Breaking Free

I found this on the runners world website. I loved the picture.

He Did It!

This late afternoon I took Grant down to the WIU track and we just started running together. I said:
"Don't run fast, just move your feet enough to say you are actually running."
"When you feel like you want to stop say these words out loud: You are wrong brain- I CAN do it!"
"If your breathing gets really hard take air into your nose and out through your mouth really slowly but really deeply."
I've never actually witnessed him listening to everything I said and actually doing it! Funny thing was that I said those things right before we started running. Once our feet started moving we started a game. We played 10 questions, 20 is too long when you are trying to distract a five year old, or 30 year old, whatever! He started...I asked:
Jo: Is it an animal?
Grant: Yes
Jo: Is it a mammal?
Grant: No
Jo: Is it a land animal?
Grant: Sometimes
Jo: Hey, it has to be yes or no
Grant: Well, ask a yes or no question
Jo: I did
Grant: I can't answer it with a yes or a no
Jo: OK is it a Frog?
Grant: Hey, no fair
Jo: yes it is. yes or no?
Grant: yes
Jo: My turn
(lap 1)
Grant: Is it nocturnal?
Jo: What?
Grant: Does it only come out at night? Like Daddy (laughing out of breath)!
Jo: I know what it means but why wouldn't you start with: is it an animal?
Grant: I don't know.
Jo: No
Grant: Is it a thing?
Jo: Well, it isn't an idea...
Grant: Mom! Yes or No!
Jo: Yes
(lap 2)
Grant: Ok is it an animal?
Jo: ummm, technically for the sake of 10 questions yes
Grant: You don't play this right
Jo: I'm just saying that some things can't be answered with yes or no.
Grant: I know you are just going to say Dragonfly
Jo: Hey no fair!
Grant: Yes or no? Laughing.
Jo: No!
Grant: Liar!
Jo: Yes!
(Lap 3)
Grant: My turn
Grant: You won't get this one
Jo: is it an animal?
Grant: No its in the human body!
Jo: sound of loud laughing mixed with tough breathing: Did you mean to say....
Grant: NO! I forgot what we were doing for a minute!
Jo: Is it blood?
Grant: no?
Jo: is it lungs
Grant: no
Jo: is it the tricuspid or mitral valve?
Grant: Kindof
Jo: is it the heart?
Grant: Yes!
(Lap 4)
Grant: Hey Mom are we done with our three laps for today?
Jo: Yep, plus 1 ! WE JUST RAN YOUR FIRST MILE WITHOUT STOPPING!
We jumped up and down and hugged and of course as we held hands on our way back to the car he squeezed my hand three times...our secret way we tell eachother "I love you."
Wow, I see into my future and all the days that are like these and it looks fun.
Oh, wondering why I didn't mention Jake? I left him at home with his Dad because Ted told me to. I felt guilty doing it, because Jake is well, high maintenance. Ted worked 11pm-7am last night then someone couldn't make their shift this morning so he was lucky enough to work straight thru until 3pm this afternoon. After I got back with Grant and Tropical Snow Ted went to bed. We will see him tomorrow I hope.
At one point this evening Jake got a time out. It started like all the others: (a rude comment, hitting, kicking, throwing something at someone...just plain being mean). I atually started my stopwatch instead of a timer this time. When Jake finished his screaming, flopping, running out of time out, only to be put back again and again, his begging, his trying to break the walls, when he finally finished it had been 65 minutes. It would have gone on longer but I think he heard Grant and I playing the piano together. Grant actually asked if Jake had been in more than in time out during this time or if it was all one. I told him that it was all one and he couldn't believe it. He asked if that was the longest timeout I had ever given and I said no way. I had given him (Grant) many lasting well past that. I had witnesses. (God blessed me with two very strongwilled children and extenuating circumstances that often negated my hard work.) Unfortunanelty, the moment I had been waiting for all day was ruined due to Jake's Time out. I wanted to take the boys to the nursery at the YMCA so I could practice my 3 mile run and lift like I usually do on Thursday nights. Plus I really needed it after being with the boys for so long alone. But, I faced it and decided I had another plan. I was mean mommy to Jake and put him to bed at 7pm. put Grant to bed at 7:45pm and then I went outside and ran laps around the property. It is very rolling with hills and trees and it reminded me of our high school cross country training course at the Golden Hills Country Club Golf Course. I ran until I couldn't run anymore and then I felt oK with today's workout.

