Ridiculing the Ultramarathon Runners

I got a big kick out of this. Obviously playing on the tendancy to hallucinate during very long runs. It has never been this bad for me.

Hiking Horsetooth Falls

Ricki and I took Kre up to Horsetooth Falls today. It was a beautiful day, and after the serious snow/rain we had this last weekend we heard the falls were actually flowing. Normally it is a trickle. I've seen it flowing once before but Ricki never had. So while Brig was at school we ran up for a quick hike. Kre did great and Ricki has definatly decided she is sick of being pregnant. I must warn you that I am posting this while she is gone. I do not have preauthorization to post this picture of her.

Out Running

I know, most of you don't care about my running. But I love to do it and think that I get to do it in some pretty amazing places. This weekend wsa hard becausse it was the third week of my four week rotation. I run hard/long for three weeks and then cut my mileage back for a week to give my body a break. By the third week I'm usually pretty tired. This weekend was one of those strange tiems I actually wanted some company. Unfortunatly several of the other distance runners were heading up to Rocky Mountain National Park for some high elevation training and it wasn't my free Saturday. I needed to get the run done early enough to hang out with the family. It was a bit cool, and the wind was stronger than I anticipated. But I got it in, and the trails were beautiful.

The dreaded picture

So I have been asked to post belly pictures and as many of you know I don't like me pregnant! I have a very hard time accepting the weight gain and I really hate the soft puffy look that my body takes on. So This is probably the only pictures that you'll get! :)

It's amazing that I can go from this first picture 25 weeks and get that much bigger in just 5 short weeks!

30 Weeks only 10 more!

I must admit though, I'm very glad that I'm not as big as I was when I was pregnant with Kre. I don't think I would be able to still be teaching Kickboxing if I was. So I'm thankful for that at least!

St Patrick's Day Parade

The Fort Collins St. Patricks Day Parade has become a family tradition. Once again, this year was beautiful weather. The parade is always fun to see and the kids love getting all the free treats and handouts. Ricki usually gets her share because she yells the loudest, but this year the sore throat kept her out of most of the action. Instead she did pushups for a prize from a local fitness float. Sorry, I didn't have the camera ready to catch the pregnant woman shaming all the guys.

After, we went to Broomfield to take part in the first round of birthday festivities for Kre. As you can see, he was a bit shy, but loved it.

Our trip to Denver Aquarium

Accepting Bribes

I've been dubbing old family videos onto DVD for my parents. It is very entertaining to watch the old videos and see the funny things we did as kids. I thought this clip appropriate example of the great things I can suddenly post online for everyone to see..... (cough!, ahem, Jameson). To the Parnell Clan, I am accepting bribes. Tell your parents I take credit cards, paypal, cold hard cash works too.

Book Recommendation

I realize the last few times I have posted, it was almost immediatly after Ricki had posted. Sorry Ric, I'm not trying to trump you. So if you haven't read the next post (regarding casts) please read before continuing on this one, thanks.

I just read this book and it was an excellent read. If you like real stories or are interested in the history of Tibet, Buddhism, or exploring wilderness this would be a good read. The book is called The Heart of the World by Ian Baker. Basically it is about a westerner who takes up living in the east and becomes interested in Buddhism and seeks to discover the secret lands in search of enlightenment. In our current environment it is always good to read about those who can remain positive regardless of the circumstances, here is one of my favorite excerpts from the book:

