GREAT things in Tall Mom Land

I know you are TIRED of us all asking for votes but pretty pretty please head over HERE and like me :) I have dropped out of the top 10 and would really like to stay in there.. THANKS!!

This week I don't have Running to report this week. Sadly I caught a cold on the plane, the weather here is soggy so running in the rain would not be good for my cold. Also I have had very strange Calf cramping on my left side. It balls up in the middle of the night then is tender the next day. I am not sure what to do about it?? Has anyone had this sort of thing? Should I worry?

There are a few GREAT things going on in my world that I am really excited about!!

TALL MOM GREAT THINGS:

• I am planning a Blogger Meet up for Seattle Rock N Roll on Friday June 24th at Old Spaghetti Factory South of Seattle. If you will be in or around Seattle for this race and would like to come please email me (tallmomontherun @ hotmail). I will be sending out E-vites soon!! Amanda HERE, Harmony HERE and Emz HERE will be here for the race, super excited about that!!

• Hood to Coast could be a reality for me this year!!! Cant give the details yet but I love Nuun HERE and I hope they will love me back :) I have been Jazzed about this relay since seeing Hood to Coast the Movie last year. Full details, for those who don't know, soon...

• As the Blogger Ambassador to See Jane Run Seattle HERE I get the pleasure of hosting a Giveaway for a FREE entry to the race!!! Look for the Giveaway next week ladies! For those who are already signed up maybe I will plan a Bloggy meet up....so let me know if you are interested.

• My Little Brother-in-law is getting MARRIED this weekend!!! I have known Matt since he was 12 and seen him grow. It will be such a treat to see him marry his beautiful bride and start their new journey together. In Bloggy land Miss Bethany and Ryan of Our Love on the Run HERE are Getting married tomorrow!! Head over and wish them Happy Wedding!!
  

• I am HOPING to meet up with Jess HERE for a Run this weekend on the Eastside in my old stomping grounds. Will be GREAT to run on my old trails past Gonzaga and along the river, and to spend time with Jess we have formed a friendship through texting so would be good to hang in person.

• WINNER of the Reader Thank you Giveaway is JUDY @ Ran Run Running Judy please email me and I will get you in touch with Outside PR to claim your prize.

• I have added a new race to my calendar and I am very excited to get others to sign up as well.. Check it out! I have no decided if I will do the 5K or 10K yet. Athleta Iron Girl Seattle Women’s Event HERE

  Sunday, September 11, 2011
  Women's 10K & 5K Run &Walk
  Greenlake Park
  8:00 a.m. race start for both distances

• I had a Date with Muscle Man last night. Tall Grandma had the boys and we stayed in and shared a quiet Lobster dinner. We relaxed watched a few shows on DVR then went to Lowe's to look at wood floors and other projects for the summer.. It was a NICE DATE!! Thanks Mom!!

• LS #1 had his Kindergarten Assessment this week, although he did not do perfect he did GREAT for someone who is not used to being in a room alone with a stranger. I am PROUD of him and can tell that he will be very successful in Kindergarten next year. The idea of letting my baby out into the Big Bad World is scary, but he is ready.. Am I?? Not sure yet!!
• While I was in Europe my good buddy Marlene HERE and her hubby Mark both Qualified for BOSTON!! This is a huge case of I TOLD YOU SO! Marlene and I ran Rock N Roll Seattle together last year, probably my favorite Marathon ever, I remember telling her that she had the strength to BQ... and she did!! With the new rolling registration for Boston she is a bit worried about getting in, but I know it is meant to be for her.. GO CANADA!! I saw the Canada Sticker above while in Dubrovnik and thought of Marlene and my WONDERFUL Canadian readers.

So so so many GREAT THINGS!!

What GREAT things are going on in your world?? Please share!!

WINNERS and Catching Up

I know you are all pretty tired of hearing people lobby for votes in the Circle of Moms Top 25...Good news is that voting ends on June 1st. Bad news is I have dropped out of the top 10 :( If you have a few free minutes please go HERE and Vote for Tall Mom once a day until June 1st. I would truly truly appreciate it!! And HUGE THANKS to everyone who has voted so far!!
Thank you to the Folks at Dirty Dash HERE for hosting the Giveaway!!!
The WINNER who will get muddy muddy is the lucky..

