Vida. Risa. Amor.

So I finished another half marathon today and even though I'm experiencing the expected soreness and toe and knee aches, I'm actually feeling pretty good.  What started out as a fun "idea" to do with a group of mom's, turned into a real accomplishment, and I was glad to be a part it.  And support effort for a cure.

What I loved best about this "race" was being surrounded by a bunch of Mom's and women, and seeing so many varieties of pink apparel, from tutu's, head-bands, knee-high socks, shoes, to tank tops.  My favorite sign of the day I read at mile #8 got me a little choked up:  "Run like a Mother"....because, let's face it, as Mom's we sure do a lot of various forms of running around.  I spent my entire last week/month running each of my kids to several different locations, and though I don't mind that aspect of my life, it was nice to just spend a day with a bunch of fun Mom's.  One Mom in our group is basically the "glue" that kept us together, and she's my good friend Lainie whom I have known since our 7 year old boys were in preschool together.  She has a gift about bringing people together and knew how to keep us all organized from matching our tank tops to packet pick up to the finish line.  She also brought enough snacks at the beginning of the race to feed all of us and a few extra's around us...and wasn't shy about passing out her chocolate "energy" balls to random runners. 

After a few races "under my belt", I know my body's limits and I knew if I didn't try to run the first 8 miles before my knee and toes cramped up then I'd be walking most of the way.  And though I didn't run the entire time with the group and we all ended up splitting off into different groups, we all seemed to find each other again at the finish line.  Today wasn't about reaching a certain time...just having a bunch of laughs together and to finish.

I'm always so happy to find my husband showing his support for me in the crowd when I'm finished and he brought my biggest supporter Aydan today too, (who shares my fascination with collecting "trophies" and admired my flower shaped medal). 

But my favorite part of the day was the drive home with my feet hanging out of my husbands window, when he squeezed my hand and said, "I'm proud of you, and that you set such a good example to our family of keeping healthy, and always finishing what you start." 

That was better than any pink ribboned medal in my book.

My first child...first teeth...first steps....first ear piercing.  First halloween costume, first Christmas.   First plane ride, first vacation.  First emergency room visit.  First bike ride...first goal...first pair of glasses...contacts...braces...cell phone.  First high schooler...first boyfriend...first breakup. 

First homecoming dance. 
That was today...she left to go just 20 minutes ago.

She had been second guessing her decision to not go along with her friends to the dance, and was trying to convince herself that she thought she'd rather stay home tonight.  We actually bought her "first dress" a month ago when we went shopping together, but we ended up returning what she found since she changed her mind about going.  Tonight she was expecting to style all her friends hair for them, but instead, one of her friends surprised her with a homecoming dress and told her she needed to go with them too.  Josie was so surprised and her friend was so sweet to do that for her.  Times have changed and I guess it's cool for girls to go together in groups with or without dates.  Freshman even.

I wish I could say that I was the sweet little doting mother, but the black shoes I suggested evidently made her want to vomit, my jewelry is dated, and she'd rather gouge her eyes out than have help with her hair.  Pinning hair up is so "4th grade", covering up a 6 inch shaving scar with make-up is ridiculous, and wearing a black sweater is out of the question.  There are just so many things I know I need to learn.  I did mention that I didn't have her pretty little ears pierced at 4 months for no reason and when the earrings went on I was "allowed" to hand over some money and granted permission to take one picture.  Just one.

She has her ideas of how she wants things to go.  I'm learning what it means to back off and just observe.  I get it, but I don't think it says anywhere that I have to admit I'm always going to like it.

And I'm literally watching my girl grow up before my eyes.

Here's a brief "status update" on the Palacios home this Friday night:  the girls are out at a high school football game, my boys are watching Dr. Doofenshmirtz rap with Perry the Platapus on Phineus and Pherb, Chemo is hopefully wrapping up his 12 hour shift at work, and I am kicking back after scooping out 4 pumpkins.  With ice-cream.  Life is good.

I do this every year.  I can't not carve pumpkins, and I can't not save the seeds.  We never end up eating all the salted seeds I roast, but I do it anyway because it makes me feel semi Martha/Crockerish...(in other words, both resourceful & festive).  We do pumpkin carving in two steps:  scoop night and carve night.  I just like to get the scraping of the insides of the pumpkins out of the way so the next day the kids can just carve away without getting pumpkin slime all over themselves and the floor.  Plus knives and boys don't mix...and the stench of pumpkin innards makes my girls gag.  So at our house, scooping out pumpkins over the years has become "Mom's job".  I don't mind.

So we're set for a fun weekend of football and softball, end of season parties and Halloween festivities.  If I'm not up to my elbows in pumpkins, then I'm up to my eyelashes in halloween treats.  My contribution to the world will always be box mix cupcakes and rice-krispies....I seem to not fail in these two party desserts.  I did burn some cupcakes last night though.  shhh...don't tell.  It's my oven's fault anyway.

I realize it's often a rare occasion where my whole family has been home altogether, but we all seem to be enjoying our lives for the most part.  I'm sort of hoping the pumpkin carving will bring us together tommorrow night though....that and maybe some smores around our firepit.  On Sunday the kids are looking forward to trick-or-treating around the neighborhood, and so from youngest to oldest, this year we have a pirate, (captain Jack Sparrow), a cowboy, a derby girl, (going by the name of Smashley Simpson), and Thomas the Train.  After hours of searching my closet for a costume, my highschool daughter finally decided to just be Thomas.  She's too old to trick or treat though....I've cut them off at 13. 

