Bunny Ears and Lego Ships

The boys think that the kitchen table is the most exciting place to be in the whole house. 

Alex is a master lego builder now. He worked on this ship for a couple days. And he has made a million adjustments to it since I took this picture. He invests so much time into one project that if it falls on the floor and breaks, he can put it back to together exactly as it was. Alex's lego knowledge amazes me. I can take the tiniest little piece and say "Alex, what set did this come in?" and he will tell me the exact set. He has like 15 different sets. 

Aaron and I went to the Library's story time and he made his very first set of bunny ears. After he made them he said he was going to give them to Alex. So as we drove to Alex's school he held them on his lap and became very attached to them because just before Alex got in the car he said "I not going to give this to Alex" Then he wore them for the next couple days. This was a big deal for Aaron because he rarely gets in to crafts. 

First 5k of the Season

We did our first run this season on Saturday. It was the Run for the House at Hawk Island Park.  Saturday morning was freezing! Everyone was cold, but the very coldest were our two boys who rode in the jogging stroller for 2 miles and then couldn't take it any more. Aaron kept jumping ship so Chris couldn't finish the race. It was so sad and frustrating. The boys are troopers but we probably won't take them on another race again. Its hard when our needs (running fast) and their needs (playing at the playground 50 feet away) conflict. Plus, the boys are getting big and thats a lot of weight to push. 

Good news is I did my personal best at 26:42. The racing chair is very fun and I have a lot to learn in it. I expect that 5k time to get shorter and shorter each month I train. 

My Competition - Yikes!

I am doing some research about different racers and what type of equipment they use as well as their technique and positioning. I am learning so much. I am a little overwhelmed right now because I just read that gold medalist Chantal Petitclerc is going to be competing in the Grand Rapids Riverbank Run! Oh my goodness. She is the best in the world right now. Here is a link that shows the list of gold medals she has earned - starting in 1992! I can't believe we are going to share a starting line. 

The crazy thing is that I was already totally nervous about the River bank run because they only offer a wheelchair division in the 25k and that is way farther than I have ever gone before. So I have a month and a half and we will see what can be done in that amount of time. 

I am excited and so motivated. 

Racing Season in HERE!

This is a racing chair that we borrowed from Michigan Sports Unlimited. (Thank you Jeff Coupie) It was fun to try out yesterday as the temperature finally got above 35 degrees. It was my first time in a racing chair and it surprised me how different it felt.  Instead of grabbing the pushrims, you box them. It seemed like it transfered the major active muscle group from the triceps to the biceps. Big change. 

I bought my own racing chair from a guy on Craigslist. It is a Top End that fits me really well. Its at the bike shop right now getting new tires so no pictures yet. This sport it is going to take a lot of hard work this summer, but I am so excited. I have a mentor in Saginaw, Art Hope, who is going to teach me technique. 

To gear up for the marathon in October, Chris and I are doing several races this summer:

3/28 - Ronal  McDonald Run for the House 5k

4/18 Riverbank Training Run 15 k

5/9 Riverbank Run 25k in Grand Rapids

6/6 5K4TJ at Kinawa Middle School

6/18 Thunder in the Valley Games in Saginaw

8/22 The Crim 10 Mi. in Flint

9/7 Mackinac Bridge Run 5 Mi.

10/3 St. George Marathon

This is Alex having great success on the climbing wall at the Flint Childrens Museum. After we got home he said that was his favorite thing there.  

Monday was Chris' birthday and we celebrated with a squirt gun themed birthday party. (Alex's idea of course. We had a squirt gun shaped cake, pinata (we made from a cereal box) and a squirt gun game patterned after the midway game. It was loads of fun. 

Aaron at the Ann Arbor Children's Museum.  He was getting some good air on these keys.

Nemo Musical at Disney World

My favorite thing at Disney World was the Finding Nemo the Musical. It was amazing to see the performers singing, dancing and controlling their puppets. My kids watched the puppets the whole time. Chris and I were amazed by the talented performers and the innovation throughout the show. We were on the edge of our seats excited for what was coming next. The music was great as well. 

I am bored!

Alex says it a couple times every day. Its usually about 1 pm when he has been playing with legos for 3 hours and his mind can't handle it any longer. I sympathize with him. There is only so much you can do inside and this weather is killing us. Its bright and sunny and beautiful. But its still freezing cold. We are so ready to play outside but frozen fingers and noses are not worth it.  

Last Saturday I woke up, made my bed, got dressed and was ready to hit the road for my first run of the season. I got out about an 1/4 mile and couldn't feel my pinky fingers at all! I came back home. Our enthusiasm is bursting at the seams to do all the things we want to do. The weather will break soon, I know it. Its MARCH!