Suzanne McGrath Photography

Six on Sunday

1.  Six on Sunday will be on hiatus next week.  Why?  I will be in San Francisco on a girl's trip!  Yes, it's finally here.  Two of my college friends live in town and they came over to watch the Husker game on Sat. afternoon.  (I failed to watch the game - I hate to watch them lose.)  Anyway, we took the time we had (in between kids running all over us) to plan a few activities.  I'll recap my trip in a week or two.  I can't wait!

2.  I woke up last Monday morning feeling achy all over.  I simply dismissed it and went about my day.  I really didn't feel like working out, but I made myself take a spin class at noon.  Well, Tuesday morning I woke up feeling even worse - not good.  By Wednesday, I thought I had been hit by a Mac truck!  After getting the kids off to school, I slept 'till noon on Wed.  Thurs. was a little better - the aches were gone but by then a cough had settled in.  Friday I was pretty much good to minus the cough.  All in all, it was a long week where I did not get much accomplished.  Ugh.

3.  Today I ran to Old Navy to return a few things.  That's all I was going to do.  Honest.  Except there was a sale going on - for every adult item purchased, you would get a kid's item for free.  Really?  How awesome is that?  Of course I had to take advantage.  

So I walked out with Christmas outfits for the girls.  I wasn't even going to buy new outfits this year.  We have a whole SELECTION in our basement!  But, the dresses were so darn cute, I couldn't resist.  

#1:  dress (much cuter in person)

#2:  dress

#3:  skirt  (I still need to find a top I like.  And, I'll have to take in the skirt because they didn't have it in her size.) 

#4:  dress  (This dress is close - but the one I found was more fitted and just generally cuter!  Now I need to find some adorable boots.)

4.  My to-do list is so long and unbearable that I had to start writing it all down.  The hardest part is that #1 and #2 have their Halloween parties at school this Friday.  That means I have to finish #1's dress which means I have to go to the fabric store to plead ignorance and get some much needed help!  I also have to find fake snakes to go in her hair.  Two stops today were rendered useless after realizing there were no snacks to be found.  Ugh.  And that is just the TIP of the iceberg.

#1 has to make a healthy French recipe for Girl Scouts on Tuesday.  I have to hem #2's Halloween dress.  I have to buy everything and have everything ready to go for the Halloween parties since I get back on Tuesday and the first party is Wednesday!  I have to arrange rides for the girls this weekend if their games conflict.  I need to stock the pantry so the hubby doesn't have to take four kids to the grocery store.  I could go on, but I'm sure I'm boring you and I'm totally freaking myself out!

5.  #3 is really growing up.  Both her older sisters had friends over on Friday since they were out of school.  Well, she felt left out in the friend department.  So this morning she (me) called her cousin Grant to ask him over for a play date.  It was so funny to listen to their conversation.  She managed to ask him to come over and then he got busy talking to her about his digger dumpers.  They are hilarious. And they did, in fact, manage to have a play date:)  

6.  I saved the best for last.  I finished my half marathon yesterday!  Yeah for me!  My first one.  But not my last one.  Despite being under the weather last week, I ran anyway.  By Sat. I was feeling better, I just had a cough.  And there was no way I was going to do all that training and NOT run.  No way.  No how.

I actually knew quite a few people running in the race.  The plan was to run with my friends, Stacey and Carmen.  They don't know each other, so I am the common thread.  But we all three run at pretty much the same pace.  So we all met up at the 2:10 pacers.  Phew.  Check.  We started out slow, which is what the plan called for.  The pacers started out at a negative split.  (Meaning, slower than 10 minute miles.)  I'm really glad I started with the pacers, because I think I would have started out too fast if I was on my own and then burned too much gas in the early miles.

We were all running well.  My only problem was that I really couldn't talk as much as usual.  I think my cough and just generally being run down made it harder to keep up a conversation.  So that was a bummer because usually I'm not at a loss for words!

However, by mile 4 I realized I really should have hit the port-a-potties before the race. (Or shunned my second cup of coffee that morning.)  So what did we do?  Carmen and I ditched out at Burger King and ran in for a potty break.  Yes, we did.  I know we gave up two minutes but I felt so much better after that I didn't care!  Poor Stacey.  We tried to catch up, but two minutes is just too much time to make up if you're running at a 10 minute mile pace.  However, Stacey had an awesome race and finished at 2:07!

I felt decent until mile 8.  At that point, I don't know what I would have done without Carmen.  I just kept telling myself to keep up with her.  I honestly think that was my hardest mile.  By mile 9 I felt better again.  And at mile 10 I told myself I only had a 5k in front of me.  But man, those last three miles were tough.  I had never run that far and my new inserts gave my right baby toe a blister. (However, the balls of my left foot never felt better!)

Thank goodness for the downhill finish - that saved me.  I kept repeating in my head the Forest Gump mantra - "just keep running" or the Adam Sandler line in Waterboy, "You can do iiiiiiiittt!"  

