the horse

i'm gettin back on it. after nationals i was tired. i took a week off from everything except chowing down. then i started running. the running was going well! i told my self i'd get in the pool a few times but that no need to touch the bike. yeah, well, i didn't get into the pool, so i said, ok, once november hits, i'll start going. yeah, so a week of november has passed. i started to get anxious and worried about what allie had told me last year - not swimming is adictive, so be careful! so i signed up for a 3 week swim clinic. today was the first day it and it kicked my ass.
the guy running it said not to worry, i could totally do my long run in the morning and be fine for the clinic. i even had the bonus of the extra hr of sleep, which turned out to be a wash since i was getting up at 6 anyway, but i did a 10 miler, came home and napped! pawpi has recently discovered multi level living! she hasn't ever been up on the bed, she just can't jump that high. but the other weekend, the kids and i picked up a new cat tree to put in the bedroom and now she gets on the cat tree, walks across the night stand onto the bed. now ALL 3 CATS and suck the life out of me while i sleep. i was pooped. wondering how this whole 13.1er will go when a 10er at an easy pace totally wore me out. whatever. i woke up from the nap and needed a tall, xtra hot, non fat with whip salted caramel hot chocolate from starbucks that very instant. so i got in the car and got one. i saw eric and the kids walking along while i was speeding off to satisfy my craving.
the clinic was good, the water was warm, the sun was shining, it was great conditions for the first swim back. but it tired me out, and my calves and feet were cramping like mo-fo's. but i got it done. two more installments of the clinic to go, the big question is will i get into the pool between them.
AND i went for a mtn bike ride yesterday! it was pouring down rain, but xtie wanted to test out a bike she was lookin to buy, so we were for a nice, wet ride. it was waaay fun and a great first ride back on the bike.
we are getting new windows!! earlier in the summer we looked into getting the windows. i wanted a crew to come in and get them done quickly. turns out that costs millions of dollars, so a few weeks ago i said, screw it, lets get the windows. and eric is putting them in. he did a great job on the ones at the old house and he is doing a great job on these ones! plus i think her looks darn cute when he wears baseball hats, and he only wears them when he is doing construction like work. i can already tell a difference that they are keeping the house warmer. but its getting me anxious about the other things we want to do at the house. we are going to paint everything, but the horror of it all. turns out A LOT of the house used to have wall paper, and actually still does and they just painted over it. what a mess. but we (by we i mean eric) is going to start with the play room and the kids rooms. gracious, the colors they are picking out, oh no! the living room and dining room are already totally ghetto with the partial carpet and plywood flooring, so that room might just have to wait for new paint for some unknown period of time.
halloween happened the other week. work was allowing for dress up on friday. i started out as zombie, but wasn't gray enough, so turned vampire, but seemed too bruised so was worried i was looking like i had gotten beaten up but settled on Ugly Pretty, as in Tyra Banks, America's Next Top Model - can't you see how I smeyes? Yes, I had a little self photo shoot in my office. i couldn't help it, i was looking damn ugly pretty.
This one xtie said I looked like a broken doll. hmm, broken, yes.

this one looks like i am totally strung out on meth or something. maybe it has something to do with the starbucks cup right next to me.

this one is called "eat a sandwich already, damnit!"

and this is the original Ugly Pretty. i really like how all the purple brings out the green in my eyes.


I found this when looking through Seamus's school work. Its her plans for the other weekend!
i love looking through her school work and trying to understand how her brain works. i am pretty sure she just knows everything already.