tolmie state park + the weekend that wasn't

Somehow this past week, Ryan managed to bring home a nasty sinus infection that started to make its way around the house. He was hit hard Friday and Saturday, then I caught it, and poor Spencer's asthma has been kicking him in the pants because of it now, too. So, you know those weekends where you plan all the things and most of them just don't happen? Yeah, this past weekend was one of those, but I am proud to say that will still got out, did things, and explored the area - even if our bigger plans went down the drain.

On Saturday, we decided to forgo our now-normal Wear Blue run at the park in favor of trying to catch a little extra sleep since we weren't feeling too well. Then, we headed to the furniture store out in Lacey. Funny story...we bought these couches in a barrio in Tuscon right after we got married. They. are. awful. They were cute when we got them, but the arm broke on one during our move to Fort Drum, they're stained beyond recognition, and they are just so uncomfortable. On Friday evening, Ryan felt like poo, was struggling to get comfortable, and finally said "we don't deserve to live like this." I died. And then we joyfully went to the furniture store, adulted super hard, and bought a great new set. We're in heaven.

Sunday was spent relaxing, taking the boys for bike rides down at the park, and going to Tolmie State Park. The beautiful thing about Tolmie is that it's about a 10-15 minute drive from our home. With our Discover Pass, we don't have to pay a fee. Instead, we just drive up to the parking area and either hit the trails (there are a bunch!) or just head to the beach. Since we all felt like garbage, we opted for the latter, and we headed to the beach.

The beaches here aren't soft-sand beaches. They're rocky and gritty, but they're just as gorgeous as you could hope for. The water is clear, and it was shockingly warm, as well. Ryan and I forgot to bring our swimsuits, but the boys were content to wade in, see the little crabs, and check out the barnacles covering tons of rocks. Spencer was in heaven. That little boy is part fish, and it speaks to my swimmer heart!

Ryan's leaving later this week, so I'm glad that, despite feeling pretty gross all around, we still got out to explore some of the area. We'll definitely need to head back to Tolmie though because we didn't explore it nearly as much as I would have liked to. The beautiful thing about living here is that there's simply no shortage of things to do! We simply have to decide what we might want to do that weekend, throw a pin on a board, and go. I'm pretty sure it doesn't get better than that.

I'm linking up today with B Loved Boston for Weekending.

the bosveld & zebula, south africa

After we arrived in South Africa on Saturday morning, we spent a day and a half resting in Pretoria with my aunt, uncle, and cousins. After that, we headed out to the Bosveld to relax and revive at our house in Zebula, South Africa. Not sure what the Bosveld is? Easy answer - the bush. That's where you see your wild animals, although Zebula is a golf estate and nature reserve, so no dangerous animals roam freely there. 

We knew the boys would love to see all the zebras and giraffes, plus the house is really off the grid in terms of wireless, cellular, etc. It's beautifully done with a classic braai and fire pit, as well as a small infinity pool, a huge open-air deck and verandah and four bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. Basically, it's like a resort in the Bosveld. Sold.

My sweet South African family told me the pool was cold. It wasn't cold per se, but it certainly wasn't warm either. Rather than busting out the swimsuits for the boys, they opted to skinnydip because, why not? When in Rome...or South Africa. Ryan and I put our suits on and hopped in with the boys, watching the impressive rain clouds roll in. And yes, South Africa does get rain, and we were in the middle of a very rainy start to summer, which offered impressive thunderstorms and great clouds (and rainbows!)

We only stayed two days there, but we wished we could have stayed longer. The boys swam everywhere they could. When the wind was a bit too chilly for our own pool, we headed to the clubhouse for slightly warmer water temps. Spencer was in heaven because we purchased his first set of water wings, and now he feels like a fish. As a swammer, myself, I know this is a double-edged sword, but I think it will help him feel more comfortable in the water, which is ultimately the goal.

Ryan was finally able to turn off his phone and just set it away for three whole weeks. Despite the horrific spiders (omg, seriously South Africa, no), we enjoyed a couple nights with a great cuppa, or a sip or ten of wine under the stars. Plus, is there anything better than a warm cup of coffee on the verandah as you watch the sun come up? I think not.

