Montana Girl at Heart

Photo-A-Day 40

2012-02-13T13:00:00.001-05:00

Looking up at Charlie.

Photo-A-Day 39

2012-02-13T12:00:00.000-05:00

Photo-A-Day 38

2012-02-13T11:00:00.000-05:00

Charlie was sick last week with a fever (and now we all have colds). She spent the afternoon snuggled up on the couch watching her favorite show, Super Why!

Photo-A-Day 37

2012-02-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

Photo-A-Day 36

2012-02-12T20:50:00.000-05:00

Go Griz!!!

Photo-A-Day 35

2012-02-12T20:48:00.000-05:00

Photo-A-Day 34

2012-02-12T20:46:00.000-05:00

Photo-A-Day 33

2012-02-12T20:45:00.000-05:00

Photo-A-Day 32

2012-02-12T20:43:00.000-05:00

Snuggle time with Izzy

Photo-A-Day 31

2012-02-12T20:40:00.000-05:00

Griffin and I out for a run.

Photo-A-Day 30

2012-02-12T20:37:00.002-05:00

I Love This!!!

2012-01-31T21:23:00.000-05:00

Bye, Poopies!!!

2012-01-29T23:00:00.000-05:00

Photo-A-Day 29

2012-01-29T22:35:00.000-05:00

Photo by Adam ~ Finn fell asleep in the middle of the floor sucking his thumb.

Photo-A-Day 28

2012-01-29T22:30:00.000-05:00

Photo-A-Day 27

2012-01-29T22:25:00.000-05:00

Photo by Adam ~ Finn fell asleep while he was eating.

Photo-A-Day 26

2012-01-29T22:20:00.000-05:00

Jumping on the trampoline

Photo-A-Day 25

2012-01-29T22:15:00.000-05:00

Photo-A-Day 24

2012-01-29T22:10:00.000-05:00

Swimming!

Photo-A-Day 23

2012-01-29T22:05:00.000-05:00

5 months old!

Photo-A-Day 22

2012-01-29T22:00:00.000-05:00

Photo-A-Day 21

2012-01-22T19:20:00.001-05:00

~Finn's first snow~

Photo-A-Day 20

2012-01-22T19:15:00.001-05:00

Sitting in the high chair!

Photo-A-Day 19

2012-01-22T19:10:00.001-05:00

Charlie's first pair of Pull-ups!

Photo-A-Day 18

2012-01-22T19:05:00.001-05:00

Photo-A-Day 17

2012-01-22T19:00:00.001-05:00

Photo-A-Day 16

2012-01-22T18:55:00.001-05:00

Photo-A-Day 15

2012-01-22T18:50:00.001-05:00

Finn, his fohawk, and the quilt Mimi made

Photo-A-Day 14

2012-01-21T22:15:00.000-05:00

Photo-A-Day 13

2012-01-21T22:05:00.000-05:00

Photo by Adam. He calls this photo: Blue Steel

Photo-A-Day 12

2012-01-21T22:00:00.000-05:00

SHINGLES!!!

Photo-A-Day 11

2012-01-21T21:55:00.000-05:00

Photo-A-Day 10

2012-01-21T21:54:00.001-05:00

Photo by Charlie...of her shadow.

Photo-A-Day 9

2012-01-21T21:50:00.000-05:00

Photo-A-Day 8

2012-01-21T21:45:00.000-05:00

Shingles

2012-01-15T09:29:00.000-05:00

Yep, I have shingles. I finally went to the doctor on Thursday for the diagnosis. My left side had been hurting all week and Wednesday morning I woke up with a rash on my stomach. I am on oral medication for a week. I am also taking ibuprofen for the pain. The prescription medication is just supposed to dry up the gross blistery rash. I can tell when the ibuprofen wears off because my side starts hurting again. It is the weirdest pain. Thankfully I have a mild case.

So now we are hoping Griffin doesn't get chicken pox. Obviously he has already been exposed but I really don't want to deal with a 5 month old that doesn't feel well. Especially when I am not feeling 100%. Charlotte has already received the chicken pox vaccine so she should be in the clear.

Keep posted for the photo-a-day for a picture of my rash!

Photo-A-Day 7

2012-01-08T06:30:00.000-05:00

Photo-A-Day 6

2012-01-08T06:25:00.000-05:00

Photo-A-Day 5

2012-01-08T06:20:00.000-05:00

Photo-A-Day 4

2012-01-08T06:15:00.001-05:00

Photo-A-Day 3

2012-01-08T06:10:00.000-05:00

Photo-A-Day 2

2012-01-08T06:05:00.000-05:00

Photo-A-Day 1

2012-01-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

Project for 2012

2012-01-07T15:09:00.001-05:00

I really want to be a better photographer. I want to completely understand shutter speed, aperture and ISO. I want to know why some of my photos are underexposed or overexposed. I want to know why most pictures of Charlotte are blurry (because she's moving, duh!) and what settings on my camera I need to change to fix this. I want to know how to deal with the lack of light in our living room. I am learning but I am impatient.

I've had my own camera since high school and actually received a film SLR camera as a gift when I graduated from graduate school. That was right at the time when digital cameras were becoming more affordable and I don't think I ever took a single photo with that camera because I didn't understand how it worked. I still have the camera though and hope to learn how to use it (bucket list item?). I bought my first digital camera before my trip to Europe in 2004 and it served me well. As a gift to myself for surviving a year of working on Capitol Hill I bought a big-girl camera - a DSLR. I used this camera for years without really knowing how to use it on any setting other than auto.

When I was on maternity leave with Charlotte I had two goals - run six miles by the time I returned back to work and learn how to use my camera. I accomplished the first goal and made progress on the second goal. Even though I feel like I don't know what I am doing I really have come a long way since September of 2009. Up until this past November I had not taken a photography class. Instead I read books and websites and relied on my friend Kris for knowledge and information.

In November I took a 3 hour class through the Parks and Rec on how to take pictures of children and another 3 hour class on exposure. I am signed up for two more classes this winter and I've also signed up for an on-line class on Photoshop Elements. I am so excited!

One of my New Year's resolutions or goals is to become a better photographer. Therefore I am going to attempt a photo-a-day project. I already take photos everyday but sometimes they stay on my camera for weeks before I download them. I am going to post the pictures here on my blog with the hopes that I will improve as an amateur photographer. Yes, I know I am already behind in this project. I plan to post the pictures a week at a time.

Wish me luck!

Grocery Shopping

2012-01-07T12:33:00.000-05:00

4 months

2012-01-05T12:13:00.000-05:00

Finn turned 4 months on December 23rd. Here is his 4 month photo:

First Day Back

2012-01-03T21:21:00.002-05:00

Today was my first full-day back at work. I left the house at 7, Adam had Charlie and Finn in the morning and his parents watched them this afternoon. I picked them up around 4:30 and we were home at 5pm. Adam came home around 7:15. This will be our schedule most days except only Adam's mom watches the kids unless his dad has a day off like today.

Meal planning is going to be essential for me in addition to packing my lunch the night before. Most everything for the kids is over at Wayne and Nikki's house so we don't have to pack for them which is great. Now I just need to figure out when I can fit in a workout. Hopefully once Finn starts sleeping through the night I can wake up early and get a run in before work. I am just too wiped out in the evening right now. The little man wakes up several times in the night. I am considering joining the gym at work so maybe I could get a work out in on my lunch break. But I don't want to pay for a membership if I am not going to use it.