As my girls like to say, "it's all good in the hood", and for the most part it's a real family friendly atmosphere here on Halloween night.  So I give Arizona an A+ for fun on Halloween...(just don't forget to disguise the adult beverages). ;)

My son Aydan just came down the stairs after I had tucked him in because he said he wanted to give me an extra hug.  He whispered, "x-o-x-o-x-o".  Funny how sometimes God knows exactly what we need and sends it through to us to our kids.  Hugs from him are so precious.

Tonight we found out our air conditioner system in our attic is leaking water and forming a big puddle in the middle of the hallway, so we spent the last hours before bedtime trying to figure out how to fix it.  Fiberglass really should be outlawed.  Add to that a tired Mom and Dad and a spazzy 4 year old and this experience can feel ten times more frustrating.  Bed time tuck-ins were the fast versions tonight.

After that I decided to try and unwind and spend some time catching up on my friends and family's blogs, and since my own brain is lacking a decent train of thought, I've decided I like what other's have to say tonight better:

"Life usually sucks more often than we'd like, but it's important to make an effort to find the good and the joy in the middle of those times that's going to help you get through." 
...I probably added too many words to this quote of hers, but my sister suggested that to me yesterday as we were surounded by a bunch of light-saber fighting boys at her house for her daughter's princess birthday party.  She has an amazing talent for doing more than the average Mom can take on....and doing it well.  I don't know anyone who knows how to make a prettier pink cupcake either.

I also caught up on my friend's "Living Life" blog and am always amazed at her positive outlook on life despite the tough trials she's been through this past year(s).  I tend to think of her around this season since we ran the Chicago Marathon together 2 years ago and the second week in October is the anniversary of that day.  That was a big life moment for me, and I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have run it with....(we've been friends for almost 30 years).  She's a wonderful friend and mother and not only has the coolest family friendly craft ideas, but she shares the same passion I do in running.  I really liked what she wrote recently in her blog:  "Run the race God has set before you with endurance..."(Hebrews 12:1).  "This is the run of my life....the good, the bad, and the roads I've yet to travel....and I'm learning to trust God all the way."

So this is me right now:  I'm usually the last to bed, and the first one up for a jog every other morning.  I love that time on the road before the day starts... and I need it too.  (Endorphins are a good thing for a Mom to keep stocked up on. Well that, and chocolate).

I'm in the "marathon" of life right now...and some seasons I'm going to have to run like a mother to keep up.

...and discover the "fun" in the "run".  ;)

Well another Friday night has arrived.  I don't really care that I spent most of my day doing housework and yardwork; my week kept me too busy to keep up with it so it feels great to be sitting in a clean house right now.  We have 4, maybe 5 games total to go to in the next 2 days, so it feels good to get ahead.  I win.  And I'd also like to add that my mesquite tree is once again even-steven with it's branches.  I win again.

My girls are out with their friends and my boys are engrossed in their 50th viewing of Transformers...(that I occasionally get distracted from because I actually kind of like that movie too).  I'm also texting on my new cell phone back and forth with Josie who is at her high-school's football game with friends, and with Lanie who is at a movie with her friends.  I really had no idea the fun and ease it is to communicate through texts...there's no tone of voice to have to deal with, or noise to have to shout over, and it's really quick.  My text-bashing days are officially over.  And sending pictures!....shopping for two picky daughters has never been easier.

Today is also the beginning of my kids fall break from school.  In years past, we have taken the week for a vacation, but I'm actually kind of glad we didn't have anything planned so we can just stay home.  The weekends are going to be just as busy with soccer tournaments, football, and now softball, but  I can honestly say there's no other place I'd rather be on the weekends than watching my kids play. 


These kind of days aren't planned, or happen often, but when they do, they bring a little smile to my heart.

I did another new thing tonight...not a big deal thing, really, but I don't think I have ever lay down on my back on my driveway at night before.  I find it's fun to be random once in a while.  I even baked a pie yesterday.  It must be October.

But it felt good to just listen to the trees swaying in the breeze....the raindrops on my face....the thunder...the lightning clouds...the sidewalk warming my back...the quiet.  I realized I haven't had much of that lately.  It's true what they say, "7 days without rest makes one weak".  (cheesy, but true).

So I soaked up my brief moment of silence as long as I could while trying to ignore the sounds of my boys jumping off the couches inside.  I couldn't figure out what bothered me more:  that I couldn't figure out how to put words to the thoughts floating around my head, or that I might not actually be able to keep up with the busyness of life right now.  I reread my previous blog and bored myself again with this past week's crazy schedule.  I guess I said "roof" twice in the same sentence too.

But I've come to the simple conclusion that I don't think I need to feel like I have to figure out everything right now.  It's Saturday anyway. 

My Dad has always been good for some words of wisdom for me.  A couple of things he sometimes tells me is to "Keep the main thing, mainly the main thing.", and "just do one thing at a time....you can worry about the rest later".  So, my main thing is making sure I'm being the right kind of Mom to each of my kids, and wife to my husband every day.  Sounds simple written down...and I'll admit it's not always easy all the time. 

But one thing I really should do right now is get both Rylan and the toothpaste out of the bathroom sink...and worry about this blog later...