First Hair Cut

That's right, Josiah is today officially 17 months old and just yesterday received his first hair cut. He wasn't all that thrilled about it but wasn't screaming either. The idea was to just give him a trim to even out his hair a bit but we realized that wasn't going to work right away so we decided to just buzz it. I was hoping to get a picture while in the midst of the hair cut but since Brett had to hold him on his lap and I had to do the cutting there was no one to take a picture. Although, we did snap a few after his cut while he was not enjoying the moment. It was probably a good thing that we had to do it all so quickly (due to an upset boy who wouldn't hold still) because otherwise I think I would have got a little teary eyed. After we were done and put him in the bath I sat there and just thought where has my little baby gone? He looks so different. Still so cute, but different. It's amazing what a little hair cut can do.

My boys. Quick break from the clippers to snap a picture.

By the end this is what we got...one not happy little boy.

Finished results...his first buzz cut.

Today at lunch. 17 months old!

We also, just got back from a weekend with friends at a cabin in Spearfish Canyon. It was fun to get away for a weekend and be with friends from home, but away from home. Make sense? I was also amazed by Spearfish Canyon. I would have thought I was in another state besides South Dakota by the beauty of it all (not that South Dakota isn't beautiful, but it was a different kind of beauty than I am used to). There were trees everywhere as we winded our way up the curvy canyon roads. One of my favorite places to be is in the mountains and this made me feel like I was there. We didn't get a lot of pictures but I'll post the few that I have.

On the ride there. This is what he looks like when he hears Veggie Tales.

My good looking guys again!

Josiah climbs on everything...literally.

Riding on Daddy's shoulders.

Josiah wasn't too happy at this moment so we couldn't get him to look at the camera.

Week 7

I know it's been a long time coming since my last post and though it has been awhile this one is still going to be short and sweet as Josiah and I will be hopefully heading to the pool this afternoon.

I'm on Week 7 of my Couch to 5K training! That's about 6 weeks longer than I have ever done any sort of running for exercise before. Although I am on week 7 of training I am actually only on week 5 of the training schedule. My friend, Courtney (whom I am doing this with) had some bad problems with her knees and had to take some time off of the training. I thought it wouldn't hurt to repeat the week so I stayed one week back. Then last week (week 5) I missed my last two runs because I didn't make enough time. I had been busy last week with photo shoots and as the story goes I just didn't fit running into the schedule. When I went for my run today I decide to stay on week 5 since I had missed some days. Although I am sad I am behind I'm happy because Courtney and I are now back to running the same week!

Couch to 5K has been incredible for me. This is the only thing that has kept me from burning myself out and quitting.

One last thing...

Finding a 5K near us around the time we are wanting has been incredibly hard so today I finally made the leap and made a facebook event for the Lowry Gumbo Gopher 5K that will take place on Sept. 18th! The best part about it (aside from the fact that I will actually be running 3.1 miles consecutively) is we are making t-shirts!!! I designed the shirts and now am just waiting for people to get their registration forms in! In honor of my mother-in-law who is battling ovarian cancer we are going to send all proceeds from this event to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. I'm excited that I am doing something healthy and that in some small way I can help my mother-in-law and all others who are fighting the same battle.

This may or may not be the actual color of the shirt.
Those who register get a chance to vote on a color they would like.

Family Trip to Ely, MN

Late Saturday night we arrived back home from a week long stay in Ely, MN with Brett's side of the immediate family. After a week with family, taking in the view of God's creation, meeting up with good friends, and everything else in between I wasn't quite ready to pack up and leave on Saturday morning. Josiah was able to spend some good quality time with his twin cousins who are 6 months older and his aunt and uncles along with time with Grandma and Grandpa. There were 13 of us total in a 4 bedroom 1 bathroom cabin on the beautiful Clear Lake in Ely, MN and although that may sound chaotic and maybe might have been for some but I enjoyed every minute of it. I love Ely, MN, I love fishing, I love all the beautiful trees that Minnesota has to offer, and I love my in-laws which to me equals a wonderful week up in the woods.

On our way up to Ely we stayed at my brothers which is close to a half way point for us which really helped to break up the trip a little bit and we also were able to enjoy time with my brother, sister-in-law and their son (4 months older than Josiah). I had found out the week before we left that my Grandmother (on my dad's side, whom I was named after) was not doing well and they didn't think she would have much longer to live. My Grandparents only live about an hour from my brother so we were able to stop in and see her late a night when we arrived. It's hard to see someone in so much pain and not completely all there but I'm so thankful that we had the opportunity to visit with her and see a couple of my uncles that I haven't seen in nearly 10 years. We found out while up in Ely that she passed away. I think I still haven't completely processed that she is gone. We didn't find out that she passed away until a few days later and it was late in the evening the night before the funeral so we were unable to make it which part of me is thankful for. I like my last memories of my Grandma to be ones of her holding my hand at her bedside.

I feel as though I have stopped abruptly but I don't have any other words at the moment. I will end with pictures from our trip. If you haven't even been I would encourage you to take a trip up to Ely and experience the beauty God has given that place.

Brett and Josiah getting ready to swim.