A New Year

2012-01-01T19:51:00.003-05:00

Of the many "resolutions" or goals I have for this year, one of them is to blog more. I enjoy blogging but it is really hard for me to make time for blogging. I am going to really give it a try this year though. I like being able to share pictures and funny stories with family and friends near and far. And I really like going back and reading the entries myself.

This afternoon Adam and I did a prediction run. The course was 8 kilometers (almost 5 miles). You can start the run any time after 2:30 and the person who finishes closest to 4pm wins. I have no idea who won because we did not stick around for awards - I just wanted to do the run. This is the farthest I've run since July of 2010. I am really slow but it feels great to be running again. Here is a picture of Adam and I after the run.

After the run we went over to Adam's parent's house for dinner. They were watching Charlie and Finn (thank you!). They have a jumperoo (or jumping seat) that Finn goes wild in. He will jump for 20-30 minutes if we let him. I took this cute video of him wanting to fall asleep but then continuing to jump. Enjoy!

3 months old

2011-12-02T17:11:00.005-05:00

Griffin is growing like a weed! I ordered these cute stickers that can be put on a onesie. Here are pictures from the last three months.

One week old

Gobble Gobble

2011-11-24T20:32:00.005-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Just a quick update of our day. This morning we took Charlie and Finn for our own family Turkey Trot. We ran 3.2 miles and it was great. This has been the farthest I've run since the marathon in July of 2010. I have been slow getting back into running but I really want to be careful not to hurt myself again. I was surprised at how good I felt on the run. It gives me hope that soon I will be running 8-10 miles on the weekends again.

When we got back from the run Charlie wanted to play in the back of the truck. I took the opportunity to get a quick video of her :)

gobble gobble from Jennifer Rutz on Vimeo.

Finn is doing really well. I weighed him on Tuesday and he weighs 14 pounds 10 ounces. Charlie weighed 12 pounds at 3 months so he is growing like a weed. Overall he is doing great. I just wished he would sleep for longer stretches at night.

We went over to Adam's parents house for dinner this afternoon. It was a great, laid back day. Of course I ate way too much food but it was so good. Finn was able to take a little cat nap at the end of dinner.

We ended the day by watching the Miami Dolphins lose to the Dallas Cowboys. I am not much of a football fan but Adam LOVES the Dolphins (which is difficult considering their win/loss record over the past couple years). It was a good game and Adam really enjoyed being able to watch it on television because it is usually not televised in this area.
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. My day was as close to perfect as they come.

Failed Potty Training Attempt #1

2011-11-06T19:15:00.000-05:00

We have not been pressuring Charlotte to be potty trained. For months now, before her bath she will go to the bathroom in the "big girl potty". There have been a few times when she has come to us and let us know she needs to go potty. When she is swimming she will get out of the pool, go the the corner to poop (in her swim diaper) and won't get back in the pool until she is changed. She has yet to poop in the big girl potty. We don't pressure her and actually are not very consistent about asking her if she needs to go to the bathroom.

A friend of mine has a daughter a few months older that Charlotte. One day this past summer Elizabeth told her mom that she no longer wanted to wear her diaper. From that day on she Elizabeth has been potty trained. This included a 6 hour car ride to Vermont with no accidents.

I had also read a blog where the author's daughter (again a few months older than Charlotte) woke up one morning and said she wanted to wear her big girl panties and went the day without having an accident. This got me thinking. Charlotte didn't have any big girls panties.

I wasn't fooling myself. I didn't think Charlotte would be potty trained over night but I thought big girl panties might give her some motivation. So this morning I went to Target and bought a package of princess panties. I have tried to steer Charlotte away from princesses but I have given up. She loves them. I brought them home and we opened them together. She unfolded each one and seemed very excited. She then had to try on each pair. Finally, she decided that she needed to wear all seven pairs at once.

Charlotte had already pooped earlier in the day and usually only goes once a day so I wasn't worried about her pooping in them. Adam and I told her at least 25 times that princess don't like to get peed on and she needed to let one of us know that she needed to use the bathroom. I was half expecting her to pee in the panties but thought no big deal.

After about 20 minutes of wearing the princess panties Charlotte told Adam she needed to poop. He went to the bathroom and got everything set up for her to use the potty. When he took off her panties she had already gone! There was poop EVERYWHERE! I was taking a shower upstairs so Adam was stuck with the mess. I found the situation kind of funny. Adam however was not amused. And Charlotte wasn't even phased.

At least we tried, right?

I'm Back

2011-11-03T20:37:00.000-04:00

Where did the month of October go? Ugggh! I am going to try to be better about updating this blog but no promises. During the month of October we did a lot of fun stuff that I hope to write about: picking out pumpkins at Larriland Farms, my sister's visit, our trip to Montana, and of course, Halloween.

Griffin is doing great and getting better each day. He has been a very fussy baby and the pediatrician actually said he has colic. I did a bit of reading about colic and one definition is colic is a five letter word for 'I don't know." What I do know is Griffin has a lot of trouble going to the bathroom and really has to work at it. He also has a lot of gas. This means that he will be sleeping, have gas or need to go to the bathroom, wake up, be in discomfort, not be able to go to the bathroom, be overly tired and then cry. It is really difficult to see him in discomfort and not be able to help. We've taken him to the chiropractor (not sure that helped), we give him gripe water and also put a warm rice bag on his belly. There are certain position that he likes to be held that helps him with his gas.

Just this past week he has started taking naps in his swing during the day. There was a couple weeks where he napped on me because it was the only way I could get him to stay asleep. Thankfully we have moved beyond that stage.

I also stopped eating dairy, soy, fish, and nuts for a couple weeks to see if his discomfort was caused from food sensitives. I really didn't think the cause was my diet was and while I didn't follow the restricted diet 100% neither Adam or I saw a difference.

As I said earlier, Griffin is doing really well and really does get better each day. He was fussy today but Monday through Wednesday of this week he was great. The pediatrician said that slowly the good days will outnumber the bad days. Most colicky babies show definite improvement by the third or forth month so we are more than half way!

So while there have been difficult moments, there are also moments where he is happy and just so cute. He is smiling and cooing more and more. Yesterday I took this adorable picture of him:

It reminded me of this picture of Charlotte at about the same age:

So there is a brief recap of our lives. I am really going to try to update the blog more often. Happy November everyone!

1 Month Old

2011-09-24T20:35:00.004-04:00

Yesterday Griffin turned 1 month old. In some ways this past month seems to have flown by and in other ways it has felt like a year. Overall, Griffin is a very good baby. He is not at chill as he used to be but I take that as a good thing as he is checking out his environment more and more and becoming more aware.

For Griffin there doesn't seem to be an in between. He is either content or mad. He goes from being completely fine to FEED ME NOW in less than half a second. I hope this is not a sign of things to come because I don't have a lot of patience and neither does Charlie. Adam has enough for Charlie and I but I am not so sure he has enough for Griffin too.

Days can be long because sometimes the only way I can get him to nap is on me. While this is nice because it forces me to take a break too, mentally it is difficult for me because I stuck there thinking of all the things that need to get done around the house. I have started putting him in the front carrier so I can still be mobile and he can sleep too. Although today he took a 2 1/2 hour nap in the bassinet so I really can't complain.