Had a thought when I was running

I had a revelation when I was running today and I thought I would share:
it went like this:
"I.......(gasp).....am......(gasp).....so......(gasp)........out.....(gasp)..........of.....(gasp)........shape!"
Rubarb Run here I come. I should just start taking my own trash cans and setting them at the end of the races with my name on them that way they will be ready for me when I get there :-)

My Mother Kathy sent this to me to share with you!

I loved the list you shared with me (and others). It was so upbeat and inspired me to make my own list. Feel free to share my list. Love, Mom.

1) Family....what can I say. They make life interesting, they give it meaning, they make you face your weaknesses and fears as well as your strengths. Each one has their special place in your heart and I have a unique relationship with each one. Grandkids are awesome!!!!

2) Exercise. Walk, bike, gardening/yard work, Y classes...it's all good. A great stress reliever. It makes me feel healthier and stronger. BONUS: My Y instructor Beth F. - she makes it fun, pushes my limits...she is Great!

3) Innkeepers Coffee, N. Seminary St. Galesburg, IL.- My escape. I don't drink coffee, although their fresh roasted coffee flavors smell great (they roast it there). I love their fresh brewed iced tea- flavored or green. I've never found any like this...and their fresh salads - wonderful. Whether it's sandwiches, baked goods, chocolates, soups, or salads, it's all tasty. Quality, friendly service and great atmosphere....I miss this place on my days off. I'm so lucky to work so close. Please remember to avoid this place b/w 11:30 and 1:00 on weekdays, so that I don't have to wait in a long line for lunch. I walk in the door, talk a deep breath and let my stresses go.

4) Downy Wrinkle Release spray- I'm not a fan of ironing, but I hate wrinkles. Whether it's my work blouses, pants, or even T-shirts, this stuff is great. We now keep a bottle at the office.

5) Shout wipes or Tide to Go- Even if you're not sloppy like some of us - everyone has an accident occasionally. These allow you to clean it on the go. Also, I've found them good on carpet spots.. Keep in your desk, purse, car, bathroom closet (it's good on makeup spots).

6) Lawn chairs- nothing like chilling in the yard. I'm known for not being able to sit still, but I love to chill in the evening on my patio (OK, so I don't have patio, but I pretend I have my patio in my back yard).

7) A loyal loving dog- Aspen. What a great dog. He's awesome - gentle, protective, and loving.

8) The Farm. Growing crops - all stages, the farming community, managing your own business with your own sweat and tears, tractors, combines, technology, planning, numbers (see 11 below), the scenery (see 9 below), the environment, feeling so close to God, living in the country, neighbors being someone that lives within a few miles of you, walking the block means 3 miles, growing your own food in the garden or on fruit trees and bushes, pick up trucks...the list would never end.

9) Most Weather- the changes of the seasons, so you when you get tired of the weather you are having, you know a change is around the corner. Each season adds a fresh new beauty to the stages of life. Rain, snow, sunshine, breezes, fall leaves and crisp air. The sky changes that occur with the weather changes including the colorful sunrises and sunsets....or starry nights and colored moons.

10) Trees - for shade, breezes, leaves in the fall, climbing, wind protection, and for beauty.

11) Numbers - I love numbers. I can't help myself from calculating even when I'm driving, exercising, or going to sleep. Yeah, I think it is fun.

12) Pepsi and fresh brewed iced tea (or hot in the winter) - caffeine with sugar or caffeine without sugar or there is always the caffeine free option. They are my go-to "comfort" food.

13) Cell phones - I remember our first bag phone. We still have it. Now I take my cell everywhere. It makes me feel safe. My family can reach me if they need to and I can get help if I need it.

14) Dr Radio XM radio station 119. Now I enjoy my long drive to work or any other place. It's like a continual learning program. Solid, useful information from a good resource. I love learning and I can honestly learn something useful everyday.

15) Music - whether it's a school band, church choir, orchestra, or professional artist, I appreciate it. For me, it's about the rhythm, sound, words, or emotions. It lifts me up, revs me up, evokes emotion, makes me want to dance, tap my foot or sway. Sometimes it makes me want to sing (wish I could).

16) Reading - taking someone else's words and combining their representation/message with my own imagination. It lifts me up, inspires me, evokes emotion, or makes me want to tell others. Sometimes it makes me want to write (like this list).

