Finally can sit...

And get an update on here. I'll start in order:

February 15th: Carrotcake starts walking. He took his first, multiple unassisted steps to the dog. He was so proud of himself!

February 25th: Was my first 5k run of 2012. I was one of just over 15,000 runners! It was crazy how many people were there. It took a good 4 minutes or so for me to even GET to the start line once the start gun went off! So many people lined the streets to cheer the runners on, and there were at least 4 bands along the route. Once I saw the final landmark by the finish line, I ran with a smile on my face because I had pushed myself to keep going, no walking, and I did it! Now, there was no official time on the 5k run, so I don't have the exact numbers. But the finish line clock said 37:58... keep in mind that I wasn't able to move anywhere for a few minutes or so when the clock started. So I estimated I came in under 34 minutes. I knew I reached my goal for that one!

March 14th: I was laid off. My company was in the process of closing, and we were told that Monday. Wednesday was my last day, as they said they couldn't guarantee they could pay people. I am still searching for a job, but am pretty optimistic as these last 2 years boosted my office experience and opened more doors for me. The economy in my area is looking up as well. A lot better than 2 and half years ago when I was unemployed.

March 17th: St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Strut 5k! Official time: 32:06. A full MINUTE better than what I thought I might have hit. There wasn't a clock over the finish line, and they didn't post accurate results right away due to an oops in the timing chip system. So I had to wait a few days. It was still fun though. I'm thoroughly enjoying this running thing :)

March 21st: Carrotcake's 1st birthday. We had a doctor's appointment first thing in the morning (I know, birthday shots?! Boo!). He was 20lbs 4oz, and 30.25". He received 4 shots and a finger prick. All his blood levels are perfect, so he's all around healthy! He was knocked out for over 2 hours for his morning nap, but luckily the shots didn't leave him crabby for the day. We went to lunch where he had some fried pickles and a grilled cheese sandwich. Then the 3 of us went to the zoo and had a blast looking at the animals. Afterward, he got his birthday dinner at McDonald's and had his first ice cream dessert. Carrot cake was knocked. out. when we got home. A great day!

March 24th: 1st birthday mini party. My brother and his 4 kids came over, and the cousins all had fun playing, eating spaghetti and cake. I made Carrotcake's smash cake, it could have turned out better, but oh well. I won't use that recipe again, the cake was too dense. I won't even mention the site I got it. I made my own frosting and carved up his cake in the shape of his Tonka dump truck. It got destroyed (of course!). That was another day where he was just knocked. out. He fell asleep downstairs on the floor.

And fast forward to now. We had a VERY productive weekend. I guess Don and I got infected with the Spring Cleaning bug. Don trimmed down the bushes on our front sidewalk. They were seriously the height of the garage, he trimmed them down to about half. I started going through the garage to clean out some boxes that have been just sitting there. My goal was to be able to get to our camping gear so we can go through that without having a bunch of things fall on us. We put out a bit of "free stuff" on the curb and cleared a lot. It's not completely done yet, but what I have to do is just bring in some music books, and organize the camp gear. Don mowed the lawn and cleaned the car, inside and out. It was a very long 2 days, but in a good way. We enjoyed our productive time as a family, since Carrotcake was out front with us too (until his naptime), and Daisy pup enjoyed the shade of our tree while we worked. I LOVED this weekend!!

Currently in progress:
Reading: the final book in the Earth's Children Series: Land of the Painted Caves. I believe I'm about 40% done. I'll review the series once this book is done.
Prepping: dehydrated foods for camping. It's our effort to reduce the space we use to pack for camping trips. That will be touched on once I get it in order.
Planning: a reorganization of my house. De-cluttering is needed!
Training: 5k on April 7th. As stated above, my March 17th time was 32:06. I'm hoping to be in the 32 minute range for this one. A small portion is on a trail that has some incline and possible mud, if it rains. But I'm looking forward to it! My running has improved so much that a steady pace for 30 minutes doesn't kill me and is quite easy to achieve.

Til next time!