This morning the kids and I had a playdate at a friends house. It is so nice for the kids to get to play with other littles their ages but I think it makes even more of a difference for me. It’s so nice seeing my friends and being able to talk with other adults.

In the afternoon we spent some time at the Rec Center so I could get some much needed work done. Emmy is still having a hard time being left at child care. I am taking any and all suggestions to help her.

The other day I was commenting to Cory that I couldn’t believe how much hungrier I was on rest days than on days that I ran more. It didn’t take much effort (thanks Google) to find that there is some scientific explanations as to why you also may feel hungrier on recovery days/weeks.

This article explains some of the reasons. It’s always good to get some reassurance that there are scientific reasons for the things we experience.

The kiddos love a good rest day snack break as well!

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Are you hungrier on rest days?

It was a good day but I am beat! The day started off with a 4am alarm and straight to coffee! I have become a champion time waster in the mornings lately and I really need to break the habit. I don’t need to be scrolling on my phone at 4:30 am!

I drove out to Boulder to get some time on the trails and some climbing.

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time one the trails always flies by, 18 miles total for the day.

Then there was time at the park (yes, we go to the park a lot) and chores around the house.

I have to really hope that active recovery is a good thing because there really isn’t time to sit and recover after long runs anymore.

In the evening we had my family over for a BBQ. I made my 4th of July Trifle. It’s always a hit but never looks as good as the Pinterest pictures. It’s really easy so I love making it.

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After dinner we were all beat, I love when Cannon falls asleep with one of us. It doesn’t happen all the time but more frequently now that he doesn’t nap.

After dinner we watched the team time trials for the Tour de France while working.

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How was your weekend? Any great easy recipes you want to share?

I’m so excited that today is the the start of Le Tour de France while I know I am in the minority for Americans I love watching the the tour.

We started watching it a few years ago and I was hooked! It’s not easy to watch with long coverage everyday for 3 weeks (I can’t imagine racing a grand tour!) we usually fall behind a day at some point and have to catch up on a rest day. We also often watch the begining then have to fast forward through the middle, watch any mountain summits or sprint races then watch the end. I would love to watch all of it but who has 3-6 hours everyday to watch bike racing! The year I watch the most was 2016. Cannon was just a few weeks old so he slept and ate most of the day.

I always look forward to July and the fact that bike racing will be the background soundtrack to our days. I had to be sure to get out some yellow and set up the table in celebration.

The tour is not the only thing we have been doing. There was also a run this morning that was basically a ride on a garbage truck. I felt like I couldn’t move my legs and there was no oxygen!

At first I started freaking out, I have lost all fitness, I can’t run a few miles, how will I ever run 50, up a ski slope, at 10,000 feet?!? etc, etc. But then I reminded myself that some runs are crappy, feel like junk and that is just how it is. I allowed myself to walk up a hill then got myself home. Maybe I couldn’t breathe because my lungs and heart were in Leadville where the Silver Rush 50 Mile Run was taking place.

We also took Cannon to his first ever movie in a theater.

We went to see Toy Story 4 and he loved it so much. He talked a little during the showing but so did some other children. I guess if you go to a Disney movie during the middle of the day you can’t expect much else. Emerald isn’t old enough for a theater yet so she hung out with Grandma and Grandpa and had the best time. While we were leaving I tried to give her a kiss but all she would do was cling to her Grandma and turn away from me. I love how much she has bonded with them!

Cannon loved seeing a movie in the theater so much and is already asking to return.

In the afternoon we to a park and Emerald spent most of the time running away while laughing hysterically.

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How was your Saturday? Do you watch Le Tour de France?

How old were your kids when you first took them to see a movie?

I hope everyone had a wonder and safe 4th of July! We had a great time celebrating at local festival. We enjoyed food trucks and playground time but didn’t stay for the fireworks. A storm rolled in with warnings of hail and a tornado watch. We got out just in time to enjoy the pouring rain and lightning from the car.

Something that we have been using a ton this summer is our picnic blanket.

It folds up small and is great even on soggy grass. With the kids being so little it’s much easier than dealing with camp chairs and can easily fit in the stroller.

Emmy wanted to show off her star spangled swim suit.

I saw it at Target and had to get it! I threw on an old pair of Cannon’s shorts from Carter’s so she could play at the splash pad and playground.

