What's a girl to do?

I find myself wondering on recovery days. What do I do with the extra time? It's only about an hour, but what do I do? Take a decent shower and actually fix my hair?

Today, my last day off, I find myself pondering Lent and Easter and what it all means. This time last week Jarrett and I tried to decide what to give up in anticipation of the Resurrection. I have to admit I didn't decide until yesterday. I needed fries to get me through the race:). So it's fries and Chex Mix for me this year. I LOVE them. Now the decision on what to pray about when I'm tempted. I want to wake up Easter Morning changed.

I want to be a better member of Team Bridges. I'm going to look for ways to witness to Finely and Breaker and be a better cheerleader for Jarrett. I'm open for suggestions. I think this calls for more time in the Word. So I'm giving up and adding during Lent.

Second wind

I should be asleep right now, but somehow have the energy to be awake and blogging.

The Disney Princess Half Marathon was AMAZING! I can't thank the fam friends enough. It was such an early start, but there was more excitement and energy in the air than any other race I have ever participated in. Everyone was so happy. I guess Disney World is the happiest place on earth, seriously. The focus was on tutus, not beating the clock. That was refreshing for me. While I'm not a fast runner, I am competitive with myself. I wish I could have gotten past my competitive nature and stood in line for a pic with Tiana, but I just had to keep going.

More than anything though I wanted to cross the finish line and see two of my boo-boos. The faster I went, the sooner I got to see them. It was worth it all when I saw their faces and Finley began rattling off all the princesses she had seen.

In the race retreat Fin was painted like a puppy and surprisingly it lasted through the Magic Kingdom.

I don't know how any of us made it a day at MK. I guess it was the hear fact, uh hello, muster up your energy, you're at Disney World! Finley was afraid of everything. It was double workout for Jarrett and me. She did make it to her fave, Country Bear Jamboree. The parade was a HUGE hit too. Snowhite (sp?) blew her a kiss! Oh and I forgot to mention yesterday she got a kiss from Timon. Girlfriend has been racking up in the smooch department.

0300: Time to run

This is some girly craziness! I'm not the girly-girl type, but this is highly fun and definitely entertaining. Only women would enjoy this. Bless the men's hearts who are in tow and yes, in tutus. I miss my running partner. Maybe I can convince him to run this with me one day.

I was THRiLLeD to see Meghan, Jenny and Kate this morning and ride the bus together. They were a ray of sunshine or should I say moonshine?

Now I'm in race retreat, portalet pottied and dreaming of the finish line. I can't wait to see my boo boos.

Time to make the 20min trek to the start corrals.

As Walt says, "Let the memories begin!"

I'm going to do a jot list. Whew. It has already been a day!

Jarrett got up early for his training run (Snicker's Half for him next week) leaving me to get the gal, who is deathly afraid of the hotel shower, to get prepped for the day.

Off for breakfast at the End Zone Cafeteria. We see the Davis Family!

We make it to ESPN track and Finley starts shaking with fear. No dash today. Parenting is trial and error.

Pizza two meals in a row. I love running half marathons.

Waiting to see Minnie her helper announces she has to go check on the cookies she's baking. Finley is afraid of all the other characters. She is especially afraid of Chip and Dale now because her dad shoved her stroller at them (a Big Daddy moment).

Festival of The Lion King is amazing. Thank goodness there were no tears at this show.

On the safari trek we interrupted the lion commentary with blood curdling screams. Nope it's not from this fam. It's them, over there. We mall walked through that exhibition.

I chased Finley down to grab a leaf from her hair. Wait. That's stuck to my hand. Bird poop. Jarrett says, "It's no big deal."

Tried to do the Nemo show. Fin was "scared". Sat in the very back. Still "scared". Called it a day.

Big time by the pool

Finally here. Time for Goofy sour worms & Cars by the pool. We miss Breaker BIG TIME!

First Big Boy Ride

Breaker has crossed over. He's out of his infant carrier. I was excited, but then mom asked if it scared me.

"Why?"

"It means he's getting older."

"Oh yeah."

Then baby fever struck.

Sometimes I get a good feeling

Team Bridges is one day a way from Finley's debut 100M dash and my second half marathon. I signed up while my brain was still in post-partum function. I had no idea what I was biting off for the four of us. Actually more than the four of us. All of my Glynn County fam has rallied to help this sista out. From watching the children for me to run, to making tutus, to simply understanding the need to get a run in for the day. It has been a training road for ALL of us. Thank you guys from the bottom of my heart.

And J-Rat this is the best Christmas gift any running obsessed girl could dream of! Dreams come true in Orlando, right?

OK, got too mushy there.

Anyway, Finley runs her first race in the morning in a Beebe Couture tutu. Thank goodness one of us can run alongside her. I'm thinking J should take this one. He's the natural athlete and naturally faster.

