Insanity

I have been sticking as best as I can to Insanity even while being sick and so far out of the 5 weeks I've been doing it I've only missed a scheduled workout once.  It's an exercise program on dvd's that you play at home and can workout in your living room.

I usually try to do it first thing in the morning or early afternoons (during quiet time).  The kids now know when it's coming and get excited to see "Shaun T" on TV.  He's the host.  Mikey will usually do the warm up with me and then at some point while I'm dripping sweat and doing planks or squats or push ups the kids are trying to crawl under my legs or jump over top of me.  It would probably be pretty comical if you took a video of it.  Anyway, I have been fitting it in and getting it done!

Here's a video of Mikey doing some of the moves.  I'm proud to say that he also came up with a new move himself, which I've been calling the pulse squat with a punch.  It's basically combining a few different moves that they do during the workouts.

The last few days I've been putting in the dvd's the kids have been saying:
"Are you working out with Shaun T?"
"Yay, Mommy, look there are your friends!"
"Can I work out too?!"

Impromptu day in NYC

Well as you know, we have a bit of a cold the last two weeks around here.  First Mikey was sick with a terrible cough, runny nose and congestion, then it was passed on to Katie who ended up fighting a fever for 5 days and has an ear infection and then a few days later I captured the cough and aches.  So during those two weeks I had at least one of the kids with me on the days they had school and for two weekends in a row Scott had to work both Saturday and Sunday all day.

Katie after the doctors just wanted to go to Starbucks for a treat.  Unfortunately when they are sick, they get just about anything they want.

We were all exhausted, irritable and just needed a day to relax and unwind.  We woke up on Saturday, with a sunny outlook, great weather in the forecast and no plans to work, so Scott suggested we spend the day in Central Park.  An hour later and we were in the car on our way into NYC.

It was so nice to visit our old stomping grounds and just go where the wind took us.  That was one of our favorite things to do in NYC and on a Saturday no less.  We ended up walking all over the park, having a picnic lunch near Turtle Pond, playing soccer and blowing bubbles and going to lots of playgrounds.  We never once looked at our watches and just really had a great day enjoying each other and the weather and sun.

Walking all over the place.

Weeee.

Mariner's playground.

He is getting so big.

The Natural History Museum on the UWS.

I got a few snuggles from Katie.

Playing soccer after lunch.

We play this game called "That's my Daddy!"  I try to give Scott a hug while Katie is fiercely giving him hugs and keeping me away!  He really doesn't like this game at all (said with sarcasm).

This is why I don't study photography and I haven't invested in a fancy camera yet.  It's because sometimes my favorite pictures are taken on a whim by a 4 year old with a camera phone.  

Katie wanted to take a picture too. :)

Spring is in the air

Now that we have some warmer weather, we have been spending a lot of time outside.  A lot....our door is constantly open and the kids have been happily playing with their outdoor toys, digging in the dirt and mud and tracking it inside.

They have gotten really good at playing soccer too. Scott has been teaching them how to dribble, stop and kick the ball properly.

Soccer time before dinner.

He said "this is the best day of my life!" while I closely supervised.

The best laid plans

Today I was signed up to run the Threads and Treads Half Marathon in Greenwich, CT.  I was excited and looking forward to the small (500 runners) race near the coast in the quite town of Greenwich on an early spring Sunday morning but with kids I almost forgot about the unpredictability factor.

With kids you just never know what's going to happen no matter how well you plan and often the best laid plans don't go according to plan when it includes kids.

As of Friday both kids have had a cough for a week now and that seemed to spread to me a few days ago.  Ut-oh.  No.  I can't be sick, but I am.  There is just no way, I'm able to run in a half marathon that I put minimal training into and now with a nasty cough and congestion on top of it and horrible sleep that it just isn't going to happen.

It's okay though.  I'm looking forward to bigger and better things like.............

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The NYC Marathon!!!!  I secured a coveted entry via the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation and am excited, scared, nervous and excited!

I am hoping to reach out for support in the coming weeks so stayed tuned and I will be in touch with you.  I have lots of plans in the works already and know that November 2nd will be here before I know it!

My invitation to participate in the Marathon.

Waveny Park Easter Egg Hunt

Today we (including Friend Bear) headed over to the New Canaan High School for the 41st annual Waveny Park Easter Egg Hunt. Since it was really windy and chilly and the grounds were soaking wet they moved the Easter Egg Hunt from the park to the high school.

They had lots of baked goods for sale, 4 bounce houses, a live band, face painting and thousands of eggs and hundreds of people.  It was so crowded.  We did our best to stick together and wait the 45 minutes before the gymnasium opened up for the egg hunts to begin.

They had 4 different egg hunts separated by ages.  They had a 2 and under group and a 3 to 4 year old group however we though since Katie is almost 3 that we'd just let them hunt for eggs together.  I guess from the excitement and anticipation for the egg hunt to begin that once it did it got really loud in there and Katie immediately started crying.  Katie and I followed Mikey around while he picked up 10 eggs or so and I grabbed a few when I could for Katie.

At home we assessed the goods and one of Katie's eggs was a golden egg!  Apparently there were only 1 egg per age group and roughly 10,00 eggs.  Her winnings was a $50 gift card to the New Canaan Toy Store!

Mikey and Friend Bear in the bounce room.

He always gives me a silly face now when I try to take his picture.

Going through the bounce houses.

Katie, Mikey and Friend Bear enjoying a cupcake.

Eggs everywhere!

People everywhere too!  Boo.

Waiting for the egg hunt to begin.

He did great waiting and with all the people and loud music playing.

Excited for the moment.

A mad dash for the eggs!  This year he actually picked up the eggs himself!

And just like that it was over.  He did good.

Katie didn't do so good.  She cried the entire time.

Oooohhh.  I spy a golden egg.

Katie with her toy store gift card.

Friend Bear

Mikey's class at school just started taking turns bringing "Friend Bear" home for the weekend.  Mikey's name was picked for this particular weekend so after school on Thursday "Friend Bear" came home with us.  He also came with a basket full of different types of clothes; a jacket, pj's, baseball hats, a few shirts and some beach accessories like a surf board and some scuba gear.  He's pretty cute.  He also came with a Teddy Bear Journal that goes back to 2008.  We are able to see what Friend Bear has done in past weekends with his friends and also get to journal what Friend Bear does with us this weekend.

Welcome to our home Friend Bear.

On Thursday Friend Bear and Mikey watched Frozen while it was raining outside.  Friend Bear also came to the post office with us to send a special package to Aunt Erica.  

Watching Frozen in their pj's.

 On Friday, Friend Bear came with us to the Davenport Ridge School where Mikey receives speech twice a week.  After speech we stopped by the library to read a few books and play games on the ipads.  In the afternoon Friend Bear came with us to drop off Daddy at the train station.

Mikey and Friend Bear on the way to speech.

We caught the Yankee's fan (Friend Bear) reading Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  

Beach pretend

Today was our first warm day outside.  Mikey was home from school the day before with a cough and it now migrated to Katie.  But we didn't let that stop us from getting some fresh warm air outside.  It was the first nice day we had.

We grabbed our beach chairs, and books and had a great time.