I used to always bring our buckets to the splash pad but found that other kids would take them or they would get lost. I found by accident that the kiddos love plastic cups just as much. Now I just keep some disposable cups in the car, if another child is playing with it when we are ready to leave it’s no trouble to let the keep it and there’s no worry of losing them.

A big shout out to the sunnies I grabbed for the kids on Amazon.

I got two sets so the kids could match but Emmy usually refuses to wear hers. I love the light blue ones that Cannon is wearing at the splash pad picture. They are very durable and have held up to Cannon being pretty rough on them.

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What are some things you are loving this July?

Happy 4th of July!!! It’s nice to reflect a little on the meaning of this mid-summer holiday. When we signed the declaration of Independence and claimed our freedom we also claimed  “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

I hope we continue to strive to treat all men and women as equal and that we support everyone as the pursue their version of happiness.

We started the day with a hike in Boulder Canyon. After living here for over ten years we finally got to see Boulder Falls.

The falls were pretty incredible. Cannon loved seeing them.

Emmy, Cory and Humphry were there too, I just didn’t get a good photo of them. We then went to Betasso Preserve to hike a little further and enjoy some more time in nature.

Our friends and our neighborhood have big 3rd of July celebrations but I teach in the evening so we won’t be joining. We are planning on going to our city’s celebration and hopefully fireworks but sleep has not been going well for Emerald lately so I am not sure if we will be venturing out. The last couple years we have had parties and grilled out at our house.

Cannon loves having people over to our house and is always down for a party.

I hope you all have a wonderful day celebrating the birth of our country!

I can’t believe Cannon is officially not a toddler anymore and is considered a pre-schooler. He can communicate so much more lately and looks like a boy now instead of a baby. Cannon is very stubborn and likes to do things on his own timeline but he is also very capable and curious.

EAT

Cannon is still a pretty good eater but food is not as interesting as most other things. He would much rather play than eat and very rarely tells me he is hungry or thirsty. On most days Emerald will eat more than Cannon. Since Cannon is a healthy height and weight his doctor isn’t worried about it.

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Like most kids Cannon loves treats including hot chocolate, cookies and popsicles.

Eating outside is always preferred to inside.

SLEEP

Cannon has now decided that he is not a napper. Once ever couple of weeks he will be so tired that he will nap but most days it’s just quiet time while his sister naps.

He is also still sleeping in his crib, he can clim out of it but usually chooses not to. He also seems to like it as a safe place so I am not sure when we will move him up to a big-boy bed.

GROW

So much advancement in the last 6 months and I know it’s about to grow even more when he starts school next month. We have potty trained and are working on being more independent.

PLAY

So many adventures this year already! In January we went to Moab for my half marathon. Cannon loved hiking and climbing on the rocks with his cousins.

Then in February Cannon took his first airplane trip to California to visit Disneyland. I can’t decide if he or I had more fun.

In May we took a road trip to St. George, Utah so Cory could race a half ironman. Cannon ran in the Iron kids race. One of Cannon’s favorite things to do is run. Every day he runs laps in our house, and loves to join me on my runs as well.

Apart from the big adventures Cannon loves nothing more than to be with his friends or outside playing in the backyard or at a park.

He’s also still a big fan of his sister (most of the time)

Past Updates

1 Month

2 Months

3 Months

4 Months 

5 Months

6 Months

7 Months

8 Months

9 Months

10 Months

11 Months

12 Months

2.5 years

I set out to run every day for 50 days and yesterday I met that goal. I have started a couple run streaks before, often coming back from injury to reestablish a run base but this is the longest streak I have ever done.

I finished up the last day with a celebratory run with both Cannon and Emerald. I pushed Emmy in the stroller and Cannon ran much of it with me.

These two are so much of my reason for running. Running is my break and escape from all of the rigors of motherhood, something I do that is for me. But it’s also something I do hoping to show these babies that you can chase your dreams, work hard and do some really cool things.

Some of the things I learned from a 50 day run streak are:

• Setting my own rules made the streak possible. I wanted to be sure not to get injured or burned out so I set the bar low. To count for the streak I had to travel at lest 1 mile on foot. If that meant some walking or a family hike with some jogging to me that was fine. Some set their bar higher but this worked for me.
• It was really hard some days and I didn’t want to run at 9pm when I was tired and had other things to do. But I did it for the streak and I was always proud when I did.
• It really did set up good running habits. It is much easier to get out the door early in the morning when I have done it so many other mornings. All of my gear was easy to find and accessible since I was using it all so often.
• 50 days really didn’t feel that long. After the first couple weeks the habit of running everyday became easier.
• Active Recovery is a great way to avoid injury. Often when people are negative about run streaks injury is a main reason and I totally respect that. For me active recovery helped keep me moving and healthy for the 50 days.

Some days were glorious sunny runs on trails

Or chasing the sunrise in my neighborhood.

And a few were on the basement treadmill, late at night just getting it done.

The biggest surprise was that a 50 day run streak is addicting. I thought I would be done after 50 days. I thought I would be proud to have done what I set out to do and ready for some rest and to move on. But I am not, I am excited to keep the streak going for another 50 days and from there we shall see…..

Happy Running

Well it’s officially done, my 50 day run-streak ends today. I will talk more about what I learned by running every day for 50 days later this week but for now I know that I want to keep it going!

In June I ran 162 miles, in July my goal is to run 200.

After checking the calendar I realized that Cannon’s first day of school is exactly 50 days from today. It is blowing my mind that it is that close. I am a little heart broken that this time at home with him is ending so soon and that he is growing up sooooo fast. Cannon doesn’t have to go to three year old preschool so I sometimes question myself if I really want to send him. But I think he will love it and thrive going to school with friends. It’s only three hours a day four days a week so I will still get time to hang out and have adventures with him.

Given that I have 50 more days until school starts I decided it would be fun to keep the run streak going and add a few things on as well.

For the the next 50 days I will do the following every day:

• Run every day (at least one mile)
• Drink 100oz of water – Really want to focus on hydration during the summer
• Write – I want to blog every day to really build on the habit and share the day to day balance of motherhood, work and ultra marathon training.
• 10 minutes of core work – because two kids in less than two years.
• Meditate

The last one, meditating is a new one for me, but it’s something that I am trying to help me focus on all the things I have to be grateful for, keep my thoughts in check and spend time focusing on my thoghts.

So here we go, from today through August 20th the plan is to do all five of these things everyday.

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Have you ever done a streak?

My day started off with a HOT 10 mile run. After a few days in the 90s even 5am is warm.

After running we decided we wanted to hike but it was way too hot to stay close to town. We decided on Lily lake near Estes Park. The weather was supposed to be good and we love getting out in the mountains.

On the way up it started to rain, we hoped it would pass quickly and stuck to our plan. We had a picnic lunch then headed out for a hike around the lake.

The trail around the lake is very accessible and just under a mile long. Cannon is a great little hiker now and Emerald loved to ride in the pack.

We made it around the lake right before it really started to poor down rain and hail.

Being up at Lily lake really took me back to last year when we made this same trip just a few days before Cory had surgery to have his achilles repaired.

It was much more challenging then but we knew we wanted to get the kids up for one adventure before surgery and recovery.

Even with a boot and a scooter we were able to make it around the lake.

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It was a good day and fun to reflect on how far we have come and how much easier it is now that Emmy isn’t a newborn and Cory isn’t broken =)

The way home was pretty crazy with some intense hail, I was happy to get through it safely and not see any crashes!

Please note the temperature on the dash reads 37 degrees, it was forecasted in the 80s. Summer weather here is never dull.

We have been looking forward to taking our kids camping for such a long time. For one reason or another we hadn’t pulled the trigger to take them until this year. We decided to head up for just one night to keep things simple and not overwhelm ourselves.

Cory had Friday off so we spent the morning packing up, trying to think of all the things we might need. Then we drove up to Leadville with high hopes.

It took awhile driving around but we finally found a campsite at Turquoise Lake and set up camp.

We were surprised by how much the kids loved the camping. They were so happy to just explore the campsite and play in the dirt.

Humphry even got a little extra love from Emmy.

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Ignore his face, he really does love her.

We roasted hotdogs over the campfire and waited out some rain in the tent

We were excited about the next day, running the trail the boarders the lake, hiking, playing at the beach. But it was not to be. As we tried to settle in for the night Emerald would not stop crying. She normally is a pretty easy going child so we were surprised when we could soothe her and get her to sleep. After a couple hours we decided to call it and head home at 10:30. We packed up camp in the dark and drove our sad selves home.

It was still a fun adventure but we have some work to do before we have expert campers on our hands. Any suggestions on helping kids to sleep in tents?