Catching Up

Fall is here and we are loving every minute of it!  We have been to several area farms, picked 100lbs of apples and we are already talking about halloween.  We have fallen into our back to school routine quite nicely.  Brianna begins preschool tomorrow and she is excited to be back at the high school.  Ryan is studying for new financial title (I know really specific) and I am running a lot.  The girls finished soccer this week and hopefully there is a little break between the next season.  Aly is pretty determined that she wants to swim on swim team this fall so we may make that jump.

 

Other than that all is good.....some pics of our recent adventures!

 

Trail Running!

 I am have done very few trail runs...like 2.  The half marathon I ran last weekend was on trails and then this weekend we decided to explore another trail that is not far from our house.  It took two miles to get there and then we were on our way.  The terrain was never the same.

 

I thought it was most fun crossing over all the rivers.

 

 We turned around about the 6 mile mark...because we were wimps and did not want to get our feet wet.

Apple Picking!

 This week we headed to the orchard to pick apples for the first time this season.  It is also the first outing where I was only sporting two kiddos.  Aly was a little sad about missing the apples but we will pick again with her.   Last year, I think we pick 20lbs or so and I think we had applesauce to last us until November...maybe.  So this year I am hoping to stash a good 10 bags of applesauce before the season is over.

 

 

We ended up with about 40 lbs..we made some apple bars and we have been eating lots of apples for snacks.  Sadly, this was what was left this morning...

 

 

Totaally random...but here is how Aly gets to the bus every morning!

 

VIA Half Marathon

 

 

On Sunday I ran the VIA half marathon in Bethlehem.  It was one of the prettiest courses I have ever run.  We got rolling around 5 am as the start was 7:15.  This was a point to point run on the Deleware Canal path.  It would have probably helped if I had read a little more about this course before I signed up...lesson learned.




The weather was awesome and we got off to a great start with a short downhill.  The course was a little tight in the beginning as we made our way to the canal trail.  The weather was perfect and I love knowing that we were only running one way.

What I did not realize was how narrow the course was for the first 4 to 5 miles.  We had huge storms the night before which was great because the humidity broke but not so great for running on the trail.  The first miles were so tight and on single track you really had to pay attention and surge ahead when you could. 

After mile 5 or so....it did open up a bit onto some birdges.  I was feeling okay.  My legs were moving but I did not feel super.  The course was mostly flat with some minor inclines up until mile 10 or so.  Around mile 10 we left the canal path and went up over the water. Ouch that one hurt...and my legs were starting to lose their steam...hang on for 3 more miles.  I thought we would get a nice downhill but instead we climbed again to another bridge and back over the water and back onto the path.   I knew we were getting close to the end..you can hear the annoucers.  I managed to negitave split the run which was great.  Overall I ended up with a 6 min PR!!!! WAHOO!!!!!

So we found out that PEEPS and Mike and Ikes are made locally here in PA...Ryan was excited that I brought him home some gifts for being gone all morning!



Next up is the marathon!

Running!

 This morning we headed up to Bethlehem to pick up my race packet for the half tomorrow.  There was a kids race, and we planned on checking it out.  The kids were so excited to race their first race.  We have been running around the neighborhood for a couple of months.

I love this picture of Aly and Ryan....she is excited and he of course is giving the last minute pep talk....

 

And Brianna...she bolted off that starting line so fast.....man she can run!  She kept looking back and I was hoping she would not trip...because grace is just often not on her side.

 

 

But she got the "GOLD" medal and man was she proud!

 

and Jackson...well he just wanted to do what the older two were doing...

 

So tomorrow I get to run....so exciting!

SCHOOL!

Summer has officially come to a screeching halt as Aly started first grade yesterday!  She loved it and had a great day.  Jackson decided he was going to get on the bus as well.  Good thing when the bus actually came he was a little starstruck to make his move.  All morning he just kept saying I missed the bus!

We are ready for a routine, well at least I am!  Jackson and Brianna started at a new preschool yesterday.  Of course, Brianna had little to say except they played because of course that is your job when you are a kid.  Okay conversation over.

A few pics: