UHUM!!!!!

At least once a week I get on here hoping that some how magically a post has been done for me. I see the weeks slip by with my children changing so quickly, time flying and me getting restless that I didn't write anything down about it. I know there is nothing I can undo about what I haven't blogged but I know that I can start anew and get this thing up to date. The past few months have been really good for the family. Ambria is growing like crazy and always trying to sneak makeup on her face, wearing clothes that a "Pre-teen" would wear-thankfully they are still modest. School has been starting to get better. After her last semester she knew that things were looking like she may have to go back to public school. Bree's grades weren't doing the best and she was still struggling with paying attention. But we helped out in a few different ways and now I see her focus starting to change and she is starting to grasp a few things. We still have a long ways to go but she really is doing a great job. Somehow she decided that I had told her that I would give her $10.00 for every A she got. Well needless to say she came back with a few more than normal. I know that I didn't say the money thing, but I decided that since she was willing to work extra hard I would fork over the doe and maybe she would continue on this journey of improving. What is she going to do with this money?? who knows but she has been saving that along with some Christmas money for a CAR (I hope she will continue to save for that, it would be wonderful). Saige has become this amazing task master. I have found that she has that drive like I do-the determination to do something and do it with all her might. These past few weeks Saige has been on this healthy kick. She has had me run with her and I have went out to the garage several times and she is out there walking/jogging on the tread mill. When I peeked in the other day she had just jumped off the treadmill and was doing windmills and I hear her say "feel the burn". I had to laugh. Most days she will come in to the kitchen grab a carrot and start munching away. She has actually turned down some sugary food's to stay "healthy". This week she got up at 5:30 to go work out at the gym with MARK (willingly may I add). Of course as a mother I am also watching her and listening very carefully to make sure this is a healthy thing not a problem with foods (constantly telling me a boy at school tells her she is fat-have you seen this kid, she's not fat by any means-needless to say I told her I might have to go tell that boy a thing or 2 because she is perfect). Every morning she has her dad wake her up first so she can do her routine. I have seen a big difference in Saige lately and I am really proud of the progress she is making. Rylan wants so badly to still be the baby in the house in everything she does. We often find ourselves reminding her and us that she is a big girl and can do a lot more on her own then she is doing. Cleaning up after herself has to be the number one punishment right now. I am not sure who taught her to be so sloppy but she thinks its great- until mom breaks down and makes her clean it up (along with mom of course). Ry is still our little cuddle bug and we love to open our arms wide so she can hug on us. We both have a thing with hard mornings and we find ourselves climbing into each others bed "to get warm" before we have to get up for the day. If I am not in her bed you can find her in mine. Ry loves kindergarten and ballet. The one thing she really LOVES right now more than anything is SKATE night. Rylan can fly on those skates like no other. This girl has picked up the skating thing and will win the races for her age group often, (with their little skate competitions.) I love these girls and I am so proud of each one of them for always striving to better themselves.
Speaking of that I have found that lately I have got to turn my focus on my children a heck of a lot more and really fill their needs. I find that I am always so drained and exhausted that at the end of the day I just want to flop down with a good book, tv show or something that doesn't use brain cells. But when it all comes down to it these little gems are the ones I need to focus on.
Every night our girls beg-I mean beg to hear stories of our childhood and things we did growing up. As I rekindle the memories, I pray that I am leaving them a good legacy of memories that they can carry on to their children-about their own childhood. I wonder what stories they will tell and what things they will remember.
As for Mark and I: Mark switched up his position again and really loves the area that he works in. I can tell his confidence in the company has really changed and you can see that he is loving work again and loving being needed. He can pull in some very long work weeks but I know in the end he is doing it for our family and to help us gain further ground in the work force. Mark took me out shooting the other morning with the kids. It was freezing cold but I finally used a few of the guns he has purchased in the past few years. I can't say I am a big gun fan but I can say that some are a heck of a lot more friendly than others. I found the one I am comfortable with but of course I would probably only dent the person or animal attacking me- I would rather run the other way and hope they don't' catch me.
I have been able to start running again the past few months. It has been a very frustrating, because I just cant pick up where I left off. I am blessed to have a wonderful running partner that helps me get by with most of my runs. We have made it to 8 again but I feel as if I have such a long ways to go. I have a marathon planned for June, a half in May and then some relays coming up. I really want to sign up for another marathon in the fall but realize that I need to see if I can make it through this one (by then it will be too late to sign up). I have a follow up appointment with my physical therapist next week and I hope to work out a few tight muscles and get them doing what they need to do. My pace is ok but again it is not in the 8 minute range where I was hoping it would be by now. I have to choose one or the other-pace or distance and right now I have to focus on distance-doy. Needless to say I don't think I will break my old marathon pace this spring but I will attempt.
So that is everything in a nutshell and I will hopefully get back on here soon with a few photos.