Joy in the Maez

It's been a very long time since I've updated the blog.....Jeesh - it's the end of October for heaven's sake!  Kids are doing great - Piercen is Mr. Cross Country now - they call him 'beast' bc he is SO good and only a freshman.  He went to region and ended up finishing 10th - fantastic especially when you realize that all of the other boys are usually on their varsity teams, but had to run in the JV race bc the race limited the number of varsity kids that could run.  He was really the only true JV kid to place.   He will be going with the team to California at the start of next month to compete in nationals.

Jax has had a rough few months - he had complained of a stomach ache for a week before we discovered that he may have appendicitis.  We had to take him into Primary Children's Hospital to have his appendix removed.  Then - poor guy - 2 weeks later he had to go in to have a mole removed from off of his neck.  It ended up being a good thing bc they found what is called Spitz Nevis in there - nothing too scary, but worth getting it removed.  I'm not too excited to get all of the doctor bills - especially with 4 of the 5 kids' birthdays and Christmas here in the next 2 months. 
He is now doing really well and ran in his school's red ribbon week's 5K.

Maddie has really been enjoying 1st grade.  She has by far been my hardest at listening to me as I've tried to teach her how to read ect.  So I am very happy that she has been making a lot of progress thanks to her very good and patient teacher.  We are just too much alike - so we butt heads a lot.  She was able to go on a daddy daughter date with Trent to Coldstone - she was in heaven.

Donavan already has his ABC's down - no thanks to me, he plays with my ipod and listens to one of the apps that I bought over and over and over and over etc. until he sings his ABC's all the time now.  He had also gone from my sweet baby to a spunky, talking back, teasing little monster.  He tells people all the time that he is my monster.  Oh so true.  He is very very funny though so he is able to get away with a lot.  But his biting....ugg the biting!!  He doesn't usually bite hard, but, poor Ronin NEVER has dry hands or feet bc Donsters always has them in his mouth.  I guess it's a good thing that Ronin just thinks its funny.....

Ronin is getting SO BIG!!  He is just a darling little guy - I love him to bits!  He claps when you say yea, and is learning how to wave good bye.  He thinks everything is funny and laughs all the time.  He still doesn't have any teeth, he doesn't crawl - in fact he still tips over when he sits up alone.  The pediatrician is a bit worried, but I'm not at all.  I know why he isn't developing as fast as other babies his age are.....he is carried ALL THE TIME!  What can he expect with 4 older siblings who adore him?  I'm in NO HURRY for him to grow up fast so I'm good with him taking his sweet little time!!

Trent is doing really well - he has switched from working in auto to liability.  He hates the training, but thinks that the work is interesting.  I'm SO relievied as we were thinking that we may have to move to find another job.  Farmers is getting rid of their auto people left and right....what a blessing it was when his boss asked if he'd go to the other side of Farmers.  :)  He has been pleasnantly surprized by the atmosphere - its friendly and pro-mormon.  Unlike the auto side who hate family oriented people to don't dedicate their every breath to Farmers.....
He has also been working out at the gym every single day - sometimes twice a day.  Right before our 1/2 marathon he hurt his knee....we found out that he has tendonitis under both knee caps so he hasn't been able to run since.  He has however been able to loose a lot of weight and is really putting on a lot of muscle.  He looks fantastic ;)

I just ran my 2nd 1/2 marathon on the 27th and was able to PR.  1:37:57 - it makes out to be a 7:29 min. per mile :D.  I was totally surprized bc I ran much faster than I usually do in my training runs.  And they had to add a surprize mile and a half uphill to the course bc the original starting point was covered in ice and snow.  Melissa was able to come and run with me so I wasn't alone at the race start.  Thank goodness they had a heated tent!!
We are already planning out the 1/2 marathons that we will be running in next year.  We have the RAGNAR race in June and the Timp 1/2 for sure at the end of July again.  Pierce wants to train and run a 1/2 with us sometime in the spring.  These things are the hardest thing I've ever done - but so fun and worth the pain!  Right around mile 10 or 11 you really start questioning yourself and why on earth you do this to yourself....but that's when you really find out what you are made of!  The mental toughness that you need to finish this kind of race is what makes it worth it.