One Year Ago Today...

I became a marathoner!


I will not be running another marathon, ever again, but I'm so glad I did it!  


I hope to run the AFC (America's Finest City) San Diego half marathon (13.1 miles) in August.  I've never done a half marathon but I'm looking forward to it.  I signed up for the race back in January when I was 8 months pregnant (read:  HUGE) and thought I was crazy to even think about running again.  But alas, it's been good to have a goal.  I'm still not fast, but the slow and steady paced runner can still finish the race and get a T-shirt.  


My good friend Alisa and I are still running together... here we are at Moonlight Beach after 6 miles this weekend.  Alisa ran 8 - she's doing the Rock-n-Roll Half next weekend.  Go Alisa!

One Egg That Feeds Eight.

Any guesses what this is?

A rock?  The top of Jeff's (now) bald head?  

(I did give Jeff a haircut today, but I've never cut his hair this close before.)

It's an ostrich egg.

Purchased by my dad, on the way home from the Wild Animal Park.

Of course.

Because he does these kinds of things.

Just one reason why I like him.

The big question is:  How (in the world) do you crack an ostrich egg?  The shell is crazy thick!  

The answer, my friends, is a Dewalt power drill. 

(Power tools in the kitchen?  The devoted Mr. Garland loved it.)

And safety glasses for everyone in the audience.

And a super cute baby.  

Everyone needs a baby when you crack an ostrich egg.  

Pop a 1-inch hole in the shell.

Then use a straw to break the yolk and blow out the shell.

I figured one egg was the equivalent of about 18 chicken eggs.  

Ready to feed an army.

Scramble her up. 

I don't know why but I think an ostrich egg is a 'she.'

So what did it taste like?

Chicken.

No, just kidding.

Ostrich.

Really kidding.  I don't think I've ever eaten ostrich meat before.

It tasted like egg, but the texture was different from regular chicken eggs.  A little on the rubbery side.  A fun adventure but I probably won't be racing out to the ostrich farm to buy more eggs.

Dad (in green shirt) loves eggs in any shape or form.  He always whines that my mom (far right in pink hat) never, ever feeds him eggs.  

Dad just likes to whine I think.  

Just one of the many reasons I like my dad.

Blast the Cast Off!

After 5 weeks, Sarah got her cast off!  She enjoyed a long, full submersion bath when she no longer had to hold her casted arm above her head, suspended above the water.  What a pain that was.  And oh the grime that collects under a cast... amazing.  Her arm was sore at first, and she's continuing to gain strength and flexibility back in her arm.  She'll be back on her bike again in no time.

While we were at the hospital getting Sarah's arm x-rayed and her cast off, we also had Rachel's hip x-rays taken.  (Crazy multi-tasking Mom move.)  Thank the good Lord:  Rachel's hips are normal!  No hip dysplasia!  So very glad.  Rachel will wear her leg brace only at night until she's 6 months old and then it all goes away.  God is so good.  We're so grateful.

Only a few more days of the pink cast...

Berry Pickers

We have the most amazing berry fields in Carlsbad. Huge, red all the way through, and oh so juicy. These field are just up the road from our home, and it's become an annual tradition to partake in picking these scarlet beauties every year.

Note to self: Have the young 'uns wear red shirts for the berry ooze. Learned that tip from Susan.

You pay an arm and a leg for any strawberries you want to bring home in a bucket, but the hot, dirty, delicious berries you consume in the fields... all free. Make sure to go at snack time.

Who wants a big, wet, sticky, red kiss?

My view, looking down. My sweet, sleeping, berry picker.

How in the world does Zac roll his eyes back like that? Scary.

On our way home from berry picking, we stopped by the lagoon nature center.

There were hundreds of swallow nests tucked under the roof. Here you can see small white swallow beaks poking out of the holes.

Using binoculars for very scientific tasks.

The Tripster

The other day, I took Zac grocery shopping. Being 2 years old, he has this amazing ability to trip on, well, absolutely nothing. Nice wide aisles, no buckles in the flooring, no protruding bolts or bumps. And yet he manages to fall flat on his face near the bananas, cutting his upper lip with his front teeth (thankfully no ER visit, mouths heal nicely on their own). Popped the lip right open, and I have blood stains on my white jacket to show for it.

He could care less about his swollen lip. He's got Barney the wonder dog.

Silly boys.

Sisters

I love my girls.

Not sure why this photo is once again rotated without consent. Argh.

Wordless Wednesday: Naptime with Daddy

Rachel - 3 months

Our angel is 3 months old now... I'm loving her sweet coos and kahs. When you look at her and smile, it's like her whole body builds up with excitement and then all that happiness explodes out of her face with an amazing smile. It's hard to capture on film, but that doesn't stop me from trying.

Breakfast in Bed (Mother's Day)

Reading books with Zac and Rachel.

Suzy Goose

Our boy Zac loves his puzzles and his books.

He loves this book, Suzy Goose by Peter Horacek. I wonder how many times we can renew the check-out at the library?

Farewell

We recently had to say goodbye to my sister and her family as they moved to Colorado. We had such a wonderful time with them, and will certainly miss them. We're so happy that they sold their home quickly and are back on familiar turf. We love you, Johnsons!