Fire Prevention Week

 

This week at Makayla's Day Care is Fire Prevention Week. They have awesome activities lined up, so I thought it was awesome that our local Fire Department had an open house yesterday. I ended up keeping 14 of the photos I took, I took what feels like a ton. I thought I would share a little bit all week in honor of Fire Prevention Week.

 

 

Thank you Palmer Municipal Fire Department for hosting this open house!

 When we got to the firehouse, we were encouraged to tour the facility. It is really nice, and they had tables set up to help yourself to one of almost every possible fire safety brochure out there. Makayla even picked out her hat to wear!



Part of the tour included looking at the firemen gear, and they even allowed you to try it on! Makayla couldn't wait, and was a trooper. Even though the coat weighed more than her!


 

She was so excited to be able to sit in EVERY.SINGLE fire truck as many times as she wanted. This was our first stop. This was before she realized she was allowed to "steer" them.

 

 

The worse part of the day was when we were leaving. Makayla didn't want to leave and she was tired, so she cried. Even the fire dog couldn't cheer her up! Stayed tuned for more pictures!

 

In the meantime, today is Columbus Day and Makayla and her cousin Shae are currently in the bathtub getting cleaned up to go on some mischievous adventures. No, not really, I am hoping to go to a Pumpkin Patch with them today. I will take my camera and make sure to take pictures! I hope you have a great Monday, it's chilly so bundle up!

 

Foodie PenPal

In the month of September, I somehow stumbled upon this awesome website called The Lean Greenbean. Within her blog I found the option to join and become a Foodie PenPal. It is this awesome opportunity to meet people all across the US or Canada if you are Canadian, and share your love of food! Who doesn't love to get care packages, especially when they involve food?!? If you wanna know more, click here. I had so much fun, I already signed up for this month! The best part is that who you send too is not necessarily sending yours to you. I sent mine to a sweet young lady in CT where my package came from Laura in Minnesota! Hi Laura! I am so excited about this month, I am already planning my package! But, without further ado...



   

 Yay! A package!!!!

This is the best, most fun thing there is! You put an entire ear of corn in the microwave and it makes popcorn! I have so much fun with this, and Makayla thinks it is awesome! It's a win-win. I will be sad when I run out :(

This envelope had a sweet little note, and also a recipe for the MN wild rice. I am looking forward to the fall weather so that I can attempt to make it. Laura, I know it won't be true MN wild rice soup, but I will try!

 I cannot wait to try this dip. Golden Fig sounds delish!

 This book was included in the care package, and while I have never heard of it or the author, the little that I have had time to read is really good. I CANNOT wait for a day off and a peaceful day to read this book cover to cover! Thank you! I am always looking for a good book to read!

 

I can never have enough honey, and this cute little bear is exactly what I need. I love this honey and used it just last week when I was feeling under the weather.

I think it is awesome how through a few short emails Laura was able to learn about me and picked these awesome gifts for me. Thank you Laura and thank you again Lindsay for such a fabulous idea!



American Heart/Stroke Walk

Yesterday was the local American Heart/Stroke Walk. It was absolutely beautiful, and although it required me to get up extra early on a Sunday,  I am glad I did. I didn't hear too much about this last year, but I do hope to make this a yearly thing. Here are some pictures from the festivities.

 

 

I am not really good at self portraits, let alone self portraits with my iPhone. I tried again below..



I was surprised she got this close. I was very proud of her. We went to a high school football game and wanted NOTHING to do with the mascot dog there.

She even wanted a temporary tattoo.

 

We then went and waited in line for face painting. After waiting 20 minutes and the line not moving, we went back to the temporary tattoo line and I let her get it any where she wanted. As soon as we were finished, the next pic happened.

 She then slept for the next hour. 30 minutes before the walk started, and then through the entire first mile of the 2.2 mile walk.

This is her at the end of the race, after her banana. She couldn't wait to say cheese!

So, sorry for the lack of posting, I am trying to balance everything while not loosing momentum and training for my next half marathon. To read more about that, check out my fitness blog. There will be a new post on there later today!

Happy Monday!

The many faces of M

M and I went for a walk to get the mail today. It was too dark too soon for us to go for our normal run, so I thought a walk would do just fine. She was so excited when I gave her the mail to carry home.

I even told her to keep her eyes open...

Cheese mama!

 

 

My cousin Abby plays soccer for University of Pittsburgh. Makizzle and I have been practicing this in hopes that we get to see her play...



In case you don't understand her "Go Abby Go"

Right now, she is sliding on her belly like the penguins on little einsteins. There is never a dull moment, and her vocabulary is growing every single second!

Weekend round up

So, my sister J thought that I should create a blog for my fitness related activities, and leave this one solely for the happenings of M. So, I did just that. Please go to my other blog and follow all my fitness and health related activities. In the meantime... sorry if you follow me on instagram, you have seen this pictures already...

Here, she is flying her airplane around....

Macaroni and cheese is always the best meal

You want me to stop eating just so you can take a picture... yeah right...

I will try to dedicate this blog to everything M and family related. I will try to keep all my fitness related things to PirateBootyFitness,

Have a great week! Hopefully I will be back to post some new photos soon!

It's Friday

It's Friday....I have a day off and am getting ready for a huge garage sale on Saturday. So, enjoy this song, you know soon you will be singing along as well.

 

 

Have a good weekend. Tomorrow, I will be running 9 miles...

A more beautiful you

I write all the time about what I am doing physically to make myself a better person. But, today, a friend (I wish it was IRL) posted a picture on Instagram of a daily scripture. It was right then and there it hit me. It doesn't matter what I look like on the outside, if spiritually I am "ugly." Don't get me wrong, I go to Catholic, I go to Church, I live according to the Church the best I can. What I don't do enough is stop, and thank God everyday for the many blessings he has given me. He blessed me with the opportunity to be a mom and best friend to my sweet little angel. He has given me the ability to run, and thankfully, I heard Him talking to me that day and I decided to jump in and run. I am not looking back at that one, but I am still thankful for the ability and the enjoyment I have found in running.

I stumbled across this song on Youtube and I thought I would share it.

There won't be a more beautiful you. You have to see it in yourself, and God does see it. Sometimes, we just have to remove the blinders and the bad attitude that society and its unhealthy attitudes has placed on us.  Once we see our own beauty, we will be happier and healthier both inside and out.

So, today, I stopped and I read a devotion from this book. Yes, I know I am not a teen, but this book was given to me in 2001 by a patient that I took care of. She said that the care I provided her really made her want to be a nurse. I wasn't even a nurse yet, but it's patients like this that I remember. What I read tonight, was something I really needed to read. Let me share some of it with you.
                             "All hard work brings a profit" (Proverbs 12:23a, NIV).
ALL hard work brings a profit. No matter what it is that you are working towards, the hard work that you are putting in will pay off. It may not end the way you think it should, but if you put your trust into God's hands, he will make sure you profit in some way.

So, tonight I ask you to stop and take some time to be thankful for whatever it is you are able to do. Know that your hard work is paying off, and whether or not you know it, others are inspired and amazed by what you do and try to live in your shadow. Be the best You you can on the inside and it will show 1000 times over on the outside.