My day started very early at 5:30 with kids who don’t understand the concept of the time change.

I got out my Minnie Christmas mug because it holds a lot of coffee. When Cory got up I was then able to get in some PT and strength training.

Then we had school to get done, days where we are all home are my favorite!

Since I didn’t get my run done in the morning I jumped on Old Faithful (our treadmill in the basement) while the kids played in their play area until Cory got off work. I love running outside but I don’t mind the treadmill at all to just get it done. 80 minutes of running for my mid week “long run”.

I got this cup last Christmas before our big Southwest trip and I still love it. We need to get on planning a trip for this year!

We wanted to get the kids out of their own exercise as well so we all went out for some bike riding.

They are so fun!

I brought my AG1 with me so that I wouldn’t forget to get it in for the day.

I was really cold when we got home from biking so we broke out our heating pad, and while it may make me feel 80 years old it also feels really nice. Emmy shared it with me, this kid likes the good life.

Randomly I found this tree on Amazon for our “owners suite” and I am so excited to add it our bedroom for more Christmas magic.

We started out the day with a little Mother/Son run.

Well, I was running and Cannon was on his bike. I am getting so spoiled not having to get up super early to get my run in plus I have the best company! When I start running longer I will have to do loops or just make Cannon ride super long with me.

Cannon really liked biking through the tunnel.

He really is my little ray of sunshine and makes everything more fun.

I enjoyed my post run coffee in this giant mug (Hobby Lobby from last year).

Then we were off to drop off our ballots and Emmy at school. It’s interesting explaining voting to kids, I think Cannon is really getting it this year. I hope you made your voice heard today too.

I got this platter delivered and already started using it, love it!

I tried the Gingerbread creamer, I give it a 7/10. It’s a nice change up but I don’t want it all the time.

Been dreaming of having this morning view again, can’t wait! We do a live tree so we wait until after Thanksgiving.

Also been doing some Christmas trip planning…this is a dream (for me) trip and will likely be highly edited. We’ll see what we actually end up doing. Last year’s Christmas Cactus trip was epic.

While I was running the other day I was listening to a podcast where Callie said that she went after things that scared her. And while I have heard that sentiment before it really resinated with me. I remember saying I would never do a full Ironman because the distance terrified me and I thought people like me didn’t do things like Ironman races. But when I challenged myself and actually completed one, nothing felt like that accomplishment.

So now when I am asking my kids to challenge themselves, to try new things and push out of their comfort zones, I ask myself if I am doing the same. So this year I am committed to pushing myself to do something I have never done before, something that feels impossible, and scary like something other people (not me) do. I want to show my kids that I will get in the trenches with them, that I will do scary things too. I want to show them that hard isn’t bad and that we are a team helping each other reach our dreams.

So that little thing that you tell yourself you can’t do, that’s too hard, that other people do. But you secretly wish that you could do….. I hope you do it, because I believe you can and it will be so worth it when you do.

Do you have anything that you say you never could do but wish you could?

We woke up nice and early due to the time change, luckily it’s lighter earlier so we could get out for a family run.

We decided to incorporate the mile run into our homeschool PE. There is a path around a lake near our house that is a mile so it’s a nice place to practice. I really thought there would be a lot of walking and complaining but they both did great and loved it! We did the mile run in grade school and I loved it.

Cannon ran/walked I think mainly because Emmy was behind him and they like to be together. I need to take him sometime when Emmy isn’t there to see how fast her can go. Emmy ran most of the way, she loves the downhills most. Our goal is to build up to a 5k this year.

We came home to hot coffee and hot steamers for the kids.

We like to do snack time while I read to them.

I love these little drawings, this little preschool phase is the best.

After school was done we ran a couple errands that hit up the park for some play time. This playground is a good one! I am working my way through the Starbucks holiday drinks. My favorite is the Chestnut Praline but the sugar cookie latte is good too, I want to try it with a pump of peppermint next time.

I can’t believe they are big enough and want to roll in the trash bins….they are really helpful kids (most of the time).

Emmy has started wearing the eye mask we got in London when flying home from France. It’s so funny, she keeps us laughing all day.

Since my long run was yesterday I just did the run with the kids and some PT. I feel like my legs recover better with a little bit of activity instead of a full rest day.

What do you like to do for recovery?

Any favorite holiday drinks?

Did you do the mile run in school?

Daylight Savings time in the fall isn’t too bad but with littles in the house it just means we are getting up earlier and have more hours during the day.

I am not complaining because we are back to Sunday, “long run” days (takes me back to soooooo many years of training). Long run is in quotes because it’s not long yet but we are working on it.

We started our day with a peppermint latte for me in my Santa Mug and a peppermint steamer in a marshmallow mug for Emmy.

I love this little run route and it is clearly the start of beige season here in the front range. Everything will be yellow or brown until late April.

I do love when the mountains are covered in snow, we are still in that season where they will get a snow then melt then snow again. Soon they will be white capped for the winter. Also this reservoir freezes over for at least three months.

I listened to the Everyday Ultra Podcast. I love hearing about how other people make ultra running part of their lifestyle.

While I was running Cory and the kids went for a bike ride in search of playgrounds. We bought their jackets quickly before leaving for France and I wasn’t sure since we had only seen them online. But we love them, we have always liked the Patagonia down coats for the kids but the boys version didn’t have a hood and Cannon loves to ear his hood instead of a hat.

The kids and I all enjoyed “green monster” smoothies when we got home. Such a good way to get spinach into the kids.

