Aren't They Pretty?

These are my new running shoes that I bought while we were in San Diego. I went to Road Runner Sports where I had a fit analysis done for me. The Fit Tech dude had me walk on a electronic sensor that essentially took a blueprint of my foot to determine my arch type. He then had me run on a treadmill while he videotaped my feet to see how I ran. I learned several little things that will hopefully making my running more comfortable. For example, while I normally wear a Size 7 1/2 shoe, my running shoes should be an 8 to allow more room around the top of my foot (I bruised my right big toe very badly during the half marathon because I needed more room around it). I also learned that my feet roll slightly inward when I run, which might explain my shin pain, and that I have a medium arch. Add all these things together and I need a Size 8 shoe in the Stability category (does any of this sound familiar, Chelle?). I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that I could get these shoes under $100. I fully expected to pay more than that, so to make up for it, I bought some more running socks. Heck yeah! I tried the new shoes out this morning, and they felt great!

Aaron had a Great 2nd Birthday!

Well, except for when the EMTs had to be called. More on that later...

This year we decided to make Aaron's birthday a little more low-key than last year, since we left the very next day to spend five very full days in San Diego. Grandma and Grandpa Q were here to celebrate with us, so that made it all the more special.

The birthday cake.

Aaron blowing out the candles (with help from Daddy and Grandpa).

Aaron opening all his presents.

Now, about the EMTs. Do you see the activity block in the background of that last picture? Right after these pictures were taken, Aaron tripped over some shoes on the floor and landed forehead-first right into the corner of it. It started bleeding immediately and Daddy determined that Aaron might need stitches. In our initial panic, we couldn't figure out where to take him. The base doesn't have an emergency room, so we were going to have to drive the 30 minutes into town to the nearest hospital, then probably wait for hours for him to be seen. We weren't really willing to do this since we weren't 100% sure he needed stitches anyway. So we dialed 911 and asked the base EMTs to come by and take a look at his head. Of course, being the GIGANTIC GIRL that I am, I immediately started bawling when they walked in the front door. Just not a situation I wanted to find myself in where the boy is concerned. They determined that he probably didn't need stitches and just advised us to try to get an appointment at Pediatrics in the morning to have his doctor take a final look at it. We did and all the doctor did was put a couple butterfly bandages on it and some anti-bacterial stuff and said he will probably have a small scar.

So, moral of the story? Pick up your shoes!!

We're Back!

We just got back today after celebrating Aaron's second birthday last Sunday, then spending five wonderful days in San Diego! Many more pictures and posts to come!

As it turns out, we got back about five hours too late to watch the shuttle Atlantis land at Edwards! Auugghhh! Oh, well. Maybe next time.

Oh, So That's What Panic Feels Like....

Today we lost Reagan...for about a half an hour. I decided to go running this morning, so, while I was gone, Bill decided to go out into the front and wash his truck. He took Aaron out with him to "help." At some point, Aaron decided that he needed his Mickey Mouse cheese bites out of the fridge so he went around to the back door to go in and get them and, on the way back, brought Reagan with him. I got back from running, and it was then a case of Bill thinking I had taken Reagan inside when I went in for water and me thinking she was back in our bedroom asleep. Both of us thought that the other knew where she was, when in reality neither of us did. I could tell something was wrong because Bill started whistling for her when he went inside to check on her. You never have to do that. She is always underneath your feet so it is never hard to find her.

From here, the aforementioned panic mode set in. First, I just took off running down the street calling for her. Not too smart, since I essentially left Aaron standing there in the front yard, looking at me funny. So I turned back and put him in the car and drove around the neighborhood a few times, horrible thoughts passing through my head. The desert on one side of our subdivision. The much-traveled road on the other. The people who see her, without a collar, and decide to keep the very cute, already house-trained pug that would cost them a lot of money anywhere else. She has a microchip implanted in her, but do people really go to the trouble to take strays to a vet to see if they have owners first?

Eventually, Bill found her after jumping into his truck and actually asking people in the neighborhood if they had seen her. One of our neighbors down the street saw her wandering around and decided to put her in his house, thinking that a pug really shouldn't be walking around in the 90+ degree heat for very long and that she looked well-fed and cared for, so someone would probably be along very soon asking about her. Bill did and we got our Reagan back.

Most of you will probably balk at this, but some of you may understand what I mean when I say this - Reagan is my first child. I'm not kidding. We have a trip planned this week to San Diego and I was fully ready to skip it in order to be able to look for Reagan day and night until I found her. The panic I experienced today is the frantic, grab-you-by-the-chest-and-squeeze-until-you-can't-breathe-anymore type.

Thank God for helpful neighbors.

