My big girl turned 6!

Last week McKenna turned 6 years old! It's hard to believe that the little baby I was holding just yesterday is now a big 6 year old. She has grown up so fast....too fast if you ask me. Every time my kids have a birthday I ask myself "how did another year just go by?". If you ask me that's one of the hardest things about being a mommy. They grow up too fast.



Anyway....McKenna had a great birthday & we had a fun time celebrating as a family. On the morning of her birthday I let her pick out what she wanted me to fix her for breakfast. She picked my famous "Blueberry Crumble" muffins (I had to wake up an hour early to get those made...that's usually a weekend treat). We even put a candle in her "birthday muffin" and sang "happy birthday" to her.






After breakfast McKenna got dressed in her new cute outfit from auntie Tricia :-).



...then it was off to school where she got to be "queen of the classroom" for the day-hehe!










-That evening McKenna picked "Build-A-Bear" as her birthday present from Jonathan and I. So, we went out to the mall to create a fuzzy new addition to McKenna's growing stuffed animal family. She was SO excited when we got there!

The bear...

the stuffing....

the fluffing...

Even Chandler got in on the action!

















The last stop for the evening was a birthday dinner at "On The Border" (...off the map). McKenna was so cute at dinner. She was just so excited because she knew people were going to come out of the kitchen and sing to her! She even got to try a new taste sensation...sopapillas!















***************************************
*This year, McKenna wanted to help make her own birthday cake, so we took our cake supplies over to some friends house this weekend and let McKenna and her friends go crazy. They did a really good job & I think this was one of McKenna's favorite birthday cakes!





God had something to say
So He sent an Angel my way.
A baby girl to love
Directly from Heaven above.
McKenna; So happy and carefree
No greater love could there be.
As I watch you grow each day
I know God sent an Angel my way

But I don't feel smarter...

ACK! Oh....yes I did :-)

My Weekend

• Woke up at 4:30 am on Saturday and ran 18 miles (and actually enjoyed most of it!) -No...I'm not sore today :-)
• Went out on a date with Jonathan Saturday night for the first time in 5 months.
• "Slept in" till' 8:30 on Sunday and then did major autumn clean-up in our yard (we have a lot of leaves!)-Pictures will follow...
• Watched a movie Sunday night for the first time in oh....months!

*It was no weekend shopping trip, or Vegas vacation (Jodi-I'm just teasing ya!), but I had a pretty good weekend :-). No laundry or cleaning got done this weekend, but I think I prefer it that way ;-).

5 Things I'm Looking Forward To.

1. Cooking for Thanksgiving!
2. Getting my hair cut and colored (it been a good 5-6 months!).
3. Seeing my sister again (she has been gone for 2 weeks).
4. Finishing up my fundraising.
5. "Girls Night" with good friends on the Plaza!

*What are you looking forward to?

Why I Run.

**********WARNING...THIS IS A LONG POST**********
This has been the topic of conversation among a runners group that I chat on-line with & I thought it might be appropriate to post my feelings over here on my personal blog.

Let me start off by saying that my reasons and feelings towards running have changed dramatically since I started running last year. Initially I started running because I needed an escape from my hectic life at home with three little kids clinging to me day and night. I was inspired by a story I saw about a father who did triathlons with his disabled son in tow & I thought..."I want to do that". I guess you could say I'm more than a little impressionable if I decided to go run a marathon after watching a news story. LOL! However, that story changed my thinking in a huge way.

Once I decided to actually sign up and start training for the marathon, things were not as "glamorous" as I had pictured & I had to keep finding new reasons to keep going. That's about the time I finished my first half-marathon & I knew I loved this sport! It was one of the hardest things I had ever done & I began to believe I really was capable of more than I thought. Then my kids started to notice what I was doing & they started to emulate me (running around the park saying "look mommy...I'm a runner!") & I thought "hey, maybe I really am making a difference with this whole crazy marathon thing".

