily the water levels went down by the end of the day. We had quite a parade of city vehicles on our street working to get this situation under control. Hopefully they will find the root of the problem and can fix it so that this doesn't happen the next time we get a big rain. Although the kids are likely to be disappointed, our basements will appreciate it!

New Shoes

2008-09-13T21:09:00.000-05:00

Meet the Saucony Hurricanes--my new running shoes.

Only they don't really seem new! See, they're my second pair of the same shoe. I bought my first pair in May and I have officially worn them out. I ran hundreds of miles in them. Lately I noticed that my arches were hurting while running. I also felt that the arches seemed much higher than when I bought them. That was strange because I never owned a pair of shoes that grew taller arches.

Can you tell which ones are new and which ones have been with me for hundreds of miles?

Upon closer investigation I realized that the arches in my shoes hadn't grown, but instead I had worn the outsides of the heels completely out. This made the outsides slant down making it feel as though the arches were tall.

So, since it's getting close to the race, I decided I'd better go ahead and replace my old friends and get a new pair just like 'em so I can get them nice and broken in before the big day. I wonder how many miles they will go?

Great-teen

2008-09-11T19:28:00.006-05:00

Two weeks after the Sweet 16 disaster I was scheduled to run 18 miles.....on the same course. Have any idea how bad that can psyche you out? It's hard enough to run 18 miles anyway, but a bad attitude can certainly make it worse. I have spent the two weeks following the "Stinky 16" telling myself that it was all about the weather. "Really, I'm prepared to run 18 miles. I can do it. It won't be 92 with 70% humidity on the lakefront again. I love to run. This is good for me. I can do this. This is nothing compared to cancer treatments. Just be glad you can run at all!" Quite a mantra, eh?

Well, it worked! I ran EIGHTEEN MILES and even felt GREAT afterwards!!!

My week didn't actually start off that great. Parker had come down with a cold/sinus issue and it seemed like the whole family picked it up right away. I felt so lousy on Monday and Tuesday that I didn't even think about running. Ok, well, I thought about it, but they weren't pleasant thoughts! On Thursday I woke up to find that my husband didn't go to work. His throat hurt too badly. Can I just say that he's probably missed work only 2 times since we've been married because of sickness? Darn it! We were all sick. I made an appointment for him and thought, "what the heck, I'll make one for me, too!"

My doctor decided that I either had a virus that an antibiotic wouldn't fix or walking pneumonia. It seems to me that there is a lot of play in-between those two things so I pushed for the drugs pulling the ol', "I'm running 18 miles on Saturday and I need to be healthy" bit. It worked. I left with a script for a Z-pack. My husband didn't fare as well. He got a pat on the back and was told to buy some over the counter meds to manage the symptoms. I told him he should've tried the running 18 miles thing.....

Although I still wasn't sure WHAT was wrong with me, I knew one thing for certain.....running would not make me feel better. So I sat, on my rear, all week. I had no idea what was going to happen when I attempted to run 18 miles on Saturday, but I knew I wasn't going to miss it. Running somewhat sick with a large group of people is WAAAAY better than running days later, a bit healthier ALONE! So off I went to run.

The first thing I did was find my stopwatch, aka Isaac. I had determined to run 8 minutes and walk 1 1/2 minutes from the start. And, off we went--Isaac, Jim and Jen. At first my lungs hurt.....you know....from my walking pneumonia and all. But then I settled into a rhythm and realized that it was just the cold air that I was breathing. (It was around 58-60 degrees when we started out and was maybe 68 when we finished. I think the humidity was somewhere around ZERO!) Maybe it was only a virus after all. The pneumonia sounded a lot more serious. It's one thing to run 18 miles, but to run 18 miles with walking pneumonia, well, we need a new adjective for that!

But seriously, all in all for feeling lousy all week and NOT RUNNING OR EXERCISING ONE TIME since the 12-miler the Saturday before, I felt pretty good. I'm sure the 4 motrin I took pre-run assisted this!!

It was hard to stop after that first 8 minutes, but I kept reminding myself that it would pay off in the end. We went through this cycle and found that the first hour just slipped right by....and we all felt great. We weren't in a big hurry, but we kept a steady pace. If we needed to stop for water, we stopped for water, but we didn't linger long.....not like on the 16-miler. And we didn't even stop at every water stop. It was a fantastic run.

I felt great until about mile 14, and then my legs really began to ache--my knees especially. I fought through another mile but then it became increasing hard to do the 8 minutes of running without any stopping! There were 2 or 3 segments that I could go only 6 or 6 1/2 minutes without the walk break. Jim stayed with me although I think he could have continued running. Isaac had hit "the wall" at about mile 14 and he ended up lagging way behind. I guess the few segments of shortened running helped, because on the last two sets I was able to run the full 8 minutes, all the while increasing my pace. I always like to finish a run strong! A just like that, the 18-miler was finished. Even with walking we averaged under a 10-minute mile pace! And as a side-note, we finished before a pair of other runners that started out with us but surged on as we took our first walk-break. They told me afterwards that they ran the whole thing and didn't walk once--except at the water and bathroom breaks. I agree, this is impressive, but if I can keep up with them....and even finish a few minutes before them with the walk breaks, then I'm all about the walk breaks! This spurred me on in the latter miles....I know I can do anything for just 8 minutes!

After the 16-miler there were massage tables set up and Athletico supplied people to stretch us out. I looked very hard and did not see any tables this week. Bummer. I ran two miles farther and no stretching? I was on my own. Not an easy task, and I definitely didn't do as good a job. Also, after the 16-miler I had a massage. Didn't happen after the 18-miler. I hadn't scheduled an appointment, and after I got home Parker had a soccer game. I thought I'd just let it slide since the run went so much better. BAD DECISION! I paid for that all week! Massage after long run=less sore muscles. Remember that!

I was very tired after I got home on Saturday mostly because I got up at 5 am to get all the way downtown for a 7 am start. My head started hurting a bit so I thought a nap would be helpful. I slept only 30 minutes or so and woke up with my head pounding! Rats. I went to Parker's game despite my headache. Another bad decision. I was caught somewhere between a horrible sinus headache and a migraine. Fearing that the walking pneumonia was "all in my head" I realized that I had probably been suffering from a sinus infection that was severely angry with me for plodding on the pavement for just inside of three hours. And it took it's revenge. I can no longer say that I have never thrown up from a headache! I went to bed at 6:30 pm and didn't get up until after 7 the next morning....headache gone!

I didn't attempt to run again until Tuesday evening. I was scheduled to run only 20 minutes, and my left knee hurt with every step. Here it is Thursday evening and I haven't run since. Maybe I'll go for a run in the morning. I think my sinuses are under control and I have a knee brace that I've been wearing for long runs. Looks like I'll have to incorporate it into my short runs as well. It's funny to me that my now short runs used to be my long runs!

So, what was different between the 16 and the 18? I've thought about this a lot. The only things that were different were: 1) I remembered to take 4 motrin before the 18 2) taking the whole week off from running before the 18 3) adopting the walk/run 4) the temperature and humidity. This is what I think about the differences: 1) Even 4 motrin didn't kill the pain come mile 14 2) I took the week off but I was sick! 3) the run walk no doubt helped me feel better and finish strong 4) THE HUMIDITY! There's no nice way to say it....the humidity sucks! And it made EVERYONE have a stinky run. Everyone struggled with the 16, and most finished the 18 without a hitch. I'm praying for nice weather on October 19!

Now I have a 12-miler to look forward to on Saturday at the Prairie Path, and then I will be back at the lakefront for the 20-miler. This will be my longest training run before the marathon. We will begin to taper our training until the event. I KNOW I will be ready! I LOVE TO RUN!

Sweet 16 Aftermath

2008-09-01T19:00:00.001-05:00

The aftermath of the sweet 16 was not nearly as bad as the event itself. Thanks to my wonderful massage (kudos to you, Nancy!), I was hardly sore from the 16 mile disastrous run. The next week went just fine and I followed my training schedule perfectly.

Saturday I met my group out at Waterfall Glen to run just 12 miles. Shoot. That's nothin'! And the run proved great! I ran the first 8 miles literally without stopping. I noticed something odd, though. One of the people that I usually run with, Isaac, had decided after the disastrous 16 mile long run that he needed to adopt a run/walk strategy if he was going to make it through the long distance runs. Up until this point we had all just been, well, running. So, when we started off on our 12 mile trek, Isaac set his watch and stopped after the first 8 minutes to speed walk for a minute and a half. Well, I wasn't stopping! My heart rate wasn't even up yet and we hadn't even rounded the first mile! So I kept going....and so did the rest of our little group.

I slowed down at the first water stop to take off my shirt (luckily I was wearing a tank top underneath!) and Isaac blew past me. No biggie. But I spent the rest of the first 8 miles trying to catch up to him! He stopped for a water break at mile 8, and that is the ONLY reason I finally caught him. At this point I had run 8 miles non-stop at a pretty decent clip and had just completed the hilly part of the course. Running 8 minutes and walking 1 1/2 minutes sounded quite enticing....especially since Isaac was keeping his pace ahead of me.....so I joined in.

The last 4 miles went by very quickly, and with all of the energy I saved during my little walk-breaks I was able to run in the last portion at about an 8 minute mile. Not bad considering I just completed 12 miles. And, we finished before the rest of our group. I am now sold on the run-walk theory....especially in the aftermath of the Sweet 16. And, changing my strategy gives me the opportunity to say that the 18-miler will be different...even if everything else remains the same.

It's that time again......

2008-08-25T21:11:00.000-05:00

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

All three of them traipsed off to school this year. With Halle starting Kindergarten I will now have a whole 3 hours to myself five mornings a week! What will I do with my time? (Probably run!)

They all looked so grown up walking to school.

Parker is in 5th grade, Grayson is in 3rd grade, and Halle, of course is in Kindergarten.

Halle Jane on her first day of Kindergarten! She has been ready to go to school with her brothers for years! I'm so glad for her that the day FINALLY came!

I'm going to miss my little buddy, though! At least we can still go to lunch!

Jen's Newly Redecorated Scrapbook Room

2008-08-24T16:33:00.004-05:00

Thanks to my in-laws, my scrapbook room is ready for business! Here are some pics:

Watch for more memories to come!!!!!!!!!!

Sweet 16?

2008-08-24T08:03:00.010-05:00

I think NOT!

Yesterday I ran my first 16 miles, aka sweet 16. Less than halfway in I decided that there wasn't really anything sweet about it. I've been cruising through my training, working hard, but not really bumping up against anything that felt un-doable.....until this.

I made it through about 6 miles, stopping for a few water breaks but not walking. But at mile 6 I couldn't stand it anymore. And neither could the group of 4-5 others that I was running with. We stopped to walk, ate some fuel (gu's, gels, sport beans, luna moons--all shots of sugar and electrolytes to replace the carbs our bodies burn through while running.) Starting back up was tough, but we did it. But, I found that we were just exhausted and needed frequent walk breaks. I looked at my watch at one point and we were 11 miles in and had been running for 2 hours and 30 minutes. What was so weird is that my whole group had run the CDC (half-marathon) 2 weeks earlier in around 2 hours and 10 minutes. Here we were, less miles in, more time on the clock, and not really wanting to run any further.

Want to know what the difference was? My FAVORITE topic...THE WEATHER! When I got up for the CDC it was in the 50's. I actually wore my sweatshirt to the race and shivered after I put it in the coat check area until the race started. Once I started running, and the sun continued to come up, the weather was beautiful and in the low 60's. At times there was a cool breeze blowing off of the lake. It was awesome running weather. But yesterday? Not so much. I remember looking at the temperature gauge as I was leaving the house and it said 71....and it was 5:45 a.m. I quickly decided to leave my coat behind. I stepped outside and realized that it was a balmy, steamy 71. Yuck. I hoped for the best thinking that it's usually cooler on the lakefront.

We didn't get our running mission underway until around 7:30. By then the sun was BLAZING, the humidity was high, and I was sweating by mile 2. And thus the struggle began. Did I really just say only 14 more miles to go? I'm glad to report that we all finished, but it took us 3 hours, 10 minutes and 7 seconds. Once I stopped running, I was immediately stiff. I sat down to stretch, and learned that it would be a stretch just to get back up! Lucky for us, Athletico was there at the ready with tables set up on the lawn stretching people out. If it weren't for them, I fear I would still be sitting on the sidewalk.

It was an extremely uncomfortable ride back to the suburbs. My legs hurt so bad I could hardly stand to sit there. The only thing that kept me going was the massage appointment that I had at 1:30. And let me tell 'ya, never before has a massage felt so good and been so deserved! Nancy has magic fingers. I got off that table feeling like a new woman! Seriously, the soreness was gone and I walked away without a limp.

This morning I was watching a little news and learned a few things. First of all, the temps topped out at 92 yesterday. For those of you that reside in Texas, 92 is not that big of deal. I'm used to 106, right? Well, right, but 92 with Illinois humidity is no doubt just as bad as or worse than the 106 heat in Dallas. I scoffed at those that told me Chicago was humid. I now take that back. I also learned that though the temps were 92, THEY WERE HIGHER ON THE LAKEFRONT. My theory of cooler on the lakefront only holds when it's COOL! And, to top it all off, air quality was poor. Not good for runners. Oxygen can't get to the muscles and they lock up.

I guess it's good to have a bad run every now and then. It teaches you to listen to your body and to fine tune mistakes that you may have made during the week leading up to a long run. I'm blaming a lot on the weather here, but did I properly hydrate? Did I eat enough salt? Carbs? Probably not. I definitely paid closer attention to what I did before the CDC since it was a race and not a training event. Trust me, I'm paying better attention now. I have to get through an 18-miler and a 20-miler yet before the big 26.2.

This pain also reminds me why I'm running this distance. Sure, I like the idea of completing a marathon, but this has become more about The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and all that they stand for as well. I remind myself that chemo treatments are a whole lot worse than running a few miles in the heat and humidity.

But do you know what I love about Chicago? Hot weather doesn't stick around long. Guess what happened overnight? A cold front came through, dropped the temperature into the low 60's and sent the humidity away. AND, the news reported that temps are COOLER on the lakefront. Today is a beautiful day to run! Sweet 16 anyone?

13.35? Hold on now....

2008-08-13T22:18:00.003-05:00

Guess what I learned today at my track workout? The distance for the CDC (Chicago Distance Classic) was measured incorrectly. A half-marathon is 13.1 miles, but it seems that they made everyone run and extra quarter of a mile! No wonder I was so tired. It's not the first 13 miles that kills, it's the last .35.

Just because I can, I will make some changes to my official time. Running 13.35 miles in 2 hours, 8 minutes and 42 seconds equates to a 9 minute and 38 second mile. Running an average of 9 minutes and 38 seconds per mile for the ACTUAL 13.1 miles of a half-marathon creates a new and more accurate time of 2 hours, 6 minutes and 11 seconds. Looky there, I already beat my first PR!

13.1

2008-08-10T07:42:00.001-05:00

CHICAGO DISTANCE CLASSIC

Half Marathon Finisher

I have to tell you that this running thing has taken me even farther than I ever thought I could go! I think back to last December when I started running on my treadmill to combat all the sweets I was eating over the holidays, and now I've run a half marathon. (Strange thing is, after all the miles I've run, I still haven't lost any weight. That's not right--or fair!)

So was it hard? I guess I would have to say it was challenging but do-able. I found that my lung capacity was good meaning I wasn't breathing hard, but my legs were very tired and my arches hurt. I was definitely ready to see the finish line!

One has to wonder.....if I wasn't breathing hard, could I have run faster? Probably. But, with this being my first half-marathon, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I think just finishing was more important than scoring a good finishing time, so I was afraid to run too hard for fear of dying in the end and having to crawl across the finish line! Plus, since this was my first half-marathon, I knew that no matter what my finishing time was it would be a PR (personal record). Looking back, I think I could have pushed myself a little bit more. But now I have a time to beat: 2 hours, 8 minutes and 42 seconds. (For those of you keeping score at home, I ran 13.1 miles at an average pace of 9 minutes and 49 seconds per mile.) They say that no matter when you start running that you can improve for 10 years. I guess my times at 46 will shatter my current PR's!

Below are some pictures with my teammates from Team in Training. It was AWESOME to run wearing my PURPLE Leukemia & Lymphoma Society jersey! The crowd goes crazy when you go by! It was really encouraging. And it helped me remember every step of the way that my pain was nothing compared to what those with cancer experience! I thanked God for good health and running ability (and prayed that he would carry me through to the finish line! He is faithful!!)

Until next time......

A Visit from the In-Laws

2008-08-07T17:14:00.000-05:00

Johnny's parents are such great sports! For the last few years we have always made a summer trip to Florida. But, now that we moved away from Dallas, Dallas got slotted for the summer trip leaving little to no time or funds for a trip to Florida. And since we didn't come to them, Mom and Dad decided to come to us!

We had a wonderful two week visit in which we experienced a lot of Chicago. We started out in the city at our favorite pizza place: Chicago Oven Grinder. Simply the BEST pizza pie in the city! Then we headed over to Wacker Street and boarded Chicago's First Lady for an architecture tour on the river. This was very informative. I had no idea that so much went into the design of the Chicago skyline. While in the city we also hit Garrett's popcorn. The "Chicago" thing to do is get a blend of cheese and caramel. This doesn't sound that great, but trust me, it's fab!

The girls took a trip into the city via the Metra Train and WaterTaxi. We ate lunch at the Cheesecake Factory (my favorite!) and went to the American Girl store. We also shopped on Michigan Avenue.

Then Johnny, Dad, Parker, Grayson, our niece Chatlie and I all went to Toyota Park to watch the Chicago Fire take on Everton! I thought that seeing Everton in Dallas was a once in a lifetime event, but it seems we are more privileged than I ever imagined. It was a bitter-sweet game because our Chicago Fire won. Not that great for Everton, though. I think the most memorable thing about the game will be the Irish Everton fan that sat behind us and his chants in his Irish accent saying, "We're on holiday, you're in the middle of your season!" as an excuse for Everton's poor showing. Everton was in the states playing some exhibition games getting ready to start the English Premier League in a few weeks. Either way, I think we all had a great time in the front-row seats that Johnny scored us!

Since Mom and Halle were left out of the Everton game, Mom told Halle that she would take her anywhere she wanted to go. Halle picked her favorite fine-dining place for dinner....McDonald's! After that they went to Build-A-Bear. Halle got the best pink leopard you could pick out, complete with voice chips and fancy clothes. And lastly, they went back to McDonald's for ice cream! Nana loves to spoil her Halle!

Since Mom and Dad were here for two weeks, they let Johnny and I have a few days to ourselves while they stayed with the kids. (I don't know who was more excited--Johnny and me or Mom, Dad and the kids!) We didn't go far.....just to downtown Chicago, but we had a great time! We stayed at The Drake hotel which is one of the oldest Chicago hotels. Lots of famous people have stayed there, and now they can add John and Jennifer Harris to the list! While in the city we enjoyed dinner out with Matt and Mel, went shopping, went to Ravinia, and also took in a Cubs game. Talk about an action packed 3 days!

Ravinia is awesome. All summer long they have different musical talents. The best thing to do is pack your own dinner and blanket, buy tickets for lawn seats, and enjoy the music! We listened to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra play scores from E.T., Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, and other great movies. The weather was perfect--in the low 70's, and we nibbled on cheese and had some great red wine. We couldn't have asked for a better evening.

But, I think the highlight of our time in the city was our Rave Run on Lake Michigan. It's great to be able to run together. I've never been able to keep up with Johnny, but it looks like all the miles I've put in have paid off. We had such a great time running along the Lake, talking, and pushing each other to finish 6 miles. At times I forgot where I was and thought I was running by the ocean! The waves were crashing and the beaches were full. Several times we marveled, "I can't believe we live here!" We are definitely going to take the kids into the city to go to the beach!

Lastly on the entertainment front, Johnny's company hosted a picnic at the Lincoln Park Zoo. We all loaded up and headed downtown once again to meet Johnny's co-workers and friends. We enjoyed a great lunch of burgers and Chicago dawgs and then we spent some time wandering through the zoo.

Although I love going to the city, it's very fast-paced and really makes me thankful that we live in Wheaton. The city is close enough to get to every once in awhile if we have something going on, and I do love the excitement of it, but I LOVE Wheaton!!!

Enough on the entertainment front. My blog wouldn't be complete if I didn't brag a bit on the even MORE awesomeness of my in-laws. When we moved in this house I claimed the back office to be my scrapbook room. The only problem is that is was covered with boy wallpaper and was very masculine. For a year now I've dreaded redecorating because it involved taking the wallpaper down. Yuck!! But, Mom, Dad and Chatlie helped me use a steamer to strip the wallpaper down. Then, while Johnny and I were on holiday, Dad painted the room for me! Then, Mom made me a new valance and roman shades. She sewed for 2 days straight to get them finished! She even bought a sewing machine to leave at my house for such projects! I am blown-away at their help and generosity. I am still arranging my office and getting it all set up, but very soon I'll post pics of the finished project. I COULD NOT have gotten this done without their help.

And, as if all of the decorating weren't enough, they are so helpful to me when they're here. They stay with the kids so I can run errands, several times Mom cooked dinner because I was running someone somewhere or had a workout scheduled, they swept the floors, washed dishes, helped with laundry, and Dad helped Johnny in the yard for hours.

So for all of you wondering how I feel about my in-laws coming for two weeks? I love it! I wish they would come back....but I guess I'll have to wait until Thanksgiving.

12 Miles

2008-07-22T09:25:00.003-05:00

Just in case anyone is wondering, it's hard to run 12 miles. I did this on Saturday for the first time and completed it in just under 2 hours. After the marathon, I don't think I will be doing many long runs beyond 10 miles.

So what hurts? Both of my quads, my left knee and the toenail on my second toe on my left foot. I guess that's not bad considering. And did you notice that I DIDN'T say right hip? Great, huh? I must be recovering from that unpleasant injury.

But, I will take the pain! First off, it's nothing compared to what my patient honorees have endured this year, and secondly, I read a great quote the other day: "If you ran without sacrifice, congratulations, YOU JUST JOGGED!" There is a difference between jogging and running. (I WANT to be a runner!)

Next Saturday I will run 10 miles, the next Saturday I will run for 60 minutes (around 6.25 miles) and the following Sunday, August 10 (which just so happens to be my Dad's 72nd birthday--he is one of my patient honorees!), I will run in the Chicago Distance Classic. This is a half marathon--13.1 miles. Wish me luck.

Epitome of Laziness

2008-07-19T11:30:00.003-05:00

This is Bella's idea of breakfast in bed! She got a new bed yesterday since she had outgrown her first one. I guess the idea of getting out of it is far too daunting for her! She'd rather just stay in it thank you very much!

Lucky for her, she's cute!

Wide Awake Surgery

2008-07-18T21:39:00.004-05:00

I'm no stranger to the O.R. The first 18 years of my life yielded no stitches, broken bones or problems of any kind really. However, the second 18 years of my life have proven much different. I have had hospital stays, surgeries, stitches, staples, shots, and a myriad of other "fun" treatments in the hospital. And although most have revolved around childbirth, I have had 4 surgeries that were non-child-producing since Halle was born 5 years ago. My husband is beginning to think that he got a faulty model. I'm surprised that he hasn't dumped me back on my dad's doorstep asking for a refund (or a trade-in!)

But, my most recent visit to the O.R. was by far the most interesting. It started around the first of the year when I noticed a small bump on my left wrist. Or was it a bump? I wasn't sure. I asked Johnny to inspect it and he didn't see anything. Hmmmm. That's weird. I hadn't noticed that my wrist was so bony before.

Days later my suspicions increased and I determined that I indeed had a small bump. The lovely bump continued to grow and I was forced to seek medical attention. "Here," said Dr. Nelson, "wear this lovely wrist brace 24/7 and see if keeping your arm mobile decreases the bump (aka cyst.)"

I followed Dr.'s orders yet the bump never subsided. Instead, I began to get these lovely shooting pains up my thumb. Now I still had the weird bump AND my thumb hurt. I was done with the brace.

Said lovely bump continued to increase in size. It's all I could see when looking at my arm! The perfectionist in me came out and I again sought medical attention. This time I saw an orthopaedic doc. She declared that I indeed had a cyst on my wrist and that the only way to get rid of it was to cut it out. "Great, " I thought, "cut away!" But it was not that easy. She said that it required a small surgery. Would I prefer to be knocked out or just have a local? I immediately agreed to the local--my body does not enjoy being put under. Great. It was settled. Big mean bump would soon be extracted.

Day of surgery rolls around (Monday 7/14), and I head off to the Dr.'s office alone. She's just taking out the cyst. No big deal. But wait a minute. I am directed to the Surgery Center's entrance. I was beginning to understand that they were going ALL THE WAY INTO MY ARM TO CUT THIS BOOGER OUT! Yikes. I knew it was serious when they traded me a hospital gown and a pair of ugly socks for my street clothes. And the ties were all broken off and it made it quite drafty.

OK, like I said, I'm no stranger to the OR. I kept waiting for the nurse to bring me a twilight drug, or start an IV, or something, but they never came with anything like that. They just walked me back into the Operating Room and told me to hop up on the operating table. Not my idea of fun. I have vague recollections of other OR's but I was soaking everything in first-hand this time. All the sterile instruments, the bright lights, the uncomfortable table. They did have something really neat, though! OR's are really cold, and they constantly bring you blankets from an oven somewhere. Well, this time they had a blanket that inflates with warm air and keeps you nice and toasty the whole time. I was really thankful for this in the beginning.

So after they strapped me to the table and covered me with blankets, they began to inject numbing agent into my arm. I made the mistake of looking over at my wrist, and it looked like they had injected a small lemon under my skin. And my fingers began to get all tingly. After a nice long arm bath with lots of soap and water, they were ready to cut me open. Luckily they placed a big drape over me so I couldn't see what they were doing. But I have to tell ya, NOT seeing what they were doing but feeling the dull tugging almost creeped me out. What was I thinking electing to stay awake for a surgery?? I still cringe when I think of the scraping I felt--no pain mind you--just a weird scraping on the bone. Really, people shouldn't be aware when their bones are being scraped. And I was no longer thankful for the warm air that was spreading over my body from the lovely air blanket. I think I broke out into a sweat. Now I know why they give you an amnesia drug when you sign up for a surgery. It prevents the nightmares.

OK, so I admit that I'm being a little dramatic. It's all for my story-telling effects. It really was strange knowing that they were cutting up my arm and I was completely aware of this and actually allowing it. The lengths we will go to to get rid of bumps! And getting a local was totally the way to go. I was able to drive myself to the surgery center, walk-in, walk-out, and drive myself back home. All in, the surgery took 10 minutes (this is from open wound to suture. I was actually at the hospital for several hours). All the fanfare of the sedation would have messed my day up for hours.

But, as with any surgery, I fail to think about the after effects when I'm not 100%. I didn't think about going without the use of my hand for days on end. It's a bummer, let me tell you. (Parker would agree, too! He has become my left arm!) I am glad to announce that I can finally type. And although I was happy to dodge the laundry in the beginning, I've realized that we don't have an infinite supply of clothes. Halle thought for a minute this morning that she was going to have to go commando! Lucky for me she had overlooked a few pair in her drawer!

Anyway, I left the surgery with a mean-looking wrist wrap. I took all that off today and my wrist looks really gross. I guess it's only been 4 days, but still. In one week from today I will go in to have the stitches removed. By then the reality that I traded in a bump for a scar will have hit me full-on. Brilliant!

Madison!

2008-06-20T00:32:00.002-05:00

We had another guest in our home! My niece, Madison, came to stay with us for a few days before attending a World View camp at the Wheaton College campus. (She belongs to my brother Jeff and his wife Karri. They live in Colorado Springs.)

We had a FABULOUS time with her here! We went to the pool, went shopping, went to soccer games, watched movies and ate lots of ice cream! It was great to get to know her as a young adult. I've never been around her one on one, and now I feel like I really know her!

Here is Madison with Halle at Macaroni Grill on Father's Day. The pic isn't very well focused, but I thought it was good anyway!

Here is Madison with the boys! It's great to have cousins!

Thanks for coming to see us Madison! I hope you can come visit again soon! We love you!!

Bella Update

2008-06-15T13:04:00.000-05:00

We have officially been the owners of a dog for 3 months now. Whew! I'm the most thrilled to announce that Bella has mastered the art of doing her "business" outside (except for when it's raining. I shutter to thing what will happen when the white stuff comes back!) and she is also sleeping through the night (as long as she's on our bed. Johnny says, "grrrr" to a dog in his bed, but he lovingly gives in!)

Bella spends most of her day getting carried, poked at, messed with and chased by her new best friends: Parker, Halle and Grayson.

But if Halle ever lays down on the job, Bella gets her revenge! Watch out pony tails!

Do you see the family resemblence? She is a Harris afterall.

This is Bella's favorite spot in the evening when the kids have completely wiped her out!

And this is her favorite spot most other times--in her very own bed. Now, if I could only convince her to sleep there at night!

When we got Bella she weighed a mere 6 pounds. But I noticed that she's been feeling quite heavy lately, so I plopped her on the scale and realized that she now weighs 10 pounds! I know that may seem like a small dog, but she's HUGE compared to when we got her. I can't believe that she's almost doubled her size in 3 months. But, she's still cute as ever!

Looks like we need to go bed shopping. She's growing out of this one!

Look at that cute little face! She pretty much gets anything she wants!

WE LOVE OUR DOG!
*Lots of these photos are curtesy of Grayson and his Kodak EasyShare camera. Thanks Gray!

One Year in Wheaton

2008-06-08T08:15:00.002-05:00

Today marks our one year anniversary of moving to Wheaton. I can't believe how quickly the time passed. Most of you have been keeping up with our journey through the wonders of the internet, but I felt it important to commemorate the moment anyway.

Our pastor recently spoke about change and how it is very difficult. It's not the external part of change that's hard because change just happens....we moved and that changed things. It's the transition that gets us....once we moved we had to adapt. We moved from the familiar into the unfamiliar and that stirs something in us that makes us sentimental and sometimes scared of the unknown.

Pastor Bugh reminded us that when the Israelites were freed from the bondage that they were under in Egypt, a lot of them wanted to go back, for the fear of the unknown was scarier to them than living in Egypt as slaves. I applied this to my own life and can say that I look back on our move with no regrets. Do I miss Dallas? Of course! Do I miss my friends, family, church, kid's school, the soccer community, neighbors, etc, etc? Absolutely! But this is the nature of change.

More than ever, I realize that God's presence in our lives gave us the ability to stand tall, make arrangements to sell our home, move our children, and for my husband to step-up and accept a much more difficult and challenging role at work with grace. What if we had backed down like the Israelites? What if we had looked backwards instead of forwards? What if we refused to trust God and accept his blessings? I shutter to think of the possibilities. Maybe it would have taken us 40 years to feel at home in Wheaton instead of just a few days.

My point is, no matter what you're faced with, look for God's direction. He will not lead you astray. I am confident that our lives are complete, no matter where we are, when we are walking with God. And I'm thankful for the changes that moving to Wheaton have brought to all of our lives. We have all grown as a result of it.

Race for the Animals 10K-Wheaton

2008-06-07T13:13:00.002-05:00

Today I ran my first 10K (6.2 miles). The route went through the streets of Wheaton--beginning on Main Street and winding through neighborhoods, around Northside Park and finishing near Memorial Park. It began at 7:30 a.m. and it was already pretty steamy outside. The humidity was high, so I was pretty heated. Luckily, lots of people turned their sprinklers on and pointed them towards the street so the runners could cool off. It felt great!

Overall, I was very please with my time. My official chip time was 58:35 which equates to an average of 9.26 minutes/mile. If you recall, I ran the 8K (4.97 miles) at the end of March and my official chip time was 48:21 which equates to an average of 9.42 minutes/mile. So, not only did I run farther, but I also improved my time. For me, this = success!

Here are my splits:

Mile 1: 8.56
Mile 2: 9.18
Mile 3: 9.07
Mile 4: 9.45
Mile 5: 9.32
Mile 6:9.55
Last .2: 2.0

Just think, in October I get to run a 10K plus 20 more miles! I'm glad I have lots of days to train between now and then!

Springtime

2008-06-01T17:20:00.005-05:00

I've taken a short haitus from blogging lately....have you noticed? I think there are several reasons, but the one I will discuss is the following: I was put on probation for discussing the weather.

If you look at the list on the right, the "Weather" category has BY FAR more entries than any other. I guess that's because the weather has given us the most change upon our move to Wheaton and I think I just wanted to share with everyone a little bit of what we were/are experiencing. And when I can't blog about the weather, well, maybe there's not anything more exciting going on. OK, so not true, but I have found that moods here are closely related to the weather. Anyway, due to inactivity on my blog, I have been released from probation, so I thought I'd get another plug in here before my blog is shut down completely (by Texas neighbor, Jeff!) AND, as we close in on the mark of ONE YEAR as Illinois residents, I thought it only fitting to give one more weather update as I have not shared with you my experience of my first Northern Spring.

Spring was awful. April, and May anyway. It was cold. Much too cold for Spring. I was not bitter about the winter. I was not even bitter about the snow in March....I expected it. But April? By April I was ready for a change, and it didn't seem to come. It was cold and rainy, and I felt very far away from Dallas and outdoor spring soccer practices in the 70's. So I thought, May will be better. Much better.

Here's were you can set yourself up for a fall! When you have expectations, and those expectations aren't met, you get discouraged, and grumpy. So when May hit and it was still all rainy and cold, and still no shorts? I have to say that I was borderline ticked. Seriously, I went for a run early one May morning and had to wear long pants, two shirts, a jacket AND my gloves. IN MAY! I thought that was just wrong and I admit, it made me a tad bitter. The smile was gone from my face and I started to wonder what on earth we were thinking when we moved to this cold, terrible place.

But although it took it's time, and it was painful getting here, Spring finally arrived in Wheaton. Very slowly the trees came to life and we were surrounded with the most beautiful blooming trees I have ever seen! They were incredible! And I was told that since the temp was a little chillier than normal, the blooms actually stuck around longer than usual before they gave way to the fabulous green leaves to follow.