STACIE HERE

**For those of you who didn't win but want to get Dirty..

Use the code

tallmom

when you register before MAY 31st

and save 15%

***I never heard from the last winner of the Planet Gear Giveaway so I picked a new Winner.

KELLY HERE

Kelly please email me!!

The Reader Thank You HERE Winner will be announced tomorrow. I have been soooo busy traveling that I have not had time to catch up on what is going on in Bloggy Land. So I am going to find the time to do that the next few days.

• If you have a Race Report, announcement, giveaway, or something exciting and would like me to come visit your Blog please leave me a comment. Introduce yourself, I love meeting new people!! I will make my way around within the week.
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• Off I go...Do you ever feel like time is escaping and you can never get caught up??
  

I Dont Know How

I am the Queen of Self Assessment, well for the most part. I know what I am good at and realize that some things will never be a fit for me.

• I cant dance and am tone deaf.

• My footwork in every sport I have ever played has been a bit off, but I have always found a way to make my own version work for me.

• I am not the fastest, strongest, or smartest athlete.

BUT...
I believe that if I put my mind to something I will eventually figure it out and probably be pretty good at it.

I am HARD on myself when I do not perform to my personal expectations. I beat myself up for little things that I could have and should have done better. Playing Basketball my parents would not need to tell me what I did wrong in a game because I had already figured it out and was internally beating myself up about it.

As an athlete I have had more success than failure. That is a fact, but I also have not stretched myself to try new things. If I try something and fail, or if I think that I won't be good at something, I will shy away. The "I don't know how" and "I can't" creep in and I stick to what I know. And Guess What???? Little Stud #1 is a lot like his Mommy... LS #1 has never shown much of an interest in Riding a Bike. We met my friend Amy on the trail with her son, who is a bit younger than LS#1, he was riding his bike like a champ, no training wheels... GULP!! I felt like a Bad Mom, like I should have pushed LS#1 to practice, I took it personal. Last week LS#1 finally asked to ride a bike, he had outgrown the little bike so we bought him a new one.

Last night we went to the trail and let him try. Not to brag but overall our son is pretty talented, he can kick and throw a ball like a Champ, he is strong and fast and pretty darn athletic.. But when he got on the Bike he clammed up...I could see the wheels in his head turning..

• "I don't know how"
• "I don't want to fail"
• "This feels awkward"
• "What if I am not good at it"
• "I can't"

Poor kid inherited his Mom's ability to give up when something does not feel natural.. UGH!! I wanted so badly to tell him it was OK and to keep trying. Just as he was starting to get it he lost balance and fell. I wished that he would believe in himself and not beat himself up. But he didn't, after .25 he stopped...

We continued on our run with his bike tucked in the Jogging stroller, quite the sight to passers by. While on the run I was testing my Vibram Five Fingers Bikila barefoot running shoes HERE.


What Vibram Says:
Unlike any other running shoe on the market. A breakthrough in running shoe design,Bikila® is our first model designed specifically to promote a more natural, healthier and more efficient forefoot strike. While many folks have been running in their Vibram FiveFingers® for years, the Bikila® is our first model created exclusively for a more natural running experience.

I have been meaning to test the Vibrams for ages but feared getting injured before Boston. I put my shoes in the Jogger and set out. WEIRD!! I could feel the path. Muscle Man said it sounded like I was running in cleats, hmmmm, not sure why I sounded so loud. My left foot loved the feeling, but the arch on my right foot started to sting and ache. I am not sure why one foot would have such a different reaction?? I know I need to break these in slowly so at 1.25 miles I put my shoes back on. I felt the weight of the shoes and where the arch supports hit my feet. It was a strange feeling to notice the support in my shoes.

It will take me some time to have a full review, but after the first wear I am pretty impressed. The Vibrams fit my FAT FEET and LONG TOES perfect, feels like a wet suit for the feet. I think it would be great to try these on a short hike. More info soon!! In the mean time go try on a pair, you may like what you feel.

