I just felt like popping in here to write about random thoughts and things that are happening.

• Carlos will finish second grade on Wednesday. It’s been an exceptional year for him. He’s really blossomed at Montessori school.
• I jumped out of bed when my alarm went off at 4am today because phase 1 of marathon training began this morning. I have struggled for the last few months to get up early. Not today! I’m super excited and motivated for the Hartford Marathon. I’ve got a huge goal and I’m ready to work.
• This morning’s workout called for a 45 to 60 minute Recovery Run at a 10-11 minute/mile pace. I did 60 minutes at 10:15 min/mile pace. I ran along the river for some of it and it was so peaceful. The air had a tinge of humidity in it, but there was a cool refreshing breeze blowing. I couldn’t help but smile.
• I am running the Lake Wyola 4.8mile race on Sunday with a few friends. This is one of my favorite summer races. Huge mile long hill in the beginning, but a really lovely rolling descent on the back half of the course.
• Still loving my Hokas
• I’m having a yard sale on Saturday. This has been a long time coming. Carlos is 8 and a half. I’m pretty sure I’m not having anymore children so I think it’s time to say adios to the baby clothes! I get all sentimental looking at them though.
• Carlos and I walked to the library after school. We haven’t done that in a while. I love walking and talking with him. We took out Lois Lowry’s “The Giver.” Neither of us have read so we are going to read it together before bed each night.
• You know what else we do before he goes to bed…we each write a thought or two for each day in our Happiness Project journals. You can write in these journals for 5 years. It will be interesting to see how are thoughts and gratitude changes over the years.
• I went to a conference last week and they showed this documentary called Alive Inside. As I walked into the auditorium they were handing out tissues. It’s definitely a tear jerker, but so incredibly touching. I your life has ever been touched by Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia this film is so important. It chronicles the very simple idea of music as a healing force for those who seem unreachable. Why do we keep dismissing such profound treatments?

• Carlos and I found my high school yearbook when we were cleaning out the basement. Holy hair! I graduated from high school in 1991 so I grew up during the age of Aqua Net. What the hell were we all thinking? I remember getting up at like 5 in the morning to get my hair to exponential heights. You couldn’t pay me to take part in that trend again if it were ever to resurface.
• My friend, Kate, and I are going to create a summer bucket list of things to do with our kids. We are keeping it local.
• Carlos and I have been hiking again. On Saturday we climbed Peaked Mountain in Monson, MA. It was not an overly strenuous hike. The trails were nicely groomed and the views were spectacular. There is a little mailbox at the top with a log for climbers to sign.

• I almost forget today was crazy hair and pajama day at Carlos’ school. Car would give anything for a mohawk except he wants one that sticks up all spiky in the middle. Unfortunately that will never happen! So we sprayed his hair blue. He didn’t wear pajamas because he sleeps in boxers…all year round!

• I just realized my husband is totally MIA in this post. Orlando is blessedly very busy working after his long winter lay off. I am genuinely jealous of his layoff. Each year I try to convince him to embrace the inevitable time off. He is a mason. New England winters have been the worst lately. We always plan for the layoff so once I get over the initial burden of unemployment taking their slow sweet time to send the first check it’s all good. Once the weather improves he’s back in action full force and we don’t see much of him until things start winding down again in the fall.

Hope you’re day was a great one!!