Then I watched life spring forth from my flower beds. I've never had flower beds like these before, but green started popping up out of the barren ground and now lots of those plants are flowering. (See, I don't even know what they are since I am inexperienced with flowers!!) But whatever they are, they are lovely, and they smell fantastic! It seems as though all of Wheaton is covered with blooms and it is so fragrant everywhere you go. All I have to do is open my doors and my windows and the smell just drifts in. It's awesome!

Today as I sat on my back porch to read (in JUNE mind you) and felt the warm sun on my face and the nice breeze in the air full of the aroma of lilacs, the smile returned to my face. All is right with the world and Wheaton again is the place we are to be. And I have all but forgotten the cold and snow. I think I might even be ready for it when it returns in November, just maybe.

Running/Training Update

2008-05-30T13:36:00.004-05:00

Many of you have asked how my running and training is working out so I thought I'd write a brief update.

My hip feels a lot better although it's not totally pain free. I don't know that the pain will completely heal until I turn in my running shoes, and since I'm not quite ready to do that, I have to deal with a little inconvenience.

Here's what I'm doing to manage the issue:

1) I got a new pair of running shoes. To my dismay, the Nike shoe that houses the Nike Plus gadget didn't work well with my foot-type (did you know that you have a foot-type?), so I am in another pair of Saucony's. They seem to work well with my foot and they feel great.

2) I went to the Physical Therapist 4 times and he taught me some pilates exercises to strengthen my hip and my core. He also did something called phonophoresis. Basically they apply a topical medicinal cream and use an ultrasound machine to push it into my muscle.

3) I started using my Mannatech supplements much more rigorously--specifically using the product FIRM. It is a cream that is used topically. I have been massaging that into my sore hip.

4) Before I run, I use IB relief cream on my hip. It gives me a "shot" of ibuprofen locally to the sore spot. This has alleviated a lot of the pain I feel while running.

5) Team in Training has proved very helpful in training for this marathon! I learned some great stretches for my hip, and with their encouragement, they are helping me keep my spirits up and confident that I can complete this race! They have also taught me the importance of high turn-over. This strategy teaches you to run with quick steps vs. a long stride. This is very helpful when you have a sore hip.

So I am well on my way! I look forward to running everyday. When I see other people running around town I always want to be running as well. I guess that's good since I will be logging some serious mileage between now and October 19!

I am running a 10K on June 7 here in Wheaton. I think that will be a fun run! I am also considering running the Chicago Distance Classic Half Marathon in August as part of my training. But, since I am running for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, another race means more funds to raise. The money raised goes to a great cause and is tax-deductible, so if you haven't already made a contribution to my running efforts, please take a moment to do so! Look on the sidebar to the right for a link to my donation page.

Thanks so much for your support!

Box Tops for Education

2008-05-30T13:25:00.002-05:00

I have taken on the role as the Coordinator for the collection of Box Tops at the kid's school. It will be my job to make the school aware of the program, encourage participation, collect the box tops that get turned in to the school and turn them into General Mills.

I would like to ask for your help! If you are not currently saving your Box Tops, would you consider saving them and sending them to me every few months? Each coupon is worth $.10 and this adds up to thousands of dollars each school year! You can go to the Box Tops for Education website to view a list of participating products. Lots of packaging now has the box top symbol--they aren't just on box tops anymore! Also, while on the website, you can sign up for an email newsletter which will give you additional opportunities to earn box tops! Our school is Wheaton Christian Grammar School in Wheaton, Illinois.

Thanks for your help! I KNOW we will be able to exceed our goals with your participation!

Sister's Weekend!

2008-05-19T10:31:00.003-05:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I have 4 sisters--all different and unique and yet the same in many ways--Andrea, who lives in Dallas but will be moving to Houston this summer, Amber who lives in Dallas, Janda, who lives in The Dalles, Oregon, and Autumn who lives in L.A. Because we are spread all over the country, we don't get to spend much time together. We hatched a plan to meet up somewhere for a weekend and landed in San Diego! We had a great time!

The most important thing that we accomplished was re-connecting and spending time together. This was done mostly lying by the pool, but we did do a little shopping, a lot of eating, and Janda encouraged us all to go to Balboa Park--San Diego's art district. We wandered around the beautiful gardens and soaked up the sunshine.

It was a wonderful, relaxing, fun weekend, and I couldn't have asked for better company! I hope this becomes an annual event. What a joy to have FOUR sisters!

I'm Running a Marathon!

2008-05-03T23:39:00.012-05:00

I'm going to do it. I'm going to run a marathon. But it's not all about me. It's about raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. You see, my sister's boyfriend, Ryan (click on his name to read his story), was diagnosed in January with Hodgkin's lymphoma. I've been toying with running a marathon, and when I found out that I could raise money for cancer research and support Ryan at the same time, well, it pushed me off the fence!

And to make this endeavor even SWEETER, I will have the privilege of RUNNING FOR RYAN with two of my sisters, Janda and Autumn! Janda lives in Oregon, and Autumn lives in California, and here I am in Illinois! You may wonder how we are going to train and run together? Well, TNT makes it easy! They help us train, raise funds, and give us the encouragement that it will take to help us to complete our race! I figure that the pain I will experience from logging hundreds of miles it won't even come close to what Ryan has endured these past few months! And I can't wait to grow closer and experience this with my sisters!

We will run the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco on October 19, 2008! Between the three of us, we need to raise close to $15,000! We need YOUR help to reach this goal! Please click on the links below to make a TAX DEDUCTIBLE donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in support of TEAM RHEA to help fund the research that will ultimately lead to a cure! Thanks so much, and make sure to check back often to track our progress! (And pray my hip agrees with all the running!)

GO TEAM RHEA!!!!!!!!!

Make a Donation to TEAM RHEA for Jennifer

Make a Donation to TEAM RHEA for Autumn

Make a Donation to TEAM RHEA for Janda

Spring

2008-04-19T14:59:00.003-05:00

I have been put on blog probation for discussing the weather too much. But, if I WEREN'T on probation, I would tell you that spring has finally arrived in Wheaton. This past week we have enjoyed sunshine, rain, and temps ranging from upper 50's-mid-70's. It's been nice.

I'm happy to have the winter behind us and the summer before us. That's all I'm sayin'.

An End to the Running?

2008-04-14T08:47:00.005-05:00

So the running may be over....at least the running a lot.

I went to the physical therapist for an assessment since my hip still hurts....even after two weeks of laying off. The PT's best guess is that it is a combination of some of my physical aspects that may be causing the pain. Did I hear him right? Is the way my body's built actually going to give me reason NOT to run?

About 6 months ago that news would have overjoyed me. I used to run because I felt like I should...even that I HAD to. But, somewhere in the last few months of training for the 8K I grew to LOVE to run. And after the experience I had running the actual road race, well, call me addicted to that feeling.

So here's what the PT said: my right leg is shorter than my left leg. So, my left leg decided to help even out the discrepancy by bowing out. (And I thought my bowed leg was from being a Texan and riding horses! Ha ha!) After he realized this he was puzzled. Why was my knee able to do that? An assessment of my joints showed him that I have a lot of flexibility in all of my joints.....not great for running.

So here are the things that are against my running:

Torn quad muscle
Torn plantaris muscle (in my calf)
Remember the HARD fall I had on the stairs a few years ago? He suspects that I actually hurt a joint in my hip
Leg length discrepancy
Bowed left knee
Flexible joints

I guess normal people would say, "GREAT! I don't have to feel guilty about not running anymore!" But if you know me, you realize that I won't just roll over like that. I'm head-strong enough to press forward and try to make this work!

This is how I've compromised:

Instead of training for the 10K on the Intermediate schedule, I'll back off to the novice. This will cut my running down from 6 days a week to only 3 or 4.
I will cross train more so that I don't have the repetitive pounding on my joints that running causes. I'm hoping to get a bike for my birthday!
I will go to a specialty store and get a pair of shoes suited for my arches and running style.
I will go to PT for a few weeks in an attempt to strengthen my muscles.
I will not make a career out of running marathons.

If, after all of these adjustments my hip still hurts, I might have to hang up my running shoes. Hmmmm. I wonder if I could play tennis?

NCAA Tournament Results

2008-04-07T23:59:00.001-05:00

If you voted for Grayson to win the tournament bracket, you would be right. The fact that he KILLED Parker, Halle, and me is an understatement, but he even managed to beat Johnny by 27 points! He got 6th place overall in Johnny's bracket of college friends.....and it came down to the wire! He had picked BOTH of the teams that competed for the final title, but he chose Memphis to win.....and win they almost did! Kansas tied the game in the final seconds and then over-took Memphis in over-time. Wow!

All I can say is that if you are planning a Vegas trip, you might want to slip Grayson in your pocket!

Signs of Maturity

2008-04-05T20:09:00.001-05:00

Parker came in today from playing at his friend, Andrew's house. It was about 5:45. Andrew's mom was taking him to see a movie and invited Parker and Grayson to go along. Parker asked me if they could go. I told them yes.

The next thing that happened shocked me! Parker said, "I'm going to take a quick shower before the movie since I was playing outside." What?!?! He was going to take a VOLUNTARY shower? Right now with only 15 minutes to spare before leaving for the movie?

Huh. I sat at the table and pondered this for a minute. My mind flashed forward to Parker showering and heading out to spend the evening with friends. Maybe even driving himself there. I realized that the time is coming...and it may be sooner than I am ready.

See, I have always had little kids. My three older siblings all have GROWN kids, but not me. Mine are little. But today's events made me take a long, hard look at my little kids. I thought back to my trip to Target today and about the band-aids I bought for my accident-prone Halle. They were of the High School Musical and Hannah Montanna variety and no longer Barbie and Hello Kitty. And Grayson's shirts just slip right off of those small kid hangers. I think most of them have been replaced with the adult-size.

There's no question. They are all three doing what kids are supposed to do....GROW. I guess that's what I want them to do.....maybe just not so fast.

MEET BELLA!

2008-04-04T20:11:00.006-05:00

We have a new family member!!!!! This is Bella, our new dog. She is a 15-week old toy cock-a-poo (cocker spaniel and poodle mix), and she is just DARLING! She should weigh around 10 pounds full-grown. The kids are so excited they can hardly stand it! They have all been very helpful with her. Just now Halle said the most profound thing, "Having a dog is better than not having a dog." Well said!

Don't you just want to eat her up?? Look at those eyes!! I'm not sure she has legs, though, Halle won't put her down!

Brave Halle

2008-04-04T20:00:00.005-05:00

Our sweet little Halle got "a" stitch in her chin today. She had an untimely encounter with the head of a golf club as her brother swung for a hole in one. She was very brave after her initial realization that she had to get stitched. That part was pretty ugly, but once we got the numbing stuff on it she relaxed and was a trooper! Anything for a Hannah Montanna sticker and a grape sucker!

On a side note, before we moved to Wheaton I had visited the ER with only one child one time. Since moving to Wheaton, I have taken Halle to the ER in the middle of the night for croup, Parker to the ER for stitches in his knee, Parker to the ER for the busted stitches in his knee, and now Halle again for her stitch. I hope Grayson doesn't start feeling left out!!!!

What Chicago People do at Spring Break.....

2008-04-03T18:39:00.001-05:00

......head to the WATER PARK, of course!!

The kids had expressed many times how much they wanted to go swimming. Wisconsin is known for its water parks, and many of them are actually indoors! So, without telling the kids where we were going, we packed up for an overnight stay and headed to the Blue Harbor Resort in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. It's about a 3 hour drive from Wheaton.

The kids had a GREAT time! (So did their parents!!!) The temp in the water park was a balmy 84 degrees.

Halle was just learning to swim under water last year. It took a few minutes, but she once again found her sea legs. After this picture was taken she shed her swim vest and took off!

There were slides galore! I didn't get any pics of the big tube slides, but there were 4 of them.

And my favorite, the Turtle Tub which was actually a GIANT hot tub!

This is a shot of the outside of the resort. (Grayson was our photographer--he did a good job, huh?) It was very nice.
Turn around 180 degrees from the previous picture and get a look at Lake Michigan! Stunning!

This picture was taken in the hotel lobby.

We booked the "Kids Aquarium" room. The whole room looked like it was underwater! The kids were ecstatic! They had their own little "cove" complete with their own TV.
I can't believe that we are already at the end of Spring Break week. We had so much fun it flew by! But, I think this is a spring break the kids will remember.

Shamrock Shuffle

2008-03-30T21:00:00.001-05:00

We did it!! Johnny and I completed our first road race!!!! We joined 25,000 people at Grant Park in downtown Chicago at 9:30 a.m. to run an 8K (4.97 miles).

I cannot tell you how much fun this was! I highly anticipated this event, but I didn't really know what to expect. It was better than I ever imagined. These are the top things I enjoyed, and not in any particular order:

1) Cheering fans that yelled, "go runners!", making me happily realize that they were yelling for me! I was a runner!!

2) Thousands of runners covering the entire road and as far ahead as I could see. We were all out there for the same reason--run an 8K!

3) Running through downtown Chicago. What an amazing sight to weave through the huge buildings, cross the Chicago River (twice) and come around the corner near the finish line right by Lake Michigan. Simply incredible.

4) The weather. (Yes Jeff, my favorite topic!) I was very upset because the last few years the Shamrock Shuffle has enjoyed great spring weather. I knew that it was time for a cold one. Plus, after the winter we've had, I didn't see the sun making an appearance on March 30. I was right. The internet projected rain showers, high of 38 but (at the time of our run) but that it would feel more like 31. Brrrr. I guess the cute Nike sport top and dry fit shorts I got for the occasion would be better left in my dresser drawer. So, I wore my Nike pants, lined with Hot Chillys (from my high school skiing days--yippee, they still fit!), a sports top, a long sleeved dry fit top, a dry fit jacket, gloves, and a head band to cover my ears. I was a little chilly, but not too bad. Johnny on the other hand was not quite as excited about the event as I was and didn't think a whole lot about what he would wear. He ended up in shorts, two layers of long sleeved dry fit shirts, a baseball cap, and well, not much else. If he had owned a pair of pants he would have gladly worn them, trouble is, he is still operating off of a scanty Dallas wardrobe (for running clothes anyway!) I think he was half frozen when I caught up to him after the race, but he did survive with no frost-bite. ANYWAY, I was slightly chilly before the running actually began, but once I started running, it was perfect! No sun beaming down and making me hot, no wind to run against, just a crisp day for an 8K! I loved it!

5) The volunteers that stood out in the cold to hand out water and gatorade to "the runners." Not only did they hydrate us but they were very encouraging as well!

6) FINISHING my first race! I was tired and happy to see the finish line!

7) My training paid off! Before I got semi-serious about running, the best I could do was run 2 miles in about 22 minutes. I am pleased to report that I ran the entire 5 miles, without stopping once, and my official chip time was 48 minutes, 21 seconds. Folks, that is a sub-10 minute mile, a feat I had never before accomplished! Johnny had a great time as well, 43 minutes and 45 seconds (a sub-9 minute mile.) We won't talk about the fact that he trained a handful of times for this event vs. my run 6 days a week regimen and still beat me by nearly 5 minutes. Seriously, over the past 5 weeks I ran over 100 miles!!!

8) The post-race party! I had a great time hanging out with friends from Johnny's work. And I thoroughly enjoyed the very large burger and french fries! Here is a pic from the after-party. All of these people ran the race! Yay us!
I did go see a sports doc for the pain I keep having in my hip. (It caused a nagging pain all throughout the race and was very sore afterwards.) Luckily I don't have a stress fracture so I can continue running, but I will have to go to Physical Therapy for a few weeks to strengthen my hip an quad muscles. Evidently the tear I have in my right quad muscle that I earned playing soccer a few years ago is unable to absorb the shock of my running and has made my hip work over-time. But, not to worry, if I work to strengthen them both, I should be back in business soon. I plan to run a 10K in early June.

As for the marathon, I'm still working up to it....

Ugghhh

2008-03-27T18:15:00.001-05:00

....snowing again. Just thought you might like to know.

He Is Risen!

2008-03-23T08:15:00.003-05:00

But very early on a Sunday morning the women came to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone covering the entrance had been rolled aside. So they went in, but they couldn't find the body of the Lord Jesus. They were puzzled, trying to think what could have happened to it. Suddenly, two men appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. The women were terrified and bowed low before them. Then the men asked, "Why are you looking in a tomb for someone who is ALIVE? He isn't here! He has risen from the dead! Don't you remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again the third day?" Then they remembered that he had said this. LUKE 24:1-8 (NLT)

What EASTER looks like in WHEATON!

2008-03-23T07:30:00.001-05:00

Halle, love the boots with the dress, sister!

This is just WRONG!

2008-03-21T14:22:00.004-05:00

I think the video speaks for itself!

....and it's BACK!

2008-03-21T08:19:00.003-05:00

The snow that is. I went for a lovely run outside yesterday in near 50 degree temps and bright sunshine, but I awoke this morning to winter yet again. That whole "done with the big snow and no more accumulation thing?" WRONG. This white stuff never ceases to amaze me! I'm not even including a picture because my yard looks the way it has for the past 3 1/2 months....covered with snow.

The good news is that we were warned of this sort of thing. Everyone said we'd get a spring day or two and then it would snow again. So, by my calculations, THIS, today, IS that depressing snow we were warned about, and it should be the last of it (right?!?!)

So I leave you with a few random thoughts: please pray for 55 degrees on Sunday, March 30. I don't want to run my first 8K race in snow boots (or require the use of snow skis!)

Secondly, I'm glad that Easter is more than just a day to hunt eggs. That in itself would be deflating in this weather! But celebrating our Lord's Resurrection when he conquered the grave after shedding his innocent blood to cover the sins of the world, well, when I think about that, even in the unwanted snow, I can have a smile on my face! Have a blessed and happy Easter weekend!

Parker's Latest Soccer Injury

2008-03-20T07:52:00.003-05:00

Parker has another soccer injury. Last night his U11 Chicago Fire Jrs. played against The Galaxy, the 2nd place team in the indoor league. The score was tied 3-3 at the half! It was a good, intense game!Halfway into the 2nd half, the FIRE scored making the game 4-3! The boys were playing their hearts out! Then with just minutes to go until the end of the game, Jason shoots the ball and THE FIRE SCORES AGAIN!!!! Parker was so excited about the goal that was scored that he.....
...jumped up from the bench he was sitting on and scratched his leg! Luckily this knee injury required no stitches.

Final score 5-3! GO FIRE!

March Madness

2008-03-18T19:18:00.005-05:00

It's time again for the NCAA basketball tournament. As tradition has it, Johnny brings home brackets from work and we all fill one out--even Halle.

Here is who we each picked to win:

Johnny: UCLA
Jen: Duke
Parker: Duke
Gray: Memphis
Halle: U. Texas

Who do you think from our family will end up with the most points?

(Tip: After Grayson completed his bracket he said, "well, I might not do very good because the first half of the time I filled this out I thought it was for football!")

Run Outside? It's COLD!

2008-03-18T16:53:00.003-05:00

My friend Jenny asked me if I have run outside yet. She is the inspiration behind the next several paragraphs of babble.....

I am tired of the treadmill. I sort of feel like a hamster on a wheel. So as not to complain too much, I will say 1) I am thankful for my treadmill. It has helped me to become a runner during a long period of winter 2) I am thankful for my husband who has been carefully painting our basement, one section at a time all winter. This has definitely given me something better to look at than white walls. 3) Our basement has a great view of a beautiful outside, so I'm thankful for that, too. 4) Also, I run a lot when Halle and I are home and everyone else is gone. I can't exactly leave her home alone while I run. The treadmill has helped me solve that problem. But as thankful as I am, I have run somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 miles on a stationary piece of machinery. I'm longing for the outdoors.

My biggest obstacle (besides the obvious cold weather) was not being able to track my progress. My treadmill tells me how far I've run, how long I've run, how many calories I've burned, and what my current running pace is. Getting out on the open road would leave me helpless! Well, enter Nike+. I played right into this marketing scheme. You buy a sensor for $30 that attaches to your iPod Nano. The other part goes into the sole of your Nike+ shoe. Great! Rather than fixing my problem, I added two more. 1) It doesn't work with the iPod classic (which is what I have). You MUST have a Nano. 2) My running shoes are Saucony's, not Nike.

I am now the proud owner of a new Nano. I have to admit, this thing is cool! It's so much smaller than my classic, which is definitely better for running. AND the sleek, new armband that I bought for $30 is made of Nike DryFit material which is way better than the old armband I had for my iPod classic! I didn't, however, run out and buy a new pair of shoes. I found a lacelid on eBay for $6.50. This little gadget attaches to the top of my laces and the Nike+ sensor pops right in. Works like a charm. OK, so I'm now in business. I'm just waiting for the warm weather.

I mentioned before that people run outside here no matter the temp. I guess I don't really know how to properly dress to run in the cold. I've always been challenged with running in the heat. But, my sweetie gave me some new Nike running pants for Valentine's Day. At Target the other day I picked up some Duo Dry long sleeve shirts from the clearance rack. I even found a nice Duo Dry jacket on clearance! Looks like I'm starting to build my wardrobe in the event that I get the urge to run outside.

Last Friday (3/15) the temperature was almost 60 degrees. Gorgeous by our standards! My mind started gravitating to an outdoor run. I mean, perfect running temperatures!

The warm didn't last--it was just teasing us. Rude, I know! Saturday morning dawned a CRISP 34 degrees. My running schedule told me that I needed to run 4 miles. I couldn't bear another 4 miles on the treadmill. I had been running outside in my mind for the last 24 hours. I decided to brave it!

I wore the following: Nike pants, a long-sleeve duo dry shirt, my duo dry jacket, silver glove liners (the ones I used to wear under my real gloves while skiing), and my headband thing that I wore for skiing.

Once outside, my legs were immediately cold. Especially once I started running. I thought that running would warm me up, but the wind cut right through those pants. The rest of me, however, was pretty much fine. I think my fingers could have used another layer. (I now have my eye on some Nike running gloves....maybe for next year!) I have a pair of hot chili's from my skiing days. I think those would be a perfect under-layer to help keep my legs warm. I plan to try this on Saturday. By the end of my 4 miles, I was sweating just a smidge. Not bad!

So how was the outside run? VERY refreshing! I can't wait to hit the trail again. I think the thing that I am the most amazed about is how much of Wheaton I covered in just 5 miles! I walked .5 miles to the prairie path as a warm-up. I took the prairie path to downtown Wheaton, and ran North on West Street to Northside Park. I hadn't run my 4 miles yet, so I ran around the entire Northside Park running trail (1 mile) and headed home via Wheaton North High School. This was just a tad over 5 miles by the time I finished (including my warm-up and cool-down). I can't wait to do this again!

Run, Run Farther, Run Faster

2008-03-18T10:06:00.002-05:00

Right now, I'm all about the running.

