10 on the Tenth

I am so excited to get to participate in my bloggy friend, Meredith's, 10 on the tenth carnival. Every 10th of the month you post 10 things. Head over there and participate if you like. I know she'd love it!

Today, I am going to post 10 things that put a pep in my step.

Everyone loves to have an extra gig in their giggle, pop in their hop, or pep in their step. These are 10 things that do it for me every time WITHOUT fail.

1. Taking a bike ride/walk with my family around our neighborhood. I especially love doing this after we eat dinner.
2. Hearing these 3 kids laugh. They all have contagious laughs. Laughing is one of my very favorite forms of exercise. It makes me laugh that they are not even smiling in this picture, but I wanted a picture with all 3 of them together.

3. Doing anything and everything with this good-lookin' thing!

4. A good run or a good sweat. . . it just makes me feel good. I call running my "Happy Juice."

5. God's word. . . . Every.Single.Time. . . it never fails, being in God's word always puts a pep in my step.

6. Spending Tuesdays with this sweet little thing. I love the one-on-one time we have together.

7. Seeing the trees and flowers bloom or the leaves change colors in the Fall . . . I just love it!!!

8. Both giving surprises and getting them. There is nothing like a good surprise. Simply because it is unexpected. It doesn't have to be anything major either. I especially love getting mail. With the age of the Internet with blogging, e-mail, or facebook . . . it tends to make people not send cards anymore. . . . they take a little extra effort to send out. . . but I LOVE surprises of ALL kinds. When my FIL came home from the hospital, before they got home, Hanna and I snuck over to their house, broke in (heehee), and had this waiting on them for when the walked into the door after 14+ days of being in the hospital. Simples gestures go a LONG way!

9. Just the plain ol' sunshine puts a pep in my step. I am definitely a girl who loves the sun.

10. A clean "Noah's Ark." Noah's Ark is the name of our car and I just love it when it's clean. A clean car doesn't take as much effort as a clean house, so maybe that is why I love a clean car so much.

So, I'd love to know, what puts a pep in your step or a pop in your hop or a gig in your giggle?

Hanna Says . . .

"Mom, I've wanted to go ice skating my WHOLE life."

Last week my family and our dear friends went ice skating and we ALL had a blast. I wanted to share some pictures.

"Mom, please don't knock me down. I'm afraid enough as it is."

"I will hold onto this wall and I will NOT let go . . . no matter what!"

"Mom, Alec is all over the ice. Do you think he thinks he's going to play ice hockey when he grows up?"

"Mom, Ms. Jennifer is learning how to skate backwards. That girl teaching her can do all sorts of twists and turns on the ice. I wonder if she'll teach me?"

"Mom, when are we going to leave? I changed my mind. I don't want to EVER do this again!!"

"Mom, Ash can skate just like she's been doing it her whole life."

"Don't let go. Don't let go. Whatever you do, Don't let go."

"Mom, the boys are 2 cool dudes. They think they can beat you in racing, and they DID."

"Mom, you can let go of my arm now."

"I'm ready to let go of the wall now. At least, I think I am. "

"Mom, I don't care that my pants are about to fall down. I just want to get a hang of this ice skatin' thing."

"I'm really starting to like this ice skating thing. I DON'T want to leave now."

"Mom, can we come again next week?"

Sweet Girls

Tonight after we finished watching Shrek, Hanna stood up on our bed and started dancing. Jon jumped up, pulled her close to him and starting dancing with her. She then falls to the bed and says, "I think Daddy is my true love."

Let me hear it, let me hear it . . . . Awww.

Before bedtime prayers we had a family pow-wow. The kids will sit down and we just say silly things or ask silly questions. Jon is chief and is in charge of the family pow-wows. He asked the kids if they could live on a deserted island, a home on the beach, New York City, and a few other places, where would they live? Ash replied, "I'd live in a home on the beach because that is where Mama would live, and I want to be with her." Later on he then asked her, "Ash, who is your favorite person on earth?" She replied, "Mama." I so love the heart of my Mama's girl.

Life of a Soccer Mom

Can I just say how much I love being a soccer Mom? Someone told me months . . . maybe even years ago. . can't remember, that "soccer mom" was the new, cool name for stay-at-home mom because most stay-at home mamas are never at home. . . yes, that is true in my case. . . . But. . . I really AM a soccer mom. During the Spring and Fall our Saturdays are spent on the soccer field, and can I just say that I LOVE it?!?

Don't get me wrong I love being a ballerina's and swimmer's mom, but there is just something magical about waking up on a Saturday morning and going outside to the soccer field, whether it's on a warm Spring day or a crisp, cool Fall day. . . I just LOVE it!

