Preschool graduation #2

And there’s also going to be a #3.  Little Joshie is going to be a preschool expert by the time he finally makes it to kindergarten.  This was my second year doing a preschool co-op with my friends, and it is so much fun!  There were four of us this year, so we just taught one week of the month.  The kids have such a good time, and it is so fun to be a part of their learning process.  They progress so much over the course of the year, and it’s neat to look back at where they started and then see all the amazing things they can do now. 

Today we held a little graduation party where they got graduation certificates, photo books, fun graduation leis, and bags of smarties because they are all such smartie pants.  Way to go my tiny preschoolers!

Ezra, Josh, Teya, and Morgan

Here’s some pics from their photo books:

 

Hanging up my shirt (for now)

After 5ish years of teaching group fitness classes and personal training, I am hanging up my shirt and devoting myself to the ranks of full-time mommyhood.  Even though I was only working a few hours a week there at the end, the combination of me working, traveling husband, Young Women, and 3 kiddos was enough to make life feel very hectic.  In an attempt to find more peace and balance in my life, I decided it would be best to put this on hold for a little while.  I hope to go back someday when I have a little more time and energy.  I will certainly miss it, as some days, going to work was my saving grace, but I know this is the right choice for me and for my family.  The Erie Community Center has been such a fun, motivating place to work and I am so glad for all the opportunities I’ve been given there.  So for now…..sayonara to the fitness field, and hello cleaner house!  (one can only hope)

Redline Running Club

Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to join the Redline Running Club.  Our good friends, Josh and Kristin, have recently joined the ranks of full time entrepreneurship, and are expanding their running company to include not only fabulous race directing, but race training, and race gear (coming soon!).  It has been so much for to run with this club.  At the moment, much to Josh’s chagrin, we are almost exclusively women.  (Personally, I think the guys just can’t keep up with us!)  We meet twice a week—Tuesdays at 5:30am (no, unfortunately that is not a typo) and Saturday mornings at 6am. I have learned so much from our coaches, Kim, Josh, and Doug, and I have a BLAST running with my friends, both new and old.  I am so inspired by these women.  Who else could make me run 11 miles in the freezing rain this morning?  Only my running club gals.  I’ve already improved so much, and I am so excited for this summer’s racing season!  GOOOOO Redline!

Happy Mother's Day to Me!

Top 5 reasons I love being a Mom:

1. Never in my life have I been greeted with such enthusiasm as when my kiddos pounce on me in my bed in the morning.
2. I have to opportunity to develop talents that I never knew I had or needed, like scrubbing vomit out of carpet, or sprinting across grocery stores to catch glass bottles before they shatter on the floor.
3. Unexpected notes, hugs, and kisses. Or my favorite, Blake's "I Love Lou!"

4.Watching my kids grow, learn, and achieve their goals. There is nothing better than the joy on a little face when they do something they thought they couldn't.
5. Instant forgiveness. I mess up all the time, but my sweet kids are quick to forgive and never hold a grudge. I love that about them, and want to be more like them!

Thanks kiddos for making me a Mommy! I love you!

I just love these M.O.M.'s!!

Here's our Ragnar video. Kristin did an amazing job. When I'm old and gray I'm going to watch this video and remember the glory days ;)

Ragnar So Cal 2011 from Tara Banks on Vimeo.

Hippity, Hoppity, Happity Easter!

We had a very cold, very rainy Easter this year!  Despite yucky weather, the kids still managed to have a great time at the annual Easter Egg hunt.  And I think they ate all their candy in about 10 minutes flat.

   

Then we got to dye Easter Eggs.  The kids won’t eat them, but they sure love to decorate them!

Easter morning the kids had fun finding their Easter Baskets that Dad had hidden.  Blake could not resist all the jelly beans hidden throughout the house, and walked around all morning with his mouth stuffed full of jelly beans. 

Halle got her first pair of roller skates, Josh got a computer game, and Blake got Bullseye, from Toy Story.  Do you see the sheer joy on Blake’s face?  My friend Amber has two little girls, and they both had a Bullseye doll.  Blake played with it one day and then cried and cried when he had to give it back.  I’ve been searching everywhere for the same toy (even the Disney Store in Downtown Disney) and had no luck finding it.  Well, Amber asked Tigan, her oldest daughter, if Blake could have her Bullseye.  And that sweet little girl gave her toy to Blake.  We put it in his basket on Easter Morning, and he hasn’t put it down since. 

Next came Easter pictures.  I spent a small fortune buying new clothes for the little darlings, and all I wanted was one picture for my efforts.  I got the pictures, but not without much whining and crying. (from both the kids AND me.)  I literally chased Blake with a camera all day.

