It's been so long

I appreciate the encouragement to keep this blog going. I do love keeping in touch with people this way but life priorities shifted and the blog got left in the dust.
Now it's time to pick it up and brush it off - see what I can glean and share from my life. And in doing so the goal is to be in closer touch with you my friends, old and new, as well.

My wild and crazy girl, hamming it up at a party

Natty and Sam are well - growing up amazing. Sam was insisting last night that he was bigger than Natty and almost as big as me. But he's not. He's still my little man. Natty is chugging away through 2nd grade. She's learning a lot about math, reading and all that, but the real lessons this year have been more on the social front. Her struggles with friends, and questions about how to handle relationships have been hard for me to watch and healthy to engage in.

Sam with his best girl, Hattie

We've finally taken the sledgehammer to the walls and are well into our kitchen remodel. It's going to be great when it's finished.

And now the children are up, the day is beginning  and I'm going to post this now or it will never get done!

A few pictures from our time in Alaska

These are some of the pictures I texted to Murray to keep him in touch with what we were up to. 

Natty with a view back Eagle River Valley (where I grew up). This was taken on a Thursday Kids' Hike. 

 Sam and Svea chillin' at the Byer's Lake Cabin on the 4th of July. 

 The Birthday Pinata at the Byer's Lake Cabin 

Another Kids' Hike - Bear Mountain in Peter's Creek, looking towards Anchorage

 Watching the Bear Paw Festival Parade in Eagle River - and eating the candy they caught!

Midway on the Ski Hill in Cordova

Our "Bicycle Built for 8" in Portland - the 4 adults are not on it yet, but we did all fit.

6 weeks later

6 weeks from the marathon, a week after getting home. This morning I finally struggled out the door to run - motivated by my grumpy mood, bulging stomach and the 1/2 of a chocolate bar I ate last night (of course, it was good, dark organic chocolate, but still, it had plenty of calories).

I won't lie -- it was miserable starting out. But there was an undercurrent of feeling Right so I clung to that and kept the feet moving.

A spiral of thoughts circled: 1) I feel awful - how could I get so out of shape in just 6 weeks?  2) Summer mornings in Pomfret are the most beautiful moments. Either Murray or I should be exercising every morning at 6 am from Mother's Day to Halloween just to enjoy this perfect time of day. 3) I really needed to do this. I'm going to keep running 3-4 times a week, and add in yoga the days I don't run. I'll feel so much better if I do that. 1) I feel awful.  Etc.

It was shocking how I struggled through what used to be my short, easy run. But just when I was heading up backstretch hills and toying with the thought of walking I glanced at my watch and saw I was running <10 min miles! I can still run, my legs/lungs/heart do work and I'm not a total lump of fat. Those numbers gave me the boost to get up the last hills and into our driveway. I think I've caught myself before total deterioration set in and I don't plan on letting myself go just yet.

I appreciate that it has been mostly positive motivation to get me moving. I was a more pleasant, serene and energetic person when I was exercising regularly and I missed all that. The negative motivations are mostly weight related - I bought a dress when I was in marathon form and it isn't looking as good on me now (which kills me).

No matter what got me out, I'm happy I went out today. I feel better for it and ate Murray's delicious pancakes without guilt when I got back home.