"Kawa Tulku stopped to bathe. The lama’s body was covered from head to toe in tiny red insect bites, but he smiled radiantly as he basked in the sun while his attendants applied a mysterious salve to his back and arms.
We continued on. Gradually the meadow transformed into an unnavigable swamp, and the trail entered a dense, sunless forest where we saw footprints of bear and takin. At intermittent sedge-filled bogs we often sank up to our knees in mud. Kawa Tulku plugged along in his customarial jovial mood. As conditions worsened, Gil expressed wonder at Kawa Tulku’s unshakable composure. Several days before, Gil had written in his journal:
Today was particularly bad for me as the rain would not let up and the leeches were relentless. At one point I counted twenty-two of then sucking on me at the same time……Sloshing along the muddy trail in the pouring rain I came upon a large, slimy log that had fallen chest high across our brush-choked path. In my agitated state I viewed the log as a menacing obstacle that was clearly separate, in my way and against me. With no way under or around I jumped, stomach first, and slid over the top. Regaining my balance on the other side, I was infuriated at the mud and decaying mush that seemed to have covered the entire front of my body. Rubbing off the crud I cursed the log and the goddamned rain. It was my brother Todd who suggested that we wait and see how the Lama would handle this formidable impediment. Surely this test would break him.
Hiding off the trail we peeked through the underbrush just in time to see him trudge up to the log. Ever smiling he took a couple steps back and tried his jump with a running start. With not enough momentum – coupled with a portly belly – he slid back down on the same side of the log and landed on his back in a large puddle. Shaking his rain-drenched head he burst into spasms of uproarious laughter. Staggering to his feet he repeated the same maneuver – with the same results – no less than three times. With each collapse back into the puddle his laughter grew stronger and louder. On his fourth attempt he made it over the top and slid headlong into the muddle puddle on the other side. Again, the laughter was knee-slapping. Continuing to chuckle, he wiped himself off as best he could – lovingly patted the log as though it were a dear friend – and proceeded up the trail –smiling. Todd and I just stared at each other.

So for all of you waiting for the economic situation to improve, the next job, or the turning of the season before you can relax and enjoy yourself, consider this excerpt from book 10 of Wordsworth poem The Prelude
"Not in Utopia, subterranean fields,
Or some secreted island, Heaven knows where!
But in the very world, which is the world
Of all of us, the place where, in the end,
We find our happiness, or not at all!"

So smile, find joy in day to day life, and enjoy the struggles for what they are.

NO more casts...we hope!

After 4 and 6 long weeks both of the boys have their casts off. We are very excited! Baths and showers can finally be fun again and not a hassle. Brig is excited to start writing with his right hand again and "drawing good pictures." As you can see we took Kre's off the cheap way since we are having to pay a fortune already for Brig's. If I was to do it again I might reconsider taking him in to take it off, but I'm hoping I don't have to do it again. (knock on wood)

Burnt Pillowcases and Exploding Blenders

There are moments in life that define you, there are moments in life that pass silently in meditation and then there are moments in life that just deserve a deep down, shake your body till it hurts, belly laugh.
Life for us has been similar to many of yours. Surprises, some pleasant and some not so pleasant has made life unpredictable and at time difficult. We have nursed two boys with broken bones through pain and healing, consoled each other when the bills came in, (since when can an anisthesiologist charge $500 for putting a kid under for 24 minutes?) and in general, dealt with what came. Of course, Murphy takes hold of life and throws it at Ricki, especially when I am out of town working (flat tire - previous post)
Ricki has been very sick, as she always is when she is pregnant, but despite the illness, pain and suffering she is going through she has been making serious efforts to maintain service around the home.
The other day while getting the boys ready for bed I found a pillowcase which looked like it had been burned with a torch. I considered for a moment that the boys like me had pyro tendancies. Ricki gave me a guilt look and admitted that early (dark AM) the morning before Kre wouldn't go back to bed so Ricki thought if she warmed up his pillowcase he would go back to sleep, but since the dryer wasn't quick enough she tried to microwave it...... Note to self, don't microwave pillowcase. Thanks Ric for letting me sleep that morning, and for the good laugh later.
A day or two later I was working late and Ric, despite the fact that she was hurting and very tired came home from kickboxing class and started making pancakes. It was unfortunate moment when the spoon hit the blade in the blender and we ended up with wheat pancake batter all over the kitchen. Ricki looked like she would cry for a second but joined me instead for a good laugh.
Despite pain, despite sickness, despite frustration Ricki still finds ways to get through it and make us all laugh. She always looks for ways to help out and keeps us all going.