End of the first week

Wow the first week went with out any hitches, Natey loves school and even took to the stage in Assembly to introduce the other kids to their class mascot.

I didn't attend the Assembly as I didn't know you could go - I guess i wasn't listening carefully enough but another parent filled me in.  However I was a little concerned that she mentioned everyone was laughing about how he speaks, I kind of have mixed feelings about this as this can move to bullying and teasing, he doesn't realize sometimes why people like or think his accent is funny and to stand on stage and people laugh at you can be daunting, in the early stages of school, you mix with new people and try and fit in and even at this young age impressions are made. We are proud of him no matter what he sounds like.

Anyway enough about that and onto the weather, it has been a scorcher here this week and I really try not to "go on and on" about the weather as I know some people are not so lucky to live in beautiful California, this whole week we have been over 100 oF every day, (you know it will be hot when it is 75 at 6am when I leave for work. This results in a lot of pool time and MANY changes of clothes. I went for a run today with Margaret, but with the heat and my knees being a bit sore it was more like a walk, running is definately better at about 65 oF

Tonight Simon and i are headed out on a "date night" with Lori and Andy Whittock, we are going to T-REX, 

I will probably struggle to find something weight watcher friendly but.....never mind, I am enjoying having the access to my weight watchers on my iphone as they now have a weight watchers mobile program, now I have no excuse to forget the Burgers and chips  I eat!!

OK I have sat here long enough filling you in on how hot I am

Have a wonderful WEEKEND, we have a 3 day weekend with Labor Day on Monday and start off Saturday with 2 afternoon Parties!!

Love to you all and a big welcome to SEPTEMBER - the month Nathaniel turns 5

First day of School

So, today is the day we have been waiting for all summer when Nathaniel John Eves hits the school trail.

He has been so excited but as I suspected he did not take kindly to me waking him up at 7am - what can I say he takes after his dad (although today daddy was up).  So Mr Grumpy got up sulked then went back to bed, after about 20 minutes he got up and had breakfast and got dressed, 

He was now excited, grabbing his backpack we went to the car, the journey was not problematic at all and we got to school at 7.55 so maybe we can leave 5 mins later tomorrow,

This gave him a chance to pick the best peg,  his new friend Vivian was also there with her mum and dad.

Having waited a long time and the doors hadnt opened he headed to the Monkey Bars for a quick play.  The headmistress (principle) was going around waving and chatting with parents, the school was full of excited chatter and the loveliest thing was that there was many mums and dads there to say goodbye to their child on the first day of school, not just for kindergarten, it is nice it is still a special family event.

We found his cubbie and off he went, to enjoy his day (hopefully), I will pick him up at 1.30

Super mario Thursday

Summer is drawing to a close and though there has been no let up in the weather (that is not a surprise) school will start on monday .  For Nathaniel it will be his first year of "official" education starting Kindergarten and the school year looks kind of intimidating with him only getting 4 weeks off between now and June 11th when he breaks up for summer, Nathaniel is so excited he just cant wait his new back pack arrived and he was able to put his special pencils and other goodies inside ready for his first day on monday.

The pace here has remained a little hectic but we are definitely having gaps for us to feel more "rested and happy", we have even managed to catch up on some TV in an evening and not got totally addicted to the Olympics!!

So for now, good night

Being "hot hot hot"

This has been a most memorable day, not only have I (for the first time in ages) felt "awake", today was the day Nathaniel aged 4 5/6th swam a length of the pool 12 times totally unassisted and in fact I was at the other end of the pool cheering him on (as were the rest of the pool) of course  in his favourite words "I have never seen a 4 5/6th boy swim as good as that" he now definitely has his eye on the prize (well several ) he thinks he can do the fast swimming, diving, and ladies Gymnastics - YES he has been enjoying the Olympics with me, he likes to snuggle on the sofa next to me and tell me that he could have done what they did....but better - oh the optimism is funny!!

So today was a sweltering day, another of the many hot days when it reaches over 40 oC (104 oF), so we spent the morning in the pool with our friends Melissa, Jack and Ryan but after Pizza karate was calling so headed over there for his class.  On our return we decided it was too hot for anything so hit the pool once again, and the joy in his face as he achieved all his new goals - pure joy and the first thing he wanted to do when he got out the water (after I dragged him out) was to call "daddy", but the ansaphone was on so he left a message and daddy soon called back.

and now I am sitting trying to keep cool I have changed my jammies 3 times trying to find something cool and I eagerly await 4am when the wind picks up and the air becomes fresh and cool - at least till about 8am when it gets roasting again,

so for now, maybe an ice lolly is in order..................night night

oh and my leg still hurts today but I have managed some decent exercises mainly in the pool and the wii fit!!