The best part though is Griffin falls asleep around 7:30 or 8pm and will sleep for 2 1/2 or 3 hours. This is usually his longest stretch of sleep. It is nice because Charlie goes to sleep around the same time so I have the evenings to myself. I probably should sleep too but I don't. It is my time to catch up on things around the house or sometimes just watch TV. Throughout the night he sleeps 2-3 hours at a time and usually goes right back to sleep. Thankfully he doesn't take after his sister and scream from 3-5 am.

On another note I have run twice since Griffin was born. I try to go for walks a couple times a week but there were two occasions when I was able to go for a walk/run by myself. IT WAS GLORIOUS!!! I haven't run since the marathon (July 2011). I really love running and it has been difficult to be away from it for so long. The first time I started out I did two miles (very slowly). We have a loop near our house that is exactly 1 mile. I walked for two minutes, jogged for 1 minute and did two laps. It was great on so many levels. One it was nice just to run. It had been so long. It was nice to be alone with my thoughts. And it was nice to know that I still love running. My body did really well too. Much better than I expected. Yes, I am more jiggly in areas that I would like but I know with time that will go away. I am taking a very slow, cautious approach when it comes to running because I don't want to get injured again. But I am already thinking of some of the local races I want to do next year.

Also on the running front, last weekend we bought a double stroller. We had been contemplating what kind to get and finally decided on a double BOB. I found one used and I think we got a pretty good deal. It was barely ever used and is in really good shape. However, this thing is a monster! It is so heavy and is so wide it doesn't fit though the door frame of our house. We haven't tried yet but I am really hoping that it fits in the trunk of my car. But it is perfect for Charlie and Griffin and the areas we like to walk. Adam will be able to run with both of them in the stroller and hopefully I will get to the point were I can too. We have a single BOB stroller too which we still use. Charlie sits in the stroller and Adam or I wear Griffin in a front pack. But the double BOB will allow us to take both of the kids running.

Obviously it has been an adjustment having two kids but we are surviving and each day is getting a little bit easier. I am not wishing away Griffin's time as a newborn but I really have my sights set on the three month mark - more smiles, more interaction, a little more independent and hopefully a little more sleep!

1 month old!

The maiden voyage with the beast - the double BOB

Sleeping boy

Smiling boy

1 Week Old

2011-08-30T22:15:00.000-04:00

I really can't believe it has already been 1 week since Griffin was born! This past week has gone by so fast and I can honestly say it is not because I am sleep deprived. Griffin, or Finn as we like to call him, is such a good baby! So far he sleeps great at night. I really hope he continues that trend. Last night I got up with him at 1 am, 4am, and 7am. I just nurse him and he goes back to sleep. I actually feel human!

Finn is the polar opposite of Charlie. Charlie cried A LOT and always had to be held. I am not trying to jinx myself but Finn just seems chill and calm. He sleeps a lot which I hear is what newborns typically do. I wouldn't know because Charlie would literally sleep 20 minutes at a time 3 times a day. Other than that she was a awake.

Part of the reason Finn sleeps a lot is because he was/is jaundice. Yesterday we had his blood checked and his bilirubin had gone down. He is pooping and peeing more too which is a good sign. His next appointment is Thursday so hopefully his weight continues to go up. I know he may not always stay like this but right now I am counting my blessings. Tonight at dinner Adam said, "I am not taking these past 6 days for granted!" Although, I've been told this is what newborns are supposed to do. I wouldn't know. I have never experienced this before.

Adam started working half days this week. All of us spend the morning together, Adam then drops Charlie off at Grandma's, Adam goes to work in the afternoon and Finn and I hang out. Actually, both yesterday and today we had a little photo shoot. I love photography and really want to become a better photographer. I am using cute little Finn as an excuse to learn. He is so easy to get to sleep and then I just start taking pictures. He prefers to sleep on his back so I haven't been able to take many stomach shots although I did get a good one today. It is so much fun to play around as he sleeps. I was NEVER able to do anything like that with Charlie. If I ever did get her to sleep I would just sit there and watch her because if I made any noise whatsoever she would wake up. I know one day Charlie is going to say to us, "Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know. Finn was the good baby and I was the cranky baby!" Adam and I are just so amazed at the difference.

Here are some pictures from this past week:

Charlie reading stories to Finn

On his way to his first pediatrician's appointment.

Charlie holding Finn for the first time.

A sample of yesterday's photo shoot.

Griffin Bryan Rutz

2011-08-28T20:37:00.000-04:00

Griffin Bryan Rutz arrived Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 9:45 pm. The day was full of excitement. That afternoon we experienced a 5.9 earthquake. I was at work and was trying to figure out if I was having a contraction or if my office building really was shaking. My building was evacuated to check for structural damage so I went home, grabbed Izzy, went and picked up Charlie from my mother-in-law and we all went for a walk. On our walk, Izzy was stung in the butt (and by butt I mean poop hole) by a wasp. Adam had to meet us at the park because Izzy would not walk. He took her to the vet and $120 later and a cortisone shot she was fine. All of this happened as I started having contractions.

We started timing contractions about 6pm and by 8:45 we were ready to leave for the birthing center (my in-laws had already come to pick up Charlie). It is a 30 minute drive to the birthing center and I seriously thought I was going to have the baby in the car. I stopped counting after 6 contractions but I probably had at least 10 contractions in this 30 minute time frame. I really had to concentrate on not pushing. Adam and I didn't say much to each other during this time but I do remember saying, "No more babies" and his response was, "Yes, ma'am." I also told him to drive faster :)

We arrived at the birthing center at 9:15 and I was fully dilated. They told me not to push until the nurse arrived. I think the nurse arrive 5-10 minutes later and Griffin was born at 9:45. We are just now getting over how quickly he was born. When he was born he was 20 inches long and weighed 7 lbs. 13 oz.

Overall, things are going well although he is jaundice and we had to take him to the doctor yesterday and today to have his bilirubin checked. We have another appointment tomorrow because it did increase from yesterday to today. But he also gained 4 ounces since Friday (currently at 7 lbs. 8 oz) so hopefully things are improving.

We weathered hurricane Irene just fine. Our power stayed on but there are a lot of people without power in our area. Tomorrow was supposed to be the first day of school for kids in our area but it has been cancelled. Needless to say this past week has been very exciting for us. I am hoping for a more boring week this week :)

Here are some pics of the little man:

Not too bad of a picture considering it was 3 in the morning!

Just being cute!

Adam, Charlie and Finn

The Big 4-0!

2011-08-19T15:31:00.002-04:00

Yep, that's right. Today I hit the 40 week mark in my pregnancy. I really thought I would of had this little guy by now but obviously he has a different plan in mind. I am not too concerned as Charlie was born at 41 weeks. I had an appointment this morning and everything is fine. I haven't progressed much since last week although I did lose a pound and a half (which is completely normal). I have to say, it is nice to see the scale move in the other direction after nine months of gaining weight! I am scheduled for a sonogram next Thursday to make sure the amniotic fluid is okay and then I have an appointment at the birthing center for a non-stress test. I did all of these appointments with Charlie too so I am not concerned.

This past week I took it a bit easier. I went to work Monday through Thursday although I only worked 4-5 hours a day, except for yesterday when I worked 7 hours. It was nice to concentrate on something other than when is this baby going to get here. I plan to do the same thing next week if I don't have the baby this weekend.

Things I Never Thought I'd Hear My Husband Say

2011-08-16T20:38:00.001-04:00

"Charlotte, please don't wipe your booger on the window."

More Pictures From the Houseboat

2011-08-14T14:00:00.030-04:00

As mentioned in the previous post, over the 4th of July, Adam, Charlie and I spent five days on a houseboat in Pennsylvania with Adam's family. We all had a great time! Here are some more pictures from our vacation:

Charlie and Adam standing next to the houseboat

The Willems' kids (Dani, Nathan and Vivian)

When I was in Montana, my mom helped me make these bandana pants for the girls. They were a huge hit and a lot of fun to make. I got the pattern here.

Vivian, Charlie and Dani waiting for the fireworks show to begin.

Charlie showing me what fireworks do in the sky.

Five minutes after the fireworks began :)

Charlie, the water girl!

Adam helped Charlie catch her first fish.

Vivian's fish

Dani's fish

Charlie waiting for s'mores.

Charlie's first s'mores. She was a sticky mess but not as bad as I expected.

Dani, a happy little girl.

The Rutz/Willems' Gang

Adam, Charlie and me (I am 34 weeks pregnant in this photo)

The grandkids. Charlie is not very happy because Nathan is touching her.

Didn't you know, boys have cooties!!!

We hadn't even left the lake area before Charlie fell asleep.

She was one tired little girl.

The Houseboat

2011-08-09T06:00:00.001-04:00

In July, Adam's parents rented a houseboat and we joined them along with Adam's sister and her family. We spent the 4th of July on the boat and it was a lot of fun. Here are a few videos:

Charlie Spinning and Swimming from Jennifer Rutz on Vimeo.

Adam and Charlie on waterslide from Jennifer Rutz on Vimeo.

Both Adam and I were a little nervous about letting her go down the slide. There is about a three foot drop from the end of the slide until you hit the water. As you can see, she loved it. Adam tried to take her down the slide a second time but she kept saying "No!" I thought she didn't want to go down at all but Adam figured out she wanted to go down by herself. Crazy girl!

Charlie Going Down the Water Slide Solo from Jennifer Rutz on Vimeo.

More Pictures From Our Montana Trip

2011-08-08T05:11:00.000-04:00

I am really behind in posting pictures from this summer. Here are some from our trip to Montana (in no particular order):

Helping Grandpa rake pine needles

The carousel with Aunt Heather. Someone looks really excited, somone not so much!

The carousel with me. Motion is not my friend!

Taking Millie for a walk.

At Out to Lunch at Caras Park with her new friend, Owen.

Her other new friends, Mya and Brady.

Practicing her dives and jumps off the couch since it was too cold to go swimming.

The carousel with Grandpa. Grandpa thought he could stand next to her but they made him get on a horse. Thankfully they both survived!

The return flight home. She slept for two plus hours!!!

Out to dinner with Grandma and Grandpa.

Catching some zzz's with Luca.

Visiting my friend Alicia's chicken coop.

Hanging out at my friend Alicia's.

Tuckered out!

Watching Lady and Tramp on the plane.

Checking out the Farmer's Market in Missoula

Disbelief

2011-08-07T15:44:00.000-04:00

Then:

Now:

Hollywood

2011-08-06T14:00:00.002-04:00

My New Favorite Website

2011-08-03T06:52:00.001-04:00

When I was visiting my family in Montana this summer my sister introduced me to this cool quote website. It is called Bits of Truth...All Quotes ( http://bitsotruth.blogspot.com/) and I love it! Here are a few of my favorites:

23 Months and the 5-Week Window

2011-08-01T09:06:00.001-04:00

First, today Charlie turns 23 months old. It is so hard to believe that in less on month I will have a two year old and a newborn. That is just too crazy for me to think about for too long. Honestly, the first year of Charlie’s life seemed to go by in a doable fashion but this last year has just flown by. She really is growing up too fast.

This past Friday, July 31, marked the 37th week of this pregnancy. This also means I have the green light to deliver at the birthing center. I delivered Charlie at a birthing center and thought it was a very positive experience. I really want to deliver this little guy in a non-hosptial setting to. To be able to deliver at the birthing center I have to be between 37 and 42 weeks – thus the 5-week window. Charlie was born at 41 weeks so hopefully this little guy does not push the limit that close this time. Plus it would be nice to have a couple weeks between their birthdays.

I think we are as ready as we can be right now. Our bags our packed and all the baby stuff is set up. The only thing left is the name. We thought we had a name but after some discussions this weekend, we are on the fence. With Charlie, we went to the birthing center with three names and then chose Charlotte once we saw her. We will probably do the same with this one.

For the last two weeks I have been working 4/10’s and taking Friday’s off. I have my weekly midwife appointment on Fridays so it works out well. It is also really nice to have a three day weekend. I plan to work until August 11th and then see how I feel from there. I have been feeling pretty good considering so hopefully it stays like that.

Heat Wave

2011-07-25T07:41:00.003-04:00

It has been miserably hot in Baltimore for the last couple days. We have all been suffering, especially Charlie who has been dealing with a heat rash. By the time we take her from the house to the car, face, neck and chest is red and splotchy. She doesn't seem to mind but it look horrible.

Yesterday, we took a trip to the local Baskin Robbins. The store wasn't as cool inside as we would have liked but at least we got out of the house. Charlie really enjoyed her strawberry ice cream!

Montana Recap (Part 1)

2011-06-28T07:56:00.000-04:00

So many pictures, so little time! Between my mom and I, we took so many pictures while we were in Montana. I am still going through all of them. Here are a few from the cabin at Georgetown Lake. It was cold up there but we still had a great time!

Exploring the property.

Sampling Heather's awesome Asian Noodle Salad.

Charlie wanted to be just like Uncle Paul and have her legs up a chair too!

Modeling Uncle Paul's hat.

Charlie's New Trick

2011-06-26T21:29:00.000-04:00

For the past few days Charlie has been walking around with her fingers crossed, but only on her left hand.

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T20:28:00.000-04:00

We took Charlie kayaking today and had a great time! Here are a few pictures from our adventure:

We Survived!

2011-06-17T19:36:00.002-04:00

Charlie and I made it to and from Montana safely. It was a very quick week and Charlie did amazing. She was awesome on the plane, both to and from. And she did great in Montana - from sleeping in a pack-n-play to being around a bunch of new people. I plan to update this blog with pictures and more details of our trip but just wanted everyone to know we survived!

I'm Back!

2011-06-06T05:00:00.002-04:00

I missed blogging more than I thought I would so I have decided to starting updating this blog again.

Here are some things that have happened in our lives in the last 4 months:

We planted a garden. Currently we are growing strawberries, tomatoes, bell peppers, peanuts, herbs, broccoli, sweet potatoes, watermelon, zucchini, acorn squash, onions, lettuce, and green beans. This has been a fun project for Adam and me. It has also been nice to involve Charlie with the project. Technically, the peanut plants belong to her. A vendor a the Farmer's Market gave them to her. She planted them and helps Adam water all of the plants.

In March, Adam tiled the kitchen while Charlie and I visited his sister's family in Tulsa, OK. As with most projects, it lasted a lot longer than either of us anticipated. We are both happy with the end result though.

In the beginning of April, Charlie had her first real illness, an ear infection. The number one system that she was not feeling well is she wanted to cuddle. Seriously.

