Jon's First 26.2 Miles!!!!

Jon has been training to run the Columbus Marathon for months! Today, the big day rolled around bright and early of course. We were all SOOO excited for him! The girls wrote on all the car windows, messages of encouragement when he went to bed so that he could drive the car to the big race in the morning. I put together a playlist for the race and had to throw on the Chariots of Fire theme song for good measure. He left early in the morning and the girls and I got ourselves together and headed downtown to cheer him on..... We caught him at mile 13, barely, hence the picture of the back of him. Taylor spotted him just after he ran by... We went to a coffee shop and then window shopped for a litte while. If anyone comes to visit, we have to take you to the "Short North" in downtown Columbus (really cool shops and restaurants). Anyway, then we walked about a mile away where the course double backs to catch Jon at mile 25. We waited for a little while. They had bands playing at each mile mark... so we waited and listened to music. As we knew Jon was getting closer, we hoped that he turned the corner as the band was playing "Johnny be Good", he didn't but the pace group he had been with passed by and we started getting concerned hoping he wasn't hurt and was doing OK. I explained to the girls how hard it must be by mile 25... Lo and behold we all spotted him and he looked good but definitely pained. Taylor was poised and ready and ran him in the last mile to the finish. We are SOOOOO proud! To add to the whole experience, I have to throw in the picture of the homeless man that insisted Jo take his picture. It's good to get out of suburbia every once in a while! :0)

The BAD haircut!

Ever since college, Jon has been having me cut his hair.  It takes me forever!, at least an hour to get it just right.  Well, lately he just wants it short.  This time I thought I would just buzz it all over maybe 1/4 on the bottom and 1/2 inch on the top and then I would go through the whole thing with the scissors and even it out.  Halfway up his head I realized that might have been a bad idea when I could see a patch of scalp.  I turned the clippers off and couldn't stop laughing. Jon was NOT laughing.  Taylor ran over to inspect and said "Dad, I can see your scalp!"  Well I switched it to a slightly longer attachment and did what I could to salvage it.  I have to say, it's not my best work, and if it was on my head, I would not be a happy camper.  Jon didn't say much but kissed me and said thank you.  Poor Jon!  He did tell me two days later that the guys at work were making comments about his short haircut.  When Jon asked one of them if he liked it, he said NO, I actually don't, I think you got a bad haircut.  It's shorter in some parts and some parts are sticking out.  This is the guy that Jon says reminds him of me with no filter. Thanks honey! :)  I would take a picture of him and post it, but I think he would be on to me and know that it could end up on the blog.

A NEW Cross Country Runner

This is at about the 1 mile mark, Jo was shocked to see that her sister was fast and was ahead of the pack!

Finishing up STRONG!

Taylor has recently started running cross country for her middle school.    Jon and I were ALL for her picking up running but wasn't sure she knew what she was getting herself into... Well...during meets she runs 2 miles for a time and during practice will run as much as 6 or so miles.  She is doing fantastic.  I've told her now she knows why God gave her those long legs. She was meant to run like her dad.  Her cross country girls team is broken into 2 groups for the big invitationals.  The top 7 runners from her team run against the fastest runners from every other school.  Taylor has a large team, so the rest of the girls run in the second race.  Well, Taylor's time puts her in the 8th spot so one of the fastest runners in the second group.  She has run in two invitationals and received two medals!  :)  In the first race she came in 18th, and the second 17th out of 130+runners.  She has definitely been bitten by the running bug and is SOOOO proud.  She runs about 8 minute miles which is too fast for me to comfortably keep up with...... Jon and I love going to her meets and running through the woods and fields to be able to yell encouragement to her as she runs by... It's my new favorite thing.  I hope she keeps it up through High School.

Before and After

Tahlia got her braces off yesterday!!!!!!!  Hoorah!  Her teeth look beautiful but they left the bands on in the back so she still has to wear her headgear but she is SOOOO stoked.  Her teeth look gorgeous.

First Day of School

Wow!!! It was a busy morning!  Taylor and Jordan are off to middle school together.  I talked to each of them separately about giving each other space and being supportive of one another.  They both seemed receptive.  We will see.  Taylor was extra confident and excited about going to school and has tons of friends.  She has definitely tapped into the social aspect of school.  Jo is joining Taylor at school.  For any of you who remember, we switched Taylor into another middle school in the district that was just a MUCH better fit.  We did this mid year for Taylor but was well worth it.  She's doing great and it's a great school.  Anyway, all of Jo's friends that she has made last year were going to the old middle school and so this middle school is like starting all over as far as being "the new girl".  She is willing to do it and is trusting our guidance.  I know she will do well, but will take some time acclimating.  My biggest worry is the lack of sleep she will have while doing gymnastics 5 days a week for 4 hours at a time.  Anyway, she wanted me to drive her to school and help her get situated at her locker.  I just sensed that she needed me and am so glad I went.  She was happy I was there but was OK that I was leaving her too! :)  Meanwhile Tahlia was at home getting ready with her dad who both blow dried AND flat ironed her hair for her.  Check out the pics!  He did a great job.  Tahlia is SOOOOO sad to be going back to her public school.  We were hoping that she would get into St. Brigid's Catholic School over the summer.  We are praying that she will get in mid year and she is hanging on to that hope and prayer.  She is number one on the waiting list so it will just be a matter of time.  She is telling her friends she is just temporarily attending Chapman.  Jon made sure to have a heart to heart with her that there is a possibility that she may not get into St. Brigid this year.  There were no tears from Tahlia for me this morning.  I guess Jon wiped away the tears earlier in the morning while I was gone with Jo.  I'll keep you all informed if she will be putting back on a uniform if and when that happens.  Well I'm off!  There are a million things I should be doing before the girls come home.

Guess who was our mystery guest on our Lakeside Vacation?

Read the next post to find out!

Vacationing in Lakeside

Here are a few of my favorite pics from our week long vacation in Lakeside Ohio.  It was like taking a trip back in time to a town in the 60's, just like Mayberry!  We rode our bikes all over the little town.  We hung out at the little beach and pier on the lake, played shuffle board took in evening shows featuring big bands and a comedian.  We went to Cedar Point (one of the best roller coaster amusement parks in the country) much to Jordan's sheer delight.  Jon went on most of the "BIG RIDES" with Jo until he just couldn't do another.  I had to wrap up the day with one more of the big boys with Jo and it completely did me in.  I get cotton mouth just thinking about it!  Jana flew in to join us for 3 days that we completely enjoyed.  We played tons of board games and shuffle board with no cable, no internet and no video games.  We really "unplugged" and just enjoyed being together.  We all miss riding our bikes together, EVERYWHERE!

Some pictures from mom and dad's visit

Here is Dad getting patiently wrapped up by Tahlia.  Poor Dad, who knows why Tahlia was inspired to make him her victim.  Dad wasn't feeling well this day and so he waited for Tahlia to wrap him up while he sipped hot tea and then wore it around for a while.  Here is the finished product below.



This one is my favorite and so typical of my dad!  They were playing basketball and my dad scored a basket. :)

I've turned 36!

It's been a little while since I have posted anything!  This picture was taken on my birthday while we went to visit a butterfly exhibit.  My parents came to visit and celebrate birthdays since my mother's birthday is 2 days before hers.  What a gift I have always been to her!  Just kidding!!!  Anyone who knows us well, knows that we have grown into this beautiful friendship, mostly because I'm growing up.  The girls when they were looking at the pictures from my birthday said, "Mommy, look at the wrinkles under your eyes!"  Thanks, but true!  Wrinkles and gray hair have arrived but how incredibly blessed have I been in my 36 years.  I'll take all the wisdom I've gained with age.

I really liked this quiz

I saw this quiz on Tezzie's blog. Click on it and take it yourself. It's cute! Tezzie's assessment was right on.... that's why the girls call her crazy Aunt Tezzie.

Jo is ELEVEN!

Jordan has turned one year older and as Taylor has gone into Middle school, I will treasure this, her last year in the elementary age. She is just as rowdy, mischievious and fun as ever but is definitely gearing up for those pre-teen years. She celebrated with a few of her friends at a family fun center (gambling for kids) complete with laser tag and topping it off with a sleepover. This is one of those things you do as a parent that is an act of love because I don't think ANYONE in their right mind looks forward to a bunch of giggly girls staying up all night talking about the last time they threw up.

Tahlia is victorious!

We have officially completed Tahlia's first winter swim season with a 2 day championship swim meet. As I have said before, the season ran a little long for her but the highlight was definitely, yesterday when she won her first heat ribbon on the second day of swimming. Jon and I prepped her, showing her that she had the best time going into this heat with the 50Meter Freestyle and that she could take them! She is so cute! She told us later that she thought everyone else had already gotten out of the pool when she arrived on the other side and no one else was there. She was thrilled when she got her ribbon and a gift certificate for a free kids meal at Max and Erma's Restaurant. She might as well have come in first place for the whole event. We celebrated by cashing in that gift certificate at the restaurant and getting an all you can eat sundae for Tahlia. It turned out to be 2 scoops that all of us couldn't finish. A quote from Tahlia sums up her season, "Mom, they told us that it doesn't matter how we end up swimming, we all get a trophy!" It wasn't whether she won or lost, it was how she played the game and she was almost always delightful, with a smile on her face.

