I'm blogging about the beach because I want to, not because you told me to.

So I live fairly close to the ocean.  I would pause to brag a bit, but most of you reading this are in the same boat/valley sooooo...

Unlike my SIL, who fills her happy cup with every frequent beach outing, I take more convincing to go through the drudgery of such a trip.  Usually overcast, cold and windy.  Sandy diapers.  I'm lazy and the park is closer.  Sandy food.  Sandy car.  Sad, sandy Garret (decided 2 years ago that the beach is scary)... 

yada yada-  Today we went!


.
.
.

I will now give tips for a successful beach trip.


Tip #1:

Any kids who don't like the beach should stay home.  (Garret enjoyed a quiet day with daddy.  ...Socks flailing everywhere.)

Tip #2:

Take pictures even if your daughter just cut her hair for the second time in one week.  ...Again.  She did it again.  Her bangs are the length of, um, something really short. 

Tip #3:

Bring a sweet, energetic teen who is adored by both your Brenda and your Suzie.  Also, don't be afraid to shout  You there!  Chase my kid and get me a sandwich!.

Tip #4

If adored teen has a mom who is also a bosom friend, bounce around her garage until she agrees to also come along.  

 Tip #5

Forgo watching young ones while said, adored teen takes pictures of said friend and self, bouncing through the surf over and over and over again until you have such a picture-

Tip #6

Take a moment to realize how awesome it is to have a teen, who has a mom, who has a WILDLY cute toddler, that is your Suzie's best friend.

Crazy.

 Tip #7

Go home and blog about it even if you're all mopey about blogging lately 'cause doing nothing is easier and your computer mouse is acting wonky even though you replaced the batteries and smacked it a few times.  I mean, there's people starving all over the world but BY GEORGE, WHY can't a computer and it's appendages just WORK.  Feel free to pity me (not hungry people) and donate money so that I may fling this computer through the window, call up Lowes to come replace the window and order a fancy new computer that enjoys all my pictures and blogging and mouses.

(mice?) 

I bet the new computers these days do things like laundry and foot massaging and say  You? a mother of three? every time you sit down.  Are those ones expensive?  Could you donate a little more?? 

.
.

I'm not spoiled.

I'm not.

YAY for beach day!!

just rolling with it...

Well, turns out the last post was a segue to this one!

Brenda's current obsession has something to do with Rapunzel, I think.  

Her last obsession (birthdays) was fun as searching for things like remotes, batteries, phones became a game of patience since things were eventually returned wrapped in foil, clothing or toilet paper...


But here we are today with a salon on the back patio-

 Chewing on paper gives her that wildly-eccentric quality that we love in our stylists, right?

Brenda might need to get a patent for her cutting-edge fabreze/hand sanitizer hair treatment.  ...She won't say much about it except, "hold still".  

Who dares me to hand her a pair of scissors?

Anyone?

summer hair

Brenda has blown into Summer with a woman-power haircut.

(She started it.)

Honestly, she looks so refreshed I've been thinking of doing the same. 

Anybody out there remember my awesomely short, Clay Aiken hair cut?  ...Would you believe I'm considering it again?  Thoughts? 

Really, it's 'cause I've been doing a bunch of this:

and if I have to dig through the backyard to look for one more hair tie...

(Had a BLAST during last week's relay!  Wanna hear about it?  Wanna wanna wanna????)

feeling smothered with love!

 So I was going to do a post about the kids, running, something to do with ice-cream... but instead I need to blubber about what I came home to tonight-

(If I had 'before' pictures, you'd know that a couple adults and a handful of young women REALLY worked fast and hard...)

 

I just can't believe it.  It's just so pretty....

I think I'm a lucky girl.

fun fire hazard

I'd say it's about once every few months that we lose power.  (Living out in farmland?)

It'll last maybe an hour.  ...maybe 4 or 5.  So knowing it's temporary makes for a fun time to reconnect and play with a little fire.  ...Brenda.

Last night it was after 7, sometime.  There's a flurry of excitement while we shut down and light up.  Flashlights are popular toys and candles are NOT to be played with.  ...Brenda.  Garret had already passed out for the night but the rest of us enjoyed a late, candle-light dinner.  Tuna- a favorite of Brenda's and fruit- Suzie's. 

Later, Brenda went to bed with a battery-powered lantern, Mike drove to Walmart to charge his phone in the car and buy jello, and Suzie and I settled into my bed with a candle and a pile of books. 

The house was delightfully/eerily quiet without any tv, radio, fans, computer whirring... 

Maybe we should do this more often? 

happy healing...

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming,  

"WOO HOO, what a ride!""

Now you get to read aaaaall about my second marathon

I decided, this year, to follow wise advice.

In the first 6 miles I passed NO ONE.  (This doesn't count anyone walking.)  It drove me crazy.  Excitement was high and I just wanted to bust free of the crowd with impressive speed and swan-like grace.  ...That's right.  -I told myself, Lindsay, save it for the last 6 miles.  Save it.

I walked through the water stations.  Just about 30 feet every 2-3 miles.  I took long steps and stretched and drank and pottied occasionally.  (To the gal who took for.e.ver. in the bathroom- you owe me 4 minutes.)

I enjoyed it.  (Much easier this year with the temperature in the upper 50's.  Last year it reached a stupid 84 degrees.)  I took time to wave and smile and thank the volunteers.  I cheered and applauded the local high-school band, playing under the bridge.  I chatted a bit with fellow runners.  I leaped and flailed when I saw my mom waiting at the turnaround.  I made a couple phone calls to share my good time.  I even savored the 2 hours of drizzle.  (Hey, it wasn't downpour!  And waaaaay better than heat.)

In the last 6 miles I passed EVERYONE.  Well, not everyone but by mile 20 I decided it was time to see what I got.  One runner at a time, I would focus on the person ahead of me and steadily pass them.  Thanks to holding back in the beginning I had a nice reserve of spunky energy and I should have kept track of how many I passed.  It was lots.   

But that's not what it's about, is it?

Last year I finished in 5 hours and 2 minutes.

This year....

..

...

(drum roll)

....

.....

4:21!!!!!


So I'm feeling stiff and stupendous today!  I have a strong, healthy body that let's me do cool things.  I have two COOLER THAN WHIP friends who worried that they wouldn't even finish.  Man, did they ever!  No prob!!  I have a magnificent mom who, while at my beckon call with cheers, snacks, pain killers and ice-cream, also ran out to join me for the last few miles.

I am blessed.

And tired.

g'night friends!