In April, we traveled to New Jersey for a wedding. It was a lot of driving and a quick weekend but nice to see family we had not seen in a while. When we return on Sunday, I went to the Minute Clinic and came home with antibiotics for a sinus infection. No fun!

Adam came down with a sinus infection the following week.

The month of May was spent getting health again and doing stuff around the house.

I just finished the best book, "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver. I really, really enjoyed this book. I read it for book club so I will find out tomorrow night what everyone else thought of it. But I really liked it (did I already say that?) I borrowed it from the library but want to buy a copy to own. I could easily see myself reading this book yearly.

Charlie and I are flying to Montana this Friday. Adam is staying home to install wood floors in our living/dining room area. I am so excited to visit my family! The plane ride will be interesting but Charlie and I went to Target this weekend and bought some new activities (flash cards, coloring books, stickers) and snacks for the plane. We also have a portable DVD player and Charlie LOVES to watch 101 Dalmatians and The Lady and the Tramp. The plane ride will certainly be an adventure but I think we will be just fine.

Pregnancy Update

Not much to report other than my official due date is August 19, making me 29 weeks.

So far I have been feeling really good. I am not working out as much as much as I would like although Charlie keeps me very active :) I have been swimming a bit and trying to walk a couple times a week. Last week's heat wave sent me indoors but I am planning to take Izzy and Charlie for a walk this evening.

This little guy is quite the mover and shaker. This makes Adam and I a little worried. Do not get us wrong, we want him to be a healthy baby but if Charlie is our "calm" child...God help us.

Finally, a picture of our little fish:

The End of the Road

2011-02-06T12:21:00.003-05:00

Lately, I have been struggling with the concept of this blog. I want to be able to share the events and highlights of our life without the updates being available to everyone in the world.

Therefore, I have decided to end this blog. I may restart it in the future but right it just feels like one more thing on my to do list. Instead of blogging, I now plan to send periodic e-mail updates about our life to friends and family.

Snow Day

2011-01-27T19:53:00.008-05:00

This storm was not as bad as last year but it did allow me to have a free day off from work. It could have been much worse for us. Last night there were over 100,000 homes without power in the DC area and 50,000 in the Baltimore area because the snow was so wet and heavy. There were many trees that fell onto power lines. Also, tonight on the news the newscaster said he left the station last night at 6pm and didn't get home until 3am! Many of the cars couldn't make it up hills, several tractor trailers jack-knifed and many people simply abandoned their vehicles and walked home. Thankfully we were all home, safe and sound.

Here are a few pictures:

our back deck

Izzy searching for a bathroom spot - notice the broken tree in the background

Charlie in the snow

We didn't stay outside long - she got cold fast

She loved hanging out in the bed of Adam's truck

Playing with play-doh after getting warmed up

I think playing outside wore her out because she took a 3 hour nap this afternoon!

Goodnight Kisses

2011-01-18T11:31:00.000-05:00

Welcome to 2011

2011-01-11T19:18:00.001-05:00

I can't believe it is already the second week of 2011! I was so proud of myself at the beginning of December. I finished all of our Christmas shopping in the first week, we put up the tree, and I was prepared and ready for the holidays. Then Adam had hip surgery, my parents came out for a week, and now it is the second week in January. Our tree is still up, laundry is piled high and I feel soooo behind.

I am slowly trying to get caught up. I have felt behind every minute of 2011. I have a three day weekend this weekend (thank you MLK, Jr.) and I hope to get control of my life one again.

In the mean time, here is a quick review of the past couple weeks:

Charlie's love for cardboard boxes blossomed. Here she is in her 'ready' position waiting to be pulled around the living room.

Charlie soon learned that my dad is just a little kid at heart. He did all pushing/pulling of the cardboard boxes and her toy lion.

Charlie also learned that not only is my dad a giant kid at heart, he also loves junk food - and is willing to share. Cheetos, ice cream cake, you name it, these two ate it.

Here is a close up of the mark on her left eye she got on Christmas Eve. We took her to the park in the afternoon and the slide won. Thankfully it did not turn into a black eye.

The traditional Christmas Eve photo.

Who needs toys on Christmas morning when there are cardboard boxes!

Hanging out with Grandma and her new pink Superman pajamas from Aunt Heather.

Sushi for New Year's Eve dinner.

For Christmas Santa brought us a membership to the Maryland Zoo. It was a cold and rainy day but we made the most of it. We did see animals although the only ones we took pictures of were of the two-legged variety.

Walking around the zoo like she owned the place.

This is her look letting us know that she is done with the zoo. Time to go home for a nap.

Last but not least, playing in her new tunnel Grandma Nikki and Oompa gave her for Christmas.

The Patient is Doing Well

2010-12-16T05:48:00.003-05:00

This has been a very busy week for us (I feel like I say that in every blog entry). Monday morning Adam had surgery on his hip. It was orthoscopic surgery to repair his labrum. He fractured his hip about 6 years ago and it never healed correctly. Over the past year it has progressively gotten worse so this surgery was supposed to get rid of the pain and basically fix the hip.

Overall the surgery went very well. Adam was uncomfortable after the surgery but has not been in as much pain as either one of us thought he would be. The doctor told me they even had to smooth out sections of the hip bone which would cause him a lot pain. He is taking Percocet but still feels pretty good. He isn't taking the full dose and last night didn't wake up to take more (he can take pain meds every 4-6hours). He has a follow-up appointment with the doctor next Tuesday and starts physical therapy next week too. He should be cleared to drive next week too.

before the surgery - lookin' good!

after surgery - he was starving and kept asking for a burrito

practicing on crutches before being released

later that afternoon

the best healing medicine

These next photos are not for those with a weak stomachs. Adam was able to shower and change the dressing last night. We were both very interested to see the incision and stitches but neither one of us expected this. Adam has a very strong stomach and he even was queasy after changing the dressing. My stomach flipped before I even looked!

so gross!

I could never be in the medical profession - disgusting

The same day as Adam's surgery Charlie fell and scraped her nose. She already had a monster bruise on her forehead from falling this past weekend. I took her to Target on Tuesday and a lady told me, "It looks like you beat her up, but we know you didn't." Some people! Thank goodness we had her Christmas pictures taken last week.

Here are a few more pictures of Charlie. Last night she was walking around with a picture of Heather's dog Luca wearing Adam's hat. So cute!

Finally, Adam's parents bought me an underwater for Christmas. They gave it to me early so I could take it to Costa Rica. We took Charlie swimming on Sunday and took a few pictures. Here is one of my favorites. I love that she even smiles under water!

Santa

2010-12-03T13:25:00.004-05:00

Things have been busy here which is why I haven't updated the blog lately. Adam and I spent the week of Thanksgiving in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. We attended the wedding of one of our friends. We had a great time but we were very happy to return home. Charlie stayed with Adam's parents and did great. Actually, we all did really well with the separation. Adam's mom was great about e-mailing pictures of Charlie.

Once we returned back home we basically hit the ground running. Last week was tough just trying to get back into work mode, getting used to this cold weather and preparing for Christmas. I took last Friday off of work and the three of us spent some quality time together.

Charlie had her Christmas pictures taken and then we stopped by to visit Santa. I wasn't going to wait around if there was a line but thankfully we arrived right when Santa did. We were second in line. Charlie didn't cry but was not interested in sitting on Santa's lap. We hadn't planned it but the photo op turned into a cute family picture.

Happy Birthday Izzy!

2010-11-18T06:02:00.000-05:00

Izzy turns 3 years old today!

Walkersville Southern Railroad

2010-11-03T07:03:00.000-04:00

This past weekend we drove to Walkersville, MD (about an hour away from our house). The track was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1872. Charlotte slept through the majority of the train ride. Even though it was a cold ride we still had fun.

Trick or Treat!

2010-11-01T12:22:00.001-04:00

We had a great weekend although I am exhausted. We don't have any plans next weekend and I am looking forward to it!

Earlier this week we carved pumpkins. Actually, Adam did most of the carving while I gave Charlotte a bath. We tried to get a picture with Charlotte and the pumpkin but she kept grabbing it and pulling it into her lap.

The finished product!

Yesterday the mom's group had a party for all the little kids. Charlotte was a kangaroo.

I love this photo sequence. We tried to get a group shot of the kids in costume on the couch. Some kids were not happy! It seemed like whenever someone placed their child next to Charlotte they started crying. She did really well though. She never started crying but once the majority of the kids were crying she started to get a worried look on her face.

Later that evening we went trick or treating (two houses). One of the houses was our friend Pam. Every year she dresses as Madam Veruschka and tells fortunes.

Getting her fortune told:

The crystal ball never lies!

Charlotte did really well. There was spooky music and goblins and ghosts howling (or whatever goblins and ghosts do). At one point she walked up to a skulls and pushed it over.

Pig Tails!!!

2010-10-29T16:58:00.002-04:00

Tug of War

2010-10-25T05:56:00.000-04:00

Tug from Jennifer Rutz on Vimeo.

Fall Festival

2010-10-18T06:49:00.017-04:00

Larriland Farms might be my favorite place on Earth! Everytime we go there we have the best time. We visited the farm in August to pick peaches, blackberries and tomatoes. This past weekend we went to pick pumpkins during their Fall Festival. It was a perfect day with the sun shinning and a beautiful blue sky.

Once we arrived we had to take a few pictures:

They had a small pen of chickens and goats. Charlie loves animals and was very excited to watch the goats:

Then it was time for the hayride. It was a tractor drawn 20 minute wagon ride.

Time for more photos!

The cutest Frankenstein I have ever seen!

We also visited Larriland Farms last year during their Fall Festival. Last night I looked through some of those pictures. It is so amazing how much difference a year makes.

Here is Charlie last year posing for her picture and not too happy!

And here she is this year:

Another picture of Charlie in the pumpkin past last year:

And this year:

Our family picture last year. Look at how little she was! (We could not get her socks to stay on, hence the bare feet).

And then this year:

Happy Fall everyone! I love this time of year!

Up Close and Personal

2010-10-14T07:45:00.000-04:00

Charlotte has learned that when I take her picture she can see herself on the back of the camera. So now, whenever she sees me with the camera in my hand she rushes towards me. I kiddingly told my mom yesterday that Charlotte has become quite narcissistic! The problem is it makes it very difficult to get a picture of Charlotte where she is not taking up the entire photo.

Yesterday she looked very cute in a new dress and I wanted to get a picture. I tried for about 10 minutes but the pictures below were the best I could do. I could get her to focus her attention on something else but when she saw the camera she came running towards me. It doesn't help that the camera has a bit of a delay. The result was all the pictures pretty much looked the same.

More Pictures

2010-10-08T06:50:00.014-04:00

This blog is quickly becoming more about Charlotte than it is about me! Oh well, I wanted to share some professional pictures we had taken a few weeks ago. This photoshoot went much better than her newborn photoshoot even though it was 95 degrees and very humid. Charlotte did great and the photographer was awesome. The pictures were taken at a park near our house. Here are some of my favorites:

Where Has September Gone?

2010-10-02T09:59:00.001-04:00

Wow! What happened to September? It completely got away from me. We had a great month here marking some memorable milestones including Charlie's first birthday and my 34th (gulp). Here is a quick synopsis of our month in photos:

The birthday girl:

Adam and I took the day off of work to celebrate Charlotte's birthday. We took her to lunch at a sushi restaurant near our house. She had been there before and the staff LOVES here. We usually bring her own food but this time she ordered from the menu. Here she is eating an avocado and cucumber roll:

Here she is opening her birthday presents in her birthday suit (well, almost). She received her first camera!

Adam's mom made Charlotte her birthday cake. Charlotte LOVES puppy dogs and loved her cake:

We had a small party for her:

Digging in to her first piece of cake:

A couple weeks ago we went to the Maryland Renaissance Festival. It was a lot of fun this year. Adam's mom bought her a pair of fairy wings:

Watching one of the shows:

Waiting to ride the elephant:

Thankfully the weather is getting cooler. It was a long, hot summer! One Saturday morning Adam, Charlotte and I took Izzy for a walk at the park near our house:

(I love her hair in this picture!)

Now that she is 12 months and 20 pounds we were able to turn her car seat around. This is much better for everyone:

Trying on her new winter coat. Thanks Gramma Michelle and Grandpa Dale!

Burritos anyone?

We still try to go swimming once a week. Here she is in her new swimming suit from Aunt Heather. As you can tell she loves it!

Playing in the backyard:

Reading with Fred and Cleo. She received both of these stuffed animals for her birthday. Fred is the brown one, Cleo the yellow.

Happy October everyone!

The Writer's Almanac

2010-10-01T12:55:00.002-04:00

I loved poetry and literature when I was in high school and college. Growing up, there were times I thought about becoming a writer but I am too Type A and I knew being a writer didn't produce a steady income. I am happy in my current job but I have always thought if I quit I would become a high school literature teacher. But that probably will never happen.

There is a show on NPR hosted by Garrison Keillor called The Writer's Almanac. It allows me entry into that world that has become somewhat foreign. The show is only five minutes long from 6:35-6:40 am. If I time it right I can listen to the show while I am driving to work. I love the days this happens.

This week I was able to listen to The Writer's Almanac twice and one of the poems really stuck with me. I found the poem funny. I am not sure if the author meant it to be funny but the last line makes me smile.

Clara: In the Post Office
by Linda Hasselstron

I keep telling you, I'm not a feminist.
I grew up an only child on a ranch,
so I drove tractors, learned to ride.
When the truck wouldn't start, I went to town
for parts. The man behind the counter
told me I couldn't rebuild a carburetor.
I could: every carburetor on the place. That's
necessity, not feminism.
I learned to do the books
after my husband left me and the debts
and the children. I shoveled snow and pitched hay
when the hired man didn't come to work.
I learned how to pull a calf
when the vet was too busy. As I thought,
the cow did most of it herself; they've been
birthing alone for ten thousand years. Does
that make them feminists?
It's not
that I don't like men; I love them - when I can.
But I've stopped counting on them
to change my flats or open my doors.
That's not feminism; that's just good sense.

A Year in Photos

2010-09-13T19:38:00.000-04:00

CMR 1 Year Video from Jennifer Rutz on Vimeo.

Happy Birthday Little Miss Charlotte!!!

2010-09-01T09:48:00.002-04:00

Charlie turns 1 today. It is amazing how much she has grown over the last year!

24 Hours of Booty!!!

2010-08-30T17:55:00.000-04:00

This weekend Adam, Charlie and I participated in 24 Hours of Booty. I had originally signed up for this event as a training ride for the half ironman I was going to do in October. But since I can't do that race due to my injury I still decided to make the most of this event.