I also managed to get a run in while we were there. It was just about 5k, but I ran into some giraffes while we were there! Giraffes are notoriously shy animals, and they steer clear of loud noises. Naturally, that means they avoid toddler noise. Because I was running alone though, I encountered them on one of the back roads of the estate, and then I waited until they were comfortable enough to walk away from me. No, they're not aggressive, but you don't want to make them scared around their little ones - and there are a lot of little ones right now!

Honestly, it was the perfect start to our trip, and we wish we could have stayed longer! It was quiet, calm, and the boys could run amuck all they wanted. Yes, that's the absolute perfect combination of all the things. Next time we go, I think we'll insist upon a week there before anything else.

We have a lot more to share about our trip in the coming days including Cedar Junction, Krugersdorp, and more. I hope you're not all burned off my travel stories by the time I'm done!

south carolina dreaming

We got back to NY yesterday evening after a whirlwind two weeks of traveling. We first went to NH for a week, and I managed to get into the office in Boston for a couple days, then we headed down to our beach rental in Litchfield, South Carolina, for a week. It was both boys' first time at the beach, and I've been going there since I was about 3 years old, so it was like a vacation come full circle. We celebrated my mom's upcoming 70th birthday and really just decompressed for a few days...it was perfect.

My sisters and brothers-in-law were each able to come down for 3-4 days each, as well, and the boys really had a blast soaking in some family time. For Spencer, especially, it was a perfect opportunity to really connect with a sort of dad figure while Ryan is deployed. It's been really hard on him lately, and I think it helped him to have both Josh and Adam around as that male influence in his life. Opa obviously helped, as well, but both Uncles really kept him busy and entertained, and tortured him with silly sand holes and the like, just like any good Uncles should.

The travels with the boys were taxing, but they were so worth it. When we left South Carolina this past Saturday, we drove to NJ for my first half marathon of the year. It was a hard trip, and the race definitely wasn't my best (more on that later), but I'm glad we did it! We left immediately after the race and headed back up to my parent's house in NH to get Danny. We spent the night there Sunday, then we drove yesterday back to NY...it was long, but it was so good to get home!

Now, we're starting a brand new chapter here in NY! Both boys started at their new daycare today, and we're really excited. It's been a LONG journey to get to this daycare, but we have high hopes for it. But for now, my heart remains on the beach in South Carolina...good food, fantastic family times and so many beachy memories.

getting away

I made the decision last week that I'm going to leave town for a couple weeks starting this coming weekend. I have the NJ Half Marathon at the end of April, and my family will be celebrating my mother's 70th birthday in South Carolina the last week of April before the half. Because I don't have daycare for Porter until May, I decided it would be smart to head to NH to spend some time with the family and go into the office a couple days, so we'll be leaving on the 15th.

Confession: I'm totally terrified of driving 8 hours alone with my kids. So, mamas (or daddies...), if you have any advice at all, please start dishing it out!

We did get some great news on Friday. Porter's new daycare has a spot for Spencer, too! Both boys will be starting there full-time on May 2nd. It's about double the price, but having struggled with proper daycare since we moved to NY, we figured it was time to buckle down and do it. If I want to keep my job and be able to train properly, I have to have the time to dedicate to doing so.

And what, you ask, am I training for? Besides my current running calendar, I've decided with Ryan to set my sights on the 20 Bridges Swim next summer before we PCS. It's the longest marathon open water swim in the world, and it is carried out in 7 stages over the span of a week. In the coming weeks, I'm going to buckle down with a proper game plan, training regimen and really commit to it. I'll be doing it to raise money for a wonderful cause, so I'll detail more on that soon!

Life is crazy, but I'm committing to a healthier, happier me. I'm committing to a wonderful summer with my crazy little men, and we've been making the best of the warmer weather lately with trips to the zoo, the park and more. It's a sweet springtime, but somewhat bittersweet without Ryan. Here's to the ticking days, the summer sun and many good memories ahead.

weekending: deployment weekend one

As I'm sure you've seen, we've started our deployment. Ryan left a few days ago, and we've been blessed to be able to hear from him a few times thus far. He's doing well - exhausted, but well - and he's reached his initial destination, where he'll be for the next few months. He will transfer elsewhere in the middle of the deployment, and communications will be a little more difficult, but we're grateful for this transition.

My mother arrived Friday night, and she's been an absolute saint. I don't think it's truly hit me yet that he's gone, but I'm thankful for a bit of a quieter transition. I think I need this support for the first week.

