Super Noob [Search results for San Diego] 

Last weekend we loaded up the car and made the trek to San Diego. Of course, I use the term trek loosely. It’s not an incredibly long drive, though with screaming kids in the car, 5 minutes can seem like an eternity.

We spent one day at Sea World and the next at the beach. Wouldn’t it figure that I (a mother of kids in ARIZONA) managed to let my little ones get a wee bit too much sun? I actually felt a little mom fail on that one. Nobody got badly burned, but Addyson had a little too much on her back and her nose. Colton his cheeks and nose, and Drew the same. My face was completely red, as was Andy’s. I did lather sunscreen onto everyone, and I even had the kids in protective sun-wear the day of the beach. Alas, the sun still found the creamy white flesh that adorns my children and left its mark. Mom fail.

Anyway, thought I’d share some photos from our little escapade.

Nothing says Sea World like Abby’s Sea Star Spin!

Drew was foolish brave enough to sit down in the soak zone…and let me tell you, they are not kidding when they use the word “soak.”

Ugh…the blanket. We couldn’t leave the blanket in the car. There it is nestled under her sweet little cheek.

See that? Overcast skies at the beach…and still too much sun.

Now that I have sufficiently bogged down the blogger system with my photo overload…I bid you adieu. Or adios. Or пока.

Happy birthday, my little man. Where on earth did the time go? How is it okay that every breath you take brings you closer to the man you will one day be? I can’t believe that it has been two years since you have blessed me by coming into this world.

When I was first pregnant with you, I fretted a little over the fact that your sister was still a baby. Was she going to be nudged out of the nest too soon? I thought so. It made me a little sad.

But time went by, like it has its way of doing, and the wonderful day of your birth came. Immediately my fears, my worries washed away. As I gazed upon your tiny little face, with your tiny little button of a nose, and your perfect little complexion, I knew all was right in this world of mine. My heart swelled to bursting and my chest constricted with the love I felt so that I could hardly breath.

Funny, today I look at you with your sister, and I feel so grateful. So blessed. Your lives are so beautifully intertwined. How in the world did we exist before you were here? What was our life like? I can’t even remember. Or at least I don’t try very hard. Life is just as it should be with you in the world. Happy birthday, Colton.

You remember the old dance "The Running Man," right? I can do that, actually. But that's not what this post is about.

This post is about running, as in sneakers on the feet, feet hitting the pavement, joints screaming out in agony, running. Yeah. That kind of running. I've been doing quite a bit of that. Well, quite a bit for me in any case. I am up to 3.2 miles two days during the week, and 6.7 miles on Saturday. I think when I get to 7 miles I Saturday, I'll just stay there and not bump it up anymore.

It started with my aunt asking me if I wanted to participate in the half marathon in San Diego this June. I, like a fool, said yes. Then...she let me know that the weekend doesn't work out for her after all. By that point, I had already built up to about 6 miles on my Saturday runs, and there ain't no way I'm stoppin' now! I decided to just hang out at the 3, 3, 7 until about October. Then, I'll start adding mileage again, and do the half in January in Phoenix.

I can honestly say, I NEVER had any ambition to do a half marathon. Not for a second. I am not a runner. Really. Running and I just don't see eye to eye. BUT. I am not a quitter, so I'm just going to do it. Heck, I am running just about 7 miles every Saturday right now anyway...what's a few more?

Meanwhile, I think I'll go have another cadbury egg.

Why me, of course! So... my actual name is Shannon. I wasn't really trying to be incognito. I've already shared all the names of the rest of my family. Why not mine too? Born in San Diego, I didn't live there long. When I was still just a babe, my parents and I moved to Arizona (my dad's home). My parents were actually in the military when they met, got married and had me. Shortly after I was born, they moved here. Wow! Am I really starting that far back? Me thinks not.

In between then and now, I have gone to and graduated from the Uof A, lived in Ireland (only for about 6 weeks), worked in corporate America (where I was wildly successful in sales I might add), bought my first house, got married, sold my house and bought another (with my husband), had my daughter (who was conceived in the UK), sold and bought another house, had my son (who was conceived nowhere exciting) and here we are...living in the inferno that is the Arizona Desert.

A woman of many interests, I love taking pictures but don't call myself a photographer. I work out habitually, yet I habitually lack the desire. Books are like water to me, without them I wouldn't survive. Outgoing by nature, I can be a bit forward and often (so I am told) abrasive. I have a loud laugh that always starts with an old man wheeze when I think something is truly funny. Taking things at face value is a problem for me, I am always looking for deeper meaning...you could say I am a bit of an over analyzer. Though I like to think I don't worry unnecessarily, since having children I have come to realize I do. No matter how I try otherwise.