I have only been swimming so I didn't want to overdo it on the bike. The event started at 1pm and Adam and I rode together for the first hour. I took it nice and easy. It was really hot and humid so we stopped after an hour to get something to drink. The event was on a 2 mile loop so stopping was very convenient. Our team had a bunch of tents sent up so we were able to set our chairs up in the shade. Bootyville was the area that supplied water, poweraid, peanut butter and banana sandwiches (yum!), pretzels, and a lot of other goodies.

After our break we rode for another hour or so. Charlie was at Adam's parents taking her afternoon nap. Once she woke up Wayne and Nikki brought her to the event so she could join us.

Here is Grandma Nikki making sure she was properly hydrated before the ride:

A family photo:

Adam and Charlie:

Everyone is having fun!

Charlie took her helmet off within the first mile. Since the course was closed to cars we were not worried. Here she is at the end of her 24 Minutes of Booty!!!

Next year I would love to be able to stay for the entire event and maybe even ride 100+ miles!

Summer Fun

2010-08-23T06:11:00.014-04:00

Saturday, my good friend Joe and I took Charlie to Larriland Farms. I love this place. We picked tomatoes, blackberries, apples and peaches. Charlie did great all day and was absolutely adorable picking peaches. Here she is with Joe:

She couldn't quite pick the fruit. She could get a grasp on the peach but did have the coordination to pick the fruit so we helped her.

I helped her pick a peach and she immediately took a huge bite out of it!

So I plopped her down on the ground and let her enjoy a freshly picked peach.

I jokingly said she looked like she had been raised by wolves because of her enthusiasm eating the peach.

She ate half a peach on her own. I could hear her bottom two teeth grinding against the peach pit.

The girl loves peaches!

I love this photo. I think this was when we were picking blackberries.

I know it was taken at the beginning of the day because she is still somewhat clean (although I can see blackberries on her shirt). By the end of the day our clothes we were both covered in blackberries and peach juice!

Yesterday I took her swimming with my mother-in-law Nikki. I still try to take her once a week but last week I think between Adam, Nikki and I she swam four days! Here is a video of her fearlessness.

Water Baby from Jennifer Rutz on Vimeo.

Charlie is 11 months old!

2010-08-07T21:47:00.002-04:00

What Are We Thinking?

2010-07-30T07:25:00.008-04:00

This afternoon Adam, Charlie, Izzy and I are joining Adam's parents and his two nieces for a weekend at Rocky Gap State Park. Yes, that's right, we are taking an 11 month old tent camping. Two months ago when we reserved the campground spot it seemed like such a good idea. Now I am not so sure. We are bringing the pack-n-play so hopefully Charlie will sleep. She has been sleeping really well lately so I have hope. In fact, Wednesday night she slept from 6:45 pm to 8:45 am!!! 14 hours! There was a time when I thought a night like that would NEVER happen. I will make sure to post some pictures of our adventures when we return. Until then, here are some pictures from this past week.

Charlie helping Adam get my old road bike ready to sell.

The girl is walking all over the place now.

An afternoon at the pool with her cousins.

One of my favorite pictures ever! Thanks Grandma Nikki for taking this one!

And now for some Friday humor...do you see a resemblance? We do :)

Jon Gruden

A Hitch in My Giddy-Up

2010-07-28T11:22:00.000-04:00

A few weeks prior to the marathon I was experiencing tightness in my right hip. It was not unbearable but it was obvious something was wrong. A few times I would go for a run and I would limp for the first mile or so until things loosened up and I could get into a smooth stride.

Thankfully the morning of the marathon my hip felt pretty good. It really didn't bother me during the race. And even after the race I was doing okay. My parents, sister, Adam, Charlie and I went to eat about an hour after I finished and I still wasn't experiencing much pain. But once I returned back to my parent's house and sat down for a while I couldn't walk. I couldn't put any weight on my hip and needed support to walk. The next day wasn't much better. I continued to walk with a limp until I returned to Maryland.

Once I returned from Montana I scheduled an appointment with an orthopedic doctor. My appointment was last Friday (I was still limping). I had x-rays taken and the doctor said the hip looked like it was supposed to but he wanted me to have an MRI to rule out a stress fracture.

I had the MRI Monday afternoon. The doctor told me as soon as he got the report he would call me to discuss. I wasn't expecting to hear from him until the end of this week but he called last night. I have a stress injury in the right femoral neck. This isn't a stress fracture but if I continue running it could become a stress fracture. The doctor wants me to limit my activity to swimming, the stationary bike and light upper body weights.

Since I havn't run and only biked once since the marathon I had resigned myself to not being able to compete in the Irongirl triathlon (August 22nd) and the Half Full triathlon (October 3rd). I am pretty bummed about this especially since I already paid for both of these races. It took a while for me to stop beating myself up about all this. But I know it is for the best. I don't want to injure my hip anymore than it already is and I hope to be able to fully recover so I can continue running.

I still have 24 Hours of Booty to look forward to. I won't be able to bike much but I will be able to take part in the event.

C'est la vie.

Montana - Final Part

2010-07-20T18:47:00.000-04:00

The marathon was on Sunday and we flew out Tuesday morning so that left just one day to enjoy Missoula. We made plans with some of Heather's friends to go to Bonner Park. It is a small water park in Missoula and I knew Charlie would have a lot of fun. Before we left for the park we had to extract her new found toys from her hands.

Heather bought these balls for Charlie and she always had them in her hands. She even crawled with them. Charlie does not have a traditional crawl. She crawls with her right knee and left foot (see photo above). That position coupled with the balls and her knee getting caught in her dress caused her a lot of distress. But she refused to give up :) She is one persistent little girl!

Group shot of Heather, Charlie, Mom and me. Sorry about the lighting - it is still a great picture though!

Charlie had a great time at the water park. Even though it was a little cold she didn't cry.

We also coaxed her into crawling through a cement ring that has water spraying from all directions. I know she loves the water but I was even impressed that she crawled through it. The water was spraying her in the face but still she didn't cry.

We tried to get her to crawl through it again but this time she wised up and crawled around the ring :)

The flight home was long but Charlie did great. We had a great time in Montana and can't wait to go back!

Montana - Race Day

2010-07-19T11:47:00.000-04:00

I signed up for the Missoula Marathon as a way to get back into running. I needed a workout goal after having Charlie. It was perfect to incorporate a marathon with a trip home to Missoula. Training was tough though. I went back to work full-time in February and Charlie didn’t start sleeping through the night until the end of May. During the week I would run on the treadmill in the basement after Charlie went to bed. Saturday mornings I did the Bagel Runs. I would usually meet Adam and Charlie at the second water stop (7miles) and they would finish the run with me.

I was a little worried about the elevation during the race. Missoula has an elevation of 3200 feet. I went for a short run on Saturday morning and felt fine. I spent Thursday and Friday at our family cabin at Georgetown Lake which is at 6500 feet. I was hoping this short time at the cabin would help me adjust to the elevation.

I woke up at 4 am on the day of the race. I got dressed, had a Luna Bar for breakfast, woke up Charlie and got her ready. Adam, Charlie and I left my parents house about 4:50. We drove into town, picked up my sister and then dropped me off to take the shuttle bus to the race start (the race is a point to point). Adam was running the half with Charlie so my sister drove them to the starting line. Both the half and the full started at 6 am but from different staring points.

