Why Haven't I Bragged About This Yet?

Just an official announcement that Afton is POTTY TRAINED!! She still has an occasional accident when she's too busy playing to stop and pee, but the #2 is always in the toilet-and that's the one that matters the most, right? She's been Pull-Up free since November (age 2 1/2), but somehow I forgot to blog about it. She's been staying dry all night ever since she was 18 months old, making the process a little easier. When I first starting using the training undies, I braced myself for lots of floor cleaning and laundry. It took her about a week-and a lot of puddles-to stay dry all day. When the boys were out of school for Thanksgiving, she regressed-mostly because I was busier and lost track of her pee schedule. I stuck with it, though and didn't go back to Pull-Ups. Then one day she skinned her knees while playing outside and peed on herself shortly after. When the urine touched her sores, it burned! This gave her a new motivation to stay dry. Is it bad that I was happy about this? She did NOT want to "burn" anymore, so she was determined to stay dry. It is so nice to be diaper free for eternity!! I'm a diaper graduate! YES!!!

Major Adjustments

After last weeks' workouts and advice from you, my friends, I have a totally different training schedule to prepare me for my 10K. Here are new things I've learned.

• I didn't know that the purpose of cross training is so you get exercise without the impact of running. 
• The Insanity workouts are nothing but impact, so those are out (sorry Mel, I don't have your superhuman strength to run AND do Insanity daily!)
• No matter what I am training for, I have to give my body some rest time in order to function properly as a wife and mother to three young children. 
• I have to humble myself and realize that I am not a speedy runner and need to set realistic goals for my races. My goal for this race:  no walking. The end. I have no concern over time, just endurance.

So, my new improved simplified schedule is as follows with no more resting on Sunday. I plan on a family walk around the Shire or "shower" as Ian and Afton call it-probably because of their mother's southern drawl-which counts as a great productive Sunday activity:

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
walk or XT	run 30-35 min	walk or XT	run 30-35 min	walk or XT	off	5 miles
walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	5 miles or 5K
walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	6 miles
walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	6 miles or 5K
walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	7 miles
walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	3.5 miles
walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	4 miles or 5K
walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	run 30-45 min	walk or XT	off	10K Race

Fanfare!

Today I finished day 4 of my 10K training and I.AM.SORE. I hope I can keep this up. I tried explaining my schedule, but it's much easier to just show it to you. The numbers on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday represent miles. I ran the longest I've ever run in my life today-on Tuesday I cut it a little short. I used my super cool running watch and it beeped at me every time I completed one mile, at the halfway point, then it played a little fanfare when I reached 4.5 miles. I was so exhausted, but I had to dance a little with the music. Then I waddled to the door, and Josh scared me out of my skin as soon as I walked in (thanks a lot). I am very proud of myself, even though my pace was SLOOOOOWWWWW. I learned that if I run faster, it will all be over with faster-I know, I'm a genius. I am forcing my way through this. My mind tries to talk me out of it every day and justify why I can't exercise, but I shut up that pesky mind that never stops whining and I do it. Then my body hates me afterward.  I tell it to just stick it out until Sunday. Oh, that glorious day of rest!! Thank you, Jesus, for giving me that one day to recover from this madness-I am not being blasphemous here, I am really thanking Him. It is one of the 10 commandments, after all. I guess I like the torture, because I keep running more and setting bigger goals. For now I am just so proud of myself for running the farthest ever in my life. I can't look at week 8, where I have to almost double what I did today. Keep yourself in the now, Stacy-that's Josh's voice in my head. Hopefully by then I'll be faster too so it won't take me 1 1/2 hours to run!! Week one is almost complete. I can't believe it! Any runners who read this, please give me some advice. Am I overdoing this? Should I tone it down a little, or is this a good plan?

Sun.	Mon.	Tues.	Wed.	Thurs.	Fri.	Sat.
Rest	25 Min. EZ	4.5	Insanity	4.5	Insanity	5
Rest	30 Min. EZ	5	Insanity	5	Insanity	5.5
Rest	35 Min. EZ	5.5	Insanity	5.5	Insanity	6
Rest	40 Min. EZ	6	Insanity	6	Insanity	6.5
Rest	45 Min. EZ	6.5	Insanity	6.5	Insanity	7
Rest	50 Min. EZ	7	Insanity	7	Insanity	7.5
Rest	55 Min. EZ	7.5	Insanity	7.5	Insanity	8
Rest	60 Min. EZ	8	Insanity	Rest	Rest	RACE

Memoirs Of a Christmas Past

Over the past 10 days, we have had a whirlwind of Christmas thrown our way.

We have thoroughly enjoyed ourselves to the point of exhaustion and the sickies.

That's how we roll in the Hutch House, what can I say?

We finally made it to see "the Baton Rouge Zoo Lights" this year. 

The Mangums and our friends the Kemps came too. 

The older kids were super annoyed that they couldn't see any animals. 

We survived after some attitude adjustments following this family photo...

After the zoo, we stopped for hot chocolate and beignets at Coffee Call.

SUPER YUMMY!! Everyone enjoyed that.

Here are the Kemps. Amy is expecting another little girl!

Ahhh. A full day of fun and a full belly of sugar, chocolate milk, and beignets. 

Is this the look of satisfaction, or what?!

On the 23rd we had Josh's family's Christmas night. 

We had some delicious food to enjoy (barbecued oysters included) 

and played some fun games caught on video.

Annie and Afton both pranced around with their princess accessories...

 

Here's a close-up.

Here is Nana (Josh's Grandmother) summoning all of the great grandkids 

for their annual gifts all lined up in a row...

CASH! 50 one dollar bills. They loved it. 

Ayden kept counting his money for confirmation.

On Christmas Eve Ian and Ayden both fell asleep on our way to cajun country.

We went to see the levees lit up for Santa in Lutcher.

This will definitely be on our to do list from now on.

The boys rolled down the levees and climbed back up over and over again. 

When we got home, the kids bathed, opened up one gift each-pajamas-

and Dad read from the Christmas book before they went to bed. 

CHRISTMAS MORNING!!!! 

I love Christmas morning. There is nothing like it. 

I will never tire of that magical feeling.

Afton and Annie in their church clothes.

It was really nice having Christmas on Sunday.

I sang "Breath Of Heaven" for our service and cried through the whole thing.

It is such a powerful song. I can usually hold it together, but I had to whimper/talk through most of it. 

It was a very special moment for me. I would start to recover from my emotions then the spirit would overpower me again, so I just surrendered to it. It was a great testament to me and those who were listening of Mary's strength and vulnerability just before she gave birth to Jesus. 

Sunday evening we went to my Aunt Videt's and the kids were super spoiled over there too.

I didn't have any energy left at that point, so I'm sorry I have no pictures to share:( 

We had a great time and some excellent food.

As if we didn't have enough excitement already, Ayden lost his third tooth on the day after Christmas.

He kept talking to us with it jutting straight out hillbilly style and we would burst out laughing!!

This is just too adorable for me to handle!

This week has been recovery week. Afton had asthma trouble and the boys took turns with a stomach virus.

I'm trying to look forward, and forget about all of the vomit and steroid induced fits. Today is the first of a new year, after all! Here's to healthy kids. PLEASE!!! Tomorrow I start my training for a 10K. Wish me luck!