Keepin' The Wheels Turnin'

It's Wednesday, already?? Well, yay! It's all downhill from here, folks! It has been such a crazy week. From Monday being Tyler's birthday, to Dr. appts. it has just been plain busy. Today is a Dr. appt. for Tyler. Back to the Dr. means yes, more driving. Yesterday was a 2 hr. trip to the breast center in Cape Girardeau and then TONS of driving around while Jack did his thing: looking for a specific tool he had to have, checking on the jobs, crew, etc. No telling what we spent on gas yesterday! Tyler's appt. today is for his feet - SHOUT OUT TO JENNA! - It hurts when he runs! Yikes! He has been having basketball practice every day but it didn't really bother him until he went in early one morning last week for Cross Country practice. (He's not running CC this year because of a conflict with the basketball practices for the Jr. High.) But it did bother him the last 2 season running CC, just not until late in their schedule of races and I just assumed it was an overuse thing. It didn't hurt all the time and went away when he wasn't running. But now I think it's time to get it checked out. It's starting to get irritated with all the basketball practices; he says the line drills about kill him! So today we are going to the orthopedist/podiatrist to see what's going on. Hopefully it's a shoe insert/new shoes deal...I have a sneaking suspicion it is. But he is also complaining of his knee bothering him, too sometimes. So we'll go get it all checked out. Seems to be a good week for this!Breakfast was a bowl of Kashi Hearty Oatmeal and my typical yogurt and fruit combo. Then Katie and I filled some time taking self-portraits. Here is our favorite:

So hopefully Tyler's appt. will go smoothly. I need to do some running while I am in Poplar Bluff, prescriptions filled at Wal-Mart, dropping off stuff at our CPA's office, etc. There's always stuff that needs to be done in PB. Oh, and Zachary informed me last night that he needs new shoes for PE. What?? He said he got recess detention yesterday for not having new shoes for PE. That sounds a little crazy to me. I can understand if you wear flip-flops or boots to school that you need to bring tennis shoes, but to require students to have ANOTHER pair of them just for PE?? Sounds ridiculous. I don't know about that one. I'll have to check it out. Could be a tactic for a cool new pair of shoes, or a cover for the real reason he got recess detention, or maybe it's completely real (in which case, I will be talking to someone)! I can get him another pair of shoes, but what about the families that can't? I dunno...we'll see.

Almost forgot about my run this morning: 7 miles of hills on (of course) the treadmill. 63 minutes, felt great!!

I am completely jealous of Sammie's weather...cool, crisp, and fall-ish! Makes me want to run outside. So I will hope that everyone else's weather is just as wonderful!

It's Official

I have a teenager. I can't hardly believe it. Seems like only yesterday I was holding him in my arms thinking, "Wow, I'm a mom!" I was only 17, Jack was 19 and we were so happy and proud...and scared. But as I have come to find out, through the joys of having more children, that this feeling really doesn't change no matter how young, or old you may be. Whether you are 17, 27, or 57, the simple fact that God has given you this life to nurture and love is an overwhelming concept, but at the same time completely wonderful. I believe all babies are a blessing from God and Tyler was not given to us in our time, but in God's time. God blessed us with the greatest gift and in doing so, entrusted us to bring Tyler up a way that brings glory to Him. I hope we are doing a good job...I think we are doing ok! He's a pretty good kid!

But unfortunately for our little teenager, he had to go to school today! At least basketball practice is after school this week, so he did get to sleep in a little. Good thing, too, because I gave him Benadryl last night for the tons of chigger bites he got while playing around in the woods on Saturday night. They were itching so bad! For those of you who don't know what chiggers are, they are an almost microscopic bug, that leaves little bites similiar to mosquito bites, just smaller...and itchier! They are horrible. They always seem to congregate where waistlines, socks, and seams of clothing are. So Tyler and Zachary's ankles, waists, and armpits have little red itchy bites. The Benadryl helped immensely, but left them a little medicine-headed this morning! I sent them to school with Benadryl spray this morning, hopefully they will feel a little better today! Poor kids!

He still didn't know what he wanted for his birthday dinner, so my hubby suggested that we just grill steaks. Sounds fantastic to me, because that is less mess in my kitchen! Woohoo! Another night "off!" Tyler (with icing smeared on his face!) with both sets of grandparents; my parents on the left, and Jack's on the right.

Although Tyler didn't have to get up early, I still did. I was up at 530am. I did the usual, made coffee, unloaded the dishwasher, and went for a run. I did 6 miles this morning, kinda easy pace. I picked it up several times to a sprint but because I went 10 miles yesterday, I dropped right back down. I didn't want overkill. My legs were a little sore today.

For breakfast, I had a new ingredient! Yay! Shakin' it up! I made myself a sausage and egg white english muffin; I used a Morningstar Farms sausage patty, cooked an egg white and put them on a Thomas' Light Whole Wheat English Muffin, and on the side I had my yogurt and fruit. I just can't stop with the yogurt and fruit! But it was very good. Definitely a repeat and a great way to start the day!

Still Partying Hard! (More Pics)

Thought I'd post a few more party pics from last night!

Tyler posing with his cake!

Brad playing guitar

Michelle, Erica (me), Lacey, and Jessica (sis)

What a group of kids! Tyler is in the red with the "peace" signs, Zachary is in the orange on the shoulders, Katie is up front in the pink and brown tank, Hailey (Adrian & Michelle's oldest) is in the gray AERO shirt, and Spencer (their youngest) is up front in the gray t-shirt with neon yellow.

Whew! What a night!