The Great Pumpkin Debacle

Today was the day, we were finally going to head to the cider mill and get our pumpkins and apple fritter.  As usual, our friends Pat, Jenn and their son Evan came-up to join us.  We wandered into the pumpkin patch and all noted that there were far fewer pumpkins that in previous years.  Wandering the aisles we soon realized that the pumpkins that remained were rotted.  We walked away empty handed.  The massive amount of rain we received in September reeked havoc on our local pumpkin crop.  The upside, we still got to enjoy donuts and cider and Evan provided some comic relief by plopping down in the middle of a rotten pumpkin, not once, but twice.

Happy Birthday Old Man!

Matt has completed his trudge up this hill and is finally at the top - this year we celebrated his 40th birthday (I personally think this age needs to be corrected for longer lifespan)!  He decided that he wanted to spend this birthday in Jackson, WY.  Who am I to complain?  So we loaded up the car Friday after work and headed out.  Saturday morning we pulled into Bozeman, MT to visit some friends and were amazed at how well Jasper did with the 12 hour drive.  We feed and changed him when we stopped for gas, otherwise he was a champ and either slept or played with his toys in the back seat.  This trend continued for the entire trip - even when we did a lot of daytime driving.

It was good to visit with our friends and Matt (our friends name as well) was nice enough to let me join him for a run in the mountains.  He and I headed up into the Bridgers while Matt and Jasper hiked behind.  It was a beautiful day to be out.

Headed up

The Matt's and Jasper when we caught-up to them on our way back down

We left Bozeman Sunday afternoon and planned to fish our way to Jackson.  One problem - it was HOT, really, really HOT and Jasper wasn't used to it so he was having a hard time.  Not to mention he had come down with a cold (which he was kind enough to pass to Matt and I).  So, our plan of hanging out by the river and fishing wasn't panning out and we quickly realized it was time to enact our non-existent Plan B.  We ended-up getting a hotel room in Big Sky, MT where Jasper and I hung out while Matt spent the evening on the Gallitan chasing fish.  He came back giddy and told me he caught four fish, one of which was an 18" trout.

Monday morning we headed to Jackson (fishing along the way) to meet-up with Matt's parents, Roni, Matt and the girls, and my dad.  Our time in Jackson was fun, albeit it different than our previous visits.  Having Jasper along necessitated a few changes to our activity expectations, but we did get out for a hike and did a lot of fishing. Matt would go for bike rides in the morning and I would get out for trail runs later in the day.

It was great to see family and always fun to play in the mountains.  Hopefully next time both of my boys are feeling better so we can get after it a little more. 

Hiking from Death Canyon

The views weren't too shabby

Apparently the hike took it out of him...

Fishing the Gros Ventre

Mt Ellinor 20k

Not sure if you remember, but I had big ambitions to run White River 50 mi this summer.  Between Jasper's birth not going exactly as planned and then his inclination for fussing anytime he was left with Matt not much running occurred the first few months of his life.  So, no White River for me.  Looking back I think it comical that I ever thought that was a good idea....

As of late Matt is dealing with the fussing better (no, it hasn't stopped) so I've been able to get out by myself a bit more.  Before last weekend I made it out for two Saturday trail runs, both of which were ~10miles.   I felt this was sufficient training to sign-up for a 20k and picked out a doozie.  The 'Beast of Big Creek' which runs up Mt. Ellinor, meaning you gain 5,000' in six miles to the top and then  turn around and run back down.  Fun (I'm serious)!

My expectations were minimal going into the race - not keel over and die and finish.  I'm happy to report I accomplished both.  My writing this is evidence that I'm alive and I did finish, I was DFL, but I finished.  As you may surmise from my stellar finish, I ate some humble pie during this race.  And you know what?  It was delicious.  It took me some time to acquire the taste, but I learned a lot about myself that day.  Halfway up the climb I apologized to my body for being so hard on it.  It grew and ejected a little person and was now allowing me to run a hard ass race with no training.  So really,  who cares that I don't look exactly like I did before I got pregnant.  My body is bad ass and goes the distance for me.  Even when I am unkind to it, it plows through and does what I ask.  So, no more negative.  Which brings me to the second thing I did during that long hard climb, I thanked my body.  I'm thankful for what is, because that is where I am right now and I better accept it. 

