More than just a finisher...

I started running "for fun" in 2003 and though it has taken some time and a few breaks here and there I finally feel like I am more than just a finisher.  See I used to sign up for races (5K's, half marathons and even several full marathons) with the thought that I just wanted to finish...and lord willing not be last.  I am finally getting more confident~motivated~competitive with my running and am looking at beating previous times.  I doubt I will ever be competitive in the winning my age group sense but would love to get an under 30 minute 5K under my belt as well as an under 2 hour half marathon.  We shall see, we shall see.

Why I love being a mom to BOYS!!!

1) Digging for worms provides hours of entertainment.

2) It's okay to be shirtless.

3) Peeing outside is standard operating procedure.

4) They snuggle just as hard as they play.

5) They, and now I, know the name of every type of tractor/heavy equipment rig.

6) I love a freshly buzzed head and having two of my very own to love is AWESOME!

7) No leggings, tights, bows, make-up (besides mine) will be an issue.

8) At any time you will likely find a train, a truck, a tractor and a garbage truck in my purse.

9) Neosporin and band aids, they have their own line in the family budget.

10) Sand, mulch, rocks and dirt are better than any toy I have found and so CHEAP!

Easter Baskets for the boys

After reading a number of tutorials I decided to try this one from pickupsomecreativity@blogspot.com.


Here are my versions and I am very happy with how they turned out.  As a newbie to sewing there were some things I messed up, like the handles but again, I am happy with the result.

My little egg hunters were very happy to have personalized baskets that were just their size.

We're surrounded

Quite literally we are surrounded by men named Dan.  We have a Dan next door (who is referred to as other Dan) and a Dan across the street (whom we affectionately call Mr. Dan).  We are truly blessed in the neighbor department but the boys LOVE LOVE LOVE Mr. Dan and his sweet bride Nae.  Mr. Dan is outside A LOT as we are and I truly believe the boys think he is their personal playmate.  He was recently laid off and has been home much more these last few weeks.  I am afraid there will be some severe Dan-withdrawals when he goes back to work.

Yesterday we were outside playing when Mr. Dan came home.  Matthew jumped on his bike and rode over and parked at the end of his driveway awaiting his presence.  After a few minutes he rode back over to our house very upset that "Mr. Dan not come outside".  It was cute and within a few more minutes, Mr. Dan did in fact come outside.  Matthew raced over to greet his buddy and his day was complete.

Spoiled

So, we have lived in/on our little cul-de-sac for 3 years and I can officially say that I am spoiled.  I am not sure that I am ever going to be able to live on a real street again.  Awesome neighbors, gorgeous trees, a park next door and a nice long driveway for little boys to ride bikes on makes me realize what good house picker-outers we are!

Wordless Wednesday

The new 25

So, it's official, I am officially closer to 40 than 30.  YIKES, it seems like I just entered my 30's, oh well, beats the alternative right?

We do birthdays in a big way around here and here is how my crew made my week so very special.

I got THIS....

about a week before my birthday, she has been named Esperanza (in honor of one of our favorite restaurants), she rocks and totally lives up to her name.  We have made a few batches of cookies in her thus far but I plan on making a quadruple batch of pizza dough in the next few days to really put her to the test.





I had a fairly uneventful day but did finally close on the refinance of our home, got a little run in with a friend and spent some time with my most favorite men.  We went out for dinner and came home to some DELISH cupcakes from our sweet neighbors...Matthew was in heaven and on a sugar high.

In keeping with tradition, we tackled a project around the house.  I have been wanting a picnic table for several years and finally got one, it is awesome as you can see.....

 It seats us plus about 6 or so others and the best part, it matches my little redheads hair.
 


As an added bonus W built, with some help, two Adirondack chairs on Sunday.  It was a perfectly productive weekend.

TEXAS ON MY MIND

        Just want all of our friends and family in

                              TEXAS 
 
      to know that we are praying for you every day!

Superwoman, I am not.

A friend, one that I consider SO ON TOP OF IT all the time, confessed some of her imperfections and it made me think, what a humbling, liberating feeling it might be to just be honest.

It is so easy, from the outside looking in to think friends, family or neighbors are more on top of things than I am but the truth is we are all fighting our own battles.

I miss the easy days.  I miss hanging out with my funny husband.   Before kids, before rent houses, before the never-ending to do list.  Since we married while I was in college and spent the next 5 years finishing college and graduate school I am not sure our life was ever "easy" but it seems like that phase was much easier than this raising little people one is.

I used to be so patient and lately I feel like I lose my patience constantly....I hate yelling and getting mad but there are days where I feel like all I do is get on to my little guys.  I hate myself and feel like such a failure when I lose it with them.  They mean so much to me and I swore I would be this amazing, awesome, super mom and the fact is, some days I am not.

I am actually starting to enjoy cooking.  I know, so very domestic of me.  Cooking used to be such a chore back in my working outside the home days and while it is still a chore some days, these last few years it has become a bit satisfying.  Giada I am not but I do pretty well.

I hate dusting...I mean truly despise it. (Sorry D, couldn't find better words).  Of all the household chores, it is the most annoying, I mean the minute you dust it needs to be done again.  At least the bathroom stays fairly clean for a day hour or two.

We recently changed up our bedtime routine and it has been working much better.  I spent several months HATING bedtime in a bad way.  The entire process physically, mentally and emotionally wore me out and I can guarantee I was not a very good wife after going through that.  Our new routine of laying down with them (which I swore I would NEVER do) for a few minutes works, right or wrong, we have found something that works and we are ALL happier....though I really have to fight hard not to fall asleep with them sometimes.

Just remember, there is always a story behind the story and NO ONE is perfect.  The funny thing about perfection is that we are always striving for it when in reality it doesn't exist.

Gardening...Riggle Style-2011

Some lessons from last year were incorporated into the current garden plan:

Corn, just not worth the effort, especially when fresh local corn to SO CHEAP.

More potatoes, onions and sweet potatoes this year, we didn't quite grow enough to get us through that long winter.

Give the beans some support this year, no matter how redneck it looks.

I also randomly incorporated potatoes, onions, shallots, strawberries and garlic in our overall landscape plan.  We started our tomatoes, banana peppers and parsley from seed again.  Bought seed potatoes and onion sets from the feed store...and almost some chickens..but that is a whole other post.

Forgiveness

We could all learn a thing or two about forgiveness from the children in our lives.

I personally think that I am very laid back but have a hard time forgiving and an even harder time forgetting when I have been wronged.  I struggle with this A LOT no matter how hard I try.

I watch these two boys, at the mercy of my parenting trials and tribulations forgive so WHOLLY and EASILY when I make a mistake.  Literally, five minutes later all they want is love from me..which only serves to make me feel even worse. 

Almost a chicken farmer...almost

A little secret for you, I want chickens....BAD!!  I know, not cool or hip but it is the truth.

Not so much because I think they are the most cuddly creatures on the earth, I just think fresh eggs would be amazing, yes I would be spoiled, but AMAZED.  If you have not eaten fresh eggs, you must find a local producer and do so.  Once you go fresh..you'll never go back!!!

We almost got chicks this year but decided with the state of the economy and job situation that we would hold off for the time being.

#2...and #2

So, Baby Riggle #2 is infatuated with going to the bathroom when Matthew does.  We have been outside A LOT these past few weeks and he always grabs himself and says "tee-tee" when he sees Matthew watering the outdoors.  So, I have been encouraging him.  The diaper bill is KILLING ME and we use generics.  I digress, so in the last few days he has tee-tee'd multiple times outside and few times in the potty.  Well today, right before naptime he asked to go tee-tee, so I obliged.  Not only did he tee-tee....he pooped too!!!!!  WOO HOO!!!!!  In case you can't tell, I am SUPER STOKED!!

I will be glad when he is out of diapers though I think with his appetite the diaper money is just going to go into the grocery envelope because he eats like a horse and I assume this will only get worse as he grows.

A little about me....a little about you?

Fun to share....and a great way to spend some time on-hold:


Making : fabric Easter Baskets for my boys and a purse for my niece
Cooking : absolutely nothing
Drinking : H2O
Reading: The Five Love Languages for Children
Wanting: a new hairdo
Looking: at my messy desk
Playing: stay awake
Wasting: time wishing I had more of it
Sewing: same as making.....
Wishing: life were easier to predict
Enjoying: the odd silence of two guys NAPPING
Waiting: for my long awaited stand mixer to arrive
Liking: this weather
Wondering: what life has in store
Loving: checking things off the to do list
Hoping: for a good night of sleep
Marvelling: at how many times a day I pick up the SAME things
Needing: some stiffy...fabric stablizer
Smelling: laundry
Wearing: tee and running pants
Following: the path of destruction created by thing 1 & thing 2
Noticing: that I will be closer to 40 than 30 in a few weeks....YUCK
Knowing: that being an adult sucks sometimes
Thinking: of a kid free dinner out
Opening: my checkbook
Giggling: over how big Kimber thinks he is
Feeling: kinda energized after my run

And I Quote

"Chickens make eggs when they toot".

Matthew

I want to be naked, I don't want to go to church, I want to watch Iron Giant.

The past few days Matthew has reached a new milestone, he no longer talks about himself in third person. I used to hear "Matt wants peanut butter" and now he says "I want peanut butter". Who knew that proper English would make me sad? He is growing up and becoming such a funny little person.

This morning while discussing our plans for the day with a completely naked Matt he proceeded to tell me....in one long sentence...the following;

"I want to be naked, I don't want to go to church, I want to watch Iron Giant, I want to sit couch".

So, he scored 50%. He got to watch a little bit of Iron Giant on the couch but he had to go to church.....CLOTHED.