So I finished.  In 2:12:36.  Basically, I was right at my goal time of 2:10 if you take into account the BK stop.  All in all, I really enjoyed this distance.  It's long enough that I have to train for it but not so far that I was laid up today.  And the training does take a little time, but it's not four hour pops like marathon training.  Will I run a marathon?  Maybe some day.  But my next stop is the Thanksgiving Family 5k.  After that I have my sights set on the Rock the Parkway half marathon next April.  Maybe I can get my hubby out there.  The hardest part about that is the long runs - we can't do them together because of the kids.  But it would be fun to do the race together so we'll see.

And because I can't post on Sunday without a picture, here is one of my baby last weekend.  Man, is she a doll or what?

Have a terrific week!

{Half} Marathon Monday - the Final Countdown

This is it.  This is the week of the race.  I'm both excited and nervous.

Last week I mentioned that the balls of my foot were a little sore.  Well, I was in denial.  They were a LOT sore.  And when I wore heels?  Not good.  So I took my shoes to my favorite running store and pleaded for help.  After all, my shoes only have 200 miles on them - definitely not time for new ones yet.  I walked out of there $65 poorer with two pairs of inserts:  one for my Saucony's and one for my heels.  (I haven't worn heels since then.)

I managed to take my inserts out for a 4.25 mile test run last Thursday.  My foot felt fine while running, but has been nagging me just slightly since then.  Therefore, I skipped any sort of long run this weekend. In fact, I skipped any run AT ALL!  I am hoping the time off helps.

I managed to take a spin class today.  I plan on doing 4 miles tomorrow, and then a weights class on Wed.  I'm taking Thursday and Friday off.  I hope my little plan works.  We shall see...I'll let you know next Sunday how everything turns out.  

Wish me luck!  My goal is to run this thing in 2 hours 10 minutes - right at 10 minute miles.  Hopefully we have beautiful weather and a great course:) 

Six on Sunday

1.  This was a great weekend.  The weather was beautiful and soccer games were NOT plentiful.  We only had one soccer game and one volleyball game.  That's just awesome.

2.  We took full advantage of the weather and the light schedule and visited the Pumpkin Patch yesterday.  It's a tradition that we always go with my sister and her family.  The two three year olds are so darn cute together.  Her son is about 7 months younger than #3.  They are seriously two peas in a pod. And the other kids all love to go, too.  It truly is rare to find something that all six kids like to do.  So we embrace this opportunity.

3.  I started working on the Medusa costume.  While I'd love to say, "Oh, it was so easy.  I really enjoyed working on it.  Blah, blah, blah."  That would be a lie.  A big one.  Because let me tell you, it sucks.  ROYALLY.  The fabric is slippery and the pattern is hard.  (It probably is very basic, but I only sew once a year.)  And, it's an adult XS.  #1 is a big kid, but not that big.  So now I have to start to fit it.  I seriously feel like I'm on Project Runway and #1 is my client.  I just hope my client ends up pleased!

4.  Today we made cake pops for the Halloween party.  They are super, duper yummy but a bit of a pain in the you-know-what to make!  What I won't do for my kids?!

5.  I have a session coming up and wanted to scout out the location.  So I seized the moment and loaded up the gas guzzler and headed to Iron Woods park with the fam.  This is the first time in YEARS that I've thought about Christmas cards before, say, December 24th!  I am so proud of myself - I hope I don't pull a muscle reaching around to pat myself on the back:)  

I've said it before and I'll say it again - photographing my own kids is ten times harder than any one year old out there!  So I just took a really laid back approach and tried lots and lots of things.  Some worked.  Some didn't.  You can judge for yourself.  But so as not to spoil it, I am not including the best of the best.  I am saving those for my cards - which shall arrive before January!

 

Oh man, do I love this shot.  It absolutely CRACKS ME UP!  I might just have to blow it up big for my house.  This is so them right now.  

6.  I am including a list of our favorite books tonight because we were hanging out with our neighbors (Hi, Dorothy!) when #3 started quoting the first book listed below.  I thought everyone knew about all the same books but it turns out that is not the case.  Therefore, I am listing a few of our favorite books that make the regular rotation.  They are as follows:

• Catalina Magdalena... by Tedd Arnold
• Parts by Tedd Arnold
• Hoodwinked by Arthur Howard (a perfect Halloween book!)
• I'm Gonna Like Me by Jamie Lee Curtis (We pretty much like most of her books)
• Ducks Don't Wear Socks by John Nedwidek
• Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
• Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor (particularly the very first book in the series)

Well, that's it, folks.  Time to go down and begin working on that d@mn costume.  Again.  Wish me luck!

{Half} Marathon Monday...T minus 11 days

Holy cow!  As I sit down to write this, the half is only 11 days, 3 hours, 53 minutes, and some-odd seconds away.  How do I know this?  There is a countdown clock on the official website.  Crazy, huh?  Needless to say, I don't look at the website very often.

If you're reading this, it's because you're wondering how I fared on my 10 miler this past weekend.  The verdict?  Great!  Seriously, I felt much better after this run than the previous run.  I guess it does help to build up mileage.  My body is getting more and more accustomed to logging the long miles.  (I am not going to mention my sore - feels like they're bruised - balls on my feet.  If I write about them, it makes it real.  If I don't write about them, all will be good.  Superstitious maybe?  Perhaps a little...)  

