Chloe's last meet of 2009, the 800 meter,,,

I was going to do an end of the year "Highlights of my year" post...but came across all of my videos that I had thought I lost.... and some of them say what my year was about so much better than I can:) This is Chloe's last track meet of her school year last April 23...Kate M was in town for training...and Linsey C had texted her prior to the race...So the question is... "Did she run for ice cream?...money?...cause she thought Kate was watching her?...cause she wanted to impress Linsey?...or because she just luvs to run?". The winning answer shall receive a bag of Doma Coffee delivered to them or mailed....Enjoy

Two Glasses of Wine...

Our friend Marcia in the middle

No pictures this time around, ok maybe one or two...but first a very good read...

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 glasses of wine...

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of
course, the sand filled up everything else He asked once more if the jar was full. The students re sponded with an unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two glasses of wine from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things; your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions; things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full."

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else; the small stuff.

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "There is no room for
the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things
that are important to you."

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. Do one more run down the ski slope. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first; the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the wine represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of glasses of wine with a friend." (Thanks my friend Laurie for this email)

Me and my friend Dawn

Northwest Regional Jr Olympic XC...Inspiration

This will be the 3rd year that Chloe has went out for the Jr. Olympics in Cross Country and this race like years past is...another one of my "Great Days as a mom". I have to keep reminding myself that the good days far offset the days when the kids...are well...a bit of work. And it seems that she has alot of supporters in her court...(lucky charming funny dry sense of humor wit girl that she is:) We have been the lucky family...not sure why...oh I do have an idea...give alittle to others in kindness, spirit, and mind...and it somehow will always come back to you...

A goodie box arrived in the mail prior to Chloe's race. I think she just likes receiving Saucony shoe boxes, she figures out what foot size everyone wears and what shoes they wear!! Anyway this one was from a fan shall I say...and it was all about inspiration.

You see one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself or anyone else is inspiration.... Inspiration to get in in touch with your dreams...Inspiration to seek out your deepest passions...Inspiration to make a difference in the world...and that is one of the reasons that I believe Chloe runs like she does.

She wants to dream big in her words...she writes papers in school about wanting to go to college on a running scholarship...and she has the mental ability to do it. The physical is all ready there.

Her day started out so grand...matching "sunnies" as she now calls her sunglasses...matching ribbons which she put in her hair for "Good Luck" and gave her teammates the same ribbons for their ponies (which she collected afterwards, cause she wanted them back), snacks for endurance (after all it was a 16 minute race that she had to be there 3 hours prior to race starts). I am pretty sure the chocolates got eaten the night before!!

Chloe likes to play the part of "Super runner chick" She has her ipod on, sunnies for the beauty of the sunny day, was dressed with her number on and ready to RUN FAST. It was blistery cold out...but instead of keeping warm...I found her running all over the course watching the younger group that was running before her...another proud mama moment...that she cares alot about her running team mates...

The start was nailing biting...since she won't wear gloves...they bug her hands...and she was getting into what she calls "The Zone" . Not to sure if she has been reading stuff or where she gets the words from...cause she comes up with some off the wall stuff.

There were 66 girls in this age of 13-14 and since Chloe just turned 13, she is at the bottom of her age group. "No worries Mama, it doesn't matter what age you are to go fast" Hmmm again I think... See that red and white...and that bow...doesn't she look like a sleek and fast runner chick??

Off went the gun, Chloe had to be in the top 20 to get a spot for the National Meet in Reno...at this point I am so glad I have a zoom camera...cause you all have never seen me run all over the course to follow her. And yes I RUN...only when chasing my kids though!! It is all in the position and she had a great start. Pony tail swinging side to side to side!!! Tempo running...

OK, i must admit about this time I am counting and biting my tongue not to shout out...she thinks I give it away to the competion and she told me years ago that she ignores me and doesn't here a word I say...and that I just look stupid...and to basically shut up...so I do:)

Right about here she has ran herself into about 18th, I think...she had dropped most of the runners on the hills...cause she likes to use her "quick feet"...see her style...the look of "I am totally focused on this race" and that shear determination in her "race face". She once told me "If I put my race face on, it gives me an advantage". Again not sure where that came from so I asked her after the race...She said "It came from my brain".

Back to the race...it is a 2 loop 4k race and the fast girl from Oregon was racing..Paige Rice..who happens to be the National Champion!! Chloe has raced against her before and Paige is a awesome runner...the reason I mention Paige is she will be a name to reckon with in the future...we had girls from all of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska...and to see Chloe run at this level...that word I used "Inspirational" was the day indeed.