I was also running for a "cause" & that kept me focused on something outside of myself. I wasn't just training and running to achieve something for myself (although there was a tremendous amount of satisfaction from my achievement), I was part of a bigger picture. I began to see that as my purpose and ultimate goal for doing what I was doing. I liked that I was able to inspire other people to see themselves differently...as capable of doing MORE! People saw me as an average person doing something "not-so-average", and I think they began to think twice about their own abilities. I can't tell you how many times my friends have said "I could NEVER do what you are doing"...and to that I always say "Oh, YES you could!". I really believe that!

Throughout my very short running career, I've been asked many times "why do you do this?", "how do you do what you do?", and "don't you ever get sick of running?". To answer those questions I just simply say "You always find time to do the things you love". I guess that's what's at the heart of what I'm feeling now. I didn't start off "loving" the sport of running...it was a slow (and very painful) transformation. I started off trying to challenge myself to do something I thought was impossible for me to do. Once I saw that I could do it, I found a new respect for myself and my body that began to change my thinking for good. I can say for certain that I'll never think of myself the same way again.

Some things have not changed about "why" I run. I still love to run because it gets me out of the house & away from my "mommy" world for a few hours each week. I also still love the challenge of it! While running may be getting more "comfortable", it's still not "easy" for me & I sorta like that. I like that I have to work for it! Where would the fun be if there was no challenge? I think we all tend to gravitate toward something that challenges us, we need that...we crave that. It's also one of those things that I can always work on. I'll probably never be a Boston qualifier, but I can always work on a new PR. Plus, the longer I run, the better I feel about this "mommy body" of mine-LOL!

The biggest surprise I've encountered in my running career has been the fact that I never thought I would have such a great time doing this! I've met so many awesome friends as a result of my involvement in the running world. These days, my running friends are what keep me going. They call me, e-mail me, laugh with me, cry with me & keep me focused on my goals. When I entered this community of people I entered a whole new family..so to speak. THEY are what I love the most about running. You really can beat running on picturesque autumn morning with a group of great friends! We keep each others minds off of the pain of running by talking, sharing our stories, laughing, and making future plans together. It's a unique camaraderie you won't find anywhere else...and I'm so lucky to be a part of it :-).

Of course, I also love that my children want to grow up to be "runners" too! I sincerely hope I live to see the day that I can run a marathon with my kids :-). I'm positive that as time passes, I'll find more reasons, different reasons, to continue running, but I'll always love the reasons why I started. It's sort of like remembering where you came from...you will always feel a special connection to your "roots". No matter what happens with my running career in the future, I'll always have my past memories close to my heart.

My first marathon finish!

Halloween!

I accidentally left my camera at my parents house on Halloween, so I wasn't able to do my Halloween post as soon as I had hoped. But....the wait is over :-)
We had a great evening, and the weather even cooperated this year (no bitter cold, high winds or rain -woohoo!) No one was crying or too tired to walk, and Maya even surprised us by being the most eager of all the kids! It was so much fun to watch all the kids having such a great time this year! :-) I still couldn't manage to get all three kids to stand together in the same spot to get a "family" photo, so I had to settle for getting individual pictures of each kid (baby steps, Amber...baby steps...).


McKenna as: "Princess Jasmine/purple genie"
and
Avery as: "Sleeping Beauty".

"Watch out.....here comes the Spidey-Babe" (aka "baby Zion")


Maya the happy "Butterfly/Fairy/Princess"....or something cute like that :-)


Owen as: "Under the weather" James.



Mighty Chan as: "RED Power Ranger"

Just another reason why I like fall...can't beat kids in cute costumes :-)



This one is for Karen. Here are the pumpkins that I carved....with "help" from the kids (next year they are doing it alone-LOL!)-HA!




Apparently the sheetrock knife isn't such a bad pumpkin carving tool :-)

T-Shirts Anyone?

One of my TNT fundraisers is selling these cool T-shirts that my Brother -in-law Jeremy designed for me and my team. They were supposed to be ready in time for the KC Marathon expo...but a little "miscommunication" happened with the printer (he didn't have them ready on time), and we didn't get to sell very many at the marathon expo. SOOOOOOOOOO....if you are finding yourself in need of some cool T-shirts, then look no further! I'll be selling these T-shirts from now until.....well, until all 200 of them are gone! We have long sleeve and short sleeve T's, although, I don't have any pictures of the short sleeve ones (same color/design, just no "endurance" printed down the sleeve).



