First library card!
This makes my heart happy. And my wallet.
Category: triplets
Month 95
I just let them be Pokémon today.
One month til they turn 8!
Triplets in New Orleans
I’m pretty excited to share this article I wrote for New Orleans Living magazine. I was going to wait until I could find a physical copy of the issue to share it, because the online version is just, you know, like a blog post. But after checking three shops this afternoon, I realized they have the PDF of the issue online. Woot!
But yes, it is easier to read online, so here’s a link to that version.
I don’t mention anyone by name here, but I think my friends Meredith and Alicia, and all of my lovely friends in our local triplet group will recognize themselves. (And most will know which doctor I mean, just by his description.)
2015 Jazz Half Marathon race report
Remember the last time I did one of these? I said it was the last time ever? Well, I mean, somehow I signed up for this one and it was all my fault (I can’t even say anyone else twisted my arm into signing up) but for real this time. This was my twelfth half marathon and I think that’s a nice roundish number. (Except I can totally see myself saying one day, “but 13 is even more perfect since that’s how many miles are in a half.”) Fortunately, my brain won’t be able to let go of the .1 so I’m hopeful I’ll be able to ignore that argument. From myself.
Anyway, this one was kinda spooky. And I don’t mean because it was on Halloween.
It all started when I went to put on my number. Heather had grabbed my number and t-shirt for me from the expo, and I hadn’t even looked at them before this morning. As I went to put them on, the thought, “it would be cool if the race number had ’42’ in it.”
I picked up the shirt and saw the number.
So close!
As it turns out, they were giving out the numbers in order of picking up race packets, so Heather got number 42! I mean, it’s still kinda weird, you have to admit.
Anyway. Drove over to the race, and spent a lot of time trying to find the parking space I’d reserved. Finally found the lot, and pulled into a spot on the third level. Went to the race and ran into some of my NOMB friends.
The weather was a lot warmer than I was hoping – in the low 70s, but at least it was cloudy, unlike in 2013.
Anyway, off we went. I kept to a 1 minute run, 1 minute walk. It’s amazing how later in the race that first minute lasted an eternity, and the second minute went by in a flash.
Some pics along the way:
Uh, just running.
There’s the winner!
Really glad to get ahead of the 3 hour pace group.
Running into Audubon Park at about mile 7
Ran by a spooky house!
I honestly had no expectations for my time, which in the past have ranged between 2:33 and over 3 hours. Even though I’d done some decent training, I am still dealing with Achilles tendinitis. So I just wanted to finish.
First, I just wanted to finish in under 3 hours. And then I thought, maybe I can finish under 2:50 with a stretch goal of 2:45. If I kept to a 13 minute/mile pace, that would put me in right around 2:50ish.
And I did it! Finished in 2:48:39. Woot!
And, I mean, you know, not last. (Though now I’m in the “Masters” division. That means old.)
Got a decent medal:
then found some of the NOMB ladies again.
So, remember my scintillating story about parking from earlier? Well, I got in my car and was sitting there for a few minutes when Ashley (the one on the left there) knocked on my window. Randomly, she was parked in the space next to mine! Okay, maybe you had to be there. It’s a big parking garage, okay?!?
I went to get something yummy for lunch, but Taco Bell wasn’t serving Cantina Bowls yet (I’m fancy) so I decided to try to catch the end of the boys’ soccer game, which I did. They were pretty excited to see me. I was wishing I’d brought a jacket. I felt faintly ridiculous in my green sparkly skirt. Oh well.
We all hit Waffle House for brunch and I basically used up all the calories I burned during the race. Worth it!
Now. If someone sees me mention signing up for another half marathon, please just stop me.
Halloween 2015
Right, technically that’s tomorrow. But because of major thunderstorms coming through, everyone is trick or treating tonight. Plus, it’s Halloween at school. So yeah, today is essentially Halloween.
People are way up in arms about “moving Halloween” and saying, “in my day we trick or treated in the rain and snow, uphill both ways” but you know, I’m happy not to go out in a downpour. Even for candy. And you know how I feel about candy. (Very positively, in case you didn’t.)
But that’s beside the point. The main point is this adorableness…
All Pokemon characters. I’m sure you knew that already.
Oh, this is amusing/distressing/outrageous. Linus needed an orange shirt to wear under his costume and the only one I could find was this old shirt I wore to Mardi Gras in 2005. It’s funny because of what it says on the front. It’s distressing and outrageous because it’s a woman’s XL shirt and it fits my 7 year old perfectly. He’s normal sized, the shirt is not.
Anyhoo. So tonight we trick or treat! And since tomorrow morning is the half marathon, you can bet my carb loading will take this form:
Oh, and if you’re wondering what to do with your kids’ Halloween candy, check out the post I wrote a couple of years ago.
How to Deal With Halloween Candy
All of the boys’ costumes so far can be found here.
Halloween 2014
I can’t believe I never posted a photo of the boys and I last year for Halloween. So here it is. For my records.
Since it was four days before I had LASIK, I had to wear my glasses, which is not part of Wyldstyle’s costume, but I had no choice.
There. Hands in LEGO position and everything. That’s dedication, man.
Just life
I always said you shouldn’t wait for something big to happen to write a blog post, so here I am, writing a blog post about nothing much at all.
Let’s see.
