Zoo

We had just arrived and were still fresh and hopeful.

Some where off to the right, behind that bush, is an elephant.

Big cat.

I don't know how my son knows what an otter is, but that is what he thinks this creature is. And for those of you paying attention, it's a ground hog. But otter is just easier for a 2 year old to say. So, an otter it is.

Our "conductor" had a rockin' 'stache. I wish he would have turned around so I could have captured it on film. Like bushy, handle bar, Opry house 'stache.

D was exhausted - but not enough so that we were missing the train ride. He was estatic and it made the day. He was a trooper all day long.

Since he only slept 30 minutes on the way home, we rewarded ourselves with A&W ice cream. And the sugar high kept him from being too cranky when we got home.

And when we got home, our specially ordered soccer jersey awaited.

D and I went to the zoo on Friday, on a rare day off from work. It was hot and crowded, since it was the Friday before Memorial Day, but we had fun. Other than the sun screen in his eyes part. And the waiting 20 minutes for the train ride part. And the crappy zoo food part because I failed to pack lunches because we had no food in the house because I spent too much money on shoes part.... But it was all part of being a family unit (minus dad who was traveling) - being hot, sticky, dirty, and in small spaces with other hot, sticky, dirty people. But at least I had good friends to do it with. And my baby boy!

Under Construction

I am trying to update a few things on the blog. Little by little! Hopefully it won't take me 4 months to do it...

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted. Lots going on. D is getting big and I turned 30! Work, family and friends are keeping us very busy, not to mention the house is up for sale again. We've had a lot of good showings on it and are hoping for a good offer. Still running a lot. Completed the Bentonville Half, which was a really hard course, in just under 2 hours. Just about all of the Hancock family is running now, which is really cool. We get to do races together and recently, me, Mikel, his brother Jim and their dad Floyd completed the Little Rock team marathon relay on Floyd's 60th birthday. I've been taking a hot yoga course at Clubhaus in Fayetteville, which I love. Mikel's back at Sam's Club and couldn't be happier (go buy some produce at Sam's!!!) and I still love my job, even on bad days.

Please enjoy the following smattering of pictures from the past four months and I promise to try and get better at posting more regularly!

Partner's yoga

Messing around

D being funny, taking off his pants

Eskimo kisses

Cheese!

Kid likes being naked, what can ya say? Hope I don't get in trouble for posting this!

Birthday present fit for a Queen.

Mikel and Bridget threw a great party!

A cake with a shoe on it...Mikel knows me way too well.

After the Marathon relay.

Snow!

Ready for a ride.

D automatically links outside with his bat and ball and insisted we take it outside to play in the snow.

Dunning, being oh so unimpressed with the snow.

Pretty. [P.S. you can buy this house :)]

We woke up to a lot of snow Sunday morning, when there was only 30% chance. But that's Arkansas for you! We had a bad day with the D man, who woke up and cried for an hour after his nap. So to distract him, we bundled up and went outside. However, we lost one of D's heavy duty mittens, so he had to wear his regular cotton ones and he kept complaining "mama, hands, cold." And he has no snow boots, so he was in his tennis shoes. We stayed outside for about 20 - 30 minutes before heading back in. We tried to sled, but had no sled, so we improvised with cardboard box. But the snow was too powdery, so we just took turns pushing each other all the way down the hill in the back yard.

Also, in true Arkansas fashion, it took all day for the snow plow to give our road a half hearted pass and of course school is out tomorrow, much to the chagrin to mom's every where as today was supposed to be the first day back after break and even though most of the main roads are clear.

Christmas and Birthday

Ice cream party at D's daycare

In our PJs, opening birthday presents

D loves his "tar" - the guitar his granny got him.

D loves his Auntie Steph.

MMMMWAH!

Tricycle from Tita.

Elmo chair from cousins, Aunt Bridget and Uncle Jim.

My running gear

Mikel and his game

D's new basketball goal

We had a great Christmas this year! We had both sets of family in town so the day after Christmas, we had everybody come over to our house at 8:00 in the morning for a breakfast pajama party for Dunning's birthday! It was so much fun. We made a ton of pancakes on the griddle, 2 breakfast casseroles, bacon, mimosas, juice, milk, coffee - we were stuffed!! D got a lot of great presents - tricycles, guitar, cars, books...and he quickly caught on to the concept of opening presents. I gave Mikel the new Call of Duty for Christmas and he got me some running shirts that said "irunlikeagirl"

I always think it's a good idea to make New Year's resolution even though statistics show most people won't keep them. But you always benefit from trying.

1. Scrapbook more - I just ordered 400 pictures from 2009 to start working on getting caught up. I hope to do a page a week.

2. Eat healthier. I need to eat more veggies, less sugar. I also want to be a more efficient cook for my family by using the crockpot.

3. Be more organized. I've naturally started being more organized since going back to work, but I'd like to keep it up and improve. It seems like it helps give me more time in the day.

4. Continue to run. I'm already signed up for another half marathon in March and I'm entertaining the thought of a marathon. I saw on the last season of the Biggest Loser, that the contestants did a marathon (granted it took them over 5 hours) and I thought "Oh, I can soooo do that if they can." I just need to convince my husband to get a treadmill!

5. Read more. I only made it to half or less of my book club meetings last year, and this year I want to make it to all of them if possible.

6. Volunteer more. There are a lot of opportunities to volunteer and I need to make sure to take advantage of it. That should be on the top of all our lists.

Now, I need to do these, keeping in mind not to over commit myself, which I do a lot of. So my last resolution is to spend more time with my family, especially my wonderful partner, Mikel.