17)Laughing - it's great exercise and quite healthy (even if it makes you pee your pants). I love a good laugh - not when someone is demeaning someone else. It's great if you can laugh at yourself. I love laughing with my Mom - we can laugh until we cry or cry until we laugh. We would laugh at Gilda Radner on SNL in the early 80's. We still laugh at some of the same funny things we did years ago. My son thought he was born to entertain, starting when he was only months old. He made me laugh during some of the hardest times of my life. My daughter always wanted to be as funny as she thought her brother was- she was funny when she let it come naturally. Most of all she knew the joy of laughing with others not at others. She an knows how to laugh out loud and from the soul. My husband seldom has much to say, but when you least expect it he is surprisingly hilarious. Take time to laugh today..out loud...from your soul.

Stay Tuned

written 6/2/2010
OK for those of you who are genuially bored with this as I am, that's ok, I have a new idea, so stay tuned.
I need to run my three mile today, Grant needs to run his 1/2 mile on the track, the boys need their hair cut, I need to turn in my applications officially and bite the possible bullet of rejection. I can do this.

But please stay tuned there won't be more stuff I love and stuff you probably have no interest in. It will be something else...don't give up quite yet! :-)

I am blessed today

Written 6/1/2010
1) Time when just Ted and the boys and I are all together and all awake...this almost never happens. But,when it does, I treasure it so much. We are good at pretending that the rest of the world doesn't want anything from us, isn't mad at us, or rejecting us for some reason. This little family has the potential to grow into a tight, supportive, loving, encouraging, emotional, silly, crazy, wild, hysterical and forever young family. If only we can remember that these are our children...I'm pretty sure I remember the pregnancies, labors and deliveries of both boys quite well enough not to let anyone else take over my role. BOOOOYAHH!
2) Ted working Day shifts!
3) Grant's great behavior
4) Jake showing signs that he can tell emotion on TV or on others. "Why are you sad? They are sad Mommy! They are mad Mommy. That was uncept-table-able Mommy!"
5) Grant ran a fast 1/4 mile around the University track today. I told him to take his time, but he has been raised by me so he wanted to break records or something. He is also his father because his feet move so fast and his upper body could be having a tea party it stays so still. Tomorrow he will be running 2 laps which will be his 1/2 mile. I will have just done my running/practicing for Saturday's race so I hope he doesn't want me to run with him. He is too fast for me. I would do it if he really wanted me too though.
6) I appreciate the nervousness and excitement of turning in both an application to a place I wish to be employed and trying to get into graduate school with an assistantship so darn late. I still have plans up my sleeve's. I'm the kind of nervous that tells you that no matter how it works out it will be exactly what it is meant to be.
7) I'm happy I got to run today three miles without having to stop. Apparently that is hard to do with my body these days!???
8) Air conditioning in the basement
9) Getting Grant quality shoes to run in other than those clunky character shoes from Wal-mart. Those are fine if you don't plan on bending your foot at all in any natural way. I spent too much money, but I make up for it by not letting him have everything he wants, he has to do extra chores for extra shoes but I make them fun ones. I have a thing about having quality shoes. Not necessarily name brand, but quality. We got him the asics gels like we have. So Ted, Grant, Mom and I all have the same brand and style of shoes, it wasn't planned it just showed the quality of that shoe. I guess I should add the shoe to the like list now huh? No Problem: Gladly!
9.5) I have two pair of Gel-Asics: One pair for outside running and one for the YMCA. The only reason I could do this is because Mom gave me a pair for Christmas and I got the other pair on sale at ShopKo. One of my Pair is red and white Gel-Kanbarra 4's and the other one's are the same as Mom's and unfortunately they are mostly pink. They are Gel-Kasanos. Grant has red and black GT-ONYX's, and Ted had a now unidentifiable pair, which means I mean need to buy him new ones too.
10) OK now time for more product plugs. After my shower today I thought of so many things I have tried in the past and how I have found the perfect products for me. They may not work for you. I'm not telling anyone they are non-toxic, b/c everything we touch is potentially toxic.
11) Crest 3D Advanced Vivid- I'm 30, I've tried all toothpastes at some point or another and this is my favorite!
12) I mentioned the Jergens natural glow moisturizer before but I forgot to say that I use it along with the healthy complexion daily moisturizer for your face UVA/UVB SPF 20 MEDIUM TAN at night after my shower and along with the other jergens body lotion.
*Some people may be able to go to the darkest lotions they have for both face and body due to your skin tone. I wouldn't be afraid to try it.
13)Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew antisun damage daily moisture lotion SPF 28: I use it in the morning even if I'm not planning on puting on make-up
14)Garnier Fructis Anti-frizz serum: sleek and shine: if you have frizzy hair like I do. I put it on after I blow dry it. It looks like you are putting oil on your hair, so don't use that much (I found out the hard way: can you say homeless hair meets the first three months after you have a baby hair?). Since I never really do my hair, it is a nice treat to see how nice my hair can look when I really try.
15) I only use three pieces of make-up: Physicians Formula Concealer Twins: It is seems crazy but one side is green conclealer and one side is your skin tone. Apparently, the green is what make-up artists use to cover up red from blemishes or red patches on your skin. Then the the other goes on top of the green and you can't even see what you were covering up! I just found this because I could never find the one I used to wear. Thank God for Wal-marts crappy re-stocking job!
Then I use Trublend minerals by Covergirl loose mineral powder all over my face and neck. It rocks. I finish with Covergirl cheekers blush. Sometimes I use eyeliner, but I never wear mascara. Everything I buy is something I learned from my Mom when I was well into my 20's and when she was learning it. I never knew anything about being a girl until I was much too old..... I still need to wax my eyebrows more than I do, but it is hard to change old habits. I won't ever care about my fingernails or toenails and if you ever see them painted it is to cover up a nasty crushed nail or because I'm trying to look Peeerrrrttteee for Ted. Well, and I guess to make myself stop biting them!

