North by Northwest

We had a 10 day trip to Washington, and I think it was one of my favorite trips to the Pacific Northwest. I've tried to determine what made this trip better than the rest and have compiled a list, if you will:

• We spent very little time traveling, and when we did travel it was in a comfortable car. In the past we had to drive from Portland down to Eugene, back up to Olympia and then up to Seattle and back to Portland to fly home. On some of our trips, I was pregnant or nursing (which could be their own bullet points--the fact that I'm not, that is), which only added to the car-sick feeling I couldn't ever shake. Now his parents live in Olympia near his sister and everyone comes to us. And the rented van with air conditioning was a big bonus. Basically, I like to feel that the world is revolving around us. ;)
  
• The weather was typical PNW weather for most of the trip--a welcome change from the 90+ temps+humidity we have here. I'd rather just have rain than 90 percent humidity any day. I enjoyed running in rain and with long-sleeves.
• We spent alot of time outdoors. When family gets together, it is important to talk. This time there was a good amount of sitting and talking, but almost enough hiking and playing to balance out the equation.
  
• Camp Muir Hike. Pictures will say it all.
• I'm becoming more comfortable around Eric's family. They are very warm, kind, and friendly, but since we don't see them very often, and since they aren't "my" family, I have never felt as comfortable around them as I do my own family (which is normal, I know). However, after 9 years of marriage, I think I'm starting to feel less nervous about what they think of me.
• We got to help out some. We have helped with projects on trips in the past, and with all the hospitality shown to us, it feels good to do what we can to give back. Eric helped his brother and brother-in-law each finish some building projects they had, I pitched in with the cooking, and we all helped with picking cherries that needed a'pickin'.
• I wasn't pregnant or nursing. Did I already mention this? Well, it deserves repeating. Traveling with a kid in your lap (whether in or out of the womb) is less fun. I love babies, but don't love traveling with'em.
  
• The boys were exceptionally good on the airplane (about 7 hours total each way). No, we didn't have a dvd player. Just toys and books. And having Asher strapped into his car-seat was a bonus.
  

HOT!!!

"Illegally" eating our sandwiches from home instead of the $10 chicken fingers at the zoo.

The boys enjoying the splash park

Asher finishes up 1 1/2 pb&j sandwiches.

Cool customer Brandt rubbing in his sunscreen.The motherlode

The high for Friday and Saturday was 98 degrees Fahrenheit. Right now it is 92 with a heat index of 105. Wrong, I know.
Thankfully, we aren't in drought, and we have some generous friends who have opened their pools to us many times already this summer. Both Eli and Brandt are on the city swim team, and Asher is rapidly becoming a little fish (a bit of scary, wild, will-jump-in-the-deep-end-backwards-without-floaties-or-me-crazy fish, but a fish). I'm hoping to get him in lessons by the end of the summer.
Yesterday we decided to go to the zoo since Eric was off work. It was somewhat miserable, but we got to see the flamingos fighting (the only animals moving in the whole place), and the kids had fun in the splash park. Oh, and the llama spit on a lady--another highlight.
When we came home a big flatbed truck was parked in our driveway, and two men were unloading the 800+ pavers Eric ordered by hand onto the grass at the end of our driveway. They were almost done with the last pallet when we arrived, and Eric helped them finish. Eric has a BIG, HOT job ahead of him. He started moving a few after the boys went to bed last night, but the pile looked pretty much the same this morning. We may have to invite several strong backs over for a cookout soon. :)

BOO!!

I have a dear friend named Jan who loves art and is both talented and generous in sharing her joy and skill with others. She came by this week and helped the boys make paper-mache masks. They did the forming part on Tuesday and then painted the masks on Friday morning. We all really enjoyed it. I helped Asher a little with his design (though he did paint the majority of the surface area himself), but Brandt and Eli were the creative geniuses behind their masterpieces. Jan hasn't seen the final works yet--I can't wait to show her!

Livestrong

From now on I am going to log my workouts and nutrition on livestrong.com. Here is a link to my page: http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/diary/who/kellyefleming/

I'll put it on the side bar as a permanent link. I'll still write about some of my workouts and excursions, but my "log" will be on livestrong.

Stacy, Hannah, and Derek visit

Oak Mountain Camping Trip

Last weekend we camped with several other families at Oak Mountain Park. The weather was unusually pleasant, our bug repellent repelled, the hot dogs and marshmallows were delish, and we came home dirty and tired.

Workouts 6-1 through 6-11

It has been a while since I logged my workouts, so I may be off, but you'll never know!!

Monday 6-1: I ran the trails and around Sherman Oaks and back home. Total of about an hour. I also jogged 2 miles with Eli and Brandt at the Trak Shak.
Tuesday 6-2: I biked 53 minutes and did upper body weights
Wednesday 6-3: I ran about 10 minutes to warm-up then picked up the pace to about a 7:30-7:45 pace for 30 minutes then cooled down at about an 8:30 pace for 10 minutes.
Thursday 6-4: I biked 53 minutes and did upper-body weights.
Friday 6-5: I ran 5.8 miles with Ashley through the sports complex out to hwy 11 and back. Averaged 8:15 pace.
Saturday 6-6: We were camping in Oak Mountain with several friends. I will post pics soon. I ran about an hour there. I spent first 20 minutes mostly on trails then went out to the main road and ran the rest. Nice long rolling hills. I felt great.
Sunday: rest
Monday: 6-8: I ran the trails in the morning and jogged with the boys in the evening. Total of about 8 miles for the day
Tuesday 6-9: I biked 53 minutes and did upper-body weights.
Wednesday 6-10: I ran about 8 miles--down to the end of Cahaba Springs trail and back. I started kinda slow but ran about an 8:15 pace for the middle and end.
Thursday 6-11: I ran on the treadmill: 12 minute warm-up then twenty 40 second speed intervals with 20 second rests between. Began at about 8.6 mph and gradually got faster--I did the last 10 at 10mph. I cooled down for 10 minutes at 7mph. Then I did upper-body weights.