Fair Projects

Garrett and Gannon love to create "projects" of any kind.  Every year we enter a potted plant, wheel barrow/wagon, and some type of art.  To make their potted plants have a little personality I always have a quick "project" for them to paint them however they would like.  It's typically a quick little painting session and this year was not different. 

After the pots dry we head go pick out plants to put in the pots and they both plant their own, this year they both picked ferns.  In addition to the potted plants, this year we did a couple of succulents also.  It was a chore to take these two little guys to Michaels to pick our their container.  Gannon settled on the glass and Garrett picked the copper pail. 

Both boys ended up with wheel barrows this year and we organized and planted these at the fair for easier transport.  Both boys LOVE this process and get really into their "gardens".  Gannon hopefully be back to the wagon next year because sure enough as soon as we had his all done he lifted the wheel barrow handles to take it over to show Daddy and it tipped over and all fell out.  I guess it was so much fun he really wanted to do it twice! 

Garrett and Gannon were also very excited to help Daddy and the girls plant the FFA plot.  Thankfully they were mostly there to help clean up containters.  Gannon can do some damage to these poor plants. 

Our Very Own Allstar

Garrett has thoroughly enjoyed every moment of Tball this season.  He has not only improved on the field, he has become a dedicated Giants fan!  Garrett and two others from his team were selected to play in the Allstar game to finish off the season. 

As we know, Garrett doesn't take to change easily so he was a little unsure to play with a coach he didn't know and kids he has never met.  Once he saw a few familiar faces from his team he was okay.  I wasn't sure what was going on a first, he throws the ball harder at our windows than he was on the field!  (The ball at the window is soft of coure!) The Allstar game was play more like that of a traditional games, 5 pitches = out, out mean you're really out and off the bases, and three outs and the teams switch spots.  This was fun because it kept true track of the game.  During the regular year, every player gets to hit and run around the bases regardless of being out.  Garrett's team won the game 12-8, which of course put him on cloud 9!

We can't wait for next year's season!

Big Boy Dentist Visit

This was Gannon's first trip to the dentist since turing 3 and that when they first try to take x-rays.  He did AWESOME! He sat in the chair to take the x-rays, held all the film things in his mouth, and did get taking instructions from the assistant.  He was then off to the BIG boy exam chair for his first polish cleaning and again did a great job being brave and listening.  The dentist then saw him and Gannon's only complaint for the visit was that after the fluoride was put on he was not allowed to drink any water for 20 minutes.  That was the longest 20 minutes for the poor little dude.  Other than that and us needing to break the thumb sucking, he did great!

Daddy & Garrett Rafting Trip

The Atwater FFA does a Point Award Trip every year in June and this year Garrett joined them.  The age requirement for the rafting this year was 5 years old so Gannon was not able to join so we stayed home.  I'm nervous around water with the boys so it's probably better that I didn't go.  Garrett had a great time rafting with Dave and a group of students.  Dave was happy that Garrett was a shield for the cold water that would have been thrown on him without Garrett!  I can't wait until we can all go and until they can swim!

Storm the Castle and Open Cockpit

I have been running now for 7 months at various organized race events and have never entered with any type of placing in mind.  It has all been about completing the race.  Of course I enter will a goal time in mind, but never to place or finish in the top.  After completing the half marathon knowing there were two local races coming up I decided it was time to give a short distance my all.  I entered a 5K and then this Storm the Castle 10K the following weekend.  These distances were intimidating 7 months ago, but now they can be completed in less than a full workout at the gym.  I placed 3rd overall female at the 5K and second at this one and 1st in my age division with a PR of 51:14. I still feel like I could have pushed harder, but I found another Mom from the boys school and we were running together until the end when she dropped back a little.  Next time, I'll push a little harder!

With the entry of this race your bib got you free entry into the Open Cockpit event at Castle.  The race ran through the museum area early that morning which was pretty cool.  The boys love this event even though we have been several times.  There are so many airplanes that we haven't been inside them all even yet.  Garrett and Gannon made their first model airplanes and of course enjoyed the kettle corn and bounce house. 

Garrett is not a fan of climbing stairs and getting inside the compartments of the airplanes.  I do think he has a little fear of heights (outside the bounce house slide) and small spaces.  Overall, fun day!