This past weekend was hard, but we made sure to stay busy! We met our friend Mareike for lunch with her daughter, Marie, on Saturday, ran errands and had a yummy cheat meal so I could eat my feelings. Yesterday, it decided to snow again for the second day in a row, and we took the boys to the Y to swim. For the record, the pools here in Watertown/Fort Drum suck. They're never open, and if they are, they're terrible, but beggars can't be choosers, and my boys don't know any better! 

It was Porter's first time in the pool, and he was content as can be. Spencer, of course, loved the water as usual, and he's absolutely fearless. He doesn't mind being dunked, and he clearly needs swim lessons soon! 

While I'm nervous about being alone this deployment, I'm determined to make the absolute best of it. I have 9 months to conquer my fears, reach my goals and bond with my boys more than ever before. Here's hoping spring starts soon so we can start our adventures, too.

For the record, I'm going to be using this blog like a journal through the deployment, so while some of it might seem mundane...that's real life, right? Good or bad, this is our journey together, and I want Ryan to be able to read this like he's a part of it - because he is - whether the Army lets him be here or not. So, let's rock this. One weekend down!

august workout wrap-up

I can't believe it's the last day of August! Fall is just around the corner, and that's truly my favorite season to run. The air is cooler, the trees become beautiful, and running outside is downright pleasant. It's still super hot here though, so I'm grateful I've been able to accomplish anything this past month in terms of running. I used to do monthly running wrap-ups before I got pregnant with Porter, and I'd like to transition it to "workout wrap-ups" instead, since I'm doing a lot of swimming, too. 

I started working out at about 4 weeks postpartum with the okay from my OB since I had a remarkably easy recovery. I was still feeling pretty weak and wobbly, but I got out there and I started with light runs about a mile long. August was supposed to be my big push month for running, but I ended up hurting my calf. I was in the middle of my longest postpartum run - 3 miles - when I felt my calf lock and then pull sharply. I could barely walk.

I had to give it about a week off, then I started back up again right at one-mile runs. I'm sticking around two to two and a half miles right now, and I'm just going to stay at that point until I get comfortable. 

In terms of swimming, it was a landmark month for me in August! I finally got back in the pool. I don't think I've been in the water since Spencer was about 7 months old. As someone who competed for 17 years in the sport, I find it really difficult to motivate myself in a pool unless I'm training for something. So, getting a race in the books was a huge help, and now I have my sight set on my next race - Swim Miami 10k in May. It's a long way away, but I think it will give me adequate time to train, especially through Ryan's deployment.

Needless to say, it was a pretty good jumping off point for me this month in terms of working out. I have a long way to go, and I have a bunch of weight I hope to lose through healthy diet, using Weight Watchers again and working out. But, all things considered, I'm pretty pleased. I look forward to making even more progress in September because I truly believe one of our biggest needs as parents is to set a good example for athleticism and hard work for our children.

August Stats:

Number of Runs - 8

Average Distance - 2 miles

Fastest Running Pace - 9:26

Number of Run Races - 0

Number of Swims - 6

Average Swim Distance - 2,000 meters

Number of Swim Races - 1 (6th Overall, 1st of Women, 1st in Age Group)

lake george 2.5 km open water

This past weekend, Ryan and I braved the 3.4 hour trip from Black River to Lake George, NY for me to compete in a 2.5 km open water race. I haven't competed in a proper open water swim since the Boston Sharkfest in 2013, so it's literally been three years in the making. Ryan's been trying to convince me for a while to sign up for a race, but I've kept putting it off for one reason or another. This time though, I decided to make it happen. 

We left Black River around 6:30 PM on Friday, and we finally made it to Queensbury, where we stayed the night in one of the only available rooms in town. It's a summer resort town, so it was insanely busy, and we booked late. Guys, it was legitimately the worst place we have ever stayed. We got in at 10:30 at night, unloaded the boys, got Spencer settled, and Ryan discovered a live squirrel in our toilet. I'm not joking.

They gave us a new "non-smoking" room that smelled like an ashtray and was barely cleaner than one. I had half a mind to just sleep in the car, but we made it work, and we both got a grand total of about 3 hours of sleep. (Never, ever stay at King Hendrick Motel & Suites). We got up at 5:30 to start the final 30 mile drive to Hague, NY for the race, and finally got there for the last 15 minutes of race check-in. Let's just say, I didn't expect much from this race at all. I didn't get to warm up, I barely had time to plan my attack of the course and I went in the water cold. Literally.