And it's funny to me that I would even be in this place. I am a sprinter at heart. I was picked for the cross country team in 7th grade, and I hated it. I hated the training, and I hated getting up early to run 2 miles on a Saturday morning. Yuck! I quickly abandoned cross country for only short track races. (100M, 200M, 400M relay, 800M relay, etc.) After high school, running became nothing but an after-thought.

But the need to run has re-surfaced. It started mid-December when a long look in the mirror made me re-think my lack of exercise. I bought a fat-burning DVD and started the next morning. Wow! Was I ever out-of-shape!

Feeling better about my new level of fitness made me pick up a Shape magazine in the waiting room of Halle's physical therapy office. I was drawn to the healthy lifestyle of exercise and the idea that I could become a runner! There was a sample treadmill work-out schedule mentioned in the magazine that I could access on-line. (And considering the temperature in Wheaton at the time, I was limited to indoor running!) When I got home I printed the schedule and began running on the treadmill. They said to vary my work-outs so I was running sprints, walking inclines, and mixing in my fat-burning DVD. Things were beginning to turn-around.

I remember a few years ago in Dallas talking with my neighbor, Tracie, about running. General thickness around my waist kicked me onto the street to run about 2 miles around our neighborhood a few times a week. Tracie saw me one day and said, "Oh, you're a runner! I'm so jealous. I want to be a runner." I quickly helped her to see that I was nothing to be jealous of. A runner I was NOT! A guilt-driven jogger maybe, but not a runner.

Tracie works for State Farm insurance. When a natural disaster hits she has to pick up and go to the disaster site for months at a time. Shortly after our running conversation she left for I think Florida and was gone for many months. When she got back, she excitedly told me that she had learned to run and was running in a marathon in honor of her dad. Wow! I was very impressed, although I can't say that there was instant inspiration for me to accomplish this feat for myself. But, through the course of time, I have thought about Tracie and her running often. Her running definitely is an inspiration to me now!

All of this heightened my desire to BE A RUNNER. I decided to get a subscription to Runner's World to teach me how to run, but I also found it to be very inspirational. People of all sorts of shapes and sizes were running marathons! 26.2 miles. Seems impossible. But if they can do it, I certainly can, right? Well, we'll see. This is the first time in my life that I have actually WANTED to accomplish this. I've always been content to sit back and mumble something about not being able to run farther than 2 miles at a time.

Reading Runner's World made me determined to break through my 2-mile running limit. I began to read articles in my magazine as well as on-line to figure out what I needed to do. I learned that to go farther I needed to slow down....at least at first. This works! I broke my 2-mile wall and was eventually able to run 3 miles, 4 miles, 5 miles! This is HUGE for me. And I have slowly been able to increase my speed and still go the distance!

With the idea of a marathon in the back of my head, I decided to research on-line to see how one might go about training for a marathon. I realized that before you can train for a marathon you have to be running a fair amount of mileage 5-6 times a week. So, for people like me, they have a pre-marathon training schedule. I picked this up and started immediately.

I also read that it's good to sign up for shorter races: 5K's, 10K's, etc. Not only does this give you race experience, but it gives you smaller goals to work towards. Johnny signed us up for an 8K to be held on March 30 in downtown Chicago. 8K=about 5 miles. I can do that! I won't break any records or even finish in the top half of the some 30,000 people running, but I expect it will be a good time! (Several people from Johnny's office are running this race as well. I am really looking forward to the post-race party!)

When the 8K was 5 weeks away, I abandoned the pre-marathon training schedule and switched to a training schedule specifically for an 8K. There are 3 separate schedules depending on your level of running: novice, intermediate, and advanced. Can you believe I fell into the intermediate category? I was pumped.

We are now 2 weeks out from the race. I am plugging along at a good clip. I did pull a muscle or something in my hip, so I'm laying off today, icing it, and praying that it will be ready to run on tomorrow. I'm thinking that the 7 miles I put in yesterday didn't help my situation!

Anyway, there's my story on my journey to become a runner. I probably haven't arrived yet, but I'm on my way. One day, my current long runs will be my short runs!

Track my progress on the blog side-bar under Jen's running log. Feel free to post encouragement here!

Going, Going, ALMOST Gone

2008-03-17T20:23:00.005-05:00

We had a slight shift in temperatures late last week resulting in inches and inches of snow slowly disappearing to reveal the still green grass. (That's WEIRD, huh?) The areas that are in the shade or that were piled high with shoveled snow are all that remain white.

I was feeling very optimistic about the warming trend. In fact, Friday was BEAUTIFUL! I didn't even wear a coat--and I haven't been able to say that since November. I think we were near 60 degrees. I seriously saw people in tank tops. Now THAT'S a bit premature, but when you've experienced below 0 temps, 56 feels pretty warm by comparison.

The weekend was pretty blah with temps in the low 40's and not much sun. Today wasn't much better, and boo, hiss, more snow flurries this evening. Luckily nothing stuck. I am not TOO upset as my expectations have been correctly set to expect this sort of thing. I DO think we are out of the "big snow" woods, although I'm sure it could still happen. I'm hoping not.....

Fun in Downtown Chicago

2008-03-16T21:37:00.000-05:00

Jerrod and Marianne came to visit so we made the trek into Chicago to show them around. Our first stop was Millennium Park. This giant bean is so cool! Check out the skyline and the clouds in it's reflection.

Here, the kids are actually underneath the bean. It's a very interesting structure.

We were also able to go ice skating at Millennium Park. The kids all really enjoyed it. Grayson especially!

Halle wasn't able to keep her balance without assistance. I have to give her credit for her persistence, though. She wanted to skate and really put out a lot of effort to make it happen. She tired quickly but didn't want to stop! By the end of our skating time, she had really improved. I need to give Johnny the award for patience, though. He was so sweet helping Halle around the rink. I'm sure his back was killing him, but as long as she wanted to skate, he was going to hold her up!

Here we are altogether.

With Jerrod and Marianne with us, Johnny and I were able to cruise around a few times by ourselves.

Look at these cute boys!

After skating we took a walk down Michigan Avenue. The Chicago River was still green from the festivities the previous day. It's a tradition to dye the river green for St. Patrick's Day. There was also a huge parade. It does bring an additional 2 million people into the city. We decided not to attempt to hang on to 4 kids in that crowded situation. Sunday in the city was much more relaxing!

I am happy to report that we were able to find a little bit of Texas in downtown Chicago. There is a cool building that has pieces of stone and brick from all over the place. We found a piece of the Alamo. There are also pieces from the Great Wall of China, the Berlin Wall, and other neat places. What a cool idea!

Another great trip to the city. Wish you were here!

The Gardenhire's Visit!

2008-03-16T20:34:00.001-05:00

Jerrod, Marianne and Ethan came to visit us! We had so much fun!!!!

On Saturday we took the kids to an Easter egg hunt at Cosley Zoo, just minutes from our house. This was a new one for all of us Texans.....hunting Easter eggs in hats and gloves! It was pretty cold--somewhere in the upper 30's. After the egg hunt we came home, started a fire, had hot chocolate, watched soccer and played cards!

Marianne and I are attempting to keep warm while the kids hunt eggs!

This giant bean is located in Millennium Park in downtown Chicago. It's pretty neat. You can see the reflection of the whole city in it, as well as yourself. Parker took this picture for us.

We went ice skating at Millennium Park. Sunday was the last day of the season to skate!
We also took a little time to shop and look at the GREEN Chicago River. It was dyed on Saturday for the big St. Patrick's Day parade. We opted to venture into the city on Sunday when the extra 2 million people that watch the parade were at home!

Chicago is FUN....even in the cold! Come and see us!

Easter Egg Hunt, Wheaton Style

2008-03-15T21:27:00.001-05:00

This type of hunt involves hunting eggs at very low temperatures! At just under 40 degrees, we were slightly uncomfortable!

We had some friends visiting from Texas. Here are the kids with Ethan before the hunt. This is a first! We have never hunted eggs with gloves on!

The egg hunt was more like an egg "grab" but the kids had fun anyway!

The egg hunt was at our local Cosely Zoo. Before the egg hunt we got to look around at the animals. We got to see a 2 day old ram! Isn't he cute?

Maybe Easter Sunday will be a little warmer. Here's hopin'!

The Visitor

2008-03-12T22:50:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago as I was running on the treadmill (my new favorite past-time) I saw a VERY LARGE raccoon out the basement window. He appeared to have a hurt paw. I called the kids to come and see as I can't say that we've ever had a visitor like that in our yard before.

Over the last few weeks, I've seen the raccoon several times. I'm sure they are complete pests, but I rather enjoyed watching him hobble around our yard. What a fascinating creature God made!!

On Monday morning, TRASH DAY, I noticed a considerable mess in front of our house. It appeared that something had a hey day with the one trash bag that didn't fit into the lidded trash container. A dog I thought. (I know now, clearly, it was our friend, the raccoon.)

So Wednesday night I popped into the garage to put something into a soccer backpack, and there was our friend, that raccoon, in the garage, helping himself to our trash. I surveyed the situation. Hmmmm. It's 9 pm, the garage door was still up, the light in the garage was on, and there was a bag of trash that didn't quite make it into the lidded trash container. Either this raccoon was really smart or through a comedy of errors, we actually invited the raccoon to dinner.

I was very surprised to see him, but he didn't seem very surprised to see me. He looked up at me as I opened the door. Our eyes met. I said, "get out of our garage." And he just looked at me. Kinda like my kids do sometimes like, "whatever." Then he looked away and returned to pawing through our trash.

Alright, you asked for it, raccoon!! I called the exterminator immediately! "Johnny, there is a raccoon in our garage!" "OK" came the reply (a little reluctant I might add...) So my hero chased the creature out of the garage with a broom. He did get hissed at, but all is well.

In hindsight I realized a few things. 1) We have cabin fever. The sun was out yesterday and it warmed up to somewhere in the 40's! WOW! Why close the garage door? 2) Parker needs to be talked to regarding the importance of completing a task. Placing the trash bag in the garage beside the trash can=not quite good enough....must put it ALL the way in, AND CLOSE THE LID!

My only regret? Not taking a picture of that silly thing staring me up!

Yep....still snowing....

2008-03-08T14:19:00.002-06:00

For those of you keeping track, there are still snow flurries today. It's 24 degrees at 2:20 PM. But spring will be here soon.....I just KNOW it!

Steve, Andrea & Lexi

2008-03-01T09:10:00.003-06:00

We had some more visitors from Texas! My sister and her family came to see us!

It was a quick trip, but while they were here, we went to Grayson's school program, and Grayson's soccer game. On Friday the kids were out of school so we headed into the city. Parker has wanted to go to the Chicago Institute of Are since we moved here, and he finally had his chance!

After the museum excursion, the boys all went home and left the 3 of us girls alone to shop on the Magnificent Mile!!!

Here is Lexi in the Hershey store.

Also, sweet Lexi offered to stay with the kids while she was here one evening so that Steve, Andrea, Johnny and I could go to dinner at the Cellar Bistro in downtown Wheaton. We had a really great time! The four of us have birthdays in May, and it has been a tradition for many years that we all four go out to dinner to celebrate. I've decided to count this as our birthday celebration! Then maybe I won't be so sad when May rolls around and our birthday buddies aren't here. Instead, I can reflect on this great meal and time spent with GREAT friends!

I hope they come back soon! We had such a great time!

New Nephew!

2008-02-28T21:31:00.002-06:00

HUDSON JACOB SIEBERT

Born February 28, 2008

6 lbs, 15 oz, 20 inches

He belongs to my brother, Ashley and his wife Rebecca.

