It's Cold and There's Exercising

JR's school had its big fund raiser for the year this morning. And you'll never guess what a school in Durango would do to raise money. Yep, you got it...A fun run! And of course, the fun run was this morning during school, because physical fitness is certainly more important than academics! (But actually, it was a more than fabulous fund raiser...I didn't have to buy any Sally Foster wrapping paper, and I didn't even have to run. The kids do all the running!) My only real problem was we had a little cold front blow through last night. So as I got out of my car at 8:00 AM (with the babies) to watch JR run, my car thermometer read 27. Let me repeat that for emphasis: Twenty Seven! So here are some pics (and, of course, my commentary) from this morning.

The Durango fire dog, Sparky, was there to cheer on the kids.


JR gives the thumbs up that he's ready to run. He also gives the squinty "the sun is in my eyes" and the "I'm cold" shrug of the shoulders. Notice that he's got no sweatshirt for the 27 degrees. (I sent one with him, he's just not wearing it.) In his defense, most of the other kids didn't either. (Thankfully, I only saw 2 in shorts!)


Please use your "Jenny voice" here: "Run, JR, Run!"


And since we live in the fitness capital of the world, you can't just have the kids run around...You've got to give them some obstacles to make it harder!

JR and William. Check out the mountains in the background...Gorgeous day!

I was trying to get a picture with JR and his school and the mountains. It really was crazy sunny this morning, and you know how JR is about taking pictures with the sun in his eyes....

On the Lam

Breaking News! I think I'm on the lam! After reading the Durango police reports and finding out that a car taking up 3 spaces is grounds for a 911 call, I'm pretty sure I've been reported to the cops. We went to the library today and the only space available was the Fuel Efficient Parking. Being the rebel that I am, I parked anyway. It's safe to say that my SUV with a Texas license plate and 5 Jesus fish (2 big, 3 small) was certainly turned in to the authorities. I'm already planning my defense...If they come after me I'm just going to start hollering out, "But we eat organically now! I love bike riders! Wildlife are our friends!" I'll be sure and keep you updated on my hopefully non-inmate status.

Cowboy Up

Today is Cowboy Poetry Day at JR's school so they were supposed to dress in cowboy attire. Thankfully, the same costuming applies for both "Cowboy Day" and "Go Texan Day", so we had it covered. All I had to do was make a trip to the Prop Closet (I don't really have a prop closet. And on a side note, I don't even have my own closet! I have to share a closet with Jason that's smaller than Jason's closet back in Houston. As you can imagine, the closet situation comes up in conversation almost daily. But I digress, any costuming I already have I say it came from the "Prop Closet".) JR wore this same get-up for Go Texan Day back in PreK. Only difference is that this morning he was freezing and had to wear a jacket to the bus stop, where as in Houston, Go Texan clothing usually sweats you down. JR is definitely a good mix of both Jason and me. He was thrilled beyond imagine about wearing the chaps. (He's got my love of a good costume.) But was equally happy about his camo shirt. (I think we all know where that came from.) Plus, when it comes right down to it, shouldn't the native Texan be the most cowboyed-up? I think so, too.


This was JR's attempt at a "cowboy pose" and snarl. LOL! This was also the first and only picture he would let me use the flash (it "hurts his eyes") Which is why the other pictures are so grainy.

On Patrol 4

It's crazy windy here in Durango today. Winds are gusting up to 50 mph! Earlier in the week there were reports that it might snow tonight, but I think the rain has moved on, so I'm thinking we've dodged that bullet. But I know you're interested in more than just the weather, so here's what's been going on in town according to the police reports (and these were so "good" I just had to add my own comments).

Friday, September 18th
5:14 p.m. A man in black shorts and a black jersey refused to pay to enter the Rec Center in the 2700 block of Main Avenue.
We're at the Rec Center all the time, how'd I miss the action?!

5:42 p.m. A caller complained about a group of people she didn't know camping in her driveway in the 900 block of Trail Road.
Can you imagine? I guess I'd walk out and say, "Hey Dudes, Can I get ya a s'more?"

Saturday, September 19th
12:00 a.m. Drivers in several cars were blowing air horns at cars from the Blockbuster parking lot in the 1300 block of Main Avenue.
They would have loved having me drive by, air horns always make me jump and squeal.

5:05 p.m. A security alarm went off in the 100 block of east 30th Street. It later was found to have been tripped by a squirrel.
I'm tellin' ya, these squirrels are dangerous up here.

9:21 p.m. Two women were walking in the middle of Ophir Drive wearing only their underwear.
Jason would have loved seeing that!

Sunday, September 20th
6:05 p.m. A drunken woman with a pink tank top and red pants was sitting next to a flower bed near 31st Street and East Third Avenue.
Nope, not me. I do have a pink tank top, but no red pants...

Friday, September 25th
5:50 p.m. A car was taking up three spaces in the Chez Grand-Mare parking lot.
So excited to learn that calling the cops about these kind of annoyances is totally appropriate.

8:06 p.m. Three juveniles were mooning vehicles at Riverview Elementary School.
That's JR's school! I can't believe we missed the show!

9:28 p.m. A man was in the women's restroom at Jenkins Ranch Park in the 400 block of Jenkins Ranch Road.
Aren't the lines in the women's long enough already? We don't need men in there too, geez!

Tuesday, September 29th
10:14 a.m. A husky was harassing wildlife near a pond in Durango West II.
Husky, Dude, I know you're a dog and all, and people here treat you better than their children, but Man, you can't harass the wildlife. I'm pretty sure they take away your Durango residence card for that. (I'd also avoid harassing bicyclers if I were you).

Hang On, Just One More Day!

The babies start tiny tots gymnastics tomorrow, and as you'll see, it can't come a second too soon:

"Hanging out" at Intercontinental Airport in Houston



Scaling the fridge at home


And "hangin' at the bar"


They also hang from the grocery cart at WalMart. Yes, we're a site to be seen everywhere we go.

Cutting Room Floor

I was working on my scrapbook (and when I say 'working on my scrapbook', I mean slapping pictures down as fast as I can in a photo album) and noticed that there are lots of pictures that don't make the blog (I know, I can't believe it either). So here are some never previously aired photos making their public debut. They're mostly of the babies, but you'll recognize some other familiar faces too.

So Green Just Call Me Kermit

We're still Republicans and we still don't recycle, but check us out eating organically! That would be Jason and Kyle frying up bacon from the 1/2 hog we bought. Sure we don't buy any other organic products, and we wouldn't "own" a pig if it wasn't for Harry's appetite, but hey, it's so organic I think we're officially allowed to enter the Durango Natural Foods Coop. And for my loyal Foodie readers (Lu, Kristi, Sarah, and Allison) I was trying to come up with some great Top Chefy way to describe the taste, but all I could come up with was "Ummmm, bacon".