Running, Nonny, Halloween.

Am I a horrible mother if I admit there are some things I kinda resent having to miss out on because of staying with my kids all day? That, and having a husband who works 12 hrs/day.... I mean, I hate to blog about anything less than how much I adore my kids and how grateful I am for my husband's good job and rainbows and puppies and smiling happy faces and funfunFUN.... but seriously - seriouslyseriously -
I MISS RUNNING!
Specifically - trail running. EXPLORING running. Taking-my-time, enjoying-the-scenery running. Running with no time constraints, no destination, no missing out on sleep...
That never happens anymore. I run about twice a week - and one of those runs is a Saturday race. The other one is magically squeezed in somewhere else - either in the early morning (in the DARK, since I have to be home by 6:30am so Brian can go slay the dragons), during Brian's rare home-lunch break (which means I'm lucky to get 30 minutes max and he's ticked if I'm late), or in the evening (also in the DARK, since he's not home til late, and of course that means I'm missing dinner/bathtime/bedtime routine). The gym treadmill is the only other option, and that's just not fun. I only like group classes at the gym. Or reading a really good book while on the elliptical. SO there are my excuses. Not even excuses - just the facts.
BUT - last Monday, I got a small taste of freedom. And it was fabulous. Here are some photos from my 9.5-mile mid-day run:

So pretty! I discovered the Bountiful Pond. It was a detour off the Legacy Trail that I'd never taken because I never had time and didn't want to risk getting lost. "Risking getting lost" used to be my favorite thing to do on a run! Those "no trespassing signs" were targets - I knew the good trails must start right behind them. But I'm a wimp these days, and stay on the beaten paths. Usually.

You've always wanted to see up my nose, right?
Sorry - just wanted to show off my cool pumpkin running shirt.
It's from Kim's Halloween 5K fundraiser for adoption in
Saratoga Springs a couple weeks ago. My costume
was a wanna-be distance runner and busy mama.

This is the pic that pops up when Mom calls me.
She's either saying SUPRISE! or RARRR! or
"Chelsea why are your kids naked again?!?!"

So how was this all possible?   A VISIT FROM NONNY!
A visit from Nonny is like a visit from a superfairygodmother.
She brings joy, fun, HELP, thoughtful presents, wise advice, helps me keep up my home (and unconsciously motivates me to clean like crazy before her arrival), and loves my children more than anyone else on the planet besides their parents. So I can trust her completely and feel fine leaving the house.
Even to go on a long run! Such a treat for me! My Halloween treat.  Way better than all that candy I stole from Brianna's stash.

My favorite part of Nonny's visit was entirely selfish - I made her get up with me bright and early Saturday morning so I could go do a 5K.  Brian was working - so she was in charge of the triple stroller!

 And she insisted on trying to get the kids to wear their cute new monkey-hats she bought them. They're really adorable and very comfy and warm. Too bad only Brianna can be convinced to keep it on her head. But we'll work on it. She also got them a cute stuffed monkey that sings "HeyHey We're the Monkeys..." It's so cute to see them all dancing to it! But they weren't dancing in their stroller. They were pretty miserable. Mom put up with a lot so I could do my race. I owe her big time. Especially since the 5K turned out to be another fluke - a small little race with a big prize! $50 cash, $20 in gift cards, some running clothes! Score! And honestly, I didn't even run that fast. There were only like 25 people there. I was just at the right place at the right time - all thanks to Nonny!

ALSO - because of Nonny - Brianna and I got to have the most amazing Halloween experience ever. We had dressed up in our Hawaiian costumes just to visit Brian at work. But on the way home, I noticed kids in costumes heading into the hospital. So we stopped and joined in. And now we have a tradition that I hope we'll continue on forever. Hospital trick-or-treating. Such a neat experience. It's hard to complain about anything in life after spending a little time with these sweet people.

And after the hospital, we went next door to the retirement center. The elderly people were lined up in chairs, excited to see all the cute kids in costume. Their comments and attitudes were so sweet, I almost didn't notice the smell there. Almost. I hope I can always live independently til I die.  Then as if these two locations weren't enough, we headed across the street to the long-term rehab facility for more trick-or-treating! I'm training Brianna to become a compulsively excessive person like her mother. It's not an entirely bad thing, right?!  She definitely had fun! And it was good for her to see different kinds of people with special needs in different settings. We talked about it on the way home, and how we need to try our best to be healthy, and thank Heavenly Father for our healthy bodies as long as we have them. Of course I felt a little hypocritical having this conversation with her as we were both eating Halloween candy.  I wish Nonny could've stayed longer so I could have run it off!