Comedy Central Anderson Home

8am and here we go with the Jake and Grant comedy sports entertainment. It started when Jake screamed "Mommy, Mommy Grant is dead" as Grant layed sleeping and snoring loudly next to me on the bed. Jake was sleeping slightly in between us or on top of us, it varies due to his spastic spinning in the night. Grant has started for the first time in his entire life to sleep in and Jake is responding the way Ted did when he got home form work to find us all still asleep or when I woke up before Grant to silence in our house. Something must most certainly be wrong, we thought. In the beginning we were sure Grant was getting sick for the first week, then we thought he was having a growth spurt, then it occurred to me that he plays hard everyday outside and is dealing with sir-kicks-all-night. Jake still flips out every morning. It's getting old, but it is still kindof funny. Never the possibility that something is wrong with Grant, but Jake's serious freak-out is quite entertaining.
Shortly thereafter came the I pooped, I need to poop, I smell poop, Jada needs to poop, now I want to eat. Yep, directly in that order.
Then I heard a scream "SUCUS!" (Lucas- as said by Jake), followed by "FAITH!" IBELLABELLA!" My first irrational thought is "oh crap, the house is a disaster and it smells like poop! please God just give me one more hour before someone shows up!" Then it hit me. I stole my Mom's digital picture frame that we gave her for Christmas and last night I downloaded all of the pictures off of my computer onto the frame. (Let me first clarify that not only had she never opened the box but it had not moved from the exact location it had been place in December. I had it sitting on the end table and Jake was standing in front of it in awe! I had no idea how time consuming this could be for the two boys. Now I am typing. I could be cleaning. But why clean when I could write. Hallllaaaa!
Ted works day shift today for some firearms training. But I'm happy he will work a normal schedule for once. 7am-3pm holy mackerel this is like a vacation day to me....seriously. I wish this was his shift all of the time.
Now I have to to practice for Saturday's race. Amber and I ran 4 miles yesterday. I need to practice. Grant is running the 1 miler with Sidney (Amber's daughter- Grant's friend) and after I run I'm taking them down to the WIU track for grant to run one lap around the track (1/4 mile). He is excited. I told them I would let them get a tropical snow when Daddy got home this afternoon...yes, all the food dyes included! We are going to go back to the library to check out a ton more books because in a week they put a limit on how many books you can check out at a time due to the summer reading program. Hence why we go three times a week, we read four books in like five minutes...that stinks. Last time they both got to check out 10 books! I have 12 checked out for building a farm and homestead right now! OK. Peace out.
Don't forget to ace wrap or better to duct tape the ice pack to your foot when chasing small children, but not directly onto the skin. 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off. Take Aleve (1 capsule) for pain or (Motrin 800mg)for inflammation, but for it to really work well for inflammation you have to do it until the injury is more mobile and less stiff or swollen. I'm only saying this because I know you aren't going to the doctor...but you really should if it starts to hurt worse. I will be amputating by Friday and putting on a prosthetic if it isn't better by then.