I finished the race!

With the seemingly endless ups and downs of the past couple of months, I am so glad that I have had the constant of the More 1/2 marathon to prepare for.  While Kai kept asking me if I was going to win, I had to continually explain that my goal was just to finish - I wasn’t competing with anyone except myself.  So, I was thrilled to have exceeded my goal of 3 hours by a whole 7 minutes. I’m sure there were plenty of people who finished in less than half that time, but that wasn’t even among my thoughts. I have never crossed a finish line before - it was an incredibly exhilirating moment for me even if there wasn’t anyone there to cheer me on.

The challenge of the day was definitely the heat and humidity - a surprise heat wave hit the area - but at least it wasn’t pouring rain.  In fact, the marathon portion of the race was canceled due to the dangers of heat exhaustion. So, 8,000 of us crowded the Central Park race route for the 1/2 marathon.  It took a while to spread out and actually be able to get into my pace, but once I did, I felt good about my run. At the advice of a marathoner, I walked most of the hills in order to conserve energy - and didn’t feel guilty about it as it was strategy as opposed to laziness.  While my knees were complaining each step of the way, I was determined to run every inch of the last mile - once I saw the finish line, I knew I was in the home stretch and sprinted to the end.

Exhausting - yes. Worth it - definitely. So glad my friend Kim made this her goal and let me tag along. And I’m glad that running (outside at least as opposed to the treadmill) is now something I enjoy, not dread. Now I have to find a new goal to prepare for - I’m definitely not about to retire my running shoes.

Ticks And Lyme Disease | Nature For Kids

I just came across this article on Ticks and Lyme Disease from Nature for Kids that I thought I would sure. Now that the weather is warming up, we’re all - hopefully - spending heaps of time outside and need to be aware of how to spot and safely remove those pesky creepy crawlies that only live in North America. Just another reason to immigrate to Oz…

I always check the kids for ticks when I strip them down for the bath after we’ve been out in the woods.  I haven’t found one on either of them yet, but chances are, the day will come…

Ticks And Lyme Disease | Nature For Kids

the squeaky wheel…

So, at my training partner, Kim’s suggestion, I contacted the MORE race peeps and asked to be put on a waiting list for the race. While I didn’t try to sound too sob storyish, I did explain how our current situation had prevented me from registering for the race earlier. Well, much to my surprise, they let me in! So, 1/2 marathon, here I come. While I feel like I’ve come a long way over the past couple of months - from running for a minute to running 3 miles, I am still nowhere near the 13 I would need to run the entire race. Luckily, walking is allowed…

Kim and I did nearly 8 miles on Forbidden Drive this morning. Spring is here and while the trees are still brown, the sky is a gorgeous, invigorating blue. There is just no comparison to running on a trail to running on a treadmill.

you snooze, you lose…

I know I’ve been AWOL the last couple of weeks. Kaleo has been laid off - his company has been hit hard with the economic crisis as the sales in its SOHO gallery have greatly decreased over the last few months. Anyway, as we moved to Philly for this job, it’s come as a great blow for us - and we still have six months left on our lease… We’re both desperately looking for jobs and hope something will turn up as we really are enjoying Philly. As a result though, I’ve been walking around in a daze and I feel guilty if I spend any time on the computer not looking for jobs.

But the kids and I have been out a heap lately - it’s easier to be out and about then home with my thoughts!

And when I’m lucky, I get a little time out on my own… I’ve taken up running again over the last couple of months. I have proudly finished my President’s Challenge - it honestly got me out to exercise on several days when I would have rathered stayed in. So, I definitely found it worth it. But, I needed a new goal, so was excited when my friend, Kim, mentioned she was going to be running a half-marathon in April in Central Park in NYC. It was just what I was looking for - spring in the city and a race for women only - so I started training with her. But, it’s taken time for me to actually be ready to register for the race as our life is still a bit up in the air. Last weekend though, I finally arranged the logistics to make the race possible, so went to the website to register only to find it’s been sold out! As it was to be first race (besides a 5K in college 15 years ago), I had no idea that races sold out… So, now I’m on the search for a new challenge… and I need something quick as I’ve totally lost my motivation for exercising this week…

the brain needs nature!

Seems obvious to those of us who love the outdoors and know how different we feel when we’re in it, but scientists have been working to prove it.  Here’s an article highlighting the results of their research on the benefits of spending time in nature.

out of my hands…

Kai’s application to the school of my dreams - the Greenwoods Charter School - has been signed, sealed and delivered.  And now we wait… hopefully we’ll know by May if we’ve been selected in the lottery as one out of hundreds of applicants to fill 12 vacant spots in next year’s kindergarten class.  But at least it’s out of my hands and into the safe and capable hands of the extremely nice office staff at the school.

Since we were out that way, the boys and I spent some time at The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, which partners with the school - in fact, you have to walk through the center to get several of the classrooms.  The boys had fun playing in the discovery drawers and exploring the little forest.

Taz wanted to eat the nuts that were there so you could practice picking up various birds’ foods with chopsticks and Kai enjoyed “fishing” in the stream.

I’m hoping that we’ll get to check out some of the classes that the Schuylkill Center has for kids, such as the Nature for the Young: March Winds Blow that will be held this Thursday.  Just $8 for nonmembers - seems like a great way to have time for a quiet hike while the kids enjoy the class… The Center also has frequent evening lectures on nature topics as well as volunteer days, which I’d really like to be a part of.  It even holds an orientation for new volunteers for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic, which is part of the Center as well.