As for the actual race, it was hard and beautiful and awesome.  It was a good day to be out on the trail. It was foggy down low and sunny as I approached the summit, I do love a good inversion.  I took my hiking polls and it was a good choice.  I used them on the climb and the stowed them in my fancy new pack for the run down.  Speaking of the run down, my strength is usually downhill running, not this time.  The downhill portion is where I became very aware at my lack of fitness.  I had one speed and it wasn't very fast.  I'm pretty sure I could smell my feet smoking from the friction caused by my excessive braking.

Foggy start of race

Sunny trail! Yes, that is the trail.

At the top

One of my friends, who also ran the race, hiked back out to meet me at the finish.  When I crossed the finish line the race director walked over and said "you should come back next year and try for a faster time".  My friend looked at him and said "how many other women just had a kid a few months ago and are out here running your race?"  Needless to say, his response to the race director made my day.  It was much better than my reaction, which was to look down in shame.  Back to my finish place, I was one of a hand full of women than did the race so how I finished can be viewed a few different ways:

1) I was DFL
2) I was top five women
3) I was first in my age group

My view.  I got to spend a day outside doing something I love.  To me, that is a win.  

Elevation Profile (and my [slow] time on the x axis if you're curious)

Jaspers First Boat Ride

Yesterday we took Jasper on his first boat ride/fishing trip to celebrate Father's Day.  There were no fish caught and when Jasper wasn't sleeping he was screaming.  I guess you've got to start somewhere...

Thinking about having a fit

Losing his shit

Weekends Wrap-up

Both of my boys are sick.  Matt has asthmatic bronchitis and Jasper has a head cold and ear infection. I'll let you guess which one is better about not feeling good... But, neither of their illness' keep us from having a good weekend! 

Saturday morning Matt went kokanee fishing with a buddy, he only caught one but it made for a delicious breakfast of trout and eggs.  Later that day I made it out on the trails for a run, only the second time since I've had Jasper.  I thought I would be running a lot more by now, but it just hasn't been happening.  Between Matt being sick for the past 3+ weeks and life in general I've not had the opportunity.  I'm so glad I finally made it out, it felt go to use my body for something other than baby squats. 

Breakfast, brought to you by...

Chicken Little and Matt

Today we were supposed to have friends over for brunch but they bailed since they were sick.  Not one to miss an opportunity to cook and eat I made a big spread for Matt and I.  We had homemade donuts, fruit salad, quiche, mimosa's and coffee.  A good start to the day!  Matt spent the remainder of the day in the yard digging holes for our garden fence and Jasper and I ran errands in town.  Now we're all sitting around watching the Tigers. 

Monday always seems to come too soon...

Reading stories - he does not like being growled at. 
He burst into tears when I imitated a lion.

Mommy Thumb

Over the past few weeks I've been experiencing increasing pain in my left wrist at the base of my thumb.  As usual, I ignored it for awhile thinking I had accidentally whacked my wrist on something and bruised it.  However, as the pain continued to worsen I thought it might not be a bruised bone after all, so I did a bit of internet sleuthing.  Turns out I have 'mommy thumb', I shit you not, such a thing exists.  The proper term for it is DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis.  What it means is through improper lifting/holding of my little bundle of sleeps when held (by the way, he sleeps quite nicely in his crib these days) I went and inflamed the tendons along my thumb causing stabbing pain any time it is rotated or moved.  Awesome...   As  part of our mothers day outing we stopped at Rite Aid where I purchased a thumb splint. You know, those really sexy splints you find right next to the support hose.  If I already didn't look frazzled enough, I think this is going to put me over the top.

Note: if you would like to check and see if you too have mommy thumb perform this simple test - make a fist with your thumb tucked under your other fingers, bend wrist.  If the pain makes you hit the ceiling you have mommy thumb. 

Personal Trainer

Lots of people pay good money to have a personal trainer, me, I have one for free (minus the astronomical cost of raising a child).  Enter Jasper, referred to as my trainer hereafter.  This evening my trainer has been fussy, so I start bouncing while holding him - nope, not working hard enough.  Next up, my trainer prescribes deep squats, yeah this isn't cutting it either.  He moves me onto the  exercise ball, no dice.  On goes the wrap and back to the bouncing again...nothing, not enough intensity.  More deep squats, nothing.  After about a gazillion squats I gave up and took my trainer for a walk.  He was content and looking around for awhile and then began screaming again - fun.  Enter the next phase of training, lunges.  Yes, I lunged home while wearing him.  I am pretty sure my neighbors think I am crazy.  But hey, if crazy is what gets him to stop screaming and go the f*&# to sleep, so be it. 

The below picture is old, but I thought you should see how cute he is while screaming his head off...