Short sleeve are $16



Long Sleeve are $20







Front view:
"Never [STOP] Running"


Back View:
-text-
[ENDURANCE]
(noun) in-dur-&n(t)s; the ability to withstand hardship or adversity; especially: the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity.

(a marathon runner's endurance) or (a cancer patients endurance)


Second view of back and sleeve.

Half-Marathon Results!

I forgot to mention it last week because I was so busy, but this past weekend was the KC Marathon. No, I didn't run the full this time (maybe next year), but I did do the half-marathon. It was a BEAUTIFUL day, just perfect for running! I really enjoyed this half-marathon last year, but it was even better this year because I got to run it with my big sis (Tricia). Tricia told me about 4-5 month ago that she wanted to train for a half-marathon with me & I suggested that we do the KC half together. So, that's just what we did this last weekend :-).

I was so proud of Tricia! She trained really hard for this half-marathon & she did fantastic! We almost ran the whole thing together, but she had a little knee trouble, and we were fighting a bit of a thick crowd of runners around mile 5 which caused us to get separated (but only by about a minute or so). In the end we both did better than what we had hoped, and I got to claim my very first PR!

Even though my times will never garner any attention in the "running world", I was darn proud of my 2:10:14 finish this weekend! I shaved just over 20 minutes off of last years half-marathon time...WOOHOO! This weekend reminded me of just how much I LOVE race day! It's so much different than training days. There is a certain electricity in the air, and in the crowd, that just pushes you along! There really is nothing like it :-).

This year was also really special because my sweet, sweet hubby was out on the course with ALL THREE KIDS to cheer for me (what a guy)! What a fun surprise to see my family at mile 6, and at the finish line! One of these days I'm going to have to do a local full marathon, just so I can see my family along the way-LOL!

Here are a few pictures from Saturday:

Getting a little "pick-me-up" from Channy.


Hugs and kisses from the girls...


...and from my Dad and Jon :-)


Headed to the finish line...wheee!


Me and Tricia at the finish line :-)


Me and Jodi (Hi Jodi!!)


My little marathoner...he he he!


Oh, and Maya isn't about to be left out!

Pumpkin Patch Part 2!

Last Tuesday was McKenna's turn to go on a class field trip! All of the Kindergarten classes from her school went to a neat little farm/pumpkin patch for a day of fun! I had never been to this farm with my kids before, so it was fun getting to go somewhere new with McKenna. The weather was really nice, a little windy at times, but that's how it should be on a real farm, right? The kids were so cute as they hopped around the farm all day bouncing from one "petting station" to another, learning all about each farm animal.

After they learned all about the farm animals they got to go out to the pumpkin patch and pick their very own pie pumpkin. The pumpkin patch was at the bottom of a pretty steep hill & each child was responsible for carrying their own pumpkin up the steep hill after they picked it. What happened next was hilarious! On the way up the hill children were dropping their pumpkins and chasing after them one right after another-LOL! I guess you would have to have been there to fully appreciate it, but it was pretty cute :-).

Here are some of the pictures from the field trip...

Arriving at the farm.


Fun on the haystack!


"Hmmm...those look like pretty fussy geese...better not try to pet them."


"At least the horse likes for us to pet him."


Watch out for hungry chickens!


McKenna holding a little horseshoe.


Down at the pumpkin patch.


Getting ready to head up the hill with the "perfect" pumpkin :-).

Pumpkin Patch Fun!

Last Thursday Chandler's preschool class had their annual pumpkin patch field trip, and it was a blast! This year Grandma and "Auntie Tricia" (and "Z-Man") got to come too :-). We spent some extra time at the pumpkin patch after the "official" school field trip was over so that Chandler could ride the train, and eat half a dozen pumpkin doughnuts!

This is always one of my favorite fall activities to do with my kids!

Petting the farm animals.

Going on a hayride!

Chandler in his pumpkin hat :-)

Maya was so cute on the hayride, she kept saying "wheeeee!".