Back to my story... we rounded the corner to the strait away back to the car. Our Littlest was screaming to get out and run. LS#1 put his helmet back on and Daddy helped keep him on the path. He was having a hard time with the pedaling and steering at the same time, but he was learning. We got closer to the car and he started to complain. I said that he could get off but then he said "No I want to ride all the way to the Car."

• "I don't know how"
• "I don't want to fail"
• "This feels awkward"
• "What if I am not good at it"
• "I can't"

Those were replaced with someone who set a small goal and was determined to get there. Who knows how long it will take him to learn? But yesterday I was PROUD to see that he did not give up.

• Is there something you don't know how to do? or don't feel confident in trying? What is stopping you? It may feel strange at first, but maybe, just maybe you will find a way to take the first awkward step toward a new adventure!!
  

Keens Review

The Wonderful folks at Onlineshoes.com HERE sent me a pair of Keen shoes to review. Live the HybridLife with KEEN men's shoes, KEEN sandals and KEEN boots—many made with recycled materials. Find KEEN footwear alongside eco-friendly socks and durable bags.

With Men's HERE and Women's HERE there are so many great pairs of Keens to chose from, there are also kids pairs. I selected the Coronado Sandal in Brindle/Port Royal.Cute right??

What Keen Says:

Take a retro twist on an iconic style with the Coronado Sandal from KEEN. This hybrid sandal and vintage sneaker features a canvas upper with a hydrophobic mesh lining for water resistance; an antimicrobial Aegis™ Microbe Shield treatment fights odors. The metatomical, canvas-covered recycled polyurethane and cork footbed offers long-lasting comfort, while the natural rubber sole provides dependable traction. Less Details

Also available in: Gargoyle/Lilac Sachet, Sweet Grape/Neutral Gray, Black/Beet Red, Rust

• Aegis Microbe Shield™
• Canvas upper
• Hydrophobic mesh lining
• KEEN.CORK

• Lace system with toggle closure
• Metatomical, canvas-covered recycled polyurethane and cork footbed
• Natural rubber sole

I packed my Keens with me on my European Trip.
These sandals were tested on all sorts of terrain. Dirt path, slippery rocks, uneven roads, airport terminals, and more...
In Italy I walked down countless steps to have the Mediterranean in clear view, the sandals were cozy and did not rub.
When I was finally able to relax after a LONG day of walking I was in no hurry to take off the shoes. It was like the sole of the shoe had melded to my foot for ultimate comfort. I wore the sandals with no socks and was a bit worried about odor, thankfully the shoes have a breathable sole and there was no Tall Mom stench at the end of the day.. SCORE!
While in Croatia I wore the sandals all day in Dubrovnik. Which included the 3km++ walk up, down and around the city walls. I felt cute and comfortable.
I thought I would go for the new Keen ad. Well it was a bit of a fail, but I tried.

All in all these Sandals are...

Battle Tested
Tall Mom Approved

• Shop for your own pair of Keen HERE
• 
  
• Onlineshoes.com HERE is a GREAT place to find shoes to fit your style and budget, go HERE and find out for yourself. Free Shipping, Free Exchanges and 365 day Returns!! How ca you go wrong??
  

*Although the shoes were sent to me for free the review and thoughts are my own.

A QUICK Hello

Miss Bethany HERE sent me photos from Boston :) This little lady is BUSY, she and Ryan are getting married this week!! Thought I would post a couple of the photos..

Picking up my packet, the volunteers were GREAT!!

Visiting the Finish Line.

The last 2 months have been a whirlwind of excitement!!

Boston in April!

Europe- France, Italy and Croatia in May!!

Tall Mom the Blog has taken a bit of a hit, so I truly appreciate your patience here. I am hoping to give Tall Mom a Face-lift this Summer, so we may be under construction in the weeks to come. Welcome to the New Bloggy pack members!!!

• The Reader Thank you Giveaway HERE was supposed to end on May 16th... OOPS! Well I am going to extend it to Wednesday 5/25. And you get an extra entry if you go HERE and VOTE for me today 5/23, 5/24 and 5/25...you can vote every day and get an entry for each :) Leave a comment with the date you voted. I know I wont catch SUAR but I would like to stay in the top 10.
  