His big sister, Kaylor, likes him, too!

Still Snowing

2008-02-25T19:51:00.004-06:00

Just in case anyone was wondering, it's snowing again. I have never seen so much snow in my whole life. Although it is still peaceful and pretty, this is the first time it's snowed that I didn't get that little happy skip in my heart.

I really don't mind the snow....it's just that I've been running, A LOT, and the treadmill is getting a bit boring. I want to run outside! I want to hit the Prairie Path. I want to run sprints on the track. I want to run for miles and miles and not see a building standing tall....(no wait! That's the Dixie Chicks! Sorry, I got carried away!) I want to get on Johnny's bike and ride for an hour. (Yes, Johnny's. Mine was swiped years ago and never replaced!)

Could I do all of these things in the snow? Well, yes. In fact, I see people out running in this snow all of the time. Blame it on my Dallas legs or lack of warm running clothes, but I just couldn't go out in it. If I keep up the running craze, by next winter I'll be ready to run in the cold. But for now, it's just me and my treadmill. And I need a change of scenery.

I have to say, though, that this snow was beautiful. It's the really wet, heavy kind that sticks to all the trees. They are stunning when covered with white. But today, I found myself searching for a hint of green......

Bitterly Cold

2008-02-19T21:10:00.006-06:00

Ever since Johnny mentioned a possible move to Chicago and we began doing research on the weather, I have wondered what extreme cold would feel like. Just the idea of single digit temps with negative wind chills made me shiver.

The first time this season that Chicago experienced these really cold temperatures was the week of January 21, the very week that our family spent in Orlando, Florida. I was thrilled with our "luck" but I remained very curious about how COLD the COLD felt. Oh, I'm sure that I've been in weather that cold, having grown up in the coldest town in Texas (Dalhart--for the curious), and also having visited Kansas City and Colorado in the winter, but never during all of those times was I focused on the actual temperature. Until now.

This all brings me to the present: the 3rd week of February, 2008. All week it's been single digits when I get up in the morning and it seems to warm up only by a few degrees. This hasn't affected me a great deal although the heater seems to have a hard time keeping the house the nice toasty 70 degrees that I like. It's been slipping down to 67 at times, and though that seems a bit chilly, compared to 4, I'll take the 67 without complaint. And it seems when I DO go outside it's to my to car that is parked in the garage, and if I have to set foot outside of my car I am quite bundled up and just make a dash for the building. (Unlike Johnny who has to walk a mile each way from the train station to work.)

So today I decided to step outside without my coat to see what it felt like. Two seconds later, back in the house, I was able to reflect on my experiment and came to the conclusion: IGNORANCE was BLISS! Yah. Probably could've gone the rest of my life without experiencing what the weatherman described today as bitterly cold. Comments like that make me long for the days described as abundantly sunny.

I can now understand what all the warnings were about from my new Northern friends: "just you wait...." "you'll get tired of the snow..." "wait until February!" "you think this is cold? this is not cold...." etc, etc. All points well taken. Even Halle is beginning to feel it. As we got out of the car today at the library she said, "Is it going to be winter for our whole lives?"(And she did not ask with sarcasm--she was serious. This winter has felt like an eternity to her.)

Now I tell you.....I did not write this blog to whine and complain. I am merely stating the facts according to me. I spent plenty of time telling of the ABUNDANTLY SUNNY days of our Wheaton summer, and it's only fair to share the woes of winter. And I admit it....it gets cold here.

But here's the deal. Am I ready to chuck this whole thing because of a few months of cold (ok, bitterly cold)? Considering the fact that I believe God moved us here for a purpose, that would be pretty short-sided. And life is what you make of it. I could choose to groan and complain about some cold air, but instead I choose to focus on all the greatness of the life provided for me!

And I HAVE enjoyed the seasons so far: the mild summer, the chill of fall, the changing leaves, the first "cold snap", the beautiful snow, and the cold winter. But now, after months of being indoors, I AM OFFICIALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SPRING!

Too Much Snow, Not Enough Salt

2008-02-14T21:19:00.004-06:00

Just to give you a little glimpse of the winter we've been enduring, here are some stats from last winter vs. this winter:

2006-2007 season
Winter events: 14
Plowing: 5
Snowfall: 41 inches
Tons of salt applied: 13,600

2007-2008 season, so far
Winter events: 20
Plowing: 9
Snowfall: 48 inches
Tons of salt applied: 17,500

Did you catch that nearly FIFTY inches of snow have fallen since December 1, 2007? Not only has this lead to many shoveling jobs for the Harris', but it looks like the city is running low on salt. And it's only mid-February. This record snowfall could continue for another month.

Here's a glimpse of the story:
Salt shortages are impeding road crews throughout Illinois as they battle this winter's deluge of snow and ice. An order placed back in January still hasn't come in for Naperville, prompting the Public Works Department to conserve the 1,000 tons of salt remaining in its salt domes.

For the past several storms, cul-de-sacs have not been salted unless absolutely necessary. The city also is waiting to salt residential side streets until after they are plowed and is reducing the amount of salt used on collector streets. (This explains all the snow in MY cul-de-sac.)

"We anticipated we would have in an average winter, and this has by far exceeded that," said Dave Van Vooren, director of Public Works.

Crews will have to compensate for less salt by spending more time plowing snow. Arterial roadways, bridges, sharp curves and steep inclines will still be given typical amounts of salt, according to a city memorandum.

Salt backupVan Vooren said he isn't sure when Naperville's next load of salt will arrive, but the city says a shipment is scheduled for Monday or Tuesday - depending on the weather. Icy rivers have made it difficult for suppliers to transport salt-laden barges, he said.

"What we're hearing is that the suppliers have been unable to get salt delivered to their depot for distribution, and the rivers are too ice-logged for them to get barges through," Van Vooren said.

DuPage County crews also have used up the season's supply of salt, equaling 25,000 tons and costing almost $1 million. On Tuesday, the county board approved a second contract to purchase up to another 12,000 tons if needed.

About 1,300 tons of salt were used during the snowstorms Monday and Tuesday alone, said John Kos, the county's director of transportation and operations.

With about 950 lane miles of pavement to keep clear during often unpredictable winter weather, Kos said he is unsure how much more salt the county will need before spring arrives.

I did read some good news in a related article, though. The Public Works department is on the hook for the damage done to our mailbox via the snowplow. Only catch? We will have to wait until spring to dig a new hole for the post. So come MAY, we might just have a brand new mailbox!

Birthday, American Girl Style

2008-02-10T21:58:00.001-06:00

We celebrated Halle's birthday at the American Girl store in downtown Chicago. Although we've lived here for 8 months now, this is the first time that Halle has been to THE store! She's been asking to go for months!! Halle had picked out a Just Like You doll in the magazine that they so kindly sent to our house, so when we got there, she headed straight for the display.

Since this was her "party" we invited her very best friend, Brianna, to go with us! Here is Halle with her new doll, Alyssa, and Brianna with her doll, Felicity.

I think she likes her.....

Nana, Halle, Alyssa, Brianna, Felicity and I (Halle's mom) had tea at the AG Cafe.

They had special seating for the dolls....

...and they got to enjoy tea as well.

Here is Halle enjoying her hot cocoa.

As a side note, February 10, 2008, was the coldest day I've ever lived through. It topped out at 9 degrees which was not far from the low of 4. The wind was blowing 90 miles an hour (maybe a slight exaggeration, but I don't think I'm far off) so the wind chill was in the negatives. Seriously, you almost couldn't breathe. These are NOT the conditions that I would have chosen for the day we went into downtown Chicago. But although a seat in front of the fireplace was very inticing, even the cold couldn't keep me from celebrating Halle's birthday with her at this special place. I LOVE that girl!

Happy Birthday Halle!

2008-02-10T21:40:00.002-06:00

Halle is 5! I can't believe it!!

Nana and Granddaddy came to Chicago especially for Halle's birthday! Nana made her another beautiful Disney princess gown. This one is Ariel's wedding dress. Halle was thrilled!

Another one of Halle's favorite gifts was matching outfits for her Bitty Baby twins, and a matching outfit for herself as well!

I think 5 looks good on her!

What I've learned from my first winter in Chicago

2008-02-03T22:45:00.003-06:00

I have to say, it has been a real experience to live through a winter in Chicago. (And I may still have 2 more months of it.) But experiences teach us things and here are a few things I have learned:

1) Expect snow at any time. Sometimes, if you go into Target, even on a relatively clear day, when you come out the world looks like this:

And your car looks like this:

And if you take a moment to take a few pictures, your cart of stuff will look like this:
So, here are some more things I've learned:

2) Zip your purse. The snow will go right in it.

3) Even if the day is clear, don't go out in your Uggs unless you've waterproofed them. I've been surprised by the snow a lot. Best bet? Wear your snow boots. Even if the sun is shining.

4) Always zip your coat.

5) When you come out of Target and it's snowing, grab your ice scrapper/brush combo from the bottom of the trunk BEFORE you put on the groceries on top of it. Otherwise you will have to dig for it while it snows on you.

6) It can snow when the temp is above freezing. Really, it can snow any time it wants to.

7) A scarf is not just a cute accessory.

8) I may not be able to wear the 2 pairs of shorts I just bought at Target just yet.......

A Snow Day in Illinois

2008-02-01T22:31:00.000-06:00

When the neighbors started talking about a possible snow day from school on Friday I was in disbelief. I thought only Dallas closed their schools because of snow. But when I woke up on Friday morning the snow was as deep on the road as it was in our yard, I understood why they cancelled school! The snow came down so fast and so hard that the snow plow/salt trucks could not keep up with it. These pictures were taken AFTER Johnny shoveled our sidewalk and driveway (by the way, it took longer than an hour!) and the snow plow truck had made a few swipes down our cul-de-sac. Still, an amazing amount of snow. Check it out!

Unexpected Blizzard Danger

2008-01-29T21:29:00.000-06:00

It's snowing today. A blizzard, actually. It's snowing sideways. I think there's more snow on the porch than on the sidewalk.

Anyway, Parker went to bed a little bit ago and came right back out complaining that he was cold and his arm felt wet. After a little bit of investigation, we found that it was snowing in Parker's room. (That's very strange, and not just because Parker has a BEACH room!) The snow on the window sill and on the window is actually on the inside!

I'm still not entirely sure how the snow can get in a closed window, but it may be a combination of the way the window is facing, the fact that this window has no screen, the ridiculously hard wind, and the age of the windows. Or maybe it's just a Chicago thing. At any rate, the blizzard violated Parker's room. I hope he's not frozen in the morning.

Universal Islands of Adventure Orlando 2008

2008-01-24T21:51:00.000-06:00

On our recent trip to Orlando, we also visited Universal's Islands of Adventure. The kid's were unsure about cheating on Disney, but at the end of the day, I think they were happy to have gone someplace new.

Parker rode his first real roller coaster.....The Hulk! Check that thing out! He is a brave boy. I don't think he would have been too quick to jump back on it, but he said it was his favorite ride of the day!

Suess-land was a winner for everyone! This tied for Grayson's favorite ride!

Halle enjoyed the carol-Suess-al....the carousel with Suess characters.

Look, Johnny caught a Sneech......

...and the Grinch caught the kids!

Aren't we all so cute?
My favorite ride of all-time is still the Spider-Man ride at this park. There is none that can complete with this 3-D ride and the hologram effects. I love it! Johnny second's that. Grayson loved Jurassic Park and One-Fish, Two-Fish, and Halle's favorite was Cat In the Hat. Parker, of course, is hanging on to The Hulk!

