Just Another...

...update post.

For some reason, I just can't find any time to take pictures, sit at the computer, or blog. A lot is happening, but it is happening too fast. I can't seem to record it all very well.
So, here goes another update blog with little blurps and no pictures of what is happenin' with the Maynards.

We pulled Mary out of gymnastics. It was a HARD decision, because she has some serious and unique talent with it. She was going too far too fast, and it was beginning to take over our lives. (and she is only 5) She was put in the TOPS program here, where the training is three hours long twice a week, with a third day that was optional but basically required. It is ALL strength, flexibility and conditioning. It is a specialized class that prepares girls to move up fast and to be ready to compete at young ages. There were only three girls in the class. Mary was going to start competing next month. (two years younger than any of the other kids competing in her level)
The $$ was OUTRAGEOUS and the time and commitment were crazy. It was compromising a lot of family values and goals that we have set in our home. And it was only going to get more demanding and more expensive from here. So, with a lot of guilt and worry about ruining an amazing gift our girl was given, we choose best over better and called it quits. Sometimes the big picture and the eternal perspective for the group, as a whole, isn't always what we want, but it is the right choice.

On a happier note, Mary is still taking a little tumbling class that is only one hour twice a week, and is very low key. She also gets to do ballet and jazz classes. She is so excited to dance! She got her ballet shoes and outfit today and she put it on right when we got in the door. We also just ordered her jazz shoes. She has been dancing all over the house. I haven't seen her this excited for a while now, and I love it.

I begin teaching piano lessons today. There was a demand here and I jumped on it. The idea of some extra $$ for home decor and some family trips sounds good to me. I just got the piano tuned, and I have all of the sticker charts and treat buckets ready to go. It will be a lot of fun.

4 days into running, I trashed my knee. It was so bad, I had to get off the treadmill and come home. I didn't fall, twist, snap or bend my knee in any weird way. It just started hurting during a run, and it got worse from there. I stopped working out, but that didn't help at all. The pain progressed for the next two weeks until I was literally on crutches and crawling up the stairs. So, I broke down and went to an orthopedic specialist. They did some x-rays and saw some big inflammation going on. Basically it had something to do with my hips being out of wack from having such a large baby, and therefore the muscles in my legs are off, and somehow it trickled down to where the muscle connects to the tibia. I don't really know, the doctor talked too fast. Basically, the muscle was beginning to tear away from the bone, and therefore, I hurt..a lot. The only way to correct this was for me to walk normal and to be able to exercise. Limping and not exercising those muscles was making it worse. Can't exercise with pain, so they gave me a cortizone shot to numb the pain for a few months, so I can strengthen the muscles and walk without a limp. Hopefully, but the time the shot wears off, everything will be back to normal again.
The shot KILLED!!!! It felt just like an epidural, only it went right into the bursea (spelling?) sack in my knee. I am the silent type when in pain. I hold my breath. This hurt so badly, that I literally hollered and banged my hand on the table. The needle was in there forever. He literall tapped my bone with the needle in order to find the most painful spot. I thought it would never end. In reality, I bet it was only 20 seconds, but still.
That was over a week ago, and the shot is just starting to kick in. I have been able to run the past few days, and I am in heaven! Hooray.

We went to Boise for Labor Day and had a blast with Ben's family. All of his brothers and their families were there, except for one. We had a great time, and it was nice not to drive so far to get there.

The fact that we moved finally hit me last week, and it was a HARD week. I cried every day because I missed the comfort of Colorado Springs so much. I missed our home, our friends, our ward, the town, our neighborhood, ect. I just missed the feeling of being home and settled. Colorado was my home. It still is, in my heart. We are happy here, but the feeling of being new and a little lost gets old fast. Time will make it better. We will soon make this house our home and we will continue to make friends and memories here. I just had to deal with the emotions of the move at one point or another, and last week was that time for me. Up until then, I didn't have time or emotion to invest in that. I am better now. I still miss Colorado so much, but I am looking ahead now and trying to plant some seeds here. There are so many wonderful things here and so many great people. We have been having a great time, truly. I couln't have asked for a better place to move to. I just had to deal for a while. We will be just fine.

William is cutting two more teeth! He cut the bottom middle teeth, and now he is getting the set next to those.
He turned three months old this month. I can't belive it! He is HUGE. He is so big, that people look at him and crack up. Everyone ends up coming over to him and they play with him for a while. He is VERY quick to smile, and he will smile at anyone, so that makes him all the more addicting. He is laughing a lot as well. We call him "Sunshine Bear." Sunshine, because you can't help but feel happy when you see him and his enormous smile, and Bear, because he looks like a cute chubby gummybear. I am sure he would hate the nickname, seriously, how un-masculine can you get. oh well. He has been such a blessing for us with all of the change taking place. He has been our little light that is always there. He is just our fat, happy baby and we can't seem to get enough of him.

Sam got a big boy bike and he is in heaven. He has some good friends here and they romp around the cul-de-sac on bikes, powerwheels, scooters, ect. from sun up to sun down. Sam is actually tan! I didn't think that was possible with his ultra white skin, but he is actually tan. He is very happy here, and it is so fun to see his personality blossom so much. This move was a wonderful thing for Sam. I am in a pre-school co-op with some ladies in the ward, and I am sure Sam will love it. That begins next week.

Mary is off track, so she is out with the rest of the neighborhood from sun up to sun down. The toys have been right on the shelf where I put them when we moved in. They remain untouched. I am tempted to wrap them up and give them to the kids for Christmas. The kids are constantly playing outside. It is awesome. Mary is slowly getting better with her seperation anxiety, but we have a long way to go.

Ben is going to crack if it doesn't snow soon. He stares out at those huge, majestic mountains all day and just drools. I have never seen him have ski fever this badly, and I have seen it get pretty bad. It cracks me up. It will be a great winter with Mary and Sam and Ben all able to ski together. I am hoping to take a few runs myself.

Ben and I are speaking Sunday. That's all I have to say about that.


Well, thats about it folks. Hopefully things will calm down a little so I can do shorter posts with less words and more pictures. Hang in there with me.

I am off to activity days. We are doing a Food Bank scavenger hunt. It should be pretty fun!