Sunny Tuesday

I got the day off today which has been a blessing my leg has been hurting more than normal since yesterday and all today to the point I needed to have some pain killers,

Nathaniel and I had a lovely day headed to The Ranch to see Lollypop with Katrina and Bonnie which was a lot of fun and we even had a picnic lunch, after that we headed to the pool, I have been swimming so much this week it has been fun and it is so exciting to see Nathaniel's progression with his swimming, when we left the UK in February,  I was sure he would be swimming by the end of summer, but with taking so long away I began to think maybe not but this week he has just been going for it to the point that he is jumping really far and swimming to the sides and swimming in widths really well,

He only has a week and a half before school starts so we are really making the most of our time, although we will still have most of the afternoon's.

It was really hot today so it is so nice to just spend 2 hrs or more in the pool,

However it is nearing his bedtime so I should go get his story read!!

What has your Tuesday been like,

I am off to watch the olympics with a nice glass of wine (I had given up for a week but really fancy a nice cool glass of wine to relax!!)

CHEERS:)

Work, work, Work

Thats all I seem to have done since I returned from the UK, although i haven't really, and this 5 day stretch is tiring too, today I decided I needed knew nursing shoes as my feet hurt so much and my leg is really sore where I broke it, I guess it just is also in connection with me working more, 

Tomorrow is my last day till saturday - yippee.

Nathaniel wants to swim every day (which is good cause it is just so hot over here another heat-wave - over 100's again) he is getting so confident which is fantastic though we still take good care to make sure no drowning occurs.

The olympics have started - what is your favourite event??  I think China and the US think they are the only ones competing but they just have the most available money to put time and effort into sport where as other countries the Athletes usually have full time jobs and practice in their spare time!! I also think the gymnasts seem to have got really chubby especially their legs, I am sure they use to be like scrawny little girls, there was even a 33 year old woman in there from the german team!!!! The synchronized diving is just plain creepy!!

Oh well,

Better go bed, morning will be here before I know it!! Happy Tuesday!

Camping,

Camping was a fun time for the 3 of us. I joined Simon and Nathaniel for the last few days of their trip.

Simon had never done camping before so I wasn't sure what I would find as I arrived that sunday evening, but what I found was our friends enjoying a campfire and awaiting dinner (we were cooking it)

The next 48 hours was full of fun adventure and total relaxation, we had forgotten whet it was like not to check emails every five minutes, but to just talk, relax and enjoy our friends company.  There certainly was a lot of talk making it an annual event and our family would certainly sign up.  We would also be a bit more prepared next time around.

Swimming, toasting marshmallows and hikes as well as certainly too many bottles of wine, nathaniel just loved being out doors and keeping the fire going!!

The last day we enjoyed a cheeseburger from the local cafe and boy it tasted nice, slowly integrating us back into civilisation,

Thank you to all our friends who had a fun time with us!!

I did it....

Not a bad time either around 2.14/2.17

phew, it was very cold,

more later!!

So here goes

August 3rd 2008

I woke up to pee around 1.10 and after that just dozed a little and by 3.00 I was so fed up I just got up the alarm was due to go off at 3.30,

So with a sip of hot tea (didnt want to drink too much) and some melon,

I got dressed up with my number and shoe tag on. Off i went I arrived at the parking lot a little early and then Margaret, her friend Trine and myself heading in, timing was perfect, we parked, pee'd and dropped off our bags, and then waited in line,

Suddenly we were off, Margaret and Trine went speeding off I preferred a slower start, 1, 2, 3, 4 the miles were passing by, a hard climb up to the golden gate bridge beaconed - oh dear, eventually at the top I started the run over the bridge, I knew by the time I finished the bridge portion I would only have 3 miles left and who cant run 3 miles - easy!!

The bridge however was very windy and really cold so my leg muscles in shorts dint like it and it was hard for me to get up any speed, this was disappointing and my split time at 7.5 miles was 1hr 16mins, I carried on though struggling a bit from 10 miles and even nearly got run over by a fire engine who had to come to attend to some injured runners (but not me) Mile 11 seemed to go on for about 10 miles, it was torture, but eventually I hit 12 and then only 1.1 miles to go, then only .5, .4. 3 etc....then, it was all done,

Finished in 2 hrs 14 not my best but not my worst time and more I was trying to get a personal goal achieved - which I did do,

I headed off to collect my medal and any free swag I could get my hands on then headed home,

Hurrah me!!

Getting closer

2 days till race day and I collected my race bib and timing chip, wow the buzz of the tents was amazing and it was hard not to get swept up with it, even Nathaniel wanted to run, as we walked along the starting route Nathaniel was asking where he would sit to cheer me on, sadly they are camping but as it is such an early race it would be hard for them to be there, i start at 5am.

so some stretching, feet care and rest is what I need for now, working tomorrow and then a brief 2 miles just to stretch out the muscles,

no turning back now,

I am bib number 13951