Disney World 2008

2008-01-23T22:34:00.000-06:00

OK, so our first stroll down main street at Magic Kingdom in 2008 wasn't all that magic. Halle refused to get in the picture, I look somewhat ticked about that, and Parker and Grayson wanted to look at the ground. BUT, here is our proof of the visit, with none-other than Cinderella's Castle in the background. Our day could only improve!

Ahhh, count them 1, 2, 3 cheerful kids just off the Dumbo ride.

OK, looking mad again, but I think it's a pose.

We're so proud of our boys!

A very tired crew after our 2nd visit to Magic Kingdom in 3 days. We are with Johnny's parents, and I, of course, am the photographer.

Two cuties just before entering Phil-Harmagic! This is an excellent "ride."

Captured by Zurg!

Grayson, the cutest pirate mousekateer you've ever seen!

A little dancing with Flounder in Ariel's Grotto at the Pirate and Princess party. (Halle is playing Princess Aurora, another great dress made by Nana!)

Our Halle-girl with Donald and Daisy Duck at the pin-trading shop. Wonder who wanted to go there? (That would be Parker.)

All in all, another great visit to Disney. I think we shall go back.

The Princess Diaries

2008-01-23T22:00:00.000-06:00

Nana and I gave Halle a real treat this year at Magic Kingdom. Not only did she have to endure many soccer games for Parker and Grayson, but she ran a fever of 102 for 5 days when we were at Disney last year. So, we wanted to give her an experience that was memorable and simply perfect for the princess that she is!

We first took her to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for an up-do. They also did her nails and "make-up." Here is the before shot. Halle is looking over the menu of hair-do's.

The fairy-godmother just applied a lovely pink lip gloss. We call this "pink-pout!"

Halle picked the classic "fairy-tale princess" up-do. I think she is enjoying the Royal Treatment!

Now cover your face, get a sprinkling of fairy-dust and all of your dreams will come true!

Ta-Dah! And now off to Cinderlla's Royal Castle for lunch.

Halle is showing off the BEAUTIFUL Belle dress that Nana made her for Christmas.

And to our table came Princess Aurora....

...Snow White...

...and Belle in her plain clothes. She asked Halle if she had borrowed her yellow gown from her closet!"

After all that excitement, a rest on the royal stairs is in order!

We had such a great time! It is so much fun experiencing stuff like this through the eyes of a child. This IS where your dreams come true!!

Universal Studios Orlando 2008

2008-01-22T21:47:00.000-06:00

We had a great time at Universal Park! Our favorite rides? Parker-The Mummy, Halle- E.T., Grayson-Jaws, Johnny-Terminator 2 3-D, Jen-Men In Black.

3V3 Contender

2008-01-21T21:16:00.000-06:00

Through a series of FORTUNATE events, Parker was able to play in the 3V3 tournament at Disney for Barca 97. Although the boys never practiced together, and Parker was still suffering from the remaining effects of having 8 stitches in his knee, they put forth a valiant effort.

I'm sure that the left wing will be along any second to receive this ball....

I'd like to say this went in, but look at the odds.....

Look closely at this poor kid. Unfortunately his nose got in the way of one of Parker's shots. He was effective in blocking the shot, however bloody he walked away.

3V3 World Champions!

2008-01-21T20:50:00.000-06:00

Grayson's 3V3 soccer team from Dallas qualified for the Kick-It World Championships at the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. So, we had to go, again!

Grayson and Nico

The Dynamo 2000 boys from Dallas actually had 2 teams qualify for the event. One team got 3rd place, and Grayson's team got 5th! This pic is the two teams combined.

Do you think Gray is happy??

Winning actually put a little spring in his step!

Fillet-O-Parker

2008-01-05T22:15:00.001-06:00

Things were exciting at the Harris household today! Parker earned a trip to the ER. (Gruesome details to follow. If you're faint, you might want to turn away!)

He was playing football in the basement with Grayson and his Dad. Evidently he made a GREAT catch and went down on his knees, sliding across the floor. Unfortunately, his knee caught the metal lip that separates our tile from the carpet. It literally "filleted" his leg open. After one look I said, "off the the ER for you!" I wasn't sure what they would do as it was not a deep cut, but there was a large, thick chunk of his skin pushed down, curled under, and still attached but in the wrong place.

He was very brave. I know he was in pain, and yet he let the doctors and nurses clean his wound out, numb it up, give him shots, and sew him up with EIGHT stitches.

Yucky!

The stitches come out in 10 days. Just in time for a little 3V3 soccer at Disney in Orlando!!!

Grayson Is 8!

2008-01-02T23:45:00.000-06:00

I can't believe it's happened already, but Grayson is 8 years old! He celebrated his birthday with a sleepover with 3 boys from his class at school. We had pizza and cookie cake (since Grayson is anti-real cake). They had nerf gun fights, played Wii, and watched a movie. They are still going strong at 11:51 and have just surfaced from the basement for a snack. I may be in for a long night!

Friends from left to right: Jordan, Caleb, Grayson, Brayden, and Parker in the back.

We Discovered Sledding!

2008-01-01T19:41:00.000-06:00

We hit the sleddin' hill with our neighbors. Lucky for us, the fashion police were not on site!

Here is Parker, flying by on his knees.

Grayson poses with his flying disc.

Halle and Brianna way off in the distance!

Halle, Brianna and Lyn

Johnny and Gray. Look closely, they are travelling backwards!

Go Gray Go

Parker is so sweet to Halle! She was a little nervous to sled by herself so Parker went down with her several times and held her hand. Eventually Halle felt comfortable enough to go down alone.

Whoa, Gray! I'm not sure that's how it's done!

Here are Halle and Johnny. I'm not sure what Grayson is shielding himself from in the background!

Here is a picture of me, Jen, coming down the hill!

Yah right! Who am I kidding? No one else would take their hands out of their gloves!

A Room with a View

2008-01-01T19:20:00.000-06:00

It snowed again. A lot. It's so pretty watching it snow through our patio doors. I took a picture for perspective.

I also want to report the snow chair people sitting in our adirondack chairs. There were no people there yesterday, but this morning I looked out and noticed them. I wonder if they are waiting for the sun to come back?

I wonder how long it will take me to get used to the idea that it literally could snow at any moment here? Snow in Dallas is such a rare occurrence that when the snow is coming, everyone talks about it, watches for it, and goes into hibernation because of it.

On Sunday I went to Costco. I was inside about an hour. I walked out and to my surprise, it was snowing great big flakes. A huge smile broke across my face and I felt giddy. I'm just like a kid!! The weather report said it was supposed to snow on Monday, so the snow on Sunday was a completely welcome, unexpected surprise! I was disappointed that it didn't last more than an hour.

On Monday as I was getting ready for our New Years Eve party, the promised Monday snow arrived. For some reason I was expecting it in the morning, so when looked up from my ham sandwich making after lunch and saw the large flakes yet again it made me happy! And it has been snowing since!!!! I'm not sure how many inches we're into this snow, but it sure is beautiful!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2008-01-01T00:48:00.000-06:00

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

We rang in the New Year with lots of people at 11:oo pm (we watched NY on cable.) After all our friends left, we let the boys stay up 23 extra minutes for the real midnight. Now that the new year is here, what are we gonna do with it?

This sounds so cliche, but I'm going to run more. I have decided that I would like to run a marathon at some point in this lifetime. I believe I will make it happen. I plan to at least run a half-marathon this year. This is a pretty lofty goal for me as my personal running record has topped out at 5.5 miles and that just took place 2 days ago. Prior to that I was running only 2 miles at a time! Running 13.1 miles sounds daunting--especially as I sit here with sore muscles from running. But I will train and I will make it happen.

So let's hear it....what are you planning to accomplish this year?

Christmas at the Harris House

2007-12-25T16:41:00.000-06:00

The kids are patiently awaiting the word, "go!"

Halle's big gift was the American Girl Bitty Twins!

Parker and Grayson got electric scooters!

Happy, happy, joy, joy! We had a great Christmas!

Thank you, Lord, for your blessings!

Favorite Christmas Moments

2007-12-25T13:05:00.000-06:00

Christmas brings with it lots of wonderful things. Festivities, shopping, parties, and presents! If I think about this Christmas season, I can think of LOTS of things that I enjoyed. But if I had to pick my favorite moments, it wouldn't be the fun and fellowship of the Christmas parties or the beautiful new watch Johnny gave me for Christmas. It would be the experience of seeing Christmas through Parker's eyes!

See, last night as we were preparing to leave for our church's Christmas Eve service, Parker ran to his room to get some money to put into the church offering. Grayson saw him do this and decided that he, too, wanted to give to God. When the plate was passed, I watched the look on their faces as they put their money in the offering. Their eyes danced, and they had huge smiles on their faces! JOY! Pure JOY! I saw them live out 2 Corinthians 9:7 which says, Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. What a blessing to experience the Joy of the Lord at such young ages!!

Then, this Christmas morning, as we were tearing into our stockings, Parker brought me the Bible. He had it opened to Matthew 1:18. He said, "we should read the Christmas story before we open our presents." His dad and I encouraged him to read it to us, so he began...."This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" which means, "God with us." When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus."

Wow! Our 10-year old "gets" it. It's not about the presents. It's about the birth of Christ. And he not only knows this, he lives it, and is an encouragement to his siblings and those around him.

Parker is a blessing and a joy, and he has definitely added to my favorite Christmas moments!

The Windy City

2007-12-23T16:34:00.000-06:00

Most know that Chicago is nicknamed "The Windy City." I hadn't given that much thought until I learned we were moving here.

I hate the wind. And that's an understatement. Johnny hates the wind, too. Aside from it pollinating things, I think we could all do without wind.

In my opinion, TEXAS is very windy. I remember a time when I was in about 7th grade. It was spring so it was just beginning to get warm. I liked to ride my bike all around Dalhart. But this particular spring it was windy EVERY day. And I don't mean just a little windy. Ridiculously windy! Blow you off your bike or into oncoming traffic windy. And have you ever experienced wind in West Texas? It brings all the loose dirt with it (and there's A LOT), and when that hits you in the bare legs (face, arm, whatever) it's like thousands of tiny pins puncturing your skin. I assure you this is unpleasant. So for days on end I longed to ride my bike and couldn't. I guess it permanently scarred me, because it's something I haven't forgotten.

I think the wind situation was better upon moving to the Dallas area. There are a few trees to block the wind and the dirt isn't as plentiful. However, if the temp drops into the 70's, it generally brings the wind with it. Johnny has suggested that this is like a warm blow-dryer in your face. I have to agree. And once the wind stops in Dallas, the temps climb so high that it's out of control.

So imagine my IMMENSE FEAR when I was told we were moving to Chicago! Yikes!! The windy city! BUT, it's appears that I made the same mistake that most folks do. While there IS some wind in Chicago, that's not why it's nicknamed The Windy City. Chicago earned this nickname, it seems, because the POLITICIANS (both locals and those who visit for conventions) are "blowhards" or "longwinded" (ie: they talk too much). It has also been used to reference citizens of Chicago who brag about their city.

We've been here now for a little over 7 months. I can remember TWO windy days, today being one of them (the other took out about half the trees in Wheaton). Not that there hasn't been a breeze on occasion, but I am accustomed to TEXAS wind. I think the wind is probably less in Wheaton, too, than Chicago proper. Wheaton is surrounded by forest preserves which helps immensely in curbing the wind.

So drop me into a city with LESS wind, people that talk too much, and citizens who brag about their great city? Well, no wonder I fit in so well!