Christmas!

Well, it is official.  I started training for my first half marathon.  First day of training was Friday, Dec. 23rd. I got in 4.25 miles.  I already blogged about that day so I won't bore you with the details but I will say it was a great run!

My parents arrived just a little after I got home from that run and the Christmas festivities started.  I made a nice dinner of chicken, broccoli and ziti.  My DH and kids favorite meal.  We also made a gingerbread house and finished baking Santa's favorite cookies, which by the way, are Molasses cookies.  Yum!

On Christmas Eve, the excitement the kids woke up with was uncontrollable.  But boy, I loved seeing them  crazy, excited for Santa to arrive.  My brother in law and his two wonderful boys arrived and the house was that much more fun.  Nothing like 4 kids running around to make you feel like a kid again.

I was up at 6:30 that day to put the pork in the crock pot and then I went back to bed.  I am sure there was a ton of things that I could of done but sleep sounded like the best choice at the time.

For most of the day, we just sat and talked and played with the kids.  We had nice apps and good drinks and for dinner I made pork sandwich's with provolone cheese and roasted and hot peppers.  They were so good.

About 8, we got the kids ready for bed and then we went outside to sprinkle Reindeer Food.  Then my mom read The Night Before Christmas to all of us and that is one of my favorite memories for the day.  After that, we didn't even have to ask the kids to go to bed.  They went right up and fell asleep faster than fast.

We decided this year to go to the 10 o'clock service instead of the 5.  The 5 is kid friendly and always very nice, but to me it is an odd time.  5 is right when I am getting dinner ready and my kids still go to be early.  So DH, my mom and I headed out to church.  The service was beautiful and the music was great!  At the end, we all got candles that we lit and the church lights went out and we sang Silent Night.  It was so beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes.  I missed having my kids with me, but I really got to enjoy it instead of trying to make them enjoy it.  May have to stick with that tradition until they are a little older.

DH and I got to bed at 2 in the morning because we waited for Santa to come so we could have cookies with him.  We all enjoyed them.

Christmas morning was so much fun.  Kids were up at 7:30, which was later than we expected.  They got everything they wanted.  Santa treated us all so well.  I did not get my Garmin, but I did get a pink iPod Nano that DH had engraved.  He put my name and Running While Mommy on it.  I love it so much!  Can't wait to run with it.

I made a brunch that everyone enjoyed and at 3 we started on the drinks and apps.  It was a perfect day!  We all slept good that night.

On Monday I got up and out for a run.  It was a nice day, 45 degrees.  I was fine until the road turned and the wind hit me.  It took my breath away.  I walked until I was out of it, which was only about 30 seconds and than started up again.  I ran 3.19 miles.  I have officially started training for my half marathon and so far so good.  I will feel real accomplishment when I break 5 miles.  Next run tomorrow.  It will have to be early because we are heading up to New Hampshire to visit family.  I am hoping for good weather.  I have not come to love running in the cold like so many of you.  The next few months should prove interesting in that regard.

I love this week.  I know some are sad or relieved that Christmas is over, but for me it is still going on.  There are still friends and family to visit with and I LOVE New Year's Eve.  It is my favorite night of the year.  Ever since number one son was born and we couldn't go out, we started an open house.  We invite friends for a kid friendly night out.  People pop in for a drink or two or many.  Usually at midnight, it is just DH and I.  I love that moment when we clink our glasses and kiss and pray for a wonderful year to come.  Anything is possible in that moment, even 13.1.

Run strong, think big!

Kids did a great job on the Gingerbread House

Reindeer Food!

Excited kids!

Santa came!

My mom and my little princess.