The race was so well-executed by the staff though, that it would have been hard to have a bad race. The water was about 10 degrees warmer than the air - and crystal-clear. The course was well-marked, too. Keep the yellow buoys to your left on the way down, turn around the green buoy, keep the orange on your left on the way back, then race to the blue arch. Simple enough! I decided to start at the front of the pack. It's always risky with elbows and knees as people fight the start crowd, but I didn't want to have to fight my way forward if I was doing well, either. It was a good move!

I had a pretty clean start, and I only got a couple elbows in the ribs. People were actually quite considerate, and race officials warned us early on that unsportsmanlike conduct would result in a DQ. I felt strong...out of shape, but strong. I focused on sighting mid-stroke and just kept a fairly clean tempo. I didn't try anything heroic. I had no idea where I really was in the pack, but I just kept pushing, and I upped my tempo on the back half.

I finished in a time of 43:15.06, which was a little better than I'd expected. I'd hoped for around 45 minutes, since I've barely been training, and I wanted to just use this race as a bit of a stepping off point, if you will. I finished 6th overall, and I placed 1st of all the women, so I was pretty excited about that! Next year, I'm hoping to do the 10 km there. Now, I'm just getting ready to start up cross-training and pool training more seriously and register for my next race. We're looking seriously at the Swim Miami 10km, but who knows?

Ryan was amazing this weekend. He watched the boys while I did my race and managed to stay sane keeping both a toddler and a baby content. I can't thank him enough for supporting me and encouraging me in this because I don't think I could do it otherwise!

It was a pretty great weekend full of both good (the swim) and bad (the hotel) memories with my sweet family. I think I had a bit of a letdown after getting home yesterday because I had so much fun competing again, but I'm going to use it to fuel me going forward. Moms can still have fun and compete, too! Who knew?

those lazy summer days

There's something about sunshine, cicadas and throwing open all the windows that just soothes my soul...even if there is approximately 109328903284% humidity in northern NY right now. Ryan's block leave ended yesterday, and we managed to soak up the sun and those last few moments before his work picked right back up over the weekend. I'm so thankful we had the time.

Spencer had his first time in the real pool on post. We ditched the ugly old blowup pool we bought because I didn't want to deal with the mess and refilling it all the time. So, we took him to the pool, and he loved it. This happy momma thinks we might just have a water baby! 

On Sunday, since we were all recovering from nasty colds we picked up somewhere in Canada, we played hooky from church and just caught up on some rest. Spencer's been taking naps (I don't want to jinx it) in the afternoon again, so we actually all got a little extra sleep.

To wear him out a little more though, I set up a little faux-pool in the backyard. We've been trying to work on him sitting up more, and I figured this was just the ticket, since he loves the water so much. I filled a plastic storage bin about halfway with water, plopped it in the sunny backyard, and we just played and played...until he pooped :)

Also over block leave, we got news that Ryan's overseas trip has been confirmed, so he'll be leaving next month for about 6 weeks. For OPSEC reasons, I'm not going to say where, but this momma is nervous about being a single parent for so long. I'm truly thankful it's not a real deployment this year, but holy moly...Spencer and I are in for a treat!

a weekend in pictures

Summertime is oh-sweet in the North country, and I'm really learning to love this northern New York scene. We haven't had the chance to explore as much as I'd like yet, but I know we're going to get around to it eventually. It's difficult managing these things with a baby. Perhaps we're the only couple that struggles with it, but I think finding the time to explore, coupled with balancing his feeding/napping schedule is definitely a tedious task. Perhaps it gets easier when they're not exclusively breastfed? Just musing here.

I digress. We had a relaxing weekend here in the Moore household. Ryan's coming up on block leave, so we're going to have him home for a good bit for a while, too, and we can't wait! Training is in full swing again, and I signed up for another half marathon - the Empire State Half Marathon - in October. What can I say? I got bitten by the bug!

^^^ one of our favorite toys - the flapping flower from Melissa & Doug

^^^ it was a little chilly for him, but he loved the water, and this momma was SO happy!

Little man finally cut his first tooth on the 18th, and we had some sweet relief from his fussiness…plus he had a little break from the pain. Thank goodness for sweet little miracles. Summertime, you make our hearts happy.

the first-time triathlon

Before Ryan left, we decided we wanted to do another athletic event on post since we're always looking for 5 and 10k runs to try out. Unfortunately, we couldn't find any good runs, but we did see that our MWR was hosting a First Time Tri for all active duty and families on post. Doing triathlons is a life-long dream for both of us, and we figured that it was the perfect time to do it because, hey, who doesn't do rigorous physical activity at 20+ weeks pregnant.

