Running Investments

It has begun.  Today is Day 3 of Marathon Training. Is it bad that according to my training plan I was supposed to run 5 miles on Wednesday (ran 2.5 - then lifted), 2 miles on Thursday (ran 0!!) and another 5 today (actually made it to the Y and ran 6.2 - that's something at least)?  Clearly I will be FINE - but I am marveling at the differences in my attitude towards training as compared to 7 years ago. Oh, dear, has it really been that long since I've trained for a marathon??  I was once precise and focused, now I am frazzled and into approximations.  Hmmmm...probably no PR in my immediate future.

So - assuming all goes somewhat according to plan, I will be running the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco in October 2010.

Thank goodness for our new double stroller. There is absolutely no way I would manage to train without it.  The truth is that I no longer have an excuse NOT to run - now that I can put both kids in it and GO, I am pretty much obligated to do just that.  

About a month ago, we picked up the double BOB Ironman stroller from the Naperville Running Company.  It is AWESOME.  We happen to be connected in the world of running, but if you're not and you're a runner, it is so worth saving your money for.  I thought it would be tough to turn - let alone push - with two very different sized children riding in it.  On the contrary, it is suprisingly easy to maneuver around corners and over bumps.  We are oh-so happy with it, and so are the kids!

Sleep Training: Confessions in the Night

Hi Family! Hi Friends! 

You can find me over at Chicago Moms Blog today, stressing over sleep training Miss Rosie. Last night she was up at 4am, same as the night before! Her sweet Daddy took care of her so I could rest before my big triathlon workout this morning: all three disciplines - and with a friend, too!  If you have tips on how to keep her asleep until at least the six o'clock hour, I am ALL ears.

Playtime!

So, The Talker and Miss Rosie are playing together.  It. Is. Awesome.

The Talker calls out to her and tries to get her to crawl his way.  She obliges him because she thinks he is the absolute-coolest-person-she-knows.  And he is, I might add.  Her daddy is a close second.  They giggle and squeal, and the Talker scootches away - just out of reach.  She does her lopsided crawl to catch up, and the giggling begins again.  By the end of it all they are pretty much wrestling. 

I have to hold back a little bit.  My protective tendancies are tempting me to repeat endlessly, "Be gentle!  Oh!  Careful, don't hurt her!"  But I really (for the most part) need to keep my mouth shut.  The Talker is a wonderful brother - and the only time he ever goes after Miss Rosie is when he is ticked at me.  (How sophisticated!)

So, here they are.  The siblings that wrestle together, stay together. :)

Chicago Moms Blog - Navigating Social Media

Last weekend I had the pleasure to join other mommy bloggers at an event sponsored by SVMoms Group, the organization behind Chicago Moms Blog, and Chevy. We enjoyed an afternoon and evening at the Hard Rock Hotel (complimentary valet, too!), discussing the intersection of blogging and branding - and then enjoyed some good food, wine, great conversation, and yes, some swag.

I'm still new to this blogging thing - and I felt like I was a bit out of my element at our roundtable discussion.  Our lovely organizers and moderators, Jill Asher and Linsey Krolik, guided the conversation to flesh out ways that brands and bloggers can work together using social media outlets.  I guess I was surprised/amazed at the role social media is playing in marketing and branding these days.  I mean, I am a fan of our local park district on Facebook and everything, but it somehow never occurred to me that a company might want to use a mommy blogger to connect with the "real world."

Call me naive, I guess.

But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense.  It makes sense the way teaching your kids makes sense - moms are the first point of contact between their children (future customers!) and life outside the nest.  From the beginning, parents are the ones to choose what to expose their children to and what to withhold.   And besides, moms talk.  Seriously, when I was a kid I couldn't figure out why moms did that all the time. Talk, talk, talk.  At the time, playing seemed waaaay better (sometimes it still does!), but still, my mom and her mom friends would just, well, talk.  The truth?  I'm one of them now.

And I'm picky.  For example, I don't have time for companies that shamelessly use inappropriate images to sell clothing to teenagers. (I'm looking at YOU, Abercrombie & Fitch.)  Well, truthfully, I don't have time to shop at all. It takes a ton of effort to shop (successfully) with two kids, and I only go places with them when I really need to get something.  And I've learned that the power that crouches in my wallet is possibly the most vocal of all.  We're trying to put our money where our beliefs are - or at least consciously keep our money out of places that we don't agree with.  That's a big reason why we joined a CSA for our meat.  And you know what?  I'm proud of those decisions.  I feel like I'm standing up for something valuable.

But back to last Sunday - the companies that took the time to come talk with us were terrific.  A big thank you to all of them, especially Chevy - our main sponsor - for spending the evening with us!  I'd like to share a few of my faves, but this post is getting a bit long.  A separate post with more info to come!

Easter Sunday 2010

Easter Sunday morning came early.  Our two little cherubs don't like to sleep late now that the birds have begun their springtime chirping again in northern Illinois.  The Easter Bunny was good to everyone, hiding copious amounts of chocolate (and peanut butter!) around the living room.  Miss Rosie crawled around on the floor to find her first Easter eggs, and The Talker skittered, near-crazed with excitement, from egg to egg, collecting anything he could get his hands on.

Funny, though: he found a peanut butter egg today when he took the chair cushion off to make a mini-fort.  He was very proud of himself.  Luckily he put it on the kitchen table and walked away for a moment, so I was able to sneak that Reeses-crack up into his Easter basket.  For safe-keeping, you know.  (Or until The Runner or I get a craving...those things are dangerous!)

Another dangerous fact: The Talker can read.  Most of you know this already, but here he is, looking like he's 17, leaning on the table, reading the note from E. Bunny.  Mr. Bunny has whirly handwriting, too, which I think is hard to read, but The Talker doesn't think so.  And Rosie, well, she pretty much thinks anything The Talker does is hilarious and fun.  Even when he's sitting on her.  More on that next time.

Loving the Neighborhood

Hi, friends!

You can find me at ChicagoMomsBlog.com today, singing the praises of our neighborhood.  www.chicagomomsblog.com/2010/04/hello-neighbor.html
Then go enjoy yours!