Birth Control

My Husband is Officially a Senior (Again)

This past Saturday, Bill and I attended the graduation of TPS Class 06B. Bill is in TPS Class 07A. This means that he and his classmates are now the "Seniors" while TPS Class 07B, who starts class the first week of July, are now the "Juniors."

The graduation was a lot of fun because it was obvious we were the low people on the totem pole, thus really having nothing to do but sit, drink and eat! Bill's class was seated in the very back row of tables with Bill and I being seated in the far back corner. Like, you literally could not get any further away from the stage than we were. But that's O.K, attending this graduation was a requirement for Bill and we were able to see what it's going to be like for him in December. Plus it's not everyday you get to be in the same room as an astronaut (James D. Halsell, Jr., a veteran of five missions, was our speaker).

Bill and I. Aren't we a damn handsome couple? he he

TPS wives who we could round up in time for a picture.

Bill's TPS class.

Mmm, Me Likey the Cover of My EW This Week...

Ocean's Thirteen, baby! Already getting good reviews! Bill and I are going to see it in Las Vegas in a couple weeks! How cool are we?

Half Marathon Pictures!

Me at about 100 yards from the finish line. Sexy, right? But do you see the girl in green right behind me? I had been chasing her the whole race and finally caught up with her and passed her right at that moment. Awesome! Edit: Yeah, the girl in green behind my left shoulder who's running, not the one in the wheelchair. Apparently that befuddled some.

My runnin' buds. From left to right, Donny, Me, Angie (her husband was our photographer), Alicia, Becky, Jose, Rich, Bethany and Odette. Donny, Jose and Rich are TPS students in Bill's class and the rest of us are wives of TPS students.

A close-up of the shirt Angie got us to wear for the race. See the stain on the front? That's blood, people! My battle wound this time was sports bra burn.

The back of the shirt. A statement which I can get behind 100 percent. Running makes me forget about everything else.


My medal.

You can view more pictures from the race on the TPS website under "Social Photos."

Hey, Can You Breathe in There?

Poor Reagan. We got hoodwinked at the vet this morning, again! I had written in this post about our trauma last fall in Washington about needing to get the Bordetella vaccine for Kennel Cough but them only having the intra-nasal kind at the vet clinic there. So, when we first moved here, I specifically asked if they had the injectable kind and they said yes! And I was happy. I made an appointment this morning to get the vaccine for her because we have to put her in a kennel while we go to San Diego over Bill's break in a couple weeks (Side Note: First time in her entire life in a kennel. Pray for us because that WILL NOT be a pleasant experience for anyone.). So we got back to the exam room and the vet tech said to hold her so that her face was pointing out. Wait, what?!? There should be no face involved whatsoever!! But, of course, this is a military clinic so they can change whatever whenever they darn well please, so it was "sorry, we only have the intra-nasal Bordetella now." FREAKIN' PERFECT. O.K., may I remind you that she's a pug? Nothing should be going up into her nose. Her nasal passages are minuscule compared to other dogs. Oh, and she fought me hard too. You probably could have clothed another dog with all the hair that was left on my jacket from her fighting me so hard.

Poor, poor puppy.

Did Autumn Happen When I Wasn't Looking?

A front moved through yesterday and today we are feeling the full brunt of it. This is how I dressed Aaron for school this morning because it was 56 degrees outside! What the heck?!?

Oh, well. Never fear. It's supposed to be up in the 90's again this weekend.

Random Picture

I can't remember what was happening here but I love the expression on Aaron's face in this picture so I thought I would post it. Puppy is running away, so I'm sure whatever was going on was not good for her.

They're Here! They're Here!

Click here for the results of the half marathon that I ran on Saturday.

#364? Yeah, that's me. How cool am I?

Oh, and #121, #163, #241, #278, #361, #408, #409 and #494? These are my runnin' buds.

I am so proud to be a part of this group.

I'm Officially Freaking Out

Tomorrow is my half marathon and already things aren't going to plan. I was supposed to leave for Fontana five minutes ago with the girls, after putting Aaron down for his nap up at my friend Amy's house. Granted, it wouldn't have been in his own bed or his own bedroom, but a bed's a bed right? We never have this issue in Missouri! Well, when I tried to put him down, he FREAKED OUT. I really don't think it's the strange house thing (honestly, we all have the same house anyway), I think something else is up. He has been extremely clingy since I brought him home from school this morning. Like, using-his-legs-to-grip-my-hip-so-I-can't-put-him-down clingy.

So now the plan is to hitch a ride with the boys (Bill's TPS classmates and husbands of the aforementioned girls) when they get home from work. Oh, and did I mention the half marathon is in the morning?

Excuse me while I go fetal again.

P.S. Thank you Chelle and P & K's Mommy for the good vibes you sent my way about the half marathon. You guys rock!