Giants Game

The Giants game was next on our agenda for the weekend and the boys were so excited.  Dave likes to take the boys every year to a Sunday Giants game because they can run the bases after the game.  Garrett is playing on the Giants for T-Ball this year and as become a HUGE baseball fan.  We rode the bart and Muni to get to the game from Pleasanton and that was more exciting than the game to Gannon.  I thought the boys would love to play on the big Coke slide at the game and it was fun, once!  Garrett just kept asking to go back to his seat so he could watch the game.  It was cute.  Gannon was his crazy little self with his blankie and sideways hat.  The entire time his hat was on it had to be off to the side.  Don't know where that came from, but it's how he wanted it.  Garrett's favorite part of the game when we asked at the end was running the bases, Gannon's was riding the Muni!  Fun day with funny boys!

Pleasanton Half Marathon

When we planned our summer trip Dave saw that the Missoula Marathon (half for me) was taking place while we would be in Montana.  After thinking for a long time I decided that I was a little nervous for that to be my first one because of the higher elevation.  I thought I try to plan one prior to our trip. 

A friend from work is a seasoned half marathon runner and sent me the link to the Pleasanton Half Marathon hoping we would do it together.  Since spring is Dave's busy time of the year I told her it would have to be a Sunday race so he could be home with the boys.  Well, it ended up that she couldn't do this weekend after all, but it was also Dave's weekend off of judging teams prior to State Finals.  Perfect!

After contemplating, I decided to go for it!!!  We booked a hotel and thought we'd make a weekend of it.  I had a few weeks to up my miles and train for the distance.  I'd done 10 miles runs in the weeks prior so I wasn't concerned about the first 10, but was a little nervous about adding 3 more.  It should be no surprise that I'm not a "gel" person for the boost of energy during the runs, I want to do it all natural.  This too made me nervous, do I really need the gels for energy?, can I really do this?  Two weeks prior to the race I ran a great 12 mile run.  Faster pace than my normal runs and I had no idea what I did different, but whatever! The week prior to the race Dave was out of town for the entire weekend so in order to get a run in I had a babysitter come over on Sunday morning.  I didn't want to get her up too early so I didn't start running until around 8 and it was quite a warm morning that day = crappy 8 mile run! Pace still was under a 9 minute mile, but dang was it hot.  This made me more nervous for the 13.1 mile run I had signed up for. 

With lots of self talk, I told myself "whats 1.1 more miles to your run!" Actually let me back track, at a book exchange I picked up the book, "Ultramarathon Man" by Dean Karnazes.  What a motivating book! If he can run 200 miles in one race, I could surely do 13.1! 

The day prior to the race we drove over to the bay area and did some shopping.  When I had the good 12 mile run a couple weeks back I had eat some Wetzel Pretzel bites and thought maybe they were the carb load that I needed.  So I grabbed some at the mall.  For dinner I didn't feel like much so I had a baked sweet potato and a small slice of pizza. 

Race day, I got up at 5 and sat in the hotel bathroom eating my oatmeal, a few bites of banana and having my coffee.  I know in the bathroom! I didn't want to wake Dave and the boys.  Dave Sr. offered to picked me up at 6 and give me a ride so the boys could sleep in.  We got to the park a little early so he stay and hung out in the car with me for a bit. 

2,000 racers lined up in the time slots that fit their running and I seeded myself in between the 2 hour and the 2:10 pacers.  This meant I planned to finish someone between 2 hour to 2:10 race time.  Put the music and run!  I honestly couldn't even tell you who was around me or where we went, I just ran!  Spacing into la la land and every once in a while thinking of Dean Karnazes words of encouragement, "one foot in front of the other".  I had told myself I was "running" a half marathon so that meant NO walking!  There were a couple of times I wanted to walk, but the though quickly left my mind and I ran the entire race.  Dave, Dave Sr. and the boys were at the finish line to cheer me on as I finished. 

2:04:56 was my finishing time!  Under a 9 minute mile average and I was happy with that!

As soon as I finished, Garrett wanted to pretend race with me.  I couldn't run anymore!  Sorry Buddy Mom is tired!

I am so glad I did this run and after my back never hurt!  See and it would have listened to the doctor I would have never reached my goal!  Push through injuries as Dean Karnazes does and do what you do - RUN!!!

Still undecided for the Missoula Half!