I ran with my friend, Stacey, again.  Thank goodness. For me, running with friends is truly a life-saver.  I don't mind doing short runs by myself.  In fact, sometimes I like it and even look forward to it.  I love that I get to listen to some of my music for those 40 minutes.  HOWEVER, long runs?  Uh, no thank you.  (As my kids say at preschool.)  I am realizing that maybe I'm a little more of an extrovert than I once thought:)  

I hardly even took notice of where we were on the trail.  I didn't look forward to the last mile because that would mean our conversation would end.  We simply plodded along, chatting away the time.  And the silence?  I didn't mind it.  Not that there was a lot of silence on the run, but when there was it wasn't the least bit awkward.  It's nice to be so comfortable with someone that you can share the miles in silence and it's completely normal.  

We ended up running 10 miles exactly in 1.39.20.  Pretty much EXACTLY 10 minute miles.  I am actually looking forward to next weekend's training run!  In fact, I might even be a little sad when this is all over. 

Six on Sunday...October already?!

1.  As much as I love flip flops, I adore fall weather, too.  This weekend was absolutely beautiful and we thoroughly enjoyed it!  Wearing jeans and sweatshirts?  What could be a more perfect harbinger of fall?!

The hubby spent the day outside getting us ready for the cold weather.  He cleaned out the garage and put the summer toys in the attic.  He also raked up the dead grass in the backyard (he killed it off) so he can over-seed this week or next weekend.  The best part?  #3 and #4 helped him.  They really did help - for real.  They each carried loads of dead grass from the piles and put them into the garbage bags.  And every time #4 did it, she looked at me and clapped for herself.  Darling.  

2.  #4 is on a synchronized swim team.  I've written about it before.  And to say the coaches (the head coach mainly) are a little dysfunctional?  Well, that's an understatement.  HUGE.  Therefore, I don't really like to attend a lot of events outside of the required.  However, last Friday night the synchro team had an opportunity to be part of the Park Hill high school homecoming parade.  #1 really, really wanted to go. I reluctantly agreed to take her.  But you know what?  I had a blast!  I had a great time hanging out with the other cool parents, drank a beer, and just chilled.  And #1 had a really fun time, too.  I'm so glad she talked me into it.      

3.  I spent my garage sale earnings at Old Navy this weekend.  I needed a few tops to go with jeans for weekend wear.  It was so busy and the line for the dressing room was huge.  Therefore, I bought quite a few things in order to take them home and try them on before deciding on the keepers.  Where am I going with this?  Well, I was trying on a sweater tonight.  I thought I liked it, but I wasn't sure.  So I walked into the bathroom while #2 and #3 were getting ready for bed.  I asked the hubby what he thought.  He wasn't sure he liked it.  I asked the girls their opinions.  #2 looked at me, shook her head, and said "He's not a fashionista.  It looks good, mom."  I'm keeping the sweater.  

4.  It's official.  #4 is talking.  Barely.  But still.  It counts.

She says ma or mama but ONLY if we're in the car and she wants my attention.

She says mo for more.  But more than that, she still signs "more".  And it means a ton of different things:  more outside, more milk, more food, more on the swing...you get the idea.

Yeah or yep.  Just like they sound.  Always said while vehemently shaking her head up and down.  I love it.

These pictures below were snapped this week.  I adore her piggy tails and I think they make her look so old.  Oh, where does the time go?!

5.  How could I write a post that talks about all my girls and not include #3?  It's just not possible.  She is our "silly heart" (what movie is that from?) and has her own sense of everything, but particularly style.  

Every day after school she comes home and immediately changes her clothes.  Those clothes then stay on through dinner (if they stay clean), through bedtime, until morning where she rolls out of bed ready for the day!  If it's bath night, then she inevitably picks another outfit to wear to bed and to school in the morning.  It does make for very expeditious mornings!  

Take a look below.  This is a typical - and perfectly acceptable - outfit for her.  Mind you, I tried all last year to get her to wear those boots.  But she waited 'till this fall when they're almost too small!

And check this out, she can even ride her bike in those boots.  This cracks me UP.

6.  Halloween is coming.  We are having another party this year - actually two parties.  Since the girls don't have school the Thurs. and Fri. before Halloween, we are going to have the parties on Wed. and Thurs. night.  That way, I won't have to manage 22 girls all at once.  We are not going to go all out like we did last year.  Therefore, there won't be a haunted house in the garage.  But I still think it will be fun and it's a nice way for the girls to get some mileage out of their costumes.

They have decided on the following:

#1 is going to be Medusa.  We went to the fabric store today to pick out the pattern and supplies.  It should be easy.  At least I hope so!  In her mind I MUST make her costume.  She will not accept store-bought costumes.  She said they are not as special.  I think it's adorable.

#2 is going to be a girl vampire.  She did NOT want me to make her costume.  She found one online and it HAD to be THAT costume.  

#3 is going to be Belle.  She didn't care which one as long as she could wear high heels.

#4 is going to be a fairy and a witch.  I have two costumes and she'll fit them both.  So why not?

Below are the invitations I made:

Phew.  That's it.  Have a great week!