Eleven!!!

We logged snow day #11 here in Western Maine today. Unreal. The snowbanks are SO high that backing out from a road safely is nearly impossible. The kids are set to go to school until June 20th at this point. And it's still February! March is typically a very snowy month. I am sure we will have more.

The kids and I had a fun day though.

My alarm went off at 4:51. I was determined to get to Lewiston to swim because as I've been writing, I am having Serious trouble getting to the pool lately!! (Monday was another story that I didn't write about....) I was ready to go, dressed and 1/2 out the door, when I decided to check the news online for cancellations. I was mostly looking for school news when I saw YWCA Lewiston, open at 11:00!!! OMG!! It almost happened again. But instead, I was saved and I happily hurried back to my cozy bed to enjoy the first few hours of the kid's snow day. I slept until 7:00. Heaven.

Next came breakfast. I would be interested to hear from those of you with children on this issue. Breakfast in my home is not a quick process. Do most kids just gulp down a bowl of cereal and move on with life? Is it merely a 20 minute hiccup in the morning routine? Well, it's not at my house!!! I have 3 boys and I kid you not, we spend about 45 minutes/day at this meal. It's a smorgasboard. My oldest boy starts firsts. He mixes 2 packets of oatmeal and eats that with a large glass of milk. Then he waits. My six year old isn't so easy. He doesn't like cereal! I know, it's absurd. When he was 2 he gagged on cheerios & milk and that has really stuck with him. It'd odd because otherwise, he is my go for it child and he'll try anything. He is a great eater. But he won't eat cereal. So at breakfast, he ususally Starts with some yogurt, melted frozen berries and granola mixed together. And OJ. Don't forget the OJ. By then, "thing 1" is drooling over that and wants some too. (Remember Thing One and Thing two from the CAt in the Hat? We named our first two boys Thing One and Thing Two. Now we have Thing Three in the mix as well.) So, thing 1 now wants the yogurt mix. Thing 3 still isn't sure. He is usually having a bowl of cereal at this point. Now thing 2 is done with his yogurt and wants a bagel. And some melon. Thing 3 thinks this looks good too. Oh, it goes on and on and on. They eat big healthy breakfasts and I know it's the most important meal of the day, but my goodness, it really can take a while. Is this normal in your homes?

The thing that really gets me though is that by 8:30-9:00, they are ready for a snack. Breakfast usually ends around 7:30!!! I am truly holding my breath for when they are teenagers. Right now, we drink a WHOLE Gallon of milk in 1 1/2 days. It used to be one/day but we've backed off a bit now that some have OJ at breakfast. Woah.

After breakfast, I changed into my bike shorts, set the bike on the trainer in the living room and let them "get cozy with blankets and pillows" and watch the Fox and the Hound while I pedalled away. It works well. I sweat like I can't believe, drenching a whole towel, but I get to watch a movie with them and "monitor" all that. They actually seem to love when I do that. We have the volume cranked and the sound of my wheels is so overbearing. I am impressed that they put up with it to be honest.

Now it's 10:00 and I had promised the boys I'd take them to the Children's museum in Portland. They ask to go all the time. It's an hour drive so we had to get moving. I showered and then ran around trying to get them all dressed, hair brushed, teeth brushed and snacks packed. I made PB & J sandwiches and filled water bottles. We are just about ready to go and you guessed it, "I'm hungry!" We had to stop for some snacks. I was enjoying the yummiest post-workout smoothie. Thanks to my friend Marni, I have learned some delicious and nutritious post-workout drink recipes.
1 cup vanilla soy milk, 60 cal vanilla dannon light yogurt, 1 scoop protein powder, and frozen mixed berries. YUM!!!
We hit the road and headed to Portland. The boys were excited and also prepared for my first stop. Peak Performance Sports!!! It's my tri shop. You see.....my bikes are "almost" in!!!!!
No, I am not buying bikes...just one will do. But I have to try one more out before I can make the big purchase. I tried 3 a few weeks ago. The FELT B12, Cervelo P3C and the P2C. The FELT B12 is great but the aero bars are positioned in such a way that it hurt my shoulder, the P3C was Awesome and the P2, too big. The P3C is just a tad bit pricey. Ugh. I am waiting for the P2C in my size to arrive in Portland, to try it, and then decide between the two. "My" P3C is in the store and the other one is due today. They are holding both for me until I can try them. Very cool.
Today I just stopped by to glance at my P3C in waiting and well, pick up some gloves I left there. I also bought a fun new Splish suit. Can't wait to wear it tomorrow.
And, my friend Roger gave me some free Lava Gels to test for him. He's the store manager and is trying these out. I'm psyched to be a guini pig even if it is just gel. They have electrolytes and are more liquidy (word? ) so the need for water isn't as great. I'll let you know.
My other friend at the store, the owner and a big helper toward this bike purchase, is having surgery today. I am hoping he's ok. He's going on that Ironman training trip with me too. I hope he can still make it!

We were finally on to the museum. The kids just Love this place. It really says somethign about kids and their innocent sense of play. I'm not sure if that's the right way to phrase that but let me explain. This is not very big. The same main attractions have been there since I started going about 7 years ago. There's a big fire truck that you climb in and honk the horn, blare the lights, slide on the pole etc. There's a fishing boat, a grocery store, a tree house, a car, a space shuttle, a cow to milk. All of these are very interactive. It's all fun. It's all cool. But they've been So many times!!! They love it just as much each time! It's as if they've never been before. It is so simple and yet so perfect for them. Kids don't need tons of bells and whistles. A big plastic cow with a rubber utter that you squeeze and tiny drips of water comes out. That's it! That was Nick's Favorite thing!!!

We got home around 3:30, had more snacks and the boys headed outside to play in all the snow. I changed, again, and hopped on the treadmill for a run. Another shower. Another outfit. I do shower and change all day long it seems.

The boys came in, had a snack and played hide-n-seek. See, we eat a lot around here. I completely omitted our lunch time too. Of course, that was squeezed into our day too.

Dinner time, Mom headed to the town office for baseball registration, showers for the boys, playtime, story time, some homework for Cameron and now....relax. I sometimes feel like, "ok quick, relax. You have to relax before you can go to bed and start all over again."

It was a good day. They've had too many snow days. I do not get excited for them any more. They have not had a full week of school for 2 1/2 months. Since before Christmas. Their learning is interrupted all the time. I feel some stress about all this. However, I had a bonus day with all my little boys. As tiring as those days can be, I do cherish them. They are my little guys. They are my pride and joy. I know they were happy with their day today and so now I am happy. I hope they know that. I do hope I can succeed at this Motherhood journey. It is not easy. But it is oh so important and I feel oh so lucky that I am a Mom.