While the kids might be a bit young to be a volunteer at the wildlife rehabilitation clinic, we can find ways for them to enjoy wildlife and what better way to do so than through the suggestions of the National Wildlife Foundation in honor of National Wildlife Week which will be coming up later this month.

in like a lion…

March has arrived and so has our biggest snow storm of the year.  With the windchill, it will be down in the single digits, so needless to say, Kai won’t have school today.  I hadn’t realized when he started pre-school that snowdays would be much harder on me than him… and not because I have more time with my little one, but because it usually means we’re stuck inside most of the day as my kids usually will not stand more than 45 minutes of play in the snow.  Though I can’t complain. I have a friend in Wisconsin who wrote me recently that she’s happy when the temp gets above 0 F - she’s moving to Florida soon and I’m sure she can’t wait!  I always thought I’d be willing to live anywhere, but, as I get older, I’m starting to wonder if that’s true…

We have had some fun in the snow though this year and you have to know the cold to appreciate the warm. And oh how ready I am to appreciate warm…

Our first good snow of the season took us for a walk down to Fairmount park.

While it’s only a 15 minute or so walk in good weather, it took a lot longer with all the fun, snowy distractions and slippery sidewalks.

The kids were excited to get there and play around and see the river frozen over along boathouse row. Definitely no one rowing the Schuykill river that day…

But what I hadn’t counted on was the fact that they would be freezing by the time we had to turn back -

and would still have 30 or so minutes of shivering stroller time before we reached home and hot chocolate.  So, while I enjoyed it all, I think it was a bit much for them.  The next decent snow just took us to our local maze park and some quality time building a snowman.  Unfortunately we did not have our camera on that occassion, but we were quite proud of the 2 footer our efforts produced - until a local man walking his dog told us about the “perfect” snowman across the park.  How those kids got their balls so round and packed hard, I’ll never know…

another book suggestion…

I absolutely love to read - as do my boys.  When Taz is abnormally quiet, I can usually find him in his room flipping through books.  I just saw a listing for this book which encourages free play for kids - something I’m a firm believer in.  It’s called Einstein Never Used Flash Cards: How Our Children Really Learn — and Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

It reminded me of a blog I recently found - the Playborhood - which advocates kids playing together in their neighborhoods - an art that is unfortunately at risk of being lost in this day and age.  While I don’t have a neighborhood my kids can go out an play in easily, I still do my best to encourage time at the playground with neighborhood kids.  Now if only these 40 mph winds would go away…

Nature’s All Around Us - a Green Hour blog post…

I love the Green Hour program and everything it stands for.  Today, I read an entry on their blog that I found especially in line with my own thoughts as the writer is also an urban mom trying to instill a love of nature in her children.  Just wanted to pass it on…

doubting Punxsutawney Phil’s skills…

I know the groundhog predicted 6 more weeks of winter, but the last 6 days have been absolutely gorgeous.  A most welcome break from the the freezing temps of the last few months.  Even though I know the weather gods are going to plunge us back into a deep freeze, I’ve enjoyed every moment I possibly could of the warmth.  Probably why I have a very long to do list of all the things I’ve neglected over the past week…

Yesterday, my friend, Kim, along with her two boys, showed us a gorgeous trail in 1,800 acre Wissahickon Valley Park called Forbidden Drive.  We found plentiful street parking by taking a left off of Henry Avenue onto Monestary Drive and then making an immediate right.  While this wasn’t a the trail head, it provided us a short walk under the Henry Avenue bridge onto the trail.

We had intended to have a decent hike along the stoller-friendly Forbidden Drive to an area with easy access to the river.  But once the boys saw the river, there was no turning back.

We ended up climbing over the fence (yes, it was allowed) and straight down to the river where the boys could throw rocks into the water.

One thing Kim and I both agreed on was that when taking kids for a hike, the purpose has to be for them to enjoy nature and exploring, not for you to get in your exercise for the day.

Kim is also up for being part of the children and nature club that I want to start here in Philly - I’m thinking of calling it “PSX Philly” - any thoughts? I think Kai and Taz had a lot more fun having other kids to play and explore with.

After Kim’s eldest had stepped in the icy water a few too many times, she decided to head home for naptime.  My boys and I decided to stay on as we were so enjoying being out.  We sat together on a big rock for a while, just watching the leaves float down the river.

On our way back up the trail, Kai and I started looking for pods, acorns, pine cones and other items that had fallen out of the trees to use to make little nature people out of for an art project (inspired by the upcoming Kids Grow Expo - I’ll write about that in a future post).  It was great to have a treasure hunt - it really added to Kai’s enthusiasm and, as a result, we ended hiking the yellow/green trail for another hour or so. While not stroller-friendly, I had forgotten mine anyway, so with Taz in the front-carrier we did just fine.  It was bike and horse accessible - I would love to get day on the mountain bike without the kids this spring… Anyway, I was amazed at Kai’s endurance - all due to his having a purpose to his hike.  I was actually the one who insisted on turning around once Taz got overly fussy.  He fell asleep in my arms on the way back to the car - not the most comfortable way to walk, but we made it back to the car.

As I’ve looked over the Friends of the Wissahickon website, I am so excited about all there is to do in the park, which is part of the Fairmount Park system.  There are numerous trails, as well as volunteer activities and organized hikes.  There is even an environmental center which offers tot classes.  While the schedule currently on their website is from last fall, I am hoping to visit there soon and find out about the updated options.  The more I learn about Philly’s outdoor offerings, the more I am amazed by how nature friendly this big city is.  And the more excited I am about discovering all we can!