Not Me Monday! ?

Yeah. It's late. Late late late. But I'm just getting around to my "not me's" now. That's me. Or maybe today that's not me? :-)

Just like all of my "Not Me's" are a random selection of embarrassing things that I did over the course of several days, perhaps even weeks! All of the things that I don't want to own up to most certainly did NOT happen just today. That would be awful.

This morning I definitely did NOT delay changing a yucky diaper from my 2 year-old because he and the dog were having such a fun time chasing each other. They were definitely chasing each other and Ziggy was not just chasing Joey around with his nose glued to Joey's....ummm..... rear. I sure wouldn't let my dog chase my blissfully unaware toddler around just because he smelled like poo. Come on people. Nasty.

Speaking of nasty, I most certainly did not come back from my run this morning, start stretching, only to have Joey point at my shoe and say "Ewww Mommy, ewww." I wouldn't run until my foot started bleeding and then bled through up into my shoe. Not my perfectly lovely, wonderful, and sporty new shoes! Not through my brand-new-Christmas-present-from-my-sister-in-law nice running socks. Oh no! Not me!

You could not then find my husband laughing at me in the kitchen while I washed off my shoes with a toothbrush and soap trying to get the blood off. "Um, Laurie, shouldn't you be a little concerned about why your FOOT is bleeding?" I care way more about the limited number of digits that the Lord has blessed me with than this fleeting pair of (perfectly lovely wonderful sporty) shoes!

Lastly I did not subsequently shower with both of my socks on and also take a turn at them with my soap and toothbrush routine to get them equally shiny and new. (everything has since been restored to it's new-ish nature, but let's hope I don't step in any *gasp* mud)

And really lastly, I promise. I did not sit down to write this post and hear some noises and look around the room puzzled for a few moments until I realized that my CHILD was in the room in his bouncer. It's not like me to COMPLETELY FORGET where I put him in the house. Honestly, friends marvel over how easy-going these kids are, but you'd really have to be in our house or you just wouldn't make it! Now I just have to go find the other one....

Matthew is Officially a....

BIB-WEARER!! Congratulations if you guessed correctly that our little Matthew's latest milestone is that he is able to regularly wear a bib, everyday now. Most of the time, twice a day! It was a tough accomplishment between all the grabbing at the bib to chew on it, and attempting to fling himself out of the booster seat while learning the fine art of bib-wearing but he has finally mastered the task!

Here is a quick shot before his first bib....

Is that not the cutest boy ever?

Ok, in all seriousness.... Matthew started his solid food on his 6-month birthday, which was last week! I was determined that he wouldn't start before 6 months because I felt like Joey had started too early (during his 4th month). LOL, ah hindsight. Now I think perhaps that Joey was pretty ready, even though he was really young. He already had teeth, he had the whole concept down, and took to the food right away. Matthew is slowly getting the hang of it, but isn't crazy about his rice cereal. When I mix in a little banana or avocado (that's all he's had so far) he is more excited, and he'll eat what I give him but I don't think he'd miss it if it was suddenly gone.

I have started making sure that one of his last solid feedings is the last one before he goes to sleep at night (around 7 or 8), and after about a week of that and waking him again at 10 or 11 to feed him, I decided to wing it and not wake him one night to see what would happen. He didn't get up until 7 in the morning!! The the next morning he still wasn't up when I woke up at 6 so I woke him to feed him, since I was going running with a friend that morning. I'm not quite ready to say he's given up that last feeding because he might still need it but, it's exciting anyway!

So here are a few pictures of the first feeding: enjoy!

A little nervous perhaps...

I don't know about this stuff...

That wasn't so bad! Maybe I'll try some more of this "food" stuff.

A Teaser

I'm looking forward to sharing Matthew's latest milestone with you!! Can you tell what it was?

Works for Me Wednesday: Not Trying Not to Be Someone I'm NOT

I like to run. Now. I do. I like to run inside. On a treadmill, preferably in front of a T.V. with some morning show like Regis and Kelly, or a TBS repeat like Home Improvement or Saved by the Bell. Something that will help me to completely forget that I am exercising! I am starting more to like running with a friend, because I like talking and running. I am also....slowly..... starting to enjoy running outside. It's not very easy for me to like it. I'm working hard on it! I like to have a predictable path, know the terrain, and have it be pretty flat. Sound high maintenance? Well I don't really like to run outside! !

So shortly after Matt and I were married, on a trip back from Chile, we found ourselves both in need of tennis shoes. We headed out, along with Matt's parents to a giant shoe outlet in Asheville in search of some great running shoes that would surely help us to come closer together as a married (and adorably FIT) couple. Matt's parents house backs up to a large National Park and fun hiking and running trails. Matt of course, was looking for a great trail shoe as he loves to run outside. And I, being the new bride, wanted to love to run outside.

