HODGE PODGE

I have not been feeling like blogging lately. There is just a lot going on and very little time to post it seems. Yet, I know I have a few loyal readers (hello Debbie the Great Aunt & Pam's Aunt!!!) that really look forward to my posts ... or maybe they look forward to the photos .... either way, I do not want to disappoint.

This weekend was really busy but busy in a good way. On Friday after my office closed, I went on a nice two hour run on the FLAT bike trail near our old house. It was glorious. The weather was perfect, I felt great and I was happy to get my long run out of the way because we had a very big weekend ahead of us.

Saturday morning the family woke up and went out for a family breakfast. Our weeks are generally slam packed with racing here and racing there (mainly to daycare and work) that when evening time comes, I am totally spent and Squeaker is pretty done too. Last week was her first full week at daycare so having a little breakfast celebration was perfect.

Family breakfast at The Purple Place

You cannot really tell in that photo but the Peanut's pancake is ginormous AND delivered with a "happy face" of whip cream on top. Way to start the day with lots of sugar.

After breakfast the Peanut and I had to get ready as we had a mother daughter date planned. A few months ago, I saw a flyer for Beauty and the Beast showing at the Three Stages El Dorado Musical Theater in Folsom. The Peanut is in quite the "princess phase" lately and really enjoys the movie Beauty and the Beast (we had a boot leg copy and have since lost it - oh the drama in our house right now). She was very excited to get dressed up to see her very first play!

Pretty in Pink

Sporting Pink Vans too.

  

We arrived at the theater a little bit early because I thought they'd have something for the kids to do. They didn't, other than a few photo stills hanging in the lobby ... which was great because I think the Peanut had no idea what to expect. When I said "theater" I believe she thought she was seeing a movie even though we tried to tell to her that was not the case.

When the lights dimmed and the play began, the Peanut was quiet. She preferred to sit in the chair verses on my lap even though her vision was slightly blocked by a woman wearing a hat (please people, do not wear hats to plays geared toward children). She would gasp and smile and clap at the end of each of the scenes. She was so happy.

Intermission came (finally) and she wanted "snacks" and the like. Luckily mom brought a stash from home because theater snacks will cost you an arm and a leg these days. She could not wait however, to get back into the theater!

When the show was over she was eager to leave. I think sitting that long was a lot to ask of a three and a half year old. The second half she fidgeted a lot more and her voice was no longer a whisper when she would ask me questions ... like "Mommy, why isn't Belle's dress orange?" and "Mommy, that Beast is different from the "other" Beast."

But when we walked out into the lobby and saw this ....

Photo ops with Belle and the Beast!?

The Peanut nudged her way as close to Belle as she could. She was bumped and pushed and hit in the head with purses yet she would not leave until she had her photo taken with Belle.

She was happy despite her face.

 I love that she needed to put on her fairy wings too in order to take the above photo. Precious. She also said she enjoyed the musical and that she would go and see more with me. Vans is finally off the hook ... Trailmomma loves musicals.

Sunday was an equally busy day. Daylight savings means nothing to a four month old. Nothing. They wake and sleep whenever they feel like but the extra hour did help with getting Vans and the Peanut ready and out the door.

Vans was running the 3.5 mile Apple Hill Harvest Run and we needed to get moving. The drive up was very ominous...

Down pour

Luckily, by the time we arrived and parked the rain had settled down. Vans had to sprint off to get his race packet and race bib while I was left unloading two very cold little girls and getting them over to the race starting area (which was not close by mind you).

This is how we roll in the rain.

I would have gladly traded places with the Peanut but she wasn't having it. That little BOB cocoon was super warm.

Vans and I alternate this race every year. Last year I ran it and was pregnant. This year it was his turn to run. He has not been running very much lately at all so he was very nervous about running on this hilly course.

While he was off running, I was trying to entertain the girls and keep everyone warm.

Snug as a bug ....

I was also secretly hoping that Vans would run fast ... not only so that he would do well but so that he could get back and help me.

Go Vans Go

Yet in typical Vans style he finished ... first in his age group! He was exhausted but extremely proud.

Sporting his Dylan Flinchum shirt too!

He was even MORE excited to learn that the prize for first place in your age group is not a medal. No, not when you are running the Apple Hill Harvest Run!!!

Nope, first place in THAT race is a fresh home-made Apple Pie!!

Yum! And not Gluten Free!

The rest of our weekend consisted of drying off and going to crazy indoor amusement parks with friends. The Peanut rode her first indoor roller coaster on Sunday and loved it (Vans did not). She is so much like me I have to smile. Maybe that means Squeaker will be more like Vans when she grows up ... but I doubt it. The girl is already rolling all across the room.

Squeaker rolling about