The perfect pumpkin!

We had to bribe Chandler with a bag of fresh pumpkin doughnuts to get him to move from the diggers!

Trying my hardest to get a good picture of Maya and me...no such luck!

Chandler was SO excited to get to go on the train :-)

Going through the tunnel...

My last attempt at trying to get Maya to look at the camera...AND smile at the same time (my trigger finger is just too slow for this ornery little two year old though!).

Eloquent

I've been thinking a lot lately about how God really sees me. I think what I'm beginning to see is that what Jesus sees is so much different than what I see. I see all of my flaws, my shortcomings, all the reasons why I'm not good enough...but that's not who Jesus sees. I still struggle with that! I don't want to see myself as "perfect" (because I know I'm not!), but the truth is I was created in God's image & I've been saved by grace (not by works). This means that when Christ sees me he sees "perfect" stamped on my forehead!

This song is by Sanctus Real (love this band!) It's called Eloquent & I think it pretty much reflects what's on my mind right now :-)


I’m as eloquent as an elephant
About as headstrong as the Mighty King Kong
On a rampage throwing airplanes
I can’t believe you haven’t gone away, gone away
I'm difficult, argumentative
About as thick skulled as the dinosaur bones
On a display…in a glass case
I can’t believe you haven’t run away, run away

It must be different through your eyes
Because you look at me like it’s the first time
That you’ve ever seen my face

I’m preoccupied with a crowded mind
I get off track like a train rolling back to the future
Never too sure who’ll be here when I come back around
But I’m finding out

Here you go Karen...

8 things I’m passionate about:


- Following Christ
- My Family
- Learning to cook/ Good Food!
- Running (TNT)
- Healthy Living
- Coffee
- "Birth Stories" (As in the TV show... or just talking to people about their birth stories.... I know...I'm such a huge nerd!)
- Crunchy Living (Attachment Parenting, Nursing...wish I could be more "crunchy" most of the time)


8 things I want to do before I die:
- Learn to drive a stick shift
- Skydive
- Go to Italy
- Take cooking classes
- Become a doula
- Run a ultra (did I really just say that!)
- Take a REAL WEEK LONG beach vacation.
- Be pampered at a spa (hair, nails, massage, facial...never had a massage or a facial...that would be heavenly)

8 things I say often:
- Freak!
- Toilet water is NOT for drinking...
- Where are my keys?
- No...I will not fix you something different to eat.
- Not right now.
- Hurry up or you will be late for school!
- Who stinks?
- You're my favorite!

8 books I’ve recently read:
(HA! Like I've read 8 books recently...)

- Searching For God Knows What
- Helping Children With Autism Learn
- Green For Life
- The Mission of Motherhood
- When Godly People Do Ungodly Things
- Don't Let Pigeon Drive The Bus!
- Pigeon Finds A Hot Dog
- If You Take A Mouse To School

*Had to cheat a little on those last three books-LOL! Sorry don't have 8 (non- children) books...I'm more of an Internet reader.

8 songs I could listen to over and over:
(This one is too hard)

- Still haven't found what I'm looking for (U2)
- Held (Natalie Grant)
- Fields of gold (Sting)
- Lead Of Love (Caedmon's Call)
- Preachin' Blues (Derek Trucks Band)
- Every Monday (Marvelous 3)
- Hello (Sugarbomb) -GREAT running song :-)
- Before The Throne Of God above (Got to throw in a favorite hymn there, especially since a Marvelous 3 song made "the list")
- Can't let go (Landon Pigg...I know that's 9- he he)

*This list could go on...and on....and on....

8 things that attract me to my best friend:
(I should say here that I don't really have a "best" friend. But, I'll play along and say what I like about my friends in general.)

- Easy to be with...no complicated mind reading required ;-)
- Love to laugh
- Encouraging
- Knows me well enough not to take me too seriously.
- Will "hang out" at a moments notice.
- Listens to my rants about life, love, kids, running, how I hate my house, etc...and they still like me anyway ;-)
- Respects me
- Honest

8 things I’ve learned this past year:

- God really isn't as complicated as I was taught to believe He is (neither is "Church").

