We packed up and moved back home! It is nice to be back in our own home even if things are a complete mess.

Our cabinets are grey and now we just need to put everything back (yikes)

The refrigerator is in the dining room, and everything that was in the cupboards is sitting out on tables/the floor waiting to be cleaned then put away. We are taking this as an opportunity to donate anything we don’t use and clear out the clutter.

We also released the butterflies into the yard so they can fly free for the rest of their little lives.

Now I am working on putting together (a very amateur) video for Cannon’s 5th birthday, documenting all the fun we had during his 4th year. This kid has the biggest heart and I can’t wait to celebrate him all week!

We didn’t have swim lessons so we got to have a slower morning.

We took advantage and walked around my parents house looking for turtles and frogs.

Last year we walked almost every morning because we didn’t have any activities to run off to.

After our walk we went to meet some friends at a new to us playground. One of our friends is going to Spain for the rest of the summer to visit their in-laws. They also brought ice-pops to share and the kids were excited to try those for the first time.

Emmy actually napped in the afternoon which was nice because she has been very tired (and grumpy) lately.

In the afternoon we played in the parents’ playroom, so nice to have such a nice space to play in. We then grabbed Indian take out for dinner (my favorite). We are so looking forward to having our kitchen back in use so we can make meals at home again.

We are so close, I can’t wait to see it all back together! We are so grateful to stay with my parents to get this done but it will be nice to get back home and back into a routine…..eventually. Next week we have swim lessons, Cannon has bike camp, it’s Cannon’s 5th birthday and Father’s Day camping trip. Looking at the calendar I think we actually get back on a routine after school starts.

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At what age did your kids drop their nap?

Are you on a summer schedule or is it different every day?

I am having such a good time running in the morning with the sunrise, it’s so much nicer than treadmill runs or freezing, dark runs of the winter. I will continue forever to avoid running in the heat!

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5 easy miles with a fast finish. I am not really following a plan at the moment but need to get on one because I am hoping to run the Breck Crest Marathon on Labor day.

When I got home it was time to get the kids ready for swim lessons.

Are you someone who lays out clothes the night before? I like to but I don’t always do it. It feels extra hectic since we aren’t living at our own house and we have been really busy with summer activities. Next week is even crazier with camps, Cannon’s birthday, camping and Father’s day.

We spent the rest of the day going to play with friends at a playground, lunch and rest time at my parents’ house and time at the pool in the afternoon.

The cabinets are making progress and I LOVE the color, it took us forever last year to pick a color so I am glad we still like it!

We enjoyed dinner on my parents’ deck and it has been so much fun sharing dinner with them every night.

I am not sure there is a better way to start the day than a sunrise run in the cool morning!

Blurry picture to show that we are actually in green season here, it doesn’t last long, I am sure things will be brown soon with all of our mid 90 degree days. I am going to enjoy it while I can.

I little morning jog around the lake

These two cuties were waiting for me when I got home.

We made it to swim lessons, and I am so happy with how well Cannon is swimming.

The line up of summer needs, coffee and ice water. We met friends at the playground until it got too hot for all of us. This time of year outdoor activities have to end by 11:30 AM unless they are in the water and/or shade.

In the evening we played on the deck with the water table and ate outside. I used to not love summer but now it is by FAR my favorite!

What is your favorite season? Mine are Summer -> Fall -> Spring -> Winter

I spent one more morning on the treadmill to be sure my cough was under control before trying to run outside. The cool morning are the perfect running weather so I don’t think I can stand running inside any longer!

When I was getting ready to run I noticed that a Rock Dove had made her nest on our deck. She is probably tricked into thinking it’s a calm house without kids or a dog. Hopefully she will be okay when we all return home.

After my run I got the kids down to the rec center for swim lessons then we met friends at a splash pad to play for the rest of the morning.

It is so so nice to have the splash pads turned on this year.

snacks….always so many snacks.

I love seeing them with their little friends, I am lucky that my friends have awesome littles!

After lunch and some quiet time we went back to the pool to play for a couple hours, I am thinking we are going to be spending many hot afternoons there! it was a water/sun soaked day!

When we got back to my parents’ house it was pizza on the deck until bedtime. Days like this make me so incredibly grateful, I hope to remember this very happy time in my life. It’s been nice having dinner every night with my parents and enjoying extra time with them.

What are your favorite summer activities?

I got up early in the morning to get my run in. I snuck out of my parents house and drove back to my own so I could run on the treadmill. It felt like the old days when I would leave the house early to go to the gym but now I have my own private gym.

After my run we scrambled to get to our morning swim lessons.

I love outdoor pools!

Both kids were very excited to start their lessons.

Cannon did great, but Emmy was too cold and wasn’t a fan of being away from me. Emmy has always struggled with separation anxiety and after social distancing it’s worse.

After swimming we met some friends for a playdate and enjoyed the summer weather.

After lunch and quiet time I went to grab some groceries and saw this on my way back:

There was a tornado just north of us that ripped through some rural areas. Luckily no humans were injured but some livestock died and there was damage.

What is the craziest weather you have ever experienced?

Any suggestions on overcoming separation anxiety welcome!

It was such a fun summer weekend, I am at the point where I never want summer to end. I am sure I will be singing a different tune when it’s early September and still 90 degrees out.

We met our cousins at the amusement park and had a blast on the rides.

We had great helpers in the yard!

We visited a playground before sharing dinner with Grandma and Grandpa.

And dogged raindrops as we ran home.

Runner’s World had an article about Women’s running gear:

https://www.runnersworld.com/gear/a20865256/best-running-gear-for-women/

I love the Koala Clip and not listed but I LOVE my hydration pack  VaporHowe 12L Race Vest .

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What is your favorite piece of gear?

Just a quick check in today because we are packing up and moving into my parents’ basement. We are so lucky that they live close and are willing to take us in for a week.

We are finally finishing our kitchen remodel and the cabinets are getting painted. Many days without a kitchen and keeping the kids out of the way seemed like too much so we are moving out for the week.

All this stuff and that is just the kids and we are going just 2 miles down the road.

We started our renovation in February of 2020 before the pandemic started and only got half-way.

So now we have had two-toned cabinets for over a year. We still need to finish the back-splash, floor, repaint the walls……the list goes on. But this step is one I have been looking forward to for so long!

Can’t wait to move back in to a fresh new kitchen, changing the island was the biggest difference.

It went from cool rainy spring to HOT summer overnight. I am not complaining too much because we needed the wet spring to help with the drought conditions and now we can enjoy all the summer activities. We have been to the pool the last two days and are loving it!

We have also enjoyed meals on the deck and playing in the yard.

I am NOT used to the heat, and have embraced the fact that I just HATE running in the heat. I love running but if it’s too hot I get sick and it ruins my energy for the rest of the day. My solution to surviving summer heat is to avoid it. I get up early if I want to run outside, or I take to the treadmill. If I do end up running outside when it’s hot (rare) I try to wear light clothing and bring ice water with me. I also try to avoid racing in the summer so there is no need for me to acclimate.

Runner’s World had these tips:

https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/beginners/a33381268/guide-summer-running/

What are your favorite tips for running in the heat?

I was reminded today that when we tell ourselves that we just aren’t _______ people (fill in the blank, morning person, running, athletic, etc) that we are just telling ourselves a story. We can be anything we want to be it’s just a shift. I often tell myself that I don’t like strength training, that I don’t have time or I am just not good at it. But those are all just stories, I am committed to changing that story this summer, and actually I do like strength training.

Strength Train For Trail Running Speed

Our day was fairly boring until Cory got off work and we got to go to our neighborhood pool. It felt SO good to be able to go right when we wanted to without any reservations.

Summer feels good.

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What stories do you tell yourself?

Do you have a favorite strength training program?