We get to see our middle child go and do what she does well . . . COMPETE!!! She is one fierce competitor. Her zest and her zeal . .. her encouragement and praise for her other teammates . . it just makes my heart smile:)

We have one C-R-A-Z-Y coach . . .well we have many coaches . . . the one looking like chief Indian is certainly chief when it comes to knowing soccer. He's played for a really long time. The one in the yellow is the crazy one. He's the Happy Gilmore of soccer. When you play against him you really think, "This guy takes this way tooooo serious. It's a kid's sport for crying outloud." We know . . . because we have competed against him. However, when you have him as your coach you think, "Wow! We love this guy. He's great. All of that yelling he does is just passion for the sport. He's just competitive."

Look at her go! We have another "coach on paper." She is great too. She hands out the schedule, arranges practices, gives us a snack schedule. She is a super person!

Now, I'll tell ya when it's good and I'll tell ya when it's bad . . . Ash is NOT the strongest kicker on her team . . . but she has got some really fancy footwork. The girl can control the ball like nobody's business . . . and top it all off . . . she's fast! She can get to the soccer ball as quickly as I can get to my first cup of coffee in the morning:0)

On top of all of this, we have a great soccer family. I've made some really good friends with other soccer moms that I'm just crazy about!!!

The girls are all so close. After all . . . they've been playing this sport for quite awhile together. In fact, this will be the last season that they're all together. We're planning a good year-end party for them. When you go out, you gotta go out BIG!

Ash is so funny . . . every time she scores she makes sure we are watching and screaming like crazy for her. . . such a showboat she is!

More than the girls all scoring, I love seeing them cheer their other teammates on. They hug like crazy, jump around like kangaroos, and have squeals so loud that would make a dog go deaf. . . . all while the game is going on!

At the end of the games all of the parents form a tunnel for the girls to run under and we shout out loud for them!

I tell Jon that when the kids are grown and gone I HAVE to find a job at the soccer field, whether it be coaching a team of 3 year olds. . . adopting a kid and making them play soccer . . . working the concession stands . . . . something, because I am a soccer Mom to stay!

See the boots on my feet? The soccer field is always 10 degrees cooler than my house b/c it doesn't have any trees around it. Mama in High Heels is always cold, so I know to dress extra warm.

One more thing I love about being a soccer mom . . . . I think just about everyone in our town is at the soccer field on Saturday morning. . . Have I mentioned before how much I love people and I love being social? Well Saturday mornings just filleth my cup with folks!!

High Heel Nemesis

Who in the world would ever want to put these hideously ugly shoes on their feet? Certainly not a priss pot who wears high heels just about everywhere she goes!!!

These, my friends, are my running shoes. Before you ask, I will answer . . . no they have do not have any support.

So why run in them?

I've been running for quite a while. I tend to be one of those people who just "wing it." Jon, on the other hand, when he finds something he's interested in, he learns just about everything he can about it.

Last March when he started running he developed really bad shin splints. So bad, in fact, that he thought he had a stress fracture. He immediately started researching ways to help shin splints.

He came across barefoot running.

We'd seen a couple of barefoot runners in races we'd run. I just thought they were the type of people that were "going green" . . . doing away with shoes and all . . . making a statement . . . that kind of thing.

I was wrong.

After Jon researching barefoot running he discovered a few things.

• that is why the Kenyans are so fast . . .they run barefoot.
• barefoot running actually keeps your running form the way it should be. with the bulkiness of a tennis shoe's heel, most runners heel strike, which causes lots of injuries.
• he came across a man who calls himself "Barefoot Rick." This man had tried orthotics and all sorts of other modalities to help with his "runner's knees." He was about to have knee replacement surgery and discovered barefoot running. Not only did he NOT have his knee replacement surgery, but he has run 52 marathons since then . . . barefoot.
• when you have tennis shoes on they push your toes in . . . God designed for your toes to be spread out (Tell that to my high heels:)) and it makes you run faster.

Running completely barefoot was absolutely out of the question for me. I did not want to have glass or rocks in my feet. Jon and I did got out to the soccer fields one day and ran 4 miles completely barefoot. It was great! You felt so free . . . . like a little kid again. But road races do not have cushiony grass beneath your feet . . . you have the hard pavement of the road with glass, rocks, and other debris.

Jon found the best alternative to barefoot running was these shoes called, Vibram Five Fingers. We each got a pair and have been running in them ever since.

Guess what? His shin splints went away almost immediately.

There is a transition period though. I have been running for 8 years, so you'd think my calves were in pretty good shape. Not so when you run barefoot . . . there is a part of your calf muscle you never use when you run in tennis shoes. Both of our calves were very sore for the first 4-6 weeks.

The other thing I love about these shoes? You meet LOTS of new people and y'all know what a people lover I am. People are curious and want to know what these strange, ugly things are. Jon teases me and says, "Even if they hurt your feet you'd still wear them because of the people we meet." He's right . . . I would.

Any questions? Feel free to ask and I'll try to answer the best I can.

Update

I just wanted to give an update of all the chaos going on right now.