So, two weekends ago, we participated in the most ridiculous little baby triathlon event, and it was so. much. fun. The event basically consisted of 15 minutes each of swimming, stationary biking and running. Each athlete would receive an individual score based on the distance per event, which would then be based off of the furthest distance done by men/women and ranked accordingly. It sounds convoluted, and it kind of was, but it was a great little intro to the sport.

^^^ it pays that we are both swammers (that's the past tense of swimmers)

Anyway, Ryan and I both killed it on the swim. I swam 1100 meters in 15 mins and Ryan swam 850. On the bike, Ryan did 12.4 kilometers, and I did 9.2 (clearly, we know my weakness now)…plus this baby was sitting right on my bladder the whole time. On the run, Ryan did 2 miles, and I did just over 1.5. We were pretty darn pleased with how we did.

^^^ I reprimanded him for breathing into the wall like this

In the end, we both did surprisingly well - especially because we weren't expecting anything. Ryan got first overall in the men's division for his age group (and a special congratulations from Major General Ashley), and somehow (I think just because of the swim), I got first overall for all the women…at 20 weeks, 3 days pregnant.

So, yes…I'm still running…slowly. But seriously, working out through this pregnancy so far has been a godsend, and I'm so lucky to have such a supportive and motivating husband to keep me on track! 

bitten by the bug

I'm ashamed to say that I'm the type of person that very easily gets bitten by the bug...

the bug of competition, the bug of baby fever (seriously...wth is this nonsense?!) and the bug of being the best.

Perhaps it's all my years of competitive swimming,

but I've always said that my biggest fear is mediocrity...pure and simple.

Now that I'm learning to put the miles on my legs running again,

I'm getting bitten by that competition vibe again, and I'm looking for healthier outlets like swimming, as well.

For the past two years, I trained and competed in CrossFit.

Guys, I really did love it.

There's a sense of camaraderie, friendship and challenging your limits that speaks to my soul.

However, it was really bad for my body, and even though I learned to lift some serious weights, 

CrossFit did a number on my knee and my back, and I needed to take some time off to get my head (and body) back to normal.

^^^ about 4 months prior to quitting CrossFit

Now, I've been bitten by the open water swimming bug again. 

I'm pretty sure that swimming will always be my first love, 

and getting in the water, swimming my heart out and racing to the finish is cathartic.

Swimming, because it is second nature to me, has always been a healthier sport for me. 

I've beaten the aggravating rotator cuff pain, I've battled the chlorine smell and I've trained 5+ hours a day.

So, getting out in the open ocean and doing 1.5 to 6 miles is a lot easier for me. 

To date, I've done the Alcatraz Sharkfest, Boston Sharkfest, Peaks to Portland 2.5 miler and the Sebago 5k.

Next up? I'm looking at doing the San Diego Sharkfest in October.

And, next year, I'm hoping to do the Midmar Mile in South Africa when Ryan and I go.

^^^ I'm trying desperately to catch the guy in front of me - Boston Sharkfest, September 2013

^^^ my sisters and I before a lake training day - from the left, Kristina, Nikki and yours truly in 2012

I've always struggled with being bad at things, too, or just not being immediately great.

I recently started kickboxing, but it's definitely not a natural thing for me, and I struggle with not getting it.

Swimming, however, has always been second nature to me. 

There's something supremely awesome about being able to get back into it...much like riding a bike.

I remember when I did Peaks to Portland, a 2.5 mile race in Maine, and I got 4th overall.

It was freezing and windy that day,

the course was not even remotely marked, and I decided to do the race without a rescue kayaker.

I had to lift up my head to spot every few strokes,

and I thought I was going to get mauled by other kayakers a few times,

but I freaking loved it, and when I was done, I immediately looked for the next race.

^^^ immediately following Peaks to Portland

I'm really hoping that I can instill in my future children the love of challenging yourself...

but in a healthy way.

Not all sports are good for everyone, but swimming will always be mine.

And with this competitive bug flowing through my veins, I can't help but get excited for more races!

Do you guys ever get bitten by a competitive bug...or any sort of crazy must-have, must-do bug?