My Security Blanket

Before I begin I want to apologize for the long post, I have decided that another reason for blogs is to remind us how fun it is to "write"- since for most of us mothers, it has been awhile since we wrote a paper of any sort. So here it is...

I have taken a run or two alone, without my jogger and kids. However, it wasn't as wonderful as I thought it would be and really missed having my jogger. So this is just a list of all the things I LOVE about my JOGGER... (some of which are filled with sarcasm- but make me stronger, right??)

1. I love to have room for things I would not normally take on a run- water, cell phone, extra clothes (or a place to shed them), ipod and Kleenex (so I don't have to do what my friend in Cross Country did- use her shirt.) And then when the kids come there are sunglasses, blankets, coats, books, snacks, water and whatever else they demand we bring.

2. If the kids get cranky and I really want to stop and catch my breath, they are the perfect justification for stopping. But then when I am determined not to stop, I really hate to listen to them cry it out.

3. If I go slow it is ALWAYS because I am pushing a jogger! When people pass me I can talk myself out of speeding up because I am pushing something super heavy.

4. The wind seems to always be against us, and when I turn around and come back, it conveniently changes direction and the canopy catches every gust!

5. I know my jogger is getting useless when my oldest child wants to get out of it, demanding that he run too. Possibly to slow me down, but really making me look bad when I can't keep up with him.

6. Realizing there is just not enough room in my double jogger to go on a run when my husband is gone (as if a double isn't big enough!)

7. When driving the same route I run it seems like there are no hills, but when I run it there suddenly are hills and they are gigantic.

8. Never getting to stretch after my run because I am far to busy getting everyone and everything back in the house!

Running has been on my mind as you can see all because we are finally seeing the sun. We all have this desperate itch to be outside (even if it is only 50 degrees) because we never know how long it will last. But I think spring may be on it's way!!

You know you haven't seen the sun in A REALLY LONG TIME when...

1. You forgot that sunscreen even existed- making for red faces! (So we got our our great Utah and Red Socks baseball caps to help us out.)

2. When your neighbor is back to cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner on his grill- so with all the sweet smells you wish they would invite you over !!

3. When you see an 80 year old man sitting on a lawn chair out in his front yard with his shirt off (either trying to get and extra dose of vitamin D or sunbathing.) And when you wave at him, getting no response, you figure he is either dead or asleep.

4. Your loveable 4-year old, who is not keen on PDA, can not stop hugging you. All because he is overjoyed by the fact that he can finally wear his shorts and t-shirts (and even when it is cold again, there is no going back for Dylan.)

5. You are still recovering from a devastating bout with Strep throat and you want to get out and exercise anyways.

My neighbor was right when she said that there really is no spring here- it just goes from 20 to 80 in a week (seriously, gloves to swim suites!) My sister-in-law also told me that, in Cleveland, you can expect to see snow during ever month with an "R" in it. So I guess we are not quite in the clear yet!

P.S. A few of you have been mislead and confused by the fact that I even dared to show my 5 week post-baby body in a skin-tight bathing suite. I just want to clarify that I gave myself full and complete permission to not care that my belly was hanging over my tankini bottoms and I made sure to bring my swim skirt to hide the bulging buttocks and thighs! The pictures all hid what you should not be jealous of! And thus the reason for my running!