Boccone Boot Camp

That title... I stole from my friend Kimberlee. It seemed appropriate for our weekend. I feel like I have not blogged in forever. I guess that means I will do a catch up blog post. I have been busy over the last 5 days. I think some of my happiest days are the 5 days following a weekend on call.  To make this catch up blog easy I will just break it down into days.
Wednesday: National Running Day! How could I not LOVE this day? I got up early before Clark had to go to work and did an enjoyable 4 mile run. Then me and the big kids hooked up with my "real" dad for lunch. He has started this new thing (new in that last year was the first year I remember doing it) where he takes you out to lunch for your birthday. I realize we were almost a month late but life gets busy, etc, etc... We ate at Olive Garden, and I had a good time. It always seems somewhat awkward at first but by the end we have tons to talk about. So much so that the conversation on the walk to the car went something like this. Alexis: "Wow mom you two talked FOREVER." Nick: "Alexis when you don't see your dad more than twice a year you have a lot to say." Every year we end by saying we really should get together more often. Who knows....maybe this is the year that will actually happen. After lunch, I took Alexis to gymnastics and then picked up the little ones for the usual evening routine. Alexis went home with Kaitlyn and spent the night. This was huge for me b/c it meant I did not have to drive back to gymnastics at 9pm to get her!
Thursday: After dropping the boys off at preschool/camp, Nick and I headed up to Jaime's house. I paid her babysitter to watch the big kids while Jaime and I went for a 10 mile run on the monon trail. I think this was the first pain free run I have had since the mini marathon. I can't even begin to tell you how happy that made me. I really had just accepted that I would never have another pain free run again, and that I was going to have to accept that if I wanted to run. After the marathon I totally took myself off mobic and just dealt with the pain. However I took it 2 days before this 10 mile run with Jaime...hence the no pain. I guess I needed it. Still will only now use for races and long runs. Otherwise I deal!! After our run, we took our kids to the Carmel water park. It is so nice when I just have 2 b/c they are old enough to do their own thing, and I get to relax. After the water park we did the usual evening routine. I think Clark came home from work around 1:30am. He was having a very busy day!!
Friday: Tried to get some laundry done in the morning then headed back to the Carmel water park with Nick and Alexis while the triplets were at preschool/camp. This time we met my parents and my nephew's Cody and Caleb. Once again the weather was perfect, and we had a great time. Alexis went to her Friday night gymnastics, and then both my big kids spent the night with my parents. Once again, I did not have to go pick her up which was awesome. I picked up the triplets and waited for Clark to come home from work. He rode his bike to and from work so it took a little longer than usual but glad he got his exercise in. Friday marked the end of another horrible stretch of 13/15 nights of someone being on call. We are almost never happy with each other at the end of one of these stretches, and this time was no exception. We were barely on speaking terms! Still neither of us wanted to cook, so we went to Dawsons for dinner. The triplets were given the option of dinner with us or the Depot. Only Adam wanted to join us. Felt very weird only have one child with us for dinner. It was a nice meal and a good time to catch up with Clark. I am not even sure he was aware we had been even been to the water park in the previous 2 days. Normally we have Bible Study/small group on Friday nights, but we are taking most of the month off b/c so many are gone on vacation and another person is busy doing minor things like donating his kidney to his niece, etc. Gosh the excuses people come up with to get out of church things....haha!!

Saturday: We had plans to meet the McKeever family at Eagle Creek. It was nice b/c they picked up my big kids from my parents so that we did not have to make any trips up North. Once we were all together, Jaime and I headed out for a 5.18 mile run (with some hill repeats) while the boys watched all the kids (8 in all). Our run was fun b/c there was a 5K race going on at the same time so while we were running in the opposite direction, we got to cheer people on.  I love races even when just watching. Jaime is training for the Chicago marathon and had her super speedy neighbor come up with a training plan. Since I am going to do Columbus a couple weeks after her Chicago marathon I figured I would just do the same plan (hence the hills). After our run we took all the kids back to my house while Clark and Ryan (Jaime's husband) did a 24 mile bike ride around Eagle Creek and back home. After the McKeevers left Clark and I needed a plan for the rest of the day. I was reminded of a picture on facebook of my friends Jayda's daughter on a bike without training wheels and as a result of that photo, the Boccone Boot Camp was started. Clark and I had put off teaching the triplets things our 2 oldest had learned at a much younger age simply b/c it was too hard with 3 (aka much easier for us just not to do it). We had enough! No more babies in our house. The training wheels were coming off!!! We took each boy out one by one and made them ride. It went better than expected. Clark got quite the work out running up and down the street with each of them. I was the cheerleader on the side jumping up and down acting all excited even if they crashed and burned. Positive praise is what works for my kids. Adam cried the entire time but actually was doing great. He was scared. Here are some pictures:
Landon and Clark