At the heart of me is my family. I love these people that live with me more than any blog post would ever do justice. My brother is one of my very truest, most loyal and closest friends...I love him so. I am blessed to have a wonderful relationship with my mom...it is to her that I credit my wackiness...she has been my comfort when I have needed it most and my laughter when nothing else would do. And I am a daddy's girl. I find today that I still look to him for guidance and direction. Just as I am certain I will always be his little girl, at the risk of sounding cliche, he will always be my hero.

As a mother I strive, together with my husband, to raise our children in such a way that they reach their full potential...teaching them to love deeply, believe strongly, respect fully, and befriend faithfully. Showing them how to love the fair weather days and hoping that we have equipped them with the skills to ride out the storms.

What's to come remains to be seen. So happy to have you along for the ride.

Well, just in under the wire. It is still Saturday though, and I still want to post my snapshot, so here goes…

Anyone who knows me also knows that I pretty much live in these bad boys all summer long. In fact, I’d say I live in them eight or nine months out of the year. These puppies, do not however, get to experience sand on even an infrequent basis. I don’t mean desert sand like the kind we have in the wash behind our house. I mean like silky fine beach sand. So this was a moment worth documenting ;)

Oh, and if you’ve never treated your tootsies to a pair of Reefs…you’re missing out. Buy some now. Your feet will thank you if you are a flip flop lover. BUT…they have to be the “Sandy” (no pun intended) make. Yes indeed. Reefs are the only way to flip flop.

So Keely has a sister, Kassi. Who knew? Maybe you did, but I didn't, and I suppose that this is what this is all about. Getting to know eachother just a little bit better. These questions were originally posted by Kassi, but then Keely snaked them, turned them into a little blog hop of sorts. Since my well of thoughts is tapped out tonight, I am playing along.

1. How old are you?
I am 33...but recently told someone at the gym that I was 31. I was serious. I wasn't lying. Not intentionally. Then later, when recounting the story to my friend R, she asked why I said I was 31. It was only then that it dawned on me that I totally forgot my own age. Sigh. I suppose it's all downhill from there.

2.Where are you from and where do you live now?
If by from, this means where I was born, then the answer is San Diego. If it means where did I grow up, then the answer is Arizona which is where I am now. I bet you're happy to have that mystery solved!
3. What music have you been diggin lately?
When my car stereo isn't taken over by toddler tunes, I go between classic rock and country. I am lovin' Antebellum's Need You Now.
4. Favorite food(s)?
Is this a joke? Like many others, I love Mexican food. Come on, you can't grow up in Arizona, and not like Mexican food. I also really like sushi. Oh, and pretty much any sort of dessert.

5. Single,married, divorced?
Hitched. 5 years this coming March. Best years of my life so far ;)
6. Kids? If so, how many and how old?
My step-son will be 11 in February. My daughter will turn 3 the same month, and my son will be 2 next August.
7. What are 3 blogs you read daily?
Yours, yours and hers. Really? Come on. No way am I going to list just three. There are some great reads out there. I happen to like quite a few of them.
8. What is your favorite Christmas/Holiday tradition?
I love Christmas. We have mostly always spent it with my Dad's side of the family. We all get together both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. In my own home, my husband and I started our tradition of decorating the weekend after Thanksgiving. I love it.
9. Lastly, if you're a blogger, how long have you been blogging and if you don't have one..how long have you been reading blogs?
Funny thing, like Keely, I started out reading MckMama's blog. I had heard of blogging, but never stepped foot into bloggy land until MckMama's. I was captivated with the story of her son. Plus she is just interesting. Then, she would link (more often than I wish were possible) to other blogs of families fighting for a child's life. Finally I had to stop going to check them out. Breaks my heart. So I stuck with reading hers, and thought about doing one of my own. Okay, I am going to share more here than required. Please don't judge how ridiculous this bit of information is...just rack it up as yet one more reason to call me crazy. I was afraid to start my own blog. It seemed that all the blogs I had been reading had some tragedy going on. Either the tragedy was the reason they blogged, or it happened after they started what was to be a normal, run of the mill, talk about anything and everything blog. I was superstitious. I didn't want to be one of those tragedies (By the way, if you are one of those blogs, don't be offended. I am not at all saying blogging isn't a great place to get support. I would want the support it lends. I just had this totally unrealistic fear that I might bring it on myself). I decided to hike up my panties and get the hell over it. Here I've been since October of this year.

What about you? Will you share in a post or here in the comments?