We also hit up the indoor pool for the first time this season, I forgot to take a picture so this one is from last year.

Then we braved Costco on a Sunday (crazy), filled out our ballots (don’t forget to vote!) and watched Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.

What are your favorite things to do on a Sunday?

My 5 AM Mug. Might start doing mug of the day (MOTD) because I love my Christmas mugs so much. This one was from Anthropologie last year.

We got up early and got dressed because the kids missed school pictures in October when we were sick. The company was offering make ups 45 minutes away from our house . It was worth the drive because Cannon’s pictures from this same place were so good last year and I really wanted preschool pictures of Emerald.

The drive took us back through downtown Denver so we stopped at the Children’s museum to play for a few hours. The kids love it so much and we have a membership so I always feel guilty that we don’t go more often. The colder weather will probably make us want to go more I just don’t love driving into Denver.

But their smiles make it worth it.

We spent the afternoon working on house projects (how fun). We had a crazy windstorm that blew over one of our trees. Luckily it was one that needed to come down anyway, I am just glad it landed in another tree and didn’t hurt anything.

All I did was dome PT and recovery for my legs because I was super sore after my strength training yesterday. I really want to get strong before I start running long distances again!

Did some online Christmas shopping, loving these snow boots!

We had yummy turkey chili for dinner but ran out of eggs for corn bread so we all shed a little tear. We are going through food so much faster now that the kids are getting bigger.

Had some of these after dinner. I bought two giant bags from Costco and already wishing I got more!

What’s on your Christmas list this year?

Pretty much every morning I go to the basement and grab one of my Christmas mugs to have my morning coffee in.

I guess this will be how I unpack then this year. I love them so much I just can’t wait to use them.

We had some school work to get done and I am so impressed with how these kiddos are going. We genuinely enjoy doing this together. We also love these fuzzy pajamas from Target and usually start school in our PJs then get dressed sometime mid morning.

For PE for the day we decided to take a run/bike ride.

Cory was working from home so for his lunch break he came with us. Cory and I ran while the kids rode their bikes. I have been dreaming of this day for many years.

I can’t believe how well Emmy is doing on her bike!

We found a little Praying Mantis on the path on the way home.

Even though it was likely too cold for this little guy to be around much longer we didn’t want it to get smashed so we found it a nice bush to relax in and wished it well.

For the last bit Emmy decided she wanted to run with Mommy holding my had and my heart could have burst. Then she raced me home and beat everyone of course. Cory was the real champ wheeling her bike the rest of the way.

The rest of the day was spent finishing school and playing.

My self care for the day included drinking my AG 1 from a Christmas Tree glass, doing my PT and lower body strength once Cory got off work and actually taking a shower.

Cory and the kids made delicious ham chowder and it was so good, I am loving all the cold weather foods right now. Come late spring I will be ready again for all the summery foods.

Do your tastes change with the seasons?

What is your favorite self care?

Today was full of little things that make me happy…

preschool art..

And festive travel mugs….

And show and tell at school…

And preschool pickups…..

And Starbucks holiday cups…

And holiday treats for the kids.

Not pictured were afternoon snuggles with Emmy, delicious dinner made by Cory and our first real snow fall of the season.

I love this time of the year.

Any little things making you happy lately?

Too soon? Probably but I love Christmas so I need more than one month to enjoy my Christmas treasures. I am not going full out with decorating yet but it will start to trickle in with a mug here, a carol there (sung at the top of my lungs with the kids in the car).

I found Cannon reading to Emmy while getting ready in the morning and died form the cuteness.

After a big breakfast the kids asked for snacks on the way to school. I think they both must be growing a lot since they are always hungry!

Cannon had a mid-term math exam to take and school to get done while Emmy was at school. I am so pleased with how our homeschool is going.

I had a couple events that I needed to register for right at noon, the same time that Emmy needs to be picked up from school. Luckily there was wifi and a big brother that helped entertain Emmy while I got us signed up for very important holiday events 😉

Then we went to the library to play and stock up on new November books.

Just casually trying to hide the ridiculous amount of books we borrow a week.

I got busy collecting and putting away Halloween, makes me a little sad but ready to head into the most magical time of the year!

We also went to Costco to stock up on the essentials and ended up grabbing some ski gear as well at an amazing price.

I also found time to set up our Thanksgiving Occasions bin, but I am already wondering how long this will last before I swap it out for Christmas.

I hope you had a fun/safe Halloween!

Cannon and I started the day nice and early playing legos. Then we did school stuff that went surprisingly well since the kids were syked it was Halloween.

In the afternoon we tried to go swimming but it was the one day a week that family swim is closed in the afternoon. Emmy was so disappointed and cried. I felt terrible for letting her down but we rallied by going to a playground and got some sunshine.

We have been missing our backyard but this is it’s current state.

The kids do love watching the guys work.

We made pumpkin soup and Mummy dogs for dinner. The kids also enjoyed lemonade that I died black. They enjoy these themed meals almost as much as I do.

Then it was time to get dressed and go out Trick or Treating. Our neighborhood does it up big and there are lots of kids out, it’s really fun!

I love these crazy kids!

Now it’s time to pull down all of Halloween and put up a few things for Thanksgiving. I am trying to hold out a little longer before putting Christmas out this year. The last two years we have put up Christmas really early. In 2020 no one was coming over and we just wanted the happy holiday spirit around. In 2021 we were leaving for a trip half way through December and I couldn’t imagine enjoy our house decorated for only a couple weeks.

When do you start pulling out Christmas decorations?