Once I arrived at the race start I stood in line for the bathroom, checked my bag, and headed to the starting line. It was about 60 degrees outside and the sun was starting to come up over the mountains. It was perfect weather for a marathon.

I started running with the 5 hour pace group. There were about 10 of us and it was a great group of people. I knew I would not be able to stay with them the entire time because I trained using the Galloway method (run 12 minutes walk 2) and had injured my hip 3 weeks before the race. My plan was to stay with them until I met up with my sister. Once she dropped Adam and Charlotte off she was getting on her bike and biking towards me. I was still with the pace group when I saw her at the 10 mile mark. At about 11.5 miles I had to let the pace group go. This was difficult because I would have loved to finish in 5 hours. However, I knew it was not meant to be. I had a small pity party and then decided to enjoy the rest of the run. I was still feeling good at this point. I just needed to start incorporating walk breaks into my run.

Around mile 13 was the only hill on the course and it was substantial. There was a small breeze going up the hill and it was shaded. This was so nice because the course was starting to get hot. The view from the top of the hill looked over the Clark Fork River. Even though I grew up in Montana I found this view breathtaking.

Prior to meeting up with my sister a race volunteered asked her to escort a hand cyclist up this hill. As she was riding along side of the cyclist, he told her he suffered a heart attack on the hill during the marathon the year before. He had actually died on the course and had to be revived. He pointed to the exact spot on the hill and said, “That’s where I died.” When my sister told me this as I was running up the hill it really put things into perspective for me.

My sister rode with me from 10 miles until the end. It was great because she kept me company, handed me gels when I needed them, and held my hand-held water bottle. She had her cell phone with her so I was able to know when Adam and Charlie finished their half. She was also able to call my parents and give them updates on my progress. Around mile 15 I asked Heather for a gel. She gave me the gel and also gave me a small index size card that read, “I'm petrified of nipple chaffing. Once it starts it is a vicious circle... you have sensitive nipples, they chaff, so they become more sensitive, so they chaff more. So I take precautions.”(Quote from the television show The Office). Heather told me she had more of these cards. They really brightened my mood and I was looking forward to them! About the 23 mile mark she gave me a card that read, ““Finishing that 5K was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I ate more fettuccini alfredo, and drank less water than I have in my entire life.” (Again,from The Office) I love this quote! My sister also made Charlie outfits for the race. On one t-shirt she wrote on the front, “My first half marathon” and the back read, “GO DAD 13.1” On the other shirt she wrote, “I ♥ My Marathon Mom” and the back read, “GO MOM 26.2”.Yes, my sister is pretty awesome.

Once Adam was done with his race he got on a bike and met me at the 20mile mark. I was still feeling pretty good but could tell I was beginning to unravel. The course was getting really hot. I think the temperature was only 85 degrees but if felt much warmer.

At mile 24 I ran past the house of a friend from high school. There were three of my friends from high school with their families cheering everyone on. One of my friends, Kenda, is currently training for the Lake Stevens 70.3 and had run the half that morning. She told me she broke 2 hours (her goal). I was so happy to hear she did so well!

Kenda and her husband Pete met up with us on their bikes at the 25 mile mark. This was right in front of Hellgate High School, the high school Kenda and I attended (yes that is the name of my high school). Kenda told me I had four more turns and I could see the finish line. I was ready to be done with this race!

Throughout the course there were signs with Chuck Norris’ picture on them with different sayings. At mile 25 the sign said, “Chuck Norris never ran 26.2 miles therefore you are tougher than Chuck Norris!” My favorite sign read, ““Chuck Norris visited the Virgin Islands. They are now called the Islands.”

Just before the 26 mile mark the race course turns onto Higgins Street. The course runs over the Higgins Street Bridge (which crosses the Clark Fork River). At the beginning of the bridge I saw my cousin and her 2-month-old baby (I had no idea they would be there). As I ran over the bridge to the finish line I continued to see people I knew - my aunt, cousin, another aunt, my uncle, and two other cousins (again, I didn’t know they were going to be there). Finally I saw my parents and Charlie along with some other friends. It was so cool to see all these people and it meant so much to me that they came to watch me finish.

My only goal for this race was to finish. I am not a fast runner but I love running. I didn’t know how I would be able to balance training, being a first time parent, and working full time but I did it. I feel like I have a pretty good balance right now and I was able to achieve my goal. I may never be Boston bound but I really enjoyed training for and running this race.

The Missoula Marathon was named the best overall marathon by Runner’sWorld Magazine readers in 2010 and I would have to agree. It is small and very well organized. The course itself is beautiful and relatively flat. Missoula is a great town and a great host. I hope to do this race again.

Here are a few pictures from the day:

The Missoula Marathon logo.

Adam and Charlie running!!!

Part of the course - so beautiful!

Again, this course is so scenic!

The Clark Fork River

Mile 21 marker

Charlie waiting for me to finish.

The back of Charlie's shirt (thanks to Orpha and Paul for taking these pictures!)

Finally!!!

So glad to be done!

Our finishing photo

I love this picture!!! So cute!

Montana - Part 4

2010-07-16T11:45:00.000-04:00

Saturday, July 10th was the day the guys went on a guided fly fishing trip. For Christmas Heather, Mom, Charlie and I bought this as their gift. Aside from getting caught in a rainstorm for about 15 minutes it sounded like they both had a great time. And they best part is they both caught fish!

While the guys were fishing we were at home reading Charlie a story about a puppy...63 times! That is okay because when she sees the final page of the book with the puppy she smiles like this every time!

Montana - Part 3

2010-07-16T06:39:00.003-04:00

More fun at the lake!

Charlie on a bobcat with a blackberry in her pocket!

Taking a stroll with Grandpa

Looking at birds with Grandma.

Playing with Millie

Kisses by Millie.

Luca Grace

Millie Moo

Montana - Part 2

2010-07-15T19:51:00.000-04:00

The next day week traveled to my parent's cabin at Georgetown Lake. Along the way we stopped at the The Ohrmann Museum. Mr. Ohrmann's paintings are VERY thought provoking. I love the giant welded sculptures outside the museum.

It is physically not possible for me to go up to the lake without stopping at the best store in the world, The Sweet Palace. I think I have even converted Adam because on this trip he bought more candy than I did. And I am pretty sure Charlie thought it was a cruel joke because we woudn't share our candy.

When we finally got up to the cabin Charlie was very excited!

I was feeling the need for speed and had to take Dad's new 4-wheeler for a little ride. It was so much fun. I think I may give up running for 4-wheeling!

Then is was time to get to work. There was a lot of wood that needed to be chopped.

What's this? Dad watching Adam work? Hmmmmm...

Once all the work was done it was time to play.

Montana Trip - Part 1

2010-07-15T12:49:00.001-04:00

Last week we traveled to Montana for a little vacation. My mom was here helping out with Charlie so we all flew back together. The trip started out great and Charlie fell asleep during take off. We were all hoping she would sleep for at least an hour.

Not so and after 20 minutes she was awake and ready to be an active part of the trip. Overall she was a great traveler. Thank goodness there were three of us because she loved going from lap to lap to lap. She also recruited the women sitting next to my mom to take part in the fun.

Notice the change in outfits. Yes, it was one of those days.

When we arrived at my parent's house, Millie was very excited to see Charlie.

Whoa!

2010-07-12T22:54:00.002-04:00

Who knew Montana could be so much fun?!