We both ended up with trail shoes. :-) I think mine have actually seen trails (for running) maybe 4 or 5 times. But I have faithfully run with them inside (where I actually do alot of running, you know, under the watchful eye of a large television) for 2 years now! After Matthew was born I was intending to try for the 1/2 marathon that Matt did in the beginning of October. Needless to say after a few weeks I realized that was just NOT going to happen. It was just 4 months after he was born! So after Matt finished I was determined to try one for myself. I picked the Kaiser 1/2 Marathon in San Francisco. Do you remember this blog? It's the SAME one I "tried" to register for last year, when I was pregnant (except that was for the 5K part of it), and the registration was "lost" on our front porch. Except this time, I'm going for the 1/2 marathon.

I'm a little nervous.

Ok, I'm a LOT nervous.

I'm hoping to finish it. Finish it running. My goal is to run the whole thing. That's 13 miles people. whew

So a few months ago I picked out a training program online. And I've been working on it ever since! It's been fun. There's about 5 days a week of running at least 3 miles or so and then a long run on the weekend. I've hit some exciting milestones. First time running 4, 5, and 6 miles after Matthew was born. First time running in an actual 10K (Thanksgiving weekend while we visited Matt's brother in L.A.). First time running 7 miles (EVER), and this weekend will be my first time running 8 miles!!

I also hit another exciting milestone! My first real pair of running shoes! (This is where we get into the Works for Me part of the blog. My friend Lexie and I went to See Jane Run. I had my first real running assessment. I found out that I over-pronate (I kinda suspected that) and have been running for a looong time on a shoe that is completely the opposite of what I need. To put some correcting shoes on was amazing! I was so excited to get new shoes. They were definitely a stretch for our budget but we are assuming that they will be cheaper than a rolled/sprained or broken ankle or knee problems!

Matt is such a wonderful husband to me. I love him so much! I want to be everything that he needs in a wife, the perfect helpmate for him. But you know what, chances are, I'm not going to be the best running-mate for him. I just don't love running on trails. The up and the down and the chance of running into bears (really has happened!), and all the trees. I think as more time passes, (for me at least) it gets a little easier for me to accept myself the way I am, and try to be the wife that God had planned for Matt in my heart and attitude, and not so much in less important ways, like my shoes.

And, the great part is, as I train more (averaging over 25 miles a week now!), and train with better shoes, the more I enjoy the running, the easier it gets and the more I, *gasp* like to run outside. I'm so excited about this race in February. I'm a little nervous about running 8 miles this Saturday but excited too. And I am especially excited about my new shoes. They are really nice. They are really comfortable. And if you won't write me off as cheesy, AND you are actually still reading, these new shoes are a little picture of me, getting to know myself better. Getting more comfortable with the person that God made me, and trusting that it is ok to be that person, and not try to be someone else.

So now, without further ado, (because there's been alot of ado!) Here are my new shoes:

I love them.

And me.

Even if I do like to run in front of a big 'ole flatscreen.

Praise You in This Storm

"Praise You In This Storm"

by: Casting Crowns

I was sure by now

God You would have reached down

And wiped our tears away

Stepped in and saved the day

But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls

I barely hear Your whisper through the rain

"I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives

And takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm

And I will lift my hands

For You are who You are

No matter where I am

And every tear I've cried

You hold in Your hand

You never left my side

And though my heart is torn

I will praise You in this storm

I remember when

I stumbled in the wind

You heard my cry to you

And you raised me up again

My strength is almost gone

How can I carry on

If I can't find You

But as the thunder rolls

I barely hear You whisper through the rain

"I'm with you"

And as Your mercy falls

I raise my hands and praise the God who gives

And takes away

I lift my eyes unto the hills

Where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord

The Maker of Heaven and Earth

Not Me Monday!

My husband and I did NOT get out of bed at 10:30 this morning. That would just be plain old lazy, regardless of the crazy day we had before. We certainly wouldn't let our children sleep that late, as that would surely affect their napping later on in the day. Because of all of those GREAT reasons, my youngest is most certainly not still asleep an hour later!

I have not completely given up on putting away clean clothes resulting in a clothes back-up similar to a complete closet reorganization in our bedroom. Everyone knows that you wash a load of laundry, dry it, fold it, and put it away in a timely matter, preferably inside of a few hours.

When cleaning and dust busting the other day I did not simultaneously wipe off Joey and let him get down from his highchair and then proceed to dustbust the food off of it. Come ON people, that would be NASTY! blech.

After feeding the baby early this morning I did not go to the trouble of turning our alarm off, going down in the basement, filling up the cat's food dish, and turning the alarm back on, just so he would not wake us up with his persistent meowing before we all wanted to wake up. Obviously I'm just guessing that this might happen, because it's never happened before, because we definitely always give our poor kitty food and never ever leave him to annoy us to death for us to feed him.

Many Mistakes Made Maneuvering Many Marvelous Months of Matthew

So a while ago I was working on a draft of a post about Matthew and I just finished and published it, but it's not at the top of my list.... SAD! it has been relegated back to the date that I started the draft, November 20th, SO.... if you want to read my new post about our little guy....

http://beardsleysinaction.blogspot.com/2009/11/many-marvelous-months-of-matthew.html

And if you'd like to come to my house and give me a blogger tutorial, I will feed you Christmas cookies and seasonally flavored coffee.

Thank you!

Wordless Wednesday