- My kids really will survive if I'm not right next to them holding their hand.

- A little butter in the pan with your oil will really caramelize onions perfectly (add a pinch of salt and tiny pinch of sugar after they are brown...wow!).

- When running "commando"....use more Vaseline then you think necessary (trust me).

- I'm a lot tougher than I give myself credit for.

- It's VERY hard to raise $4,000 for a charity cause...but SO worth the reward :-)

- The Kansas Speedway does allow charity solisitation (aka bead selling)...but only with prior approval ;-) However, it's not very easy to get said "approval" without a $365 race ticket (just in case you were wondering).

- Even though I LOVE wine....I don't "love" shiraz (too hard core for me I guess).

But, MOM....I'm not sleepy!

Since the start of the school year Chandler has been refusing to take a nap. Every day I put him in his room for "nap time", but he WILL NOT go to sleep. He plays, bounces, talks, sings, and even waves at the passing cars from his window...but he DOES NOT fall asleep. So, every day I have to go in there and tell him he can come out of his prison and find something more constructive to do.

And... EVERY SINGLE DAY he will come out of his room, play for 30 minutes or so,and then he will FALL ASLEEP! It's so frustrating...but it has been pretty funny to see where and how he eventually falls asleep-LOL!

Any ideas on how to keep a stubborn 4 year old awake all day? Because, this whole "falling asleep in weird places at 5:00 p.m." thing is really starting to take a toll on our dinner time/bedtime routine.

* I have also found asleep UNDER the bed, in the closet, outside, curled up in the corner of the living room, under the dinning room table, and on top of a guitar case-LOL!

What if...

...my "life in Christ" isn't about what I do for Him, but rather what HE does through me?

I've been a Christian for... well... my whole life, and I can't seem to really take hold of some of the most basic concepts that Jesus taught. Blows my mind how that happens...but it still does. I think I spend too much time thinking about what I should be doing, and not enough time just doing it! I get caught in the "what", "why", and "how", and forget that the more important thing to consider is "who"...who am I supposed to be focused on? The answer certainly isn't me!

When Jesus meet the woman at the well he didn't want to know what she was doing (he already knew that), he wanted to meet with her. He was interested in H-E-R! That's a tough one for me. I always feel like I have to earn the respect and approval of Jesus before we talk (like that's even possible). Why would the creator of the universe want to hear from me? Who am I that He should do anything "important" through me?

If my time on this earth is about what Christ can do through me...then what am I supposed to be looking for/waiting for? Am I waiting to be recognized by more "godly" people for my special talent or ability to be revealed? Do I need a "title" to be able to change the world around me? To me....I think that answer comes when I simply "abide in Christ". It seems like "things" just happen when I am in communion with Christ. But, "communion" with Christ is a choice...not a command. I think we have to willingly choose to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen. He is not going to beat us over the head until we sit down to hear him!

Here is a little story:
My father, whom I love with all my heart, has taught me the importance of "communion" with Christ. I've seen him live out his convictions, even when others scoff at him. Yet, he has always done what he knew Christ was leading him to do. There are plenty of people out there that would rather do "what everyone else does"...but not my dad! For one reason or another, the Lord has lead him down "the road less traveled", but there I see what true communion with Christ looks like.

To some it may appear that my dad has "lost his way", but if you sit and talk to him for 10 minutes you may think differently! He is in such close communion with Christ, that it doesn't matter what things "appear" to be. He has found that place that I am searching for in my journey of faith...contentment & rest :-). I can see it on his face! He is doing what he was meant for...letting Christ work through him. It's not about what HE is doing. It's not about what HE wants. It's about surrendering his life to Christ, and letting Christ take the wheel.

My dad will most likely never be called "PASTOR Allen" (although, he has enough seminary degrees to almost be called "Dr. Allen" -he he!). Nor will he ever parade around a multi-million dollar "mega-church" in a three piece suit passing out $50 bills to his "audience" (er...I mean "congregation"). Nope...that's not his calling (is that really a "calling"). BUT, you will hear him called "friend" by many of the prison inmates that he holds a Bible study with every month. You will hear him called "cherished colleague" by the people he works with (because my dad has made the choice to stay in the "world" by working outside the 4 walls of the church).