 I love how big Clark is smiling. We were so happy for our boys! It is a proud parent milestone when they learn to ride a "big kid" bike.

Here is Ryan with Clark. He just took off and was flying. I had no doubts he would be fine with this. He is my most athletic child (next to Alexis who is stronger than all my boys put together:)

 Ryan thinking.....dad you can't catch me. I don't need you!

 Finally we had Clark and Adam. Adam cried the entire time we tried on Saturday but by Sunday (which is when I took the pictures...too busy cheering on Saturday) he was doing AWESOME. Never needed help and was the best at figuring out how to stop.

 I love his facial expressions.

My show off daughter!

After we tackled bike riding, Clark and I figured we were on a roll so no need to stop with the "make our kids grow up in one weekend" plan. We headed to the pool were we were going to teach the boys to swim without life vests. Again something we put off just b/c it was easier to stick them in a life vest and let them go. They are all doing great now at the swimming. I was really convinced Adam would be the one child that was so scared I would actually have to pay for swim lessons, but no he is fine. Landon had some trouble figuring out not to breath under water, but he has mastered that skill now. Ryan no surprise is our best swimmer. I think he is going to fail Kindergarten but that child is athletic::)) Here are some pool pictures: 

 Adam and Landon

 Adam

 Ryan showing how he can come up for a breath

 Ryan

 Landon (probably the most scared which I attribute to the fact that he is going to a really OCD like phase where he thinks everything is going to kill him. Very odd)

After we had totally exhausted our kids from a very busy day, Clark decided we should go out for a nice dinner for our 11th Anniversary. I thought dinner on Friday night counted, and I would have been fine with a movie and popcorn, but he wanted a nice dinner. Since we waited until the last minute to make this decision our choices were limited. After calling a few places finally Ruth's Chris had open reservations. We took it. We dropped 5 tired kids at the Depot (not sure what I would do without this place). Our dinner was very nice. It was memorable from the fact that my waiter poured water in my half full glass of wine without realizing it. As soon as he walked away, I told Clark what had just happened (b/c I just sat there and watched him pour the water in my wine without saying anything). Clark insisted on saying something despite my protests to just let it be. I would have continued drinking the now watered down wine so nobody had to be embarrassed. In the end I did get another glass of wine and only had to pay for one. I think this just made our dinner memorable as I am sure we will laugh about it for years!! Here are a few pictures:

Here we are all dolled up. I actually do own a pair of heels (short ones)!

 I started with a cool looking salad

 My meal was a streak with blue cheese topping with asparagus and potato side dishes

 Out of order picture as Clark started with soup (we split the soup and salad). Then he had a steak too!

 Some alcohol coffee that he had with dessert.

 Chocolate souffle. See how excited I get for dessert! I LOVE TO EAT... so I have to love to run:)

 They brought this at the end. How sweet.

 Even sweeter they took a picture of us together.

 Just because I had already had dessert did not mean I wouldn't eat more!

It was a lovely dinner!! I can't believe we have survived 11 years. Can't wait to see what the next 11 years holds for us!!

Sunday: This post is crazy long so I will make Sunday short. We went to church. I then went for 5 mile run in very hot weather. Alexis biked along side of me. Then we made the boys practice on bikes (when I took the pictures). Then we went back to the pool and worked on swimming. Then I watched a movie called The Vow while the kids watched something else in the basement, and I have no clue what Clark was doing. Then we had chicken wings from BW3 (Clark was in the mood and just out of the blue went out and got them). Now I am blogging and getting ready to start the evening bath routine for all the kids.

Busy but very fun several days!!  I hope everyone had a great weekend. In all seriousness I hope and pray that our very dear friend has a successful surgery tomorrow when he is so graciously giving his niece his kidney. I pray for a speedy recovery for both!!