My Treadmill is My Most Prized Possession

Things have been a little crazy around here as of late so I am just glad at this point to be entering my mileage even if I add no fun comments.  Last week I survived 5 children under the age of 7 including an 8 month old baby with double ear infections who is very cute, but was only happy if he was sleeping, eating, or held.  Needless to say, I have made the determination that I am not cut-out for a large family or perhaps even a family of over 2 children.  I am way to OCD and prefer my house clean, organized, quiet, and under control at all times (none of which was happening last week).  I was very happy to do it for my sister, who is always helping me out and really needed a getaway with her husband, and overall the kids were actually great even though the baby was slightly high maitnenance, but it was just the sheer numbers or rather the sheer out-numbering.  Scott and I ate out every single night without exaggeration (no way I was cooking for 7 after long day alone with all the kids) and everywhere we went people just stared and counted as I had baby on hip, Scott had Izzy on hip, I am holding hand of 4 year old and Scott is holding hands of 2 6 year-olds connected together--3 boys, 2 girls.  And since Scott and I look like we are about 24 and 26 respectively, I am sure they were thinking, "Holy crap, have you ever heard of birth control?  Seriously people!"  I am sure the Utah license plates didn't help the situation as we re-inforced every stereo-type people have ever had about Utah Mormons.  Awesome.  Anyway, good experience for a week and very glad it isn't my life.  AMAZED at women who hold down the fort with large numbers of children.  Seriously, they are made out of something different--something much more resilient, less obsessive, more balanced.  So proud of myself for getting the runs down (and of the kids for watching Sesame Street everyday for an hour and the baby for napping) and for Scott-champion of the universe--who watched all 5 kids on Saturday so I could do 12 miles (it wasn't the 20 that was scheduled, but hey, sometimes I am sure even Hal has to make exceptions).  Anyway, this week Scott is out of town AGAIN for another interview in Utah that is tomorrow morning.  This dang job process has been going since January 1 and I am really hoping that this week or next he (a) has a job and (b) we have a moving date.  In good news, since he does not yet have a job it is highly unlikely that we will be moving before D.C. so I am getting excited for me and Luzylew to do that together.  Well, its 11:00 and I need to go watch some dumb TV and eat some brownies in order to feel that I have accomplished and finished the day off right.  Signing off for now.

Cross-training day walking up to 12.0 incline, total of 30 minutes. Woke up feeling like crap having gotten the cold Izzy has had all week.  With Scott out of town and both my kids sick--Madie with stomach flu and Izzy with cold/croup, I was bound to catch one of the two and am grateful I got the cold.  Dragged all day then had visiting teachers come at 8:30 and stay until about 10:00, then I puttered around until 11:20 when I finally got on the treadmill and had some nice relaxation time for the day whilst watching BBC's Pride and Prejudice, which has been my viewing for the past several days (I wish there were more 6 mini-series shows like this as running long distances on the treadmill is much less depressing when you don't have to watch 2 or 3 movies).

AP of 8:30s and happy to get it done since I am still feeling a little under the weather and since Izzy was up at 12:30 and came and slept in my bed then Madie woke up at 2:30 because of this massive thunderstorm at which point everyone ended up in my bed and none of us got back to bed until about 4:00.  Enjoyed watching another hour of Pride and Prejudice and wish it could just go on and on I so love watching Jane Austen.  Scott interviewed yesterday with a job that he really, really, really wants so that has been kind of stressing us out all week but they said they would decide and call today so now I am just waiting for my phone to ring to hear the yes or no from Scott.  All in all, a decent run with only a few interruptions from Izzy for Sesame Street and bathroom issues but I can't complain since she is so good to let me get a solid 70 minutes of exercise in.  Scott still gone tomorrow so will have to get my 12 done somehow...I am usual pretty anti-TV and have a no TV at all during the week rule for my kids but I must say, this marathon training go around with Scott being gone so much Sesame Street has been my saving grace.  Hopefully the 1 hour a day of educational Big Bird is not doing the kids too much long-term damage; I figure that the mental stability the running provides their mother is hopefully worth whatever brain-deadness they are experience while watching PBS as I run...

AP 9:00.  Last mile: 8:10.  Woke up feeling terribly again especially after a long night with Izzy who woke up several times and at one point was up for about an hour crying about her hurting ear and missing her daddy.  Sick kids while sick with no husband is no fun.  Anyway, this morning I was trying to figure out when/how to do my run when I saw that Izzy's tongue was white, so of course self-diagnose both her and I with strep throat.  I swear I instantly felt about 10 times worse knowing how "serious" our condition was and figured a medical waiver from my long run was in order.  About an hour later, my mentally imposed suddenly very sickly self felt still sluggish and kind of crappy but figured I really wasn't sick enough to cop out on the run so with Madeline at a birthday party I set Izzy up to watch a Barbie movie (figuring that being 2 and all and sick its the best way to keep her down and relaxing anyway, right?) and pounded out the 12 miles on my treadmill while finishing up BBCs Pride and Prejudice then watching the "extra features" which turned out to be highly disappointing (I like the in-depth interviews with all the cast and at least 2 hours of extra features as this prolongs the duration of films that I watch on the treadmill).  Am now out of Gatorade and had to drink water throughout, so when I was done stopped by the gas station for Gatorade and chocolate milk (running staples of course), and am glad to say I finished it respectably, though now I have the inevitable post-running desire/justified feeling that I should be able to sit on my couch and eat ridiculous amounts of dove chocolates for the rest of the night.  Not really sure 12 miles qualifies for this feeling, since it hardly seems like a "long run."  Aaah, where did the good old days go when 6 was long, 8 was impressive, and anythinng over 10 was a huge accomplishment?  Crazy marathon freaks.