Joyful in July

I have been absent from the blog world for the month of June because I have been working every week. It has been a great reminder that our family needs me at home part time - working full time for one month was enough!

I finished up work for the month today and will return to playing the role of Parker's mommy. It has been a hectic few weeks, but we have all survived with the help of our babysitter, Elizabeth, both sets of grandparents, and with some quality father-son time. Benton was a great father before, but he is an AMAZING daddy now. He has a great confidence about parenting that can only come from being on your own while your wife spends 8 nights out of town in one month. Can't say enough how proud I am to be his partner!

With all this said, I'm returning full force to mommy world in July. I will be working out 4-5 times a week instead of 1-2, I will be working on my tan in the toddler pool (otherwise known as the pee park), and I will be blogging about things that bring me JOY. check back each day in July for a joyful event, moment, item, etc.

Until then, enJOY your life!

KAB


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Backyard Lillies

Here is a sample of what I have blooming in my backyard this week. So fun to have new varieties pop up each week!

































We tore down the fence dividing the backyard from the driveway yesterday and will have a new gate installed across the back. Didn't realize how many landscaping projects it would generate!





Note: that is not our suburban in the background, although I'm sure Benton would love to have one like it for hunting!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Taos Trip

We took a quick get away last week to Taos and stayed with family.  Parker was a trooper making the trek in the car.  We stopped overnight in Amarillo on the way there, and made it all the way back to Wichita Falls for the night on the way back.  The weather was yucky the first two days we were there, but it ended up being nice and we were able to shop and do some sightseeing.  Here are a couple of shots from our trip:

Is Your Life Worth Living?

This is really an optimistic post, even though the subject makes you think you need to jump off a bridge - so please keep reading.  Since I first met Benton over ten years ago, his motto has always been, "You can sleep when you're dead".  This motto applied at 3am when I wanted to go home and he wanted to find another party, and it applied at 8am when I wanted to sleep in and he was ready to start his Saturday.

Now, on vacation, some ten years later with a 13-month old, the same motto still applies.  We spent the day trying to wear Parker out after he woke up at 5:45am Taos-time.  We played at Kit Carson Memorial Park, saw the bridge at the Rio Grande Gorge, watched snow flakes at the Taos Ski Mountain, ate lunch at the Taos Cow, cruised in the stroller around downtown Taos, ate gravel at Eske's Pub, had guacamole at Orlando's New Mexican cuisine, and had our first aqua dump in the tub.  It was such a long day and Benton and I are both worn out, BUT I can say that we did as much as we possibly could in one day in the mountains.  We lived life to its fullest and Parker was worn out after our day of sightseeing.  I can say we were good parents today that spent quality time with our child.  We laughed, we ate, he cried, we drank, and the day was good.

How did you spend your day?

KAB

Running Ramblings

Okay, so I might start to admit that some days I really love to run - and today was one of those perfect days to run. My mom watched Parker while I ran this morning in Wichita Falls. The weather was cool (low 60s) with a 10-15mph wind, low humidity, and not a cloud in the sky. The terrain was exceptionally flat and because of the drought, I didn't have to worry about running through high grass. It was also kind of nice to run through my old neighborhood past the Catholic church and school, past the convenience store and the car wash, took a water break at the grocery store, and then reminisced about where my friends all lived when we were growing up (Britany, Julie, Hayley, Tina & Tim, Kami, Jeff, John, Micah, & Geoffrey). I planned to run 4 miles, then maybe 5 miles, then an hour - or whichever came first. I kept the same pace throughout, enjoyed the view, and didn't have to worry about breathing, pace, blisters, calves, or pushing a stroller. It was pure bliss!

I ran 5 miles in 56:17 and could have gone farther - my first 10K is within reach. Coincidentally, today marks 5 months that I've been running. My initial goal was to add one mile to my max each month, so I'm still on target. I plan to do a 10K (6.4 miles) in June/July and then I may push for the Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon (13.1 miles) on December 4th. Still don't see a full marathon in my future, but who knows?!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Rodeo the Pianist

Parker went to visit my maternal grandmother, his great-grandmother, for the second time today. He teetered all around her house and loved playing with her broom and fan cord. Then he played his first piano. Too cute to see his bang away and then clap for himself. Gran loved it so much, she asked him for an encore and he sat in her lap to play. Great memories to tell him about someday!


















- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Rodeo the Golfer

I promise we're not trying to force Parker into taking up golf, but his favorite toys are plastic sets of golf clubs from Wal Mart. He has three sets - one for our house and one at each grandparent's house. Golf clubs are perfect to use as walking sticks, whacking poor Jack, stirring Jack's water bowl, stirring the toilet, and splashing in the tub - among other cool things!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone