This is the 4th year I've run the Tulsa St. Paddy 5k with my brother, Andy. The first year we ran I had 2 goals. 1) I wanted to RUN the entire thing, no walking. 2) I wanted to finish in under 30 minutes. I met both goals and finished in 27.54. I was very proud of my self. Andy and I don't count the next year because I had to take a pee break. And last year I did OK. Which brings us to this year, but first a little background...
Last fall the big boys and I started running with a club one day a week. The running coach is Ethan Sunday school teacher but has had all my kids at some point during worship service. Needless to say he knows who we are =) So, Levi and I ran our local Zoo Run last Oct. Levi did great and finished in 28.30. And after that I got an e-mail about another run at the same location. This one was called the OWL RUN. Proceeds went to help burn survivors. How could I not participate?? Dang! It started early! I had to be there at 7:30. And we all went. Aaron got some pics but I can't find them =/ Anyway, my finish time for that run was 26.39. Still not sure how I did that but I did. And because running is something Andy and I both enjoy I shared my news.
He thought that if I trained for it I could finish my next run, the St. Paddy, in 25 minutes. Just thinking about it made me so nervous. But I was determined. I bought my in-laws treadmill last year so I started running on that. It's a good thing I had it because with us schooling in the mornings and Aaron working at night I didn't really feel like I had any other options. When I did run outdoors I felt sluggish and very heavy. Even if my times didn't reflect it.
So the morning of the run I was still nervous. I thought all my hard work was going to be for nothing because I hadn't run with elements to deal with(wind, terrain). I did my best and felt like my lungs were going to explode. BUT...I finished in 25.09!!! Andy tried to make me believe I wasn't going to make my time so I would run faster. He just wanted to see if I could finish in under 25 minutes. He wasn't very nice at all until after we crossed that finish line. Then he was all kinds of proud =)
Here are my stats...out of 959 females I finished #51. And out of 163 in my age group I finished #10. I've got some other runs through out the year. Next up is the Warrior dash in May. After that I'll find some races for Levi to run with me. It's all about having fun now =)
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
School
So, we've started schooling from home this year. I was unsure how it was going to play out because I don't consider myself an educator. Meaning, I never thought I would enjoy teaching my kids full time. I got a little spoiled when they went to school everyday. I was able to do all kinds of things with out taking kids with me, like have coffee or lunch with a friend. Now? I'm too busy most days to eat lunch at home =) The bottom line is this...I LOVE SCHOOL!!
Before we started I was really worried about knowing if my kids were learning all they needed to learn within our year. I wasn't sure how to know. Do I have them tested at our school with the other kids? Could I have them tested at another location? Who presented the test? Who got the results? I wasn't sure where to start. And then we got some advice from the manager at our local Mazzio's Pizza. We've been going to the same pizza place almost every Sunday for close to 7 years. The staff knows what we want even before we order and where we want to sit. So, one Sunday in May, I was talking to the manager about homeschooling because of Aaron's schedule and he's says to look up CLASS. Because that's what he went thru. I never would have thought he was homeschooled. He said he remembered really liking it. I got right on the computer when we got home and started researching. We liked what we read so I wrote out questions we had and called them up. After being directed to the right office, a real person answered all my questions. We felt really good about the decision to go with their curriculum.
Here's a run down...CLASS is an actual school in Arlington Heights, Ill. We have enrolled our 3 big kids and use their curriculum at home. We have tests to send in for grading and the kids get progress reports and report cards. I like this very much because I need to know that my children are learning what is set before them in case they are ever in a public/private school at a later time. It also lets me know that they're paying attention =) We have 4 quarters to our year and a full 12 months to get our work done. 2nd-12th grades test prior to enrolling so the curriculum dep. can makes sure the child is getting the right level for the course. They choose the curriculum for you. For us, this was a big plus. It being our first year and there being so many different publishers to choose from, this took the guess work out of it and relieved a lot of stress. We recognized most of the publishers they used so we were comfortable with it. This program means that we accountable to someone for our children's education. It also means that I can't be lazy with our school days.
We received our books in mid-July and started school about 2 weeks later. We are now almost at our half-way point. Some subjects are going much quicker than others. Katie has only one more test and she'll be done with her science book. On the flip side, Ethan is about 2 weeks behind(my schedule) on his science. They have included a bible curriculum and a penmanship book. They have Nature Reader's(a book teaching about specific animals) and none teach the same thing. So, Ethan has learned about different birds, and Levi has learned about crabs, bees and wasps. And Katie is learning about a different animal for every letter of the alphabet. These books have made our trips to the zoo and aquarium much more fun. Levi's science book is covering the days of Creation. I have learned so much in the past 5 months. We read about Daniel Boone in front of a fire while it was raining outside this morning. I might have missed that if they were going away to school.
And Evan? He's learning from his siblings. He knows his colors, shapes, ABC's, can count past 30, colors within the lines and he can use scissors. He can also make his own ham/cheese sandwich with out help =) He practiced the number 4 today and writes it like he's been doing it for years. Even though he's would only start pre-k next year because of when his birthday is, we'll think about starting with the kindergarten curriculum when we re-enroll the kids.
So, there you have it. We have a structured school day. It's not all fun and games but we find time to do both. Sometimes the kids give me attitude and sometimes I give them some. We take breaks when needed but always get our work done. Most often we're finished before Aaron leaves for work at 1:45. It's hard work but right now I wouldn't have it any other way.
Before we started I was really worried about knowing if my kids were learning all they needed to learn within our year. I wasn't sure how to know. Do I have them tested at our school with the other kids? Could I have them tested at another location? Who presented the test? Who got the results? I wasn't sure where to start. And then we got some advice from the manager at our local Mazzio's Pizza. We've been going to the same pizza place almost every Sunday for close to 7 years. The staff knows what we want even before we order and where we want to sit. So, one Sunday in May, I was talking to the manager about homeschooling because of Aaron's schedule and he's says to look up CLASS. Because that's what he went thru. I never would have thought he was homeschooled. He said he remembered really liking it. I got right on the computer when we got home and started researching. We liked what we read so I wrote out questions we had and called them up. After being directed to the right office, a real person answered all my questions. We felt really good about the decision to go with their curriculum.
Here's a run down...CLASS is an actual school in Arlington Heights, Ill. We have enrolled our 3 big kids and use their curriculum at home. We have tests to send in for grading and the kids get progress reports and report cards. I like this very much because I need to know that my children are learning what is set before them in case they are ever in a public/private school at a later time. It also lets me know that they're paying attention =) We have 4 quarters to our year and a full 12 months to get our work done. 2nd-12th grades test prior to enrolling so the curriculum dep. can makes sure the child is getting the right level for the course. They choose the curriculum for you. For us, this was a big plus. It being our first year and there being so many different publishers to choose from, this took the guess work out of it and relieved a lot of stress. We recognized most of the publishers they used so we were comfortable with it. This program means that we accountable to someone for our children's education. It also means that I can't be lazy with our school days.
We received our books in mid-July and started school about 2 weeks later. We are now almost at our half-way point. Some subjects are going much quicker than others. Katie has only one more test and she'll be done with her science book. On the flip side, Ethan is about 2 weeks behind(my schedule) on his science. They have included a bible curriculum and a penmanship book. They have Nature Reader's(a book teaching about specific animals) and none teach the same thing. So, Ethan has learned about different birds, and Levi has learned about crabs, bees and wasps. And Katie is learning about a different animal for every letter of the alphabet. These books have made our trips to the zoo and aquarium much more fun. Levi's science book is covering the days of Creation. I have learned so much in the past 5 months. We read about Daniel Boone in front of a fire while it was raining outside this morning. I might have missed that if they were going away to school.
And Evan? He's learning from his siblings. He knows his colors, shapes, ABC's, can count past 30, colors within the lines and he can use scissors. He can also make his own ham/cheese sandwich with out help =) He practiced the number 4 today and writes it like he's been doing it for years. Even though he's would only start pre-k next year because of when his birthday is, we'll think about starting with the kindergarten curriculum when we re-enroll the kids.
So, there you have it. We have a structured school day. It's not all fun and games but we find time to do both. Sometimes the kids give me attitude and sometimes I give them some. We take breaks when needed but always get our work done. Most often we're finished before Aaron leaves for work at 1:45. It's hard work but right now I wouldn't have it any other way.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Happy Birthday, Evan!!!
Oh, man! I cannot believe it's been 4 years. What a ride! My youngest is quite a hoot. This past year has marked some post worthy milestones for Evan. The top three big are...He learned to swim, swing with NO help and ride his bike without training wheels. He's a little too coordinated for his own good and it's a little scary for me. He loves doing flips on the trampoline and has done them while on the floor. I put a stop to the floor flips. He started a gymnastics class a few weeks ago and it has been so good for him. He gets to do what he loves and I don't worry because there's padding underneath him. He's a smart little guy and his smile is very contagious. He tells me he loves me at least 50 times a day =) Here are a few of my favorite pics from this past year...
and he can take a hit like a big kid
If he can climb it...he will
Space Specks
The boy sure knows how to laugh
and he can take a hit like a big kid
If he can climb it...he will
Swinging machine
Space Specks
such a thoughtful kid
and such a fighter =)
Friday, September 6, 2013
Metal Mouth!!
Levi got braces Sept 4th. They make him look a few yrs older than 8, I think.
Bottom brackets!
Playing the ipad and waiting to be called back.
Dr. Cooper doing his thing...
Finished...good looking kid =)
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Build Me a Son
Build me a son, whose heart will be
clear, whose goals will be high,
a son who will master himself before
he seeks to master other men, one who
will learn to laugh, yet never forget to weep,
one who will reach into the future,
yet never forget the past.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
The Knox Clan
As of May 2013
For those that aren't familiar with my side of the family or those that haven't seen us in so long you can't tell who's who...
from the left you have my little brother Tim with his family seated in front (Nathan, wife Nicole holding Abigail, and Micah). Mom and dad are next to Tim with mom holding Tim's youngest, Judah. Matt and Megan are in front of dad with their kids (Chloe, Cooper, Colbie and Caleb). Andy and Diana with their kids Tyler and Tiffany and then you have my crew on the right.
It's now August and Tim and Nicole are days away from meeting their newest little one =)
Monday, August 5, 2013
Where to begin...
I know I said this, like, 2 posts ago but...so much has happened! First, I totally didn't mention that my oldest turned 9 back in January. He's such a great kid. Really growing into a responsible young man who I am very proud of.
Katie was next. Turning 6 in May. Such a girly girl. Forget the bats and ball gloves. Give this girl loves anything with sparkle. She loves nail polish, make-up, twirly dresses and jewelry.
Then Levi =) He turned 8 last month. And he's getting so tall. And because of losing a tooth early and having no room for the adult tooth to come in(and I mean NO ROOM) he'll be getting braces next month. They'll stay for about 9 months.
We ended the school year with the decision that we would not re-enroll the kids in public school. Aaron's work schedule is such that he only saw the kids for about 10 minutes before school and on the weekends. Well, that was just not working for us. So, now we're a homeschooling family. We got started about 3 weeks ago and very slowly are getting the hang of things. I have some wonderful friends and a sister-in-law that homeschool and were very open about their journey. I received some great advice to help make the adjustment a little less harsh. It's going very well. I'm really excited to see how our year ends =)
I also ran my 3rd 5k with my brother, Andy. No pics this year. And I did my 2nd Warrior Dash. This year I Dashed with Andy and my nephew Tyler. I do have pictures of that but Aaron put them in a new program I don't know how to get to =/ I knocked 11 minutes off my time from last year and will be going back for more next May. And I'll get pics up when I can find them.
We also had our annual Knox Clan reunion over Memorial Day week. Again...the family pic is in that new photo program. Although, the picture will be missing a tiny person. Tim and Nicole are DAYS from welcoming their 5th. Another boy. I'll share his name after he gets here =)
On Father's Day we celebrated Katie and Levi being baptized!! Aaron's dad did this for us(as he did Ethan) and it was AWE-SOME!
And just because I didn't think I had enough going on...I got a puppy. A mini-dachshund we named Lola. She is a hoot!! She plays so hard and then crashes for a few hours. Sleeps great at night and the kids LOVE her. How cute is she?!?!
So, as you see, we've had our hands full. And it's only just beginning. And right now, I feel so very blessed.
Katie was next. Turning 6 in May. Such a girly girl. Forget the bats and ball gloves. Give this girl loves anything with sparkle. She loves nail polish, make-up, twirly dresses and jewelry.
Then Levi =) He turned 8 last month. And he's getting so tall. And because of losing a tooth early and having no room for the adult tooth to come in(and I mean NO ROOM) he'll be getting braces next month. They'll stay for about 9 months.
We ended the school year with the decision that we would not re-enroll the kids in public school. Aaron's work schedule is such that he only saw the kids for about 10 minutes before school and on the weekends. Well, that was just not working for us. So, now we're a homeschooling family. We got started about 3 weeks ago and very slowly are getting the hang of things. I have some wonderful friends and a sister-in-law that homeschool and were very open about their journey. I received some great advice to help make the adjustment a little less harsh. It's going very well. I'm really excited to see how our year ends =)
I also ran my 3rd 5k with my brother, Andy. No pics this year. And I did my 2nd Warrior Dash. This year I Dashed with Andy and my nephew Tyler. I do have pictures of that but Aaron put them in a new program I don't know how to get to =/ I knocked 11 minutes off my time from last year and will be going back for more next May. And I'll get pics up when I can find them.
We also had our annual Knox Clan reunion over Memorial Day week. Again...the family pic is in that new photo program. Although, the picture will be missing a tiny person. Tim and Nicole are DAYS from welcoming their 5th. Another boy. I'll share his name after he gets here =)
On Father's Day we celebrated Katie and Levi being baptized!! Aaron's dad did this for us(as he did Ethan) and it was AWE-SOME!
And just because I didn't think I had enough going on...I got a puppy. A mini-dachshund we named Lola. She is a hoot!! She plays so hard and then crashes for a few hours. Sleeps great at night and the kids LOVE her. How cute is she?!?!
So, as you see, we've had our hands full. And it's only just beginning. And right now, I feel so very blessed.
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