**Papa- He has been diagnosed with lung cancer. At first they told us there was nothing they could do and it would be best to call in Hospice. I was in shock, then in a pool of tears, and then I realized he was getting the real prize . . . soon getting to meet Jesus face-to-face. Since then things have changed somewhat . . . The cancer has NOT spread anywhere else. They are going to give him a chemo pill by mouth. They are not calling in Hospice, but my Grandmama is going to hire some help. She and my aunt are exhausted. I really live too far away to help on a consistent basis. So all is looking up. . . Praise the Lord for that!!!

**Jon's Dad - He's doing a lot better. . . slowly, but surely. His appetite has picked up. He is starting to get out more. He actually made it to Ash's soccer game last week. He still tires out very easily and there is still a diagnosis that we are praying for a miracle over, but he is much, much better. We've even had glimpses of him the way he used to be. Jon would comment, "Now, THAT is the Dad I know." Praise the Lord!!!

**New House - It's been an absolute nightmare . . . a roller coaster of emotions. Things are going in a positive direction right now, but that is really all I can say about it now. Whether we move or stay here, I'm totally content and happy with whatever God's will is. I'm just ready for it to be over.

**Prepuberty - I've been drenching myself in parenting books like crazy and I'm learning most of this stuff is normal. That way I don't go directly attacking myself . . . .like I've done something wrong . . . or haven't done enough of something . . . or I've done too much of another thing. I tend to be pretty hard on myself and place the blame on myself . . . sometimes it's due . . . sometimes it's not. I've spent ALOT less time doing things for myself . . . dying to self . . . . yep, it's tough . . . i'm pretty selfish by nature and feel like I put alot into my family, but the very MOST important thing I could ever, ever invest in (other than my relationship with Jesus) is my children and my marriage.

April Fools' Fun

Our family has had a blast around here playing practical jokes on one another today.

I had to work longer than usual this morning, so the kids actually beat me to the punch with the pranks.

Alec started off the morning by screaming, "Mama, Mama, I've got poop on my hands." It was really chocolate.

Hanna then came in the office and told me in a very calm voice, "Mama I took Max outside, and he ran away." Two seconds later Max walked into the office. Her attempt to play a prank was just precious! It made me giggle, giggle, snort, snort.

I then went upstairs, nonchalantly, of course, to get my pranks ready.

I put a raisin in the toothpaste . . . it was supposed to look like a bug. My kids are too on top of it. . . No foolin' them.


It was Ash's turn to clean up the dishes. What she didn't know is I had put a rubber band around the sprayer. When she turned on the water it sprayed her right in the face. This was so stinkin' funny!!!! It made me laugh the kind of laugh that makes your stomach hurt.

She whined and whined . . . it wasn't funny to her. Then, as I was finishing up the dishes she just got the sprayer and started spraying me. I explained to her that that was not a prank. It had to be a fair prank . . . not a get back at Mama thing.

I went to change my shirt . . . went to the sink to proceed cleaning the dishes . . . Guess who got sprayed? I DID! Alec put the rubber band back on the sprayer . . . okay, that one was fair.

Hanna was the funniest little thing with her pranks. She would just try and put tin foil in Jon's sock. She put tin foil on Max's leash. These type things were her ideas of pranks. She even put a straw in Jon's shoe. . .

Here Jon is looking so very surprised that he got fooled!

Ash put toilet paper all over a tree in our yard. I didn't get a picture before she went to clean it up, so here is what was left.

We even pranked my mom. Alec called her and did a really good job. He was screaming, "Nanna, Nanna, my Mama is on the ground and I can't get her up. Help Me Nanna! My Dad won't answer his cell phone." She caught on quick though and shouted out, "April Fools." When I got on the phone she told me to NEVER do that again. Her heart was just a racin'.

Alec also put honey in my hair brush and honey in my pomade. . .

At least the bees will love me!

I made "trick sushi" out of fruit rollups and rice krispy treats.

Hope you all had a great day of April Fools!!!

Peter Pan

Saturday the girls and I met Tiff and Juju to go and see our local ballet theater's production of "Peter Pan." It was fabo!!! We all had a great time despite it raining a monsoon all week!

The girls wanted to bring their American Girl dolls . . . can I just say? NEVER AGAIN!! You know who ends up holding them? Not them! ME! I always tell them my job is to keep up with them . . . their job is to keep up with their stuff.

Other than my own little ballerina, this beautiful young woman happens to be one of my favorite dancers! I've had the joy and pleasure of watching her grow from a little girl to a precious young lady. We snuck in through the back and got some good hugs from her before the performance! She played a lost boy and a mermaid. Here in this pic she's in part of her "Lost Boy" outfit.

Here's a GREAT pic of Tiff and our girls.

Here's me and the girls. I look tired(since I'd been up almost 24 hours going to the doctor and cleaning carpets) . . . Ash looks mad. . . JuJu with a snack in her hand (she's the snack QUEEN!!), and Hanna is happy . . . in her own little world, as always!

Remember this story? Well, this is that sweet boy!

Afterwards I went and picked up Alec from his friend, Josh's house. Alec had spent the night with him and then Josh came home with us to spend the night with Alec. Alec was in need of some good "boy time."