• 
  
• The Dirty Dash Giveaway HERE ends tomorrow 5/24...so go enter ASAP!
  

I had a KILLER CALF CRAMP in the middle of the night last night. Not sure if it was from the 12 hours of traveling or the countless miles and stairs covered on my trip. Either way it HURT!! I am going to take it easy today it is pretty tender.


GOOD THINGS!
**Muscle Man Surprised me by re-doing the bathroom floor!! We had carpet in our master bath, GROSS, he knows how much I wanted a new floor, so he took care of it. LOVE THAT MAN!! Now that the floor is done I get to decorate with a new shower curtain, pictures for the walls, towels etc!! Once done I will post pictures.

**We bought Little Stud #1 a new bike yesterday. He has never shown interest in bikes so far, but lately he has been more excited. We are hoping that he will catch on fast and be able to ride while we run.

**I thought I gained 5 pounds on my trip.. Which would have been earned, I ate a lot and did not run. We walked all day most days, so I was burning calories, but I still feared the scale would not be fun. Well I am happy to report that I maintained my weight!! I still need to kick up my weight loss to get down to where I want to be, but I am glad I don't have extra from the trip!! I find weight loss to be easier in the Summer months, so bring on the salads and water!!


I will be back with my thoughts about Europe and reviews on products soon.

HAVE A GREAT MONDAY!

A Snap Shot of my journey

To share with you a bit about my past... in college I took Black and White photography for all of my electives. I love to take photos but have lost my skill in the Digital Age. I TRY to remember my skills in cropping, looking for shadows, etc.. but alas I don't mess with the shutter speed or aperture, I just shoot.. I am using my camera a lot for my Big Girl job and will sneak in some artistic personal photos. Below is a snap shot of my journey.. Will have more soon..

Please continue to check in on Circle of Moms, I would appreciate any votes, since I have been traveling I have not had the chance to really lobby for votes :)

FRANCE:
Would have more but Blogger is being difficult


ITALY:
Love Cinque Terre and other cities. The people and the food are unmatched. My personal Goal is to now backpack in Europe with Muscle Man someday.







CROATIA:
This country is so hard and different. Being in a city that was hit hard by war in the 90's is overwhelming. I am in love with the Castle-type walls.



If you look closely that is a Nike Store in Dubrovnik. I am happy to report that I helped my co-worker run and she purchased capris to continue her journey. I was tempted to buy a cute top so that when someone asked me where I got it I could say Croatia.. I didn't, yet :)

Bye for now..

Hugs!!

Tall Mom

Lack of Internet is a PAIN

PRETTY PLEASE VOTE!!

I know you have been asked often to vote... but PLEASE vote for Me HERE

I have taken so many GREAT photos of this trip. I want so badly to share the photos and stories but the internet quality is so low here that I cant even upload one photo. When I return I will have a FULL report.. Which will more than likely be a succession of posts. Hope you like photos..

We took a train to Cinque Terre yesterday which was amazing. I will share the full story with photos soon.. Sorry to be so brief I dint even know if this will post.. UGH!!

• Have you ever been to France? Share your story of a favorite memory
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• Have you ever been to Italy? Share your story of a favorite memory

Weird thing we saw today...a sole shoe on the baggage claim belt going around and around... so funny!!

Moon over the Mediterranean

There is a Full Moon on the Mediterranean Sea tonight, words cannot express how beautiful and tranquil it is. My journey has taken me to Italy.. Wow oh Wow do I Love Italy!!

The People

The Places

The Food

What a place!! The Internet Access is spotty at best and will not let me upload even one photo. I have been taking loads of pictures, but the photos cant capture what I am seeing. I am getting the work done for my Big Girl Job. Unfortunately I did not feel well this morning and was not able to take advantage of the Running path in France :( I am planning to go for a short Jog/Walk with my co-worker tomorrow morning, which should be nice. I feel my fitness slipping away, but I need to take care of myself and cant overdue it.

I better get to bed.. Another BIG Day tomorrow.

Hope you are all well, I know I am behind on Blogs, Giveaways, etc... Sorry :( I hope you understand..

And if you could find it in your heart to click the logo and VOTE for me on Circle of Moms Top 25 I would truly appreciate it..

Chow!!!

maman de hauteur sur la course

maman de hauteur sur la course

is French for Tall Mom on the Run


**According to Google Translator.. I apologize if that is not true :)

I tried to upload photos but the Internet connection here is spotty. So will have to wait for another day. I am having an amazing time in France, the views of the Mediterranean Sea are phenomenal!! I feel so blessed to have this opportunity.

There is an 8K running path along the Med I want to try in the morning before we head to our next destination. I hope I have the energy to get out of bed and do it!!

Will have more to report later.. For now I would like to say congrats to Harmony on her sub 4 Marathon 17 minute PR, to Amanda to finishing a 70.3, to Marlene for her PR and BQ and to Jess for toughing out a hot race for a PR. WAY TO GO GIRLS!!

Not sure when I will log on again, keep on RUNNING!!

Oh the Places you Will GO

Wow there is a lot going on.. So I am gonna have to sum it up in a list.

• SURPRISE

My Mother's Day Gift to myself was entry for the Capital City Marathon this weekend. SURPRISE!! Yes I was going to run Marathon #7!! I was going to tell only a few people, go in with no expectations and hopefully get my sub 4 hour I was aiming for in Boston. I registered, paid $96...and now I will be out of town. I emailed the Race Director to ask for a deferral to next year, a refund or a transfer to a friend. NO, NO, NO!! UGH!! I understand the rules, but I registered only a few days before I found out I am leaving.. So no race but I am happy to Report...

• SEE YOU SOON!

My Big Girl Job is sending me to EUROPE!! Yes Folks Tall Mom is taking her stride to the UK.. I have never been to a Foreign Country, well besides Canada, I am so excited I can hardly stand it. It may be a little hard for me to check in while I am working, so there will be spotty posting on Tall Mom, I am sure you understand. It will be 95% Work but I am taking my Garmin and Running shoes and a camera.

• Miss my Boys!!

I will be gone 10+ days leaving this Friday Night. I am going to miss Muscle Man and the Little Studs like CRAZY!!! Here are a couple more photos of our family run/walk when we ventured down to the river..

• See Jane Run Blog Ambassador

I was asked to be the Blog Ambassador for the Seattle See Jan Half Marathon!! This is AMAZING! I am very excited about the Race and will be thinking of fun ways to get people interested in the weeks to come. In the mean time head HERE to register!!! There are See Jane Run all Female races in Boise, Alameda, and Austin, so be sure to REGISTER and Run for Chocolate and Champagne :) YUMMERS!!

• Circle of Mom's Top 25 Health & Fitness Mom Blogs

I was so HONORED to find out that I had been Nominated to the list of Top 25 Health and Fitness Blogs on Circle of Moms HERE. I see that many of my Bloggy Buddies made the list which is fantastic. If you want to VOTE for Tall Mom to please click HERE and VOTE. Or Click and vote for any of the Amazing Mom's on the List :)

• Online Shoes

Online shoes is Giving away a pair of KEEN A86TR Shoes, check out the Giveaway HERE, Entries will be accepted through May 24th. There are also more Giveaways from Online Shoes around Bloggy Land, TMB is Giving away Keens HERE, Mom Vs. Marathon is Giving away Merrell's HERE and The Studly Runner is Giving away Keens HERE.

• HIGH FIVE

Tomorrow will be a FUN FUN High Five Friday as I have some very special friends with BIG BIG Events this weekend. Leave a Comment or Email if you have an event, birthday, giveaway or are raising money for a good cause and you would like a HIGH FIVE!!

Oh What a Night

The SUN came out!!! YIPPEE.. we set out on the trail with the boys. They did not want to be in the stroller, so we ran 1.25 miles then let them loose. This always makes me nervous with the FAST FAST bikes on the trail. The Boys had a blast running, kicking dandelions, and just being kids. I took a lot of pictures, will post more later. I wore a tank which was fine while running..
But wow was I cold when we were walking 64' is not that warm in the shade. We took the trail down to the River and let the boys toss in pine cones, so FUN!! Poor Muscle Man lifted the boys to see an Ant Hill and his leg hit Stinging Nettles.. OUCH!! Sad thing is I saw the plant but second guessed saying anything because I was not 100%..


Note to self: Trust your Mommy Radar!!

4 miles in an hour and besides being a little chilly it was the BEST run/jog/walk!! This is so much better than watching TV. I see many many many trail strolls this Summer..

• What do you do with your Family to be ACTIVE?
  

Do you Dress to Impress??

I got an email from SBS of Run Like a Mother the Book fame. RLAM posted the note below on their facebook page HERE...

Dress to impress! Runner's World Magazine is looking for the photos for a feature SBS has written for upcoming August issue. For your chance to appear in the mag, email a jpeg of you wearing your most stand-out-from-the-crowd running outfit (think: loud colors, sparkles, accessories, knee-high socks, the works!) to: fastinistas at gmail dot com.

Deadline is this Friday!!

I try to get CUTE when I can and have a few contenders...

Boston Red, White and Blue

Team Pretty in Pink

5K PR Ready!!

Team Will Run for Ice Cream

Send in your Best Picture, you may end up on Runners World!!!

Dirty Dash Entry Giveaway

Do you like to get DIRTY?? Well here is your Bog Chance to Evolve, act like a pig and invite your friends along for the FUN!!
"Have you ever said to yourself, “Marathons are too easy, and Triathlons are for sissies?” We haven’t either…those races are really hard. Think about it…the first person to run a marathon actually died. HE DIED!...and he probably didn’t even have fun along the way! Well let us introduce you to the new race in town…THE DIRTY DASH. This race puts all other races to shame. The Dirty Dash is a mud run obstacle course where a military boot camp meets your inner five-year-old’s fantasy and subsequently converts boy to man and then…man to swine. You’ll need endurance to trudge up mountains of sludge, courage to overcome uncompromising obstacles, a complete lack of shame to wallow in pits of mud and a smile to show through at the end! So let this mud run obstacle course become your new guilty pleasure. Go solo or with some of your dirtiest, filthiest, & uncouth friends. On either accord…you will be able to look at yourself in the mirror and say “I am a Dirty Dasher!”… and then proceed to clean yourself off. Learn more about the Dirty Dash on the Website HERE they have 5K & 10K Mud Runs in Salt Lake City, UT; 10K Mud Runs in Seattle, WA; Spokane, WA; Boise, ID; and a 5K Mud Run in Billings, MT!"


WHAT WILL YOU WIN?
The winner of your giveaway will win
Entry for a team of 5 worth $250
for the Seattle 10k @ Pacific GP Motorsports Park on July 9th


HOW DO YOU ENTER?
One comment per entry please.

REQUIRED- Follow The Dirty Dash on Facebook HERE. Leave a Comment to let me know.

BONUS ENTRIES

1- Go to The Dirty Dash YouTube Video HERE and watch the video. Leave a Comment to let me know what your team name would be.

2- Go to The Dirty Dash Website HERE and click around. Leave a Comment to let me know what you learned.

3- Leave a Comment to let me know why you would like to WIN this team Entry.

4- Leave a Comment about any past Dirty/Muddy race adventures you have completed.

Giveaway ends on May 24th

**Tall Mom is not responsible for any bodily harm or damaged clothing as a result of Winning this entry.

RAIN Rain rain

Friday night I came home to Little Stud #2 screaming "It's Mommy!!" The Little Studs had each made me a card, Muscle Man had beautiful flowers and framed my Boston bib, medal and a photo. Happy and Spoiled Mommy!! It is so nice to have such a thoughtful partner, he always takes the time to make me feel really special..

To sum up my weekend in Running

IT RAINED

and showered

and sprinkled

and poured

and drizzled

and dripped

and was just plain WET!!

But I didn't let the weather get my down...as my Brooks hat says I "Run Happy". And it is always nice to have friends to enjoy the journey with.. Fleet Feet Group shot pre-run.. Laura and Phil (on the right) were out for a long run, we all started together then spread out.. Janna (aka Lioness), Carol-Ann (aka Tink) and I kept together, yes I am much much taller than my "pocket running buddies." I realized that I made up both of their nicknames...need a nickname?? Call Tall Mom :)

I was low energy again, but kept the pace with my little buddies. Until my right arch cramped, OUCH!!! Thankfully after about a mile the cramp released and I was back to pace. We dropped Janna so she could go to work and headed on to finish 10 miles..


Tink HERE has been my buddy for the most miles by far this year, she ran Tacoma City Marathon last weekend and did AMAZING!! I was worried that 10 miles would be tough for her but she rocked it out.. I am trying to stay in Half Marathon shape for Rock N Roll Seattle, so 10 miles was a good distance..

Mother's Day morning it rained AGAIN, I met Amy and her friend Christie for 7 miles on the trail. We had never run with Christie, she was super nice!! The pace was much slower than I was used to. It is strange to change pace by 2++ minutes my stride was very different. Today I am am very sore and I think it is because I was using different muscles. Always nice to run with new people!! I missed Amy so catching up was GREAT!! It is time to start planning out the Rock N Roll Half Marathon outfits!!

After the soggy run I got cleaned up and met my Tall Family for Brunch which was AMAZING, warm scones and mimosas... Then Hubby brought the boys and we all went Bowling, I am horrible at Bowling but I always have such FUN!! Great Mothers Day!!

• The Reader Thank you Giveaway ends next week May 16th... Make sure you enter HERE.
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• How was your weekend??
  

5 Things Friday

Because my brain is a little FRIED I am going for a LIST...

1. Happy Mother's Day Tall Grandma, my Mom, Grandma to the Little Studs. We will be going to Brunch on Sunday without the kiddos, then meeting up for Bowling after. Should be a fun day with Family.. I Love you Mom. This year has been impossible and I am so proud of you for taking it day by day. 2. Good Luck to my Buddies on their first EVER 20 mile training run!! Kerrie HERE and Zoe HERE, I wish I could join you...wait that is a lie, I am sorta glad that my 20 mile Run days are over for a bit. Must post the (overused) photo below because it makes me laugh every time.. 3. Someone is on an AMAZING ADVENTURE today for a good cause. The Stellar EMZ HERE will be running for 24 Hours on a Treadmill to raise money for Charity! I cannot even fathom running 24 miles on a treadmill, let along 24 hours. Props to EMZ for the Inspiration and dedication. In Boston I had the honor of meeting EMZ for a brief few minutes, I recognized her by the back pocket in her jeans of all things. Go EMZ!! WE are all cheering for you!!
4. I told myself I was going to let someone else do it...but I just cant... Sooooo I will be planning a PNW Blogger Hosted Carbo Night before Rock N Roll Seattle. The Dinner/meet-up will most likely be on Friday June 24th around 5:00PM. That way we can all meet up but if you don't want to eat there you can still go home and eat your preferred pre-race fuel. If you are interested in joining us please email me tallmomontherun@hotmail.com. I would like to get a good count this week so I can reserve the appropriate sized space. 5. Yep Mother's Day is for me too :) My gift this year is a secret, which I will share with you all very soon. This weekend we will shop for an outfit for Muscle Man for Tall Brother-in-Law's wedding later this month, try to find non-dairy/milk options for Little Stud #2 he is allergic and we really need to find alternate options for the entire family, possibly get my hair cut, run with my Fleet Feet Buddies, possibly start packing for a Work Trip which I may be going on this month, and maybe sneak in some RELAXING!!

Being a Mom is the easiest and hardest job I have ever had. Some days I feel like I am on it, like I can give them everything and know exactly what to do. Other days I feel overwhelmed and LOST. The treasure is knowing that those blue-eyed, dimpled cheeked Little Studs are mine and they love me regardless of how hard I may be on myself. I will make mistakes, but I will not dwell the days I fall short, I will use those mistakes to make me better.

I leave you with a few Mother's Day Inspire Quotes:

"A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie." Tenneva Jordan

"Who ran to help me when I fell,
And would some pretty story tell,
Or kiss the place to make it well?
My mother."
Ann Taylor


"When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child." Sophia Loren

"There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one." Jill Churchill

• What do you have planned this weekend??
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• Good luck to Becka HERE on her first 50K this weekend!!
  

High Five it's FRIDAY!