Last loop and Chloe had moved into 16th...and her time is about 30 seconds faster than the week before...see what a lil pressure will do to you...I can never get the finish line photo...i just can't run that fast...but Mike has always been at the finish for Chloe...seems she only wants him in the end...which is a dad thing and a good thing at that!! All in all she had a great day...finished a smashing 15th place with a time of 16.36...and managed to help her whole team qualify for nationals. And her team was also 3rd!!

So back to that "Inspiration thing"...a big thanks to everyone who supports Chloe during her track and cross country season. The texts... emails... phone calls... gifts via mail..coffee dates...sweet treats..the endless amounts of support she gets from all of you...is one of the reasons...she "DREAMS BIG".

Chloe & Mike & her wicked fast Saucony spike shoes

Grandma, Chloe, & me

And yes she was a National Qualifier

Ok, the best until last...donuts again..this time we made a stop at Krispy Kreme for her "Grand Finale"...and she had her friend Jayden with her...she has missed Jayden and it was the perfect way to end her season....Cause we have decided not to go to Kansas...Oh I mean Reno:) Chloe says that she ended her season at the best level she had been at...and that everyone else's season was over and so was hers!!

She said it like this "Mom, there are different mental parts to running. Mental like your freaked out and nervous. Mental like the calm before the storm. And Mental like I feel good and I am strong as the wind and I want to end the season that way and I did". Sooooo thats what it is going to be....after all she is only 13 and the fun is just beginning...and I want her to continue to luv to run... but she still is at practice with her team every afternoon leading the drills...cause her team is getting ready to race in Reno next weekend...all 21 of them...cause well she is..."Chloe"

Thanksgiving Dinner...after a day on the mountains

It was a nice peaceful day...alot to be thankful for...my family and my friends. We had decided to go sking for the day, so Mike made a turkey the night before and off to the moutains we went. See...this chef of mine had it all planned out. We got home...he threw the vegies on the stove...the kids and I took a nap...and we woke up to a FEAST. What a guy Mikey is. It was our first un traditional Thanksgiving and we had alot of laughs. The video is an insight to our true colors...and we are colorful!!! Thanks for watching...

One of the reasons I luv Thanksgiving...a day with Alex....

I was invited to a wonderful Thanksgiving Feast at Alex's school. I was so excitied...cause this is what my kiddos used to do...and well I just luv Alex to pieces!! After all...sometimes I just wish I was 4 again...come to find out the invite was for Grandma's and Grandpa's...which I didn't know...and when I asked Alex how old he thought I was going to be on my birthday (which was the day after Thanksgiving) he put his finger to his chin...as he was thinking hard....and politely said..."72" Ah the honesty of a thought!!!

Association Meet XC Jr Olympics & Chloe

Chloe is fun to take pictures of...she runs determined...runs fast...and always has a pre meditated game plan in her head. She didn't get a great start at the association meet, which was a qualifier for the regional meet... she went out a bit slow...cause she told me after "This was a 4K and I have only been running 3k races this past year...and I wanted to make sure I had enough steam for the end." Silly girl, she has been racing 5k's all spring and summer, just not at her school meets!! And she wonders why Peter, Mike, & I call her blond sometime!

She how she is starting up the hill...move on over...cause her she comes. She doesn't care so much about being the small one, cause she has learned defense and elbows:) Not sure if that is in the rule books, but it has come in handy a time or two!!

See, they move away from her...and she motors up the middle...just like a cho-cho train...go lil miss#3279...pump those arms..and check out the no glove look. She always wants to be unique, its one of her new words.

The finish was a beauty of a shot...Chloe going for the gold..ok it was a strong 5th place finish...with a time of 17.04...one of the best races I have seen her do. She had so much fun..so much desire...and just so much of the Chloe that I know.

Team picture with a few of her running mates on team "North Idaho Cross Country" and of course the one and only Coach Mark...

Night Riding...

Just in case anyone wonders what Peter does in the Fall/Winter time. I had been getting on his case, cause well the 15 year old thing was getting at me. I was thinking "Is this kid ever going to go out and ride, he never use to mind about the weather". I just would rather he be outside...then in...and just cause he is taking some hard classes at school is no excuse:) So off to a Tueday Night ride on Canfield Mountain...you guessed it...in the dark. I dropped him off...



 
He said "Mom, I have enough warm clothes on...quit worrying...it is only 40 out...and I will be fine."
I said "Do you have food...so if you get lost..and have to stay overnight you won't starve?"
He said "Mom, just drop me off and leave, I will be back in a couple of hours, no later than 9:00."

 
I said "See you later"

 
Peter did call about 8:30 to meet him...cause he was a bit out of shape...and tired.
He had a good time, just wished I would have got a picture of all the mud!!