Jon, Taylor and Jo's new obsession

We decided to purchase a Wii for "the kids" this past Christmas and have had a blast with it. We have been wanting to get a game called Guitar Hero for it and just recently picked it up at Costco. Ever since, our house has been transformed into a concert as Jon, Taylor and Jordan are OBSESSED with it and they have to listen to it in stereo. Jordan always stands on the coffee table as she rocks out. They are so funny as they yell encouragement to each other like "COME ON DADDY!". They crack me up but it always gets to the point where I've had enough of the jam session and call time.

SNOW DAY!!!!!

Notice Roxy in the photos, she loves the snow most out of anyone in the family. She is definitely a snow dog. I think she wants us to ship her to Alaska, that's probably why she is SOOOOO naughty. She chewed up all the sleds about a half hour after this picture was taken.

The girls got to experience their very first snow day in Ohio. There's been a lot of hype surrounding snow days and the girls were able to experience first hand why they are SO fantastic yesterday. Sleeping in, NO SCHOOL, and playing in the snow!! They went to bed knowing that 5-8 inches were forcasted to fall through the night and through the next day. LO, and behold, God delivered. We are now living in a winter wonderland. They were so excited, but I have to tell you, yesterday's snow day came after Jo being home sick all last week and Taylor coming down sick last Friday. Someone has been home sick with me for a week and a half and Jon was gone all last week. I just about skipped to the bus stop with all of them going to school today! Yipeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I get to tackle the millions of things I should be doing right now and maybe go for a run. I love being me right now!!

Tahlia is going to the championships

Tahlia is finishing up her winter swim season with championships next week. She is swimming 6 events- She will be swimming all four strokes in 25's and two 50's in backstroke and freestyle. She was so funny when we told her what she was swimming. You would have thought we had told her she was going to be running a marathon. She is a great little swimmer but the season has run a little long in her book. She will definitely swim on team this summer and this has been a great experience. Here are some pics that mom took while she was here.

Jordan is on a roll

A winning salute with a first place vault!




Just wanted to put out an update on how Jo has done in gymnastics. My mom was out visiting a couple of weeks ago and was able to go to 2 of Jo's meets and experience what it's like watching her first hand. Sometimes nerves get the best of her and for all her preparation, she is so disappointed. Other times she absolutely nails it and is beaming! Here are a couple of pics. When mom was here she absolutely rocked on the vault and got the top score of the whole meet with a 9.4. At her last meet she almost reached her goal of getting a 9.0 and better on all events. She received on vault (8.6), bars (9.2), beam (9.35), and floor (9.35) with an all-around score of 36.5.

It's been a while

Notice all the alcohol, this is how I cope. Just kidding! This was during Christmas, Jon whipped me up a delightful little concoction. Anyway, Boy it's been a while since I posted the haps here. I have recently gone to work very part time at a church as the church secretary for a whopping 6 hours a week. I love it and love the women that I work with at the church. It's great and the I'm still able to do all the things at home that I always do. Our holidays were great and the girls are loving the snow when we get it. We are missing California (family and friends) and need to go back for a fix but all of us agree that we are VERY happy living here! I feel very blessed. Jon is doing great and is such a trooper with all of us girls especially the prepubescent ones, is that how you spell it? Speaking of which, I don't know if TJ will live to see 18, just kidding! She is something else and Jon and I are now a few brains cells short of the brilliant people we used to be in her eyes. She has all the answers. I teach her religion class and often times after class she tells me, "I can't believe you said or did that!" Oh well, I used to be cool. She has started ski club and does indoor soccer. Jo is still loving gymnastics and all the new skills she learns. She did her first "fly away" last week and LOVED it. A fly away is a flip off the high bar as a dismount and then stick the landing. She came home with her blisters ripped open and bleeding but with a huge smile on her face. She wrote on her dry erase board, "Goals for the week, DO More flyaways!" Tahlia, is such a sweety and is almost always smiling. She is a great little swimmer and is doing great on the team. Jon told me yesterday he went to watch Tahlia in practice and when Tahlia had gotten out of the pool after a 50 yard swim with a flip turn, he had to REALLY look to see if that was his daughter. He had watched her swim without realizing it was her and had been so impressed with her swimming but he hadn't realized it was Tahlia until she got out. Funny!

Love you all!

Tash