Weekend Review, Part 1: How Did We End Up Here?

So, we had a busy and eventful weekend, one not at all like our typical weekends, which mostly involve relaxation, eating, and more relaxation.

Let’s start with Friday. We had to go pick up a birthday present for a party we were going to on Saturday, and the kids got to use their Valentine’s money from Nana and Tata to get presents for themselves. It took the better part of the morning to get everyone dressed and ready to go, as it was below freezing with a flurry or two in the air (gasp!), but we finally made it, and as usual Lu picked her toy in about 2.5 seconds and Z used the remaining 42 and 1/2 minutes to choose his, which actually ended up being one of the first ones he saw.

So, they left happy and I left happier because I got out of Target for under 100 bucks! thankyouverymuch.

We marveled at the dust snowflakes in the air and made it home for lunch and to play with our new toys.

Then, it was naptime, and I was able to get some stuff done around the house. After naps and dinner, my sis and her kids stopped by, the kids played upstairs, and we visited by the fire until bedtime.

The next morning, we did our normal routine of getting up and going to the gym, and at some point during my Zumba class, and I’m going to blame it on the loud hip hop music and my very motivational teacher, I had the bright idea of taking my brother’s place in the half marathon on Sunday. After all, I was Zumbaing on a Saturday morning, obviously that would be enough preparation for 13.1 miles….

So, I talked to my dad, you know he’s the one that started this whole thing three years ago, and he was on board. Nick assured me that I could do it, so just like that I was doing the half marathon.

Okay, back to Saturday, so we came home, ate, and Nick took off to a lunch meeting, then the minute he walked in the door, Z and I left for the party. Did I mention this was an ice skating party?

Z expressed a bit of concern regarding slipping and falling on the ice, but ultimately he really wanted to go to the party. So, we went. At first, I only got him skates, then it took me about 2.5 seconds to realize I better get some too. There was no way he was trying this without me. So, I took one hand and the other remained firmly planted on the wall. Thank goodness for the gloves (Lord knows that wall was covered in germs!)!

The whole time he was saying, I don’t like this! This is really really hard! Aghhh! But he was also laughing, so we continued. He got a little more confident on our second lap, but then he was kinda over it.

In an attempt to end on a positive note, we played the skate to me from the wall game (as if we were swimming), and he did pretty well with that, so I think he felt a little better about it when we ended than when we began. I was so proud of him! He really was a trooper, even though he was a HOT MESS, or as Nick pointed out a COLD MESS, ha!

Suffice it to say, we were pretty pooped by Saturday evening and there was this whole half marathon thing still ahead of us.

My parents stopped by that evening and brought our race stuff, then we spent about half an hour planning what we were going to wear (well, more I than we). At this point, it is pouring rain, and continues to do so throughout the night, and let me tell you, I’m seriously starting to rethink my decision when that alarm goes off in the morning.

I called my dad a little after 6, and he and Mom were already on their way to my house. I told him the weather was predicting a 90% chance of rain for the next two hours, and his response… “Oh, that’s not too bad.” Right, I’m not getting out of this. And, incidentally, who says “that’s not too bad” when they hear “90% chance of something bad”?! My dad, that’s who!

And this is us, pre-race, pre-crack of dawn, mid-coffee. We look pretty much like the three fools we are, but there was no backing out at this point. (By the way, I really love these two guys. They’re the only people (outside of my babies) that I would subject myself to this for)

At this point, I’m left thinking, how in the world did I end up here?

To be continued….