Brett, Josiah, Dan, and Anna swimming in the lake.

Tim & Sonja (my father and mother-in-law)

Brett's "normal" let me take a picture of you face

Spending time in Ely with my good friend Becky

Brett fishing.

Fishing while the sun is setting.

Dan and Brett fishing.

Enjoying the sunset

The love of my life.

Heidi and Anna

Dan and Evelyn

The whole gang

Visitors

We've been blessed the last few days to have our good friends Becky and EJ here visiting. As I write this Becky is taking Josiah for a walk, EJ is taking a nap, and Brett is working. Becky and EJ have spent the last year over in Lithuania and are just back here in the states for a few short months before they head back in August. We feel honored that they would take 5 days out of their time here in the states to spend with us. I have to admit it has been so good for my heart to be able to spend so much time all in one chunk together. I wasn't planning on writing a long blog today so I will stop here, mostly I just wanted to put some pictures up so here you go.

Enjoying time with friends and a beautiful rainbow

Brett and I

Becky and EJ

This is the pose that Becky and I would do often growing up for pictures.

Watching a storm in the distance.

Training Week 2 & Pics of Josiah

Couch to 5K:

I finished my first week of training and I just finished my first day of week two. Surprisingly I'm becoming more and more excited about doing a 5K as time has gone on and hopefully that continues throughout the 9 week training. Today was also my first day of running all by myself and though it was by myself it was far easier than my last two runs went in week 1, that is probably mostly due to it being a lot cooler than it was last week and also the wind seeming to be about 20mph slower. The down fall of running outside my house is the uphill both directions but it gives me a bit of pride each time I finish.

Here is what Josiah looked like when we finished running today...


Here is what I looked like...

Red faces, sweat dripping down my face, crazy hair. I will be the first
to admit that I look far from beautiful after running, thank goodness there are showers!

I also am finally putting to good use my "running" shoes which were actually bought about 3 years ago to be my "inside only" basketball shoes. I've heard that good shoes are essential to running and although I don't know what makes a "good" running shoe I will admit that my feet are enjoying mine.


And of course now onto the real reason anyone checks this blog...

Pictures of Josiah:

A story to tell at his wedding!

The worst has just happened...

Warning. If you have a queasy stomach
you might not want to read on.

Tonight as we were giving Josiah his nightly bath before bedtime I believe the worst thing (meaning the nastiest thing) happened while he was in the tub. Brett was sitting on the counter, I was sitting on the toilet (not going to the bathroom, just sitting) and of course Josiah was in the tub. He was sitting on his knees when we began to hear him peeing in the tub into one of his toy cups. We stop our conversation and look at him, while he finishes he has this weird look on his face and I comment, "I hope he doesn't poop". With no grunting and no red face (which is what normally gives it away that he is pooping) we go back to our conversation and Josiah goes back to playing...or so we thought...

...All of a sudden Brett yells, "NO, STOP!"

What do we see...?

Josiah with a handful of POOP and shoving it in his mouth!!!

Yes, you read that right...our cute little boy ATE HIS OWN POOP!!!

YUCK, YUCK, YUCK

I immediately grabbed the poop out of his hand, Brett grabbed Josiah and started washing his hands in the sink while I finished cleaning out the rest of the poop chunks from the tub. We of course then gave him another bath and brushed his brown stained teeth.

This is completely nasty but I for one still can't wait to tell this story at his wedding!

Couch to 5K

Yes, you did read that title right. For those of you who know me I'm sure you are thinking that this must be a joke but I assure you it is for real. And in case that hasn't knocked your socks off yet, I am actually the one who came up with the idea. I convinced a friend of mine (Courtney) to do this adventure with me, partly because I want someone to run with and partly (mostly) because I need someone to run with to encourage me. For those of you who don't know I am not a runner. Let me tell you that again...

I AM NOT A RUNNER.

I never have been and honestly never thought I would be (although it is still safe to say that I am still not a runner). I'm not sure where this desire to do a 5K came from. My only guess is that is came directly from the Lord, trying to encourage His child to take care of the body He has given me. Part of me wants to do this to lose weight but really mostly I just want to be in better shape.

Couch to 5K is a training schedule/podcast that basically tells you when to run and when to walk (briskly). It's a 9 week training, three times a week that by the end of we should be ready to run a 5K. I'm being completely honest when I say that I'm pretty positive I could not finish a measly one mile with the shape I am in now. I'm going into this knowing that it is going to be tough,
I mean really tough but having Courtney there to run with me/encourage me (once a week) and my husband to run with me the other two days and encourage me when I want to quit (which will probably be every day).

Courtney and I are still trying to find an actual 5K to be a part of at the end of August but if we can't find one we are planning on making our own race where our husbands and friends will be at the mile markers cheering us on. Of course if you enter an actual race you get a t-shirt which is one of the thing that makes us excited about doing this so if we build our own race we will for sure be making t-shirts of our own to receive at the end of the race!

Anyway, I just wanted to fill you all in on something that I feel is pretty huge in my life and in case I write multiple times on here about wanting to quit I'm hoping I will receive encouragement from all of you to keep pressing on.