one of those days.

Monday was one of those days. When I realized, quite stark and simply, that time was running out. My son, well, he turned the magical age of 10. Double digits. I realized that the future held less time with him than more...within the walls of living in our home. It made me sad deep down in that place where you hide all your emotions that you never really share with anyone. The place where you fear something happening to one of your kids. The place where you sacrifice everything to be a better mom, or dad. That place that you go when you try and think of how you can teach your kids the best ways to defend themselves in this ever changing world. That was the place my mind wandered too, and I just got sad.

The most pure form of love is from a parent to a child. In this case, a mother to her child. There was cake, there was presents, there was food. There was also a pit in my stomach. Just 9 more birthdays and he will be on his way. Maybe by then I will be ready. I won't fear. I will be proud of everything I have taught him. Maybe by then, he will be ready too.

206 miles of endurance.

For a minute on Saturday morning I wanted to be a part. A part of all of these cyclists who put fear aside, pain on the backburner, and total logic at the bottom of their mind, and just ride. Abbie and I saw Justin my brother off at 6:30ish in the morning, he was in the CAT 1,2,3 group, which means he is fast and serious. Abbie and I followed him to Montpelier, where we both had serious nerves waiting for him to come through and grab the lunch bag Abbie had prepared for him. It was SO COOL!! He was off before we knew it, so we jumped in the car and went to the next feed stop, and then the next, and then the next. Each time I thought we would be waiting for hours for him to reach us, and each time it was so fast it was hard to imagine he was getting there on a bike. A few times we got to pass him in the car, and we would yell and cheer for him. When we finally made it to the last part of the race, we were worried Jut would beat us to the finish line, we pushed hard and passed him in the car with just a few miles to go. Mom, Dad, Abs and I ran/walked to the finish line just in time to hear "Juuuustin HUmphREYSsss everyone!!!" He was all alone in front and came in under 10 hours!! We were all so proud of him. Dad treated the whole crew to Bubba's afterward, THANKS DAD! It was an amazing day, and I have to say, I really got caught up in the excitement. All of those fit people. Riding 206 miles. With two legs, will, determination, and of course an amazing support crew.

done with the red.

On Sat I decided enough. Enough with a dining room that we never use. Enough with the red. Enough with the wasted space. So I took the leaf out of the dining room table, squished it together and moved it into the kitchen. Now I have a big empty room with red paint on the walls. Don't get me wrong. I have a secret love affair with red. Red high heels, red lips, red shirt that I love, cinnamon bears.... I love red. But, I have looked at this red room long enough, and now I am ready to paint it. Ideas anyone?? I want the space to have a desk in it, comfy chairs or a small couch, and a cool rug. I need a calming color, and will likely pair it with some shiny things (think Candice Olsen). In other news, I can't WAIT for fall!!! Bring on the football!! Bring on the pumpkins!! Bring on the sweaters!!!! :)

winners.

The chic over my right shoulder is the one I passed, ahhh so fun!