Finley's race starts at 11:00 in the morning. How cush is that? My race, however, starts at 5:45 Sunday morning. I have to be on the bus no later than 4:00. Whoa. I think T.W. Jacks helped plan this one! For those of you who don't know, Papaw woke up as early as 3:30 a.m. to get his "treadmill" in before work. This obsession comes naturally.

We're getting close to O'town and the Expo. Fin says she doesn't want to ride the expo. She's ready to see the princesses. She has already used her GMC money to purchase a Tianna figurine set at our first stop.

More to come . . .

I don't know where to start.  The producers of reality television think they have it figured out, nope.  Reality is much harder than anything you see on the small screen.  As a college student I dreamed of graduation, taking on the world (and my dreams) and you guessed it, making my own money.  But this week I've learned a lot comes with an adult paycheck and it's not in the form of Benjamins.

One of my first regular babysitting jobs was for Steve and Bonnie Brewster.  I had the privilege of caring for Abbie, Katie and Holt for an entire summer.  It was work, but the best kind.  We jammed to Britney Spears, went to the pool and I learned about Star Wars from Abbie.  She loved that creepy red and black-faced character.  I think she liked Brit as much as Katie too :)  I have lots of fun memories.  One time on the way to the car from the pool I had to carry all three of them.  I'm not sure who was where, but I had one kiddo on each hip and one on my back.  It was something like that?

One time at the snack bar I had a passer-by ask if I was Abbie, Katie and Holt's mom.  Some babysitters would have been offended, but to me it was a great compliment.  I thought to myself, "Wow.  These are great children and I hope I'm a mom like Bonnie one day."

I'm not sure if Bonnie knew (how I hope she did), but she was one of the first moms I placed in my role model file.  She loved Abbie, Katie and Holt (and I'm sure Jackson) with ALL of her heart.  Her face would light up when she walked in the door to relieve me.  Her bright smile only matched by those of her girls.  She had a faith in God she imparted to her family as well.  She loved the Lord.

I have been heartbroken all week after hearing the news of Bonnie's death.  I have found myself trying to think back to the last time I saw her.  I can't quite remember when it was and I hate it.  I can see her sweet smile and even hear her laugh.  I'm so thankful for that.

I don't know how to end this post.  I'm praying for those little ones (they'll always be little to me :)) and all of Bonnie's family and friends.  I want to always remember how dear Bonnie is to my heart and how she influenced my life as a mom.

Four months and then what?

I'm having a sappy momma moment tonight.  It's one of those moments you say you'll never have (before a little person makes his or her way on the scene).

I remember, "I'm a strong, career-minded woman.  No baby will turn me to mush."

Psych.

Three years later Finley melts my heart with her big hazel eyes every morning.  And Breaker, well he's the culprit of tonight's melting moment.

I've been noticing how my little man is slowly turning into a little what?  Toddler?  No, say it's not so.  In four short months Breaker will be one year-old.  What the what?  Wasn't he just discharged from Memorial?  It blows my mind.  He's not sitting up yet, but with the help of Babies Can't Wait it won't be long.  He wants to hold his bottle and feed himself  (especially after he saw Finley coming at him with a spoon).

And then there's the hair.  It looks like little boy hair.  His Kate Gosselin spike in the back is almost gone.  It's long and dark.  I can part it to the side.  I hate to tell Jarrett, who thinks Breaker's hair is getting lighter, it's actually getting darker.  I'm calling this one.  I think Breaker is going to have my dark hair.  The saying goes too, boys get their mom's dad's hair.  I'll wait to share this with Breaker, but at one time Big Daddy did have Magnum P.I. hair.  For real.  I need to scan the pic . . . it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission (right Haszinski?).  You guys really need to see this.

So there's a puddle on Timmons Street right now.  I can't believe it's time to plan a smash cake and baby dedication.

Oh and B's birth announcements; they'll be out by the end of this month.  Due to child equality laws at our house announcements can not be mailed until nine months of age (when Finley's were sent).

I'll get back to these in about ten. . . years

1.  Eating from china at a seasonally decorated table
2.  Daily makeup application
3.  Stilettos on a regular basis
4.  Control of my telephone
5.  Shaved legs (I have to be quick)
6.  A clean house (finally gave up after much counsel from Kim Landers)
7.  Thirty-minute-or-less trips to the grocery store
8.  Sleep
9.  Grown-up Television
10.  Sitting to eat lunch
11.  Shopping in the mall
12.  Freedom to use the words ice cream, cake, cookie, makeup, paint, goldfish, park, bike, etc. at random
13.  Punctuality (unless it's to see Dr. Aljabi)
14.  Uninterrupted phone calls and some days phone calls period
15.  Adult conversation with Beebe and Big Daddy, I mean mom and dad

It's all good though.  One day, in about ten years, I'll wonder how these days passed by so quickly.