Snapshots In Time With The Pelto Family
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Head over to my other Blog...
I will come back to this blog, so don't leave this one. :-)
Thanks!
Cyndie
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Life's A Beach!
At the top of their list... going to the beach. With temperatures climbing again here in Portland, all of the neighbor children occupied elsewhere today, AND the calendar empty... I decided that the coast was just the place to go! The kids were thrilled and were anxious to throw on their suits, pack up the car and head out.
As we neared the coast, I watched the temperature drop about 20 degrees...I kid you not. I thought to myself, "WHY haven't I learned yet?!?!" Seriously, we left the house and it was 80+ degrees. We showed up at Tolovana Beach and it was 64. BRRRRRR!!!! Oh, and we were already in our bathing suits. Thankfully, it was lunchtime, and we were at Mo's. Clam chowder? Oh even yesser!
Since it was pretty windy, and that wind was downright chilly, I decided to try Arcadia Beach first. There's a large rock wall that blocks the wind, and is a lesser-known beach close to the Cannon Beach area. We hauled all of our gear (umbrellas, blankets, sand toys, camera, cooler, kite, chair) down the path and set up our spot.
Soooo glad we brought some shade with us! |
Lauren's Footprints |
No fighting. Seriously. It was bliss. |
A favorite game... running from the incoming tide! |
Not a bad self-pic... |
and then this very nice lady offered to take our picture! |
Lauren leaping. Everywhere! |
I needed to look back on this picture after they both got sent to their rooms after dinner tonight... |
So much fun! |
And look what I actually got to do...
Yes, the perk of having older children. Until they keep begging you to go by the water. Which I won't let them do ALONE, thankyouverymuch. |
We stopped in Cannon Beach for ice cream on the way home. It was a wonderful day with the kids, and Andrew was thrilled to check another item off of his "must haves" for summer break. I'm so glad that we were able to pick up and go to the coast for the day. We live in such a beautiful state, that offers us so many different places to explore. Up next on Andrew's list? Oaks Park. It's gonna have to cool down a little bit before we take that one on... But we are counting down the days until we head to Sun River! And Chris actually gets to come with us! ;-)
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy New Year, and a Look Back at 2011
The start of a New Year brings big ideas. Most people are ready to say, "Out with the last year. It's time to start fresh!" But for The Pelto's, 2011 was an amazing year. We spent our New Year's Eve together, playing games and having a nice dinner by candlelight, and then reflected on all of our "Firsts" from 2011. We had such a fun time thinking of all of the firsts each of us had this year. I realized how proud I was of each of us for trying so many new things and how much FUN we really had this past year together. 2011 will be hard to top, but we are already coming up with ways to try!
Lauren
-rode 2 wheels
-soccer camp
-ears pierced
-rollerskating
-met princesses!
-drove the Gator in Monticello
-sledding on Mt. Hood
Andrew
-braces
-triathlon
-kid pitch baseball
-struck someone out!
-new piano teacher
-loop-de-loop rollercoaster
-overnight camping trip with friends
Chris
-Sabbatical!!!!!
-4 patents
Cyndie
-certified group fitness teacher
-taught Stroller Strides
-formed a Girlfriends Running Club
-Triathlon!
-Hood 2 Coast!
-snorkeled
Chris and Cyndie
-vacation without the kiddos
-Hawaii...sigh
-swam with Dolphins...seriously.
Andrew and Lauren
-visit Madison
-all 4 Grandparents in town together...without Mom and Dad!
-toured a cave
The Family
-Disneyland Vacation!
-Mid-West Road Trip!
-ate (and LIKED!) Brussel Sprouts
-Great Wolf Lodge (twice!)
-trip to Seattle
-Mariners Game (and Yankees)
-Neighborhood campfires and potlucks
I know there are many other events that took place this year, but this was our list of highlights. Our "Firsts." 2011 was an amazing year. We are so very grateful for the opportunities we had, and the people who helped make them a reality.
Here's to an amazing 2012 filled with many more FIRSTS!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Girlfriends...
The "Girlfriend's Half Marathon" is held in Vancouver, WA every year in mid-October. I have done this race twice. The first time was in 2009. I was by myself, and at mile 7 my IT Band gave out on me and I walked the rest of it. My family was there to cheer me on, but I felt like I let them and myself down. I was determined to do it again. My goal for the 2010 Girlfriend's was to RUN the whole thing. I didn't care what my time was. I also convinced a few of my friends to sign up and meet me there. What a different experience! I supported and cheered on my friends Laura, Ruann, Michelle, and Beth who all ran it much faster than me. :-) I ran with my friend, Marianne, the whole race. We checked our time at each mile, and kept our pace just under 10 minute miles. Amazing for me, as I did not expect to be able to keep that pace. I couldn't have done it without Marianne there pushing me. It amazed me how different I felt with the support of my friends, in addition to my family (there with signs this time..."Go Stroller Moms!") Post race was so much fun! Celebrating our accomplishment, eating great food, laughing, limping, hugging... I couldn't wait to do it again! And I vowed I would bring back even MORE Girlfriend's the next year!
Until about a month ago, I was the only person I knew registered for this year's Girlfriend's Half. Registration had come and gone, and the race was filled up. Then they opened it up again...and I got to work! Nothing like a little peer pressure and relentless facebooking to convince a few friends to sign up for a race. ;-) A few turned into a few more...and now we have an amazing team of moms signed up to run a HALF MARATHON! The best part? This will be the first half marathon for most of these women. I'm so excited for them! I'm so excited for US!
I am so proud of these women for believing in themselves. Believing that anything is possible if you put your mind to it, and have the support of your family and your Girlfriends. That's what this race is about. I am looking forward to our training runs this fall. But most of all, I am looking forward to sharing this experience with so many of my Girlfriends once again. Congratulations to all of you for believing in yourself, and taking on the challenge.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Why Do I Run?
***
A little more than 8 years after leaving my career as a 3rd grade teacher to pursue the glamorous lifestyle of the stay-at-home-mom, I am embarking on a new career of sorts. Still rooted in teaching (that is a PART of me after all), I will be teaching group fitness classes to moms! It was an interesting journey to this point, and one that I didn’t really expect.
I’ve always ran. I had never considered myself a “runner.” I was on the track team in high school, ran the 2 mile, but never on the varsity team. It was more of a hobby, or an excuse to run laps around the tennis courts and flirt with my future hubby. I did not run in college, unless you count booking it across campus so I wouldn’t miss yet another statistic class (which I did not pass…maybe if I had been faster…). When teaching in Madison, WI, I participated in the yearly Race for the Cure 5K with my teacher friends. That was more of a social walk/jog than “run.”
Three years after becoming a mother, I was ready to have another baby. After an unexpected miscarriage, and many months of negative pregnancy tests, I needed an outlet for my frustration and unending sadness. My friend, Jill, asked if I wanted to do something crazy and sign up to train for and run a half marathon. Jill, I cannot thank you enough for asking me to do that. The date of the race just happened to be what would have been my due date, April 9th, 2010. That was a very specific SIGN to me. We recruited a few other friends to join us, and met every Sunday morning to run our