Here I am

I am still here...and in one piece with my hubby back home and (mostly) recovered from our illnesses.

We were kind of scattered all over this weekend...Bryn ended up at Grandma and Grandpa's despite still not feeling 100%. Aaron was in Alaska finding the 24 hours of daylight a little disconcerting. And Grant, the furry children and I held down the home front.

I had a bit of an anxiety inducing experience when I went out on what was supposed to be a 14 mile training walk with 4 other people on Saturday. At about mile 8 I was totally suffering. I just had no energy...I probably could have finished but was afraid to push it and didn't want to slow the rest of the group down. Don't know if it was the heat (90+ degrees), this darn cold that seems to be hanging on, lack of sleep, too little walking for the last couple/few weeks or a combo of all of the above, but I bailed out after about 9 miles and had to have someone come get me. She dropped me off close to the car and I went another 1.5 miles but now my walking partners are doubting my endurance and ability as am I. I am hoping it was just an off day as I have made it on longer walks without feeling that way. I really feel like it probably was, but the worst part is that it really raised doubts for all involved. I plan on going back over to the same route this Saturday and trying it again just to prove to myself that I can do it, but it is still disconcerting that it happened when there is only a month left before I have to go a whole 60 miles.

Besides that, things have been pretty good. Got an 8 mile walk done on Sunday. Got some grading done. Went to bookclub and had some fabulous food and conversation with a great group of women. Watched part of "Expedition Grizzly" with Bryn and we are now trying to figure out how to get to Yellowstone for vacation next summer. Got the flower beds weeded and got a few miles of walking in today.

We also finally decided what to do with the kitchen counter tops. I have been agonizing over it since we decided to add a few cabinets which requires some additional counter top. We currently have something similar to Corian which I have not been happy with. And we can replace the whole counter top with laminate for less than half of what it would cost to get the one additional piece. But I had more than one "are you crazy?" over the idea that I would "downgrade" to laminate. But in the end I am downgrading to laminate (which looks pretty darn good these days, by the way!) and hoping for the best. We'll see how it goes...

It was bound to happen...

Bryn came home from her playdate today with a fever. So now I am home with two sick kids and my hubby is in Alaska! I am just hoping he manages to not get this crud as it would really make his meeting a lot less fun. And now it is storming. We will see if we get any hail with this one...for some reason every time Aaron goes to this meeting we get hammered with a hail storm. Maybe we will escape this year...

Plans foiled...

So I survived another year of VBS and only have a cold to show for it...

Aaron and I finally got out for a night away and I had to pull my typical stunt of "we have some time alone, I need to get sick" and came down with a cold on Saturday morning that got progressively worse throughout the day. And now Grant has it, too. Poor little guy is all feverish and whimpery. Aaron has poison ivy all over his hands and has huge blisters between his fingers which are making him extremely uncomfortable. Bryn has a runny nose and a bit of a cough. In short, the Reeds are currently a mess!

Bryn is heading to Grandma and Grandpa's on Thursday which will leave Grant and I alone in the house since Aaron is off to Alaska tomorrow for the American Society of Mammalogists meeting. I have two bookclub meetings and a 17 and 13 mile walk planned so I will be busy and Grant will be seeing a lot of his babysitter!

It is HOT here - the bank sign said 103 today and I am sure I am going to melt anytime. I am going to be a wreck if it doesn't cool off a bit for walking this weekend.

Treading water

I am in the midst of a crazy week, but am surviving! VBS is going well and I managed to get FIVE kids to VBS this morning and SIX kids to the splash park afterwards for lunch and fun. All with only a couple of minor injuries. Tomorrow I plan on taking a big old nap while Bryn goes to a friend's house after VBS. Then I will get back to the clothes washing, class grading, dinner fixing and mess containment of the real world!

We made it through!

It was a crazy, but we made it through a busy few days! It was quite the fundraising weekend and between our garage sale and the church spaghetti supper fundraiser, we raised nearly $2000! So our team of 4 is fully funded and ready to go. Except for the 8 weeks we have left of training that will hopefully prepare us for 60 miles of walking. We really slacked this weekend on the walking - there just wasn't enough time (or energy!) in the day to get it done.

Quick update

We had a great weekend with Dad and Cheryl - lots of fun shopping, camping out in the playhouse, eating out and going to a baseball game. The visit was too short but it was great to have them here.

Bryn and I are headed out to see "Up" and have a girl's afternoon. It will be the last down time I have for quite a few days. I have the walk fundraiser garage sale Friday and Saturday, the library run/walk Saturday morning, fundraiser dinner and outdoor movie night on Sunday evening, a 15 and 11 mile walk to fit in between Friday and Sunday and a trip to Costco for dinner supplies on Sunday morning. And then VBS starts Monday. Crazy times.

Learning something new everyday

Did you know that a power surge/outage can blow the control panel on your kitchen appliances? And that it costs about $250 to replace one? And that a $4 outlet surge protector can keep your oven, fridge and dishwasher safe but you can't do anything about the oven? I think this is one of those times when I could have lived without this little piece of information! I guess I am thankful it was only the oven and the rest of the appliances are OK!

It has been a busy morning already...kitchen remodeler guys here, garage sale stuff dropped off in my garage, appliance repairman here, attempted walk (abandoned after 1/4 mile due to rain), and a soaking wet baby after an adventure in the pet water bowl when I temporarily forgot I had a baby while all of this was going down before 9:30 am! I think it is time for a nap!

Bryn started Camp Invention yesterday and she had a great time. Not that I got any information about it out of her, but she was jumping up and down and just full of energy when I picked her up. According to the daily newsletter, they are building a land slide, going on Viking treasure hunt, taking apart small appliances, designing a comic book and creating their own inventions. She's loving it!