Last night, Miles and I went for our dinner. He got a haircut. He looks cute.
And then at 5am, presumably unrelated to the haircut, he got a nosebleed. Poor bunny was hysterical. I had no idea what to do, since we’ve never dealt with a nosebleed before. But I think we’re more prepared if it happens again.
Here’s a cute picture of one of my teams at work. Well, most of the team. The ladiezzzz.
I didn’t realize at the time just how short they all are. Hee!
This weekend is a half marathon. Why did I sign up for this? Peer pressure! Ah well. I did a ten mile training run last weekend (it was ugly and on the treadmill) so I suppose I’ll be able to do this. Meh. It’s not at all cool here so that really sucks.
What would suck more is if it rains that night like it’s supposed to and we can’t trick or treat. I need my Smarties fix, man! I mean, the boys would be so disappointed!
We at least got to go to Ghost in the Oaks at City Park last weekend. I took selfies on a ride because it’s funny.
The weekend after this one is my friend Kristie’s wedding. We’ve been friends 4eva. Since 7th grade. So that’s…a really long time. Don’t make me say the number here. Anyway, I ordered a sparkly dress from Rent the Runway. I am excited about that.
I think that’s about it. Hmm.
Pure energy
Five seconds of Miles and Linus being insane.
Home again
Got home from the Grand Meetup Monday night and MAN was it good to see the boys and George. I got so many good hugs. And the boys’ front teeth all seem to have now fully come in, so they looked older and different. Sigh.
The evening I got home I got to meet Gareth’s sister and cousin, who had come over from the UK. They were lovely, and I wish I could have spent more time getting to know them. Well, we’ll just have to make another trip over, that’s all!
One of the hardest things about being away last week was missing Gareth’s service, but I was able to help a bit by making the slideshow for the service and one that played continuously at the pub afterwards. I got lots of positive feedback on it, so that felt nice.
When I was in Park City, I wrote a post for the New Orleans Moms Blog about how much I love my neighborhood, and it was kind of a clumsy word vomit of emotion, but sometimes you just have to.
I hate a post without any photos, so here’s a #tbt for ya. Technically, it was 5 years ago yesterday, but it seems as if my photos from October 22 through the years have been less than scintillating.
Anyway, it’s adorbs. Linus and Emily at the pumpkin patch when I took him to Virginia.
At least you can’t see the poison oak he had which made much of our trip a living hell. Good times, good times.
Another post
It’s hard to just…write another post. I hate that the post about Gareth won’t be the first post anymore. (I mean, I know I could make it sticky, but that’s kind of not the point, right?) I hate that all I have to write about now is just every day stuff. As if we’re all not still in shock.
We’re trying to make ourselves useful. Planning a memorial. Trying to take care of his family who is coming in from Wales. I’ll be out of town for the memorial, so I’m just trying to do my part by making the slideshow.
Anyway. Real life.
I took the boys to get flu shots yesterday. We’ve been going to the same CVS Minute Clinic for a few years now, and so they don’t get freaked out, and are cool as cucumbers. It’s almost like a competition to see who can flinch the least.
Oliver and I had our one-on-one dinner last night and he chose Waffle House. And it turns out, we’re regulars there now. When we walked in, the waitress said, “it’s the twins!” but she meant me and Oliver, not Oliver and his brothers. Which was cute. And kids eat free Monday – Thursday, so he’s a cheap date.
Okay. That’s enough real life for now.
Soccer, week 3: Crushing defeat
Well, we warned them that not all games were going to be 22-1 victories.
The game started out somewhat unbalanced. The boys were playing against a team of all girls – and not that I’m sexist, blah blah blah, but these girls were tiny compared to the boys.
This girl was throwing Miles some major side-eye. Look how much taller he is than her!
So yeah, they’re feeling pretty good about themselves.
But then after the first quarter, the coaches decided to make things fairer for everyone, and shuffled all the kids around. They ended up playing against other kids on their own team instead of the other team.
But it quickly became obvious that this time, they were on the weaker side.
This pretty much summed it up:
But they were still having fun, so it’s all good. For the last quarter, they were re-teamed with the identical twins.
Look, two sets of DNA out of five kids!
Miles was doing pretty well going after the ball, but as the game went on, Linus and Oliver just seemed to wilt under the crushing defeat. Sigh.
It wasn’t pretty, and we had to have a serious talk about sportsmanship, and losing, and trying hard, and practicing, etc etc.
So. Hopefully next week, we’ll see an improvement in attitudes, if not skills.
No more yellow tooth!
One of the ways you were able to identify Linus quickly was by his yellow tooth. It was the result of a damaged baby tooth, so when the permanent tooth came in, it had a yellow spot on it. I didn’t want him to get teased about it (and he did, at camp this past summer) so I talked to our dentist about how we could get it fixed. Turns out, it wasn’t a huge big deal.
Before:
The dentist sanded down the tooth a little where the spot was and then (well, then he gave Linus a little novocaine because he said it hurt, and that was funny because novocaine is super weird if you’ve never experienced it – he kept asking if his lip was big and puffy) put in some kind of tooth putty and then shone a light on it and then voila!
White tooth!
New sweet white smile: (Hard to get a really good picture because his lip was still numb.)
He was pretty happy about it.
But now you’re going to have to figure out a different way to tell him apart.
pyjammy dot blog 