 
Little Hally also got a matching Easter dress, and I even made her a matching hair bow.  Big Halle got her first pair of “high heels” and she couldn’t be more excited.  It was so sweet. 

We ended the day with a yummy dinner, strawberry shortcake, and our annual game of “Don’t Eat the Easter Bunny.” 

Happy Easter Everyone!

200 miles of fun

We did it!  200 miles from Huntington Beach to Coronado, and we ran every step of the way.  The journey started Wed night as Susan and I flew to LA.  We were running just a touch late, and when we got to security, I realized I didn’t have my boarding pass!  So, I sprinted back to the ticket counter, got a new one, and sprinted back to security.  I think I set a PR for airport running ;)

Susan’s aunt was kind enough to act as our chauffer for the day, and she whisked us off to Downtown Disney, where we ate dinner at the Rainforest Cafe.  FUN. 

 

The next afternoon we headed down to Newport where we met up with the rest of our team.  We had a few hours to kill before our dinner reservation, so we took our 15 passenger van on the ferry to Balboa Island.  The picture doesn’t do it justice.

Next up was dinner at the Spaghetti Factory.  24 hungry women (We had another team from our ward also running the race—the lovely ladies of the Mile High Runner’s Club) and 1 server.  Dinner took FOREVER.  But at least it was delicious!  We ended the evening with team awards. Everyone came decked out in their apron—I made everyone cutsie flip flops to match their aprons, and we all got a pair of cat-eye sunglasses. I then presented them all with a funny award

 

The race began bright and early the next morning at 7:15.  Van 1 was off and running while we Van 2 gals had a leisurely breakfast.  We then drove to Anaheim to the first major exchange where Natalie kicked off our runners with a strong start.  We were so stoked for our first runs, but there were two things we didn’t expect.  #1—HEAT.  It was so so so much hotter than we were used to!  I think the temperature was around 90 degrees for most of our runs.  #2—HILLS.  We thought after doing Wasatch Back last year that there wasn’t a hill in the world we couldn’t conquer.  Since we were racing at sea level, we didn’t pay much attention to the hills in our training.  We sincerely regret that.  California hills, you have earned our respect. 

I ran in the #12 spot for the first leg, which was 8 miles of steady incline.  I was the luckiest one in my van, because by the time it was my turn to run, the temperature had cooled off significantly.  I had a great first run, and was excited to see my whole team again at the next major exchange. 

(Our van, the Jolly Green Giant)

We were all totally wiped out from the heat.  I have never consumed so much water in my life!  We had two runners puke, and most of the rest of us wished we had!  We hightailed it to BJ’s to refuel with some yummy food.  The rest of the evening is a blur—we weren’t sure how we were going to run again, but as soon as we started our night runs, we got a second wind.  It was cool outside, and there is something totally exhilarating about running in the middle of the night.  We started around midnight and finished about 5:30 am. (I think).  My night run was 6 miles, and I was completely decked out in glow sticks. (you can’t see the ones on the backs of my legs.)  This run was almost completely downhill, so it was a speedy one. 

Then, the delirium of sleep deprivation set in.  We went and parked by the beach and tried to get a little sleep, only to find out that when we are that tired, we all SNORE.  Every single one of us.  Needless to say, we didn’t sleep great.  But, some yummy breakfast and a “shower” in the Ihop bathroom did wonders to improve our spirits.  We were ready to ROCK our last runs!  It was so amazing to see everyone finish this race strong.  Despite some people not feeling very well, extreme lack of sleep, and total muscle exhaustion, everyone finished the race with a smile on their face.  That’s why I love this relay—it is so inspiring to watch my friends do amazing things.  I am so grateful for their friendship, and I always walk away from these races a better person.  My last run was down a fun little trail, and I gave it everything I had. After watching my teammates succeed, I didn’t want to let myself down.  5.2 miles of running all out.  I was so happy to hand off the slap bracelet to Susan for the final leg of the race. 

 
Getting Zen before our final run :)

We all put our aprons on and waited to cross the finish line with Susan.  She came barreling down the path, and we all had to sprint to keep up with her!  We crossed the finish line together at Silver Strand State Beach on Coronado (one of the first times we’d seen the sand along the course).  What an amazing moment—12 friends—1 goal—We did it!!

Right after we were done, we hightailed it to In-N-Out.  I’m pretty sure the whole reason Amy ran the race was for this moment ;)

And because you know I love pics, here are a few more of our “after party” hanging out in Coronado on Sunday.  We were all excited to lay out on the beach, but it was FREEZING.  Why couldn’t Saturday have been freezing while we ran, and Sunday hot so we could lay on the beach?  The hot tub is as close to water as we got.    

I think the cat-eye glasses should come back in style!

(This was packing light!)