true confession, pancakes, and birthday fun

I started off my Saturday morning with a run on the treadmill.

Sorry the picture is so blurry but I was in motion!

Now that may not seem like a noteworthy activity, but I’m here to say that it most certainly is.

Why? you may ask. Well, because.....well....actually....I haven’t exactly done any form of exercise since.....er.....Halloween.

THERE.

I said it.

I do this every stinking year and I have no idea why. I get geared up to get in shape, start exercising during the summer and continue through early fall and then somewhere towards the end of September I quit.

Ick.

I actually carried through a bit longer this year, although halfheartedly, mind you. Mostly because I was scheduled to run my first 5k with the Woman’s Clinic towards the end of October and I didn’t want to have a heart attack and cross the finish line in an ambulance.

I ran the 5k, and was proud of myself. I ran exactly 2 more times the following week and that was it.

Oops.

So today I set my alarm for my regular time, got up and just did it.

Sometimes you just gotta do it.

So I did!

And I remembered why I love running!

And in a few hours, my muscles will remind me why it’s a love/hate relationship, I’m sure.

For me, that first time back at it, no matter what it is seems to always be the hardest. I hope I keep it up. I have to keep it up.

After all, there are jiggly parts and then there are extra jiggly parts.

When the extra jiggly parts start coming back, you know its time.

I was actually shocked that I was able to finish 3.00 miles in 41:28 minutes after a 6 week break. After a slow 10-minute half-mile warm-up I ran most of the 2.5 miles left and it was actually easy! I ended up doing a 5 mile total but walked the last 2 miles. Tomorrow will be a different story, I know. That 2nd day is always a killer.

After my workout we got dressed quickly and headed to church for our annual Pancakes with Santa!

Remember when I told you that Santa was a Presbyterian?

He really is!

After our pancakes breakfast, we headed to a sweet friend’s house to celebrate her birthday!

The party theme was so cute. The guests were asked to bring their favorite baby doll. Party favors were doll bottles and doll diapers. Each guest got to decorate and personalize a tea kettle picture frame as well as their own placemat.

Cute, cute, cute, I tell ya.

But not as cute as the birthday girl herself!!

Please take note of her beautiful birthday party dress!

Her grandmother, Neena, is a special friend of mine and she smocks the most exquisite dresses you have ever seen. Their whole family is so neat and special to us for many reasons. Thanks for inviting us, J, and Happy Birthday!

Saturday morning was a busy and fun one!

This afternoon, The Chef is smoking 3 big pork loins for Room at the Inn at our church tonight. We weren’t scheduled to host again quite yet but The Area Relief Ministries organization that coordinates Room at the Inn called our church because they had just 1 small church scheduled for tonight that could accommodate only 14 homeless men which meant that around 24 men would be in need tonight.

It’s been raining all day and we have a cold front coming through with temps predicted to be in the teens and wind chill factors below zero. I’m so glad our church can help meet a need in this way! We are blessed to have a wonderful large facility with showers, warm food and a warm safe place in which to sleep to offer to these men.

This upcoming week will be a busy one. Class parties, children’s programs, Polar Express Day at school, a Gingerbread Man hunt, birthday snacks at Playschool for The Boss’s upcoming birthday, Kindergarten teacher Christmas party at my house, etc.

At some point I’ll have to start wrapping presents, I suppose!

But for now, I’m going to build a fire in the fireplace and start cleaning fingerprints off the kitchen cabinets. If my fellow K teachers ever had occasion to forget that I am a mother to 5 children, they will no doubt be reminded when they come to my house this week! There’s pretty much evidence of that fact around every corner. (but I wouldn’t have it any other way!)