Map My Fitness Sucks

Many weeks ago I installed an app on my iPhone and also joined mapmyfitness.com. The intention was you could carry your phone while you ran and it would track:
• Time
• Speed
• Avg Speed
• Distance

Also a few additional stats. It would then keep a log and you could access this information online.

I was PUMPED.

So I get my running gear on, laces tied, music going, hit GO.....

and....

nothing.

It said it was searching for a better signal area so I started to troubleshoot. I was determined to get this thing working. What better combo-your phone, music and something that tracks your runs. Long story short-it didn't work, so I didn't run.

You can map my run right back to the couch.

Erik=Opa

When Erik was born I thought he was a clone of Keith's baby pictures. As he's grown over the months I still saw the resemblance, and thought out of all the boys he looked the most like Keith.

In the last couple of months, and in looking at Keith's dad's baby picture again, I began to ask myself "Did I give birth to Keith's dad"?

I made sure during the boys' pictures that we tried to get a pose similar to Opa's picture, at least for a side by side comparison. They were both 8 months old in the pictures (eventhough Erik's was 76 years after Opa's).

The resemblance is unbelievable. Same smile, cheeks, facial structure and head. I can't get over it. I see absolutely none of my features in my baby boy!!

Good thing he's a cutie!
I think it's neat that they share those characteristics!

Kolbe's Holiday Program

Kolbe's Holiday Concert was Friday morning at 9am, and I had been looking forward to it for a long time. Last year, his program (and Nick's), was canceled due to icy roads, so it's been 2 years since we've seen him sing. The last time he was so little that when he saw us he ran out through the audience and sat with us the whole time.

This year was a lot different.

I was so impressed with all the kids. They sang 5 songs:

• Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer
• Up on the HouseTop
• I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
• We Wish You a Merry Christmas
• Jingle Bells

And we're not talking a snippet, they sang the whole song-all the verses. That is a lot for 4 and 5 year-olds to remember, and get up and sing in front of a large crowd. It was a great morning!

Good job, Kolbe!!

Visiting Santa: SUCCESS!

Last Friday night I took all 3 boys and met my Mom at Vista Ridge Mall to visit Santa. I had NO expectations since last year didn't go so great, and it was the first time trying to get all 3 in a shot. Plus, I didn't know if the baby would be scared, or if Nick would fight it again.

Success!!

They all did so great, and my 8-year old sister Taylor got in the picture too. Most of the time she goes and we get all of them together-it's kind of become tradition that my Mom and I take them together.

To top it off, there wasn't a single person in line on a Friday night, so Kolbe got a lot of time to talk to Santa and tell him he wanted...you guessed it...choo choos!! We are working on year 4 of train addiction.

They all did GREAT! Thanks Santa!!

P.S. Kolbe looks SO much older in this picture, I can't get over it.

Volunteering: Gift Bags at the VNA

Up until summer of this year my grandmother and I were doing Meals on Wheels 1 to 2 Fridays a month (when I had Fridays off). Since then, I have started doing 5 day work weeks, and have not had the opportunity to work with the VNA (Visiting Nurses Association)...but Wednesday night we got our chance again!!

We made our way over to the VNA office where there was a group wrapping packages and assembling gift bags to hand out on the holiday delivery routes this year. 3700 bags needed to be filled in 2 days!! It was a great system, and it ended up being over 28,000 items (7+ per bag) that were wrapped, boxed and placed into gift bags. My grandmother and I figured we probably packed about 50-75 bags each in about 2 hours. There were a good 50-60 people there during our shift, half of them from a local high school class. They had food available for us and snacks, but most of all we just really enjoyed doing that together and being able to give our time. That really is the best thing you can offer.

I am always reminded by the people that receive the meals, and it is ingrained in my memory when they told us most times the delivery person is the only person these recipients will see in a day. I hope that these gift bags will brighten their day, and that they enjoy the holiday season happy and healthy.