Happy Birthday Kamryn!

My baby turns 2 today! Sweet, sweet Kamryn Jane. Hard to believe that Ryan & I will no longer have 2 babies, but 2 little girls! I remember when we found out we were pregnant with Kamryn. One word described that moment…SHOCK. She was a complete and total surprise to us and one that we couldn’t be more thankful for! What a joy Kamryn is to our lives and to our family. She has such a sweet personality, a cute thick little body, and the most adorable cheeks ever. She looks just like her daddy – and I’m certain she will be tall like he is. She is sensitive and happy. She is very loving and gives the best slobbery kisses. She doesn’t say much (Addi does all the talking), but when she does, in her deep little voice – its special. She is a momma’s girl, which of course I adore. I love my Kam Kam! Being a mother is priceless and my heart is full. Happy Birthday sweet angel!!!

what a croc!

i love receiving texts that say something along these lines…

“go to crocs.com and pick out some flip flips for you & ryan…i’ll buy them for you.”

um, OK! they were having a buy-one-get-one-free sale, so jen, my sweet/giving/loving sister, wanted to treat us. fun surprise to brighten my day! here are the ones i picked out….

i have so many flips, i thought i’d try a different style. these look comfy & i love pink & brown. thanks jen…love ya!

Change it up!

I read Kristin Armstrong’s blog regularly…she is a great writer and an inspiration to me as a runner. Here is a clip from something she posted this weekend that I found to be very moving & challenging, thought i’d share…

We parent the same way and expect more from our kids.  We put the same old energy into our marriage and expect it to be more fulfilling.  Or if we’re single, we continue in our same old routine and wonder why we never meet anyone new.  We work the same hours doing the same things and thinking the same thoughts and wonder why we aren’t promoted. We go to the same places all the time and expect to be inspired.  We eat the same things and wonder why we weigh the same and have the same lack of energy.  We read, watch, and listen to the same kinds of things and wonder why we don’t feel more creative.  We do the same activities all the time and wonder why they aren’t as fun.  We get mad or frustrated by the same stuff and the same people, without ever concluding that perhaps we are the common denominator in that equation.  We do the same workout, run the same routes, and wonder why we are stuck in a fitness and morale plateau. We live and love and give in the same way and wonder why we never grow.

Do you see traces of this in your life?  I know I do. If we recognize it, maybe that is the first step toward stepping out?  Maybe it’s time to change it up, people.

Do the same thing you have always done and get the same things you have always gotten.

prehistoric conversation.

Allow me to set the scene…we are driving to work this morning after dropping the girls off. I’m tired, dazed & drinking coffee. We approach a red light and BAM out of no where our car is rolling over what appears to be something small, something stiff, something dead in the middle of the road….and of course, I get the shivers!  YUCK!  Reminder to all, that I recently ran over a turtle & seems like roadkill is everywhere these days on our runs in the woods. Ok, now to the conversation b/w me & my loving husband…

traci: “ew! yuck! what is that????!”

ryan: “its a dinosaur.”

traci (still grossed out): “ew…a toy?”

ryan: “no (smirking)…a real one.”

traci: “shut up!!!”

ryan: “hahahaha”

WHATEVER. Who would have thought that a small, plastic TOY dinosaur would make for such disgusting road kill!  🙂  Smarty pants.

the smoooooshed turtle

i’m very sad to say that i ran over a turtle today. shiver. i got in the car in our driveway, put it in reverse & went maybe a few inches and heard a loud crack and thought it sounded like a glass bottle or something. so i immediately stopped and walked around to the back of the car only to find a HUGE turtle 1/2 under the wheel and 1/2 out. so what do i do?  what any 28 year old adult would do. i run around the car (yes all the way around the car, even though the turtle was on the driver’s side), jump in & slam the door as fast as i could…as if the turtle was going to be mad and attack me. i called ryan, who was inside the house, and told him about this tragedy and asked him what i should do….i’m thinking, do i continue to just run him over to get out? i couldn’t tell if he was completely smooshed or just stuck.  so ryan came out  & told me to pull up a little…then he informed me that there was goo everywhere and yes, it was in fact too late for any chance of survival so to go ahead and run over the little guy. so, i put the car in reverse, cover my ears literally and drove off, feeling the bump and all. then, i got my first glance of the nastiness, while addi’s in the background asking (very excited), “mommy where is the turtle? i wanna see him!” now i just have one question, when there is roadkill in your driveway, who is responsible for cleaning it up?????

Need skincare recommendations!

Dear friends,

What kind of face wash, toner & moisturizer do you use???  I’ve tried several recently & am curious what you think works best for you. I used to use Origins & LOVE it…considering using it again even though its expensive. I’m turning 29 this month & stuff like wrinkles & sun spots are on my mind. Comment me & let me know…I would appreciate the recommendations!

Sincerely,

Your aging friend, Traci

the next food network star is…

well, last night was it…the season finale of the next food network star.  ryan & i were so pumped about it.  i made cookies…we put the girls to bed and curled up on the couch to watch our show.  i was not sure who i wanted to win.  there were 3 left…and i liked them all really.  they all were so different, it was hard to pick one out of the three to root for.  so when they announced that aaron was the winner, i really didn’t care…they were all good!  i do have to say, that i was kind of hoping lisa would win b/c she’s from dallas! sad that the show’s over…now we’ll have to get out the boston legal or the office seasons and start watching those.  i love both of those shows too.  and this january, 24 will return FINALLY.  i hardly remember what even happened last season, its been so long!

cents 4 sophie website

The Cents 4 Sophie website is up and running. Please pass the link on to as many people as you can! 

www.cents4sophie.com

Happy 4th!

Today has been a great day.  Started out the day w/a 4 mile run…hot, but pretty easy.  I didn’t push myself on time today…just slowed down & enjoyed it.  This week of our training is supposed to be an easy week. Our long run this weekend is 7 miles, compared to the 12 miles we did last weekend!  It will be a nice break…considering the weather outside is super hot.  So anyways, on with our day…while Ryan was running, I cooked breakfast.  One of my favorite things to do is cook…I LOVE it!  I made french toast, bacon, and coffee.  Addison loves bacon…she eats it first & always wants more.  After breakfast, we just hung out around the house, being lazy!!!  We eventually made our way to the coffee shop, to check on things & get an iced caramel macc. Went to my parents for a late lunch.  It was yummy – brisket, beans, potato salad, the works!  Oh, and I made homeade coffee & heath bar icecream….first time attemping this.  It was no Ben & Jerry’s, but it was pretty tasty.  Now, we are back home & the girls are napping.  I love relaxing days like this!  And the cool thing is, its only Friday…we still have the whole weekend.  I hope everyone has had a great 4th of July! Here are a few pics of my two sweet girls in their patriotic t-shirts that Grandma bought them…

long run today

this morning, ryan & i got up at 5:00 a.m. to go out & hit the pavement…met up w/dad, jen, jessica & amanda for our weekly long run.  it was a great day today.  i’ve been in some kind of running slump lately…everytime i run, i basically have to talk myself out of quitting the whole time.  but today, i felt back to normal & enjoyed it.  my goal was to finish 11 miles, but i actually ended up going 12!  it was cloudy the whole time with a little breeze…so it wasn’t too hot.  great run.  now, the rest of the day we get to chill out, pack for nyc (yeah!!!), hang out with our beautiful babies, grill & spend time w/jen.  we love weekends.  and thanks to mom for letting the girls spend the night last night!!!  it was good to get a good night’s rest before the run & we enjoyed the time alone…watched fool’s gold & went to bed early.  hope everyone has a great weekend!  stay tuned for pics from new york city…we fly out tomorrow!