The choices I've seen my dad make have never been easy ones. However, the one common denominator in all of his final decisions was that he knew he was trusting in the Lord, not men! Many of his choices have not been the "easy" route, or widely accepted by everyone around him. More often than not he has not been "recognized" for his efforts (hence, not holding the "pastor" title). But, I have to say, that's how I've always known that what my father was doing was "of God". Be wary of "mans" praise when you are looking for God's approval ;-)!

I'm not knocking on those who do work within the church...that's not my point here. I guess what I'm beginning to see is that this life is not about what things seem. It's not about what things look like. It's not about the title we hold. It's about our conviction, and communion. Without that close communion with Christ, how will we ever know how Christ wants to work through us?

What if...God called us to be a "nobody"...for his glory?

Hmmmm....these have been "deep thoughts" by Amber ;-)

Kicked him in the...

...




I could not stop laughing the first time I saw this. Enjoy!

Harvest Creamy Corn "Choup"

Creamy Corn "Choup"


2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 pound small potatoes, cut into small chunks
4 to 5 large ears corn, kernels scraped from the cobs, or one 10-ounce box frozen corn
1 medium or 2 small zucchini, finely chopped
5 to 6 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons flour
One 32-ounce container (4 cups) chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper
Hot pepper sauce
Oyster crackers or popcorn, to pass around the table

1. In a medium soup pot, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp at the edges. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the potatoes, corn, zucchini, thyme, bay leaf and paprika and cook for 4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour into the pot, stir and cook for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the broth and simmer until thickened a bit. Stir in the milk, cream and parsley and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 8 minutes.

2. Season the corn choup to taste with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce and serve with crackers or popcorn to float on top.

*A few cooking "notes" from me:

1) This will taste best when you use fresh sweet corn...but if you use frozen corn BE SURE to use a good quality frozen "sweet corn"...not the 88 cent cheapo "yellow corn" (yuck!).

2) I use 6 strips of bacon...trust me...

3) FRESH thyme (but don' go crazy with it).....it makes a difference!

4) I LOVE soup...so I've done quite a bit of experimenting with what makes a soup taste exceptionally good. The one thing that I've found that makes the greatest impact on how your soup tastes is what kind of stock you use! For years I have used the old "Swanson's" canned stuff...but recently I've discovered that my old "stand-by" is what has been killing most of my soup recipes! So...I've experimented with several new stocks and I've found a few that I really like! One of my favorites is called "Kitchen Basics". Check it out! It's worth making the switch...you won't believe the difference it makes!

5)Sprinkle a little extra sharp white cheddar on top to add an extra "punch" to your soup.

There you have it! I think I'll start posting more of my favorite soup recipes in the future :-)

Let the bead selling begin...

This weekend the "bead selling" adventures began! And...as promised, YOU (my faithful blog devotees) will get MORE bead selling pictures this year!

This was my first time selling at the "races", but I thought I'd give it a try since the Chiefs crowd is getting a little bit tough to sell to. So................we headed out to the Speedway this weekend to hit the NASCAR crowd & we did OK. Saturday went great...but we ran out of beads after 90 minutes, so we just decided to come back on Sunday with MORE beads! Well...Sunday did NOT go so great & it ended with me getting yelled at by security and "kicked out" of the speedway-LOL! Oh...the things I do for the "TEAM". Some day soon I'll laugh about this, but right now I'm too ticked about not being able to do enough fundraising this weekend. Dang it!!!

Oh, well....here are some of the "bead adventure" pictures!


Saturday was beautiful...and the bead selling was pretty simple :-)


This is Jen....at 6:00 A.M. on Sunday morning!


Waiting for the sun to rise on the NASCAR crowd...wake up people and buy some beads!


The vast...untouched canvas....that remained "untouched" when I got booted from the speedway Sunday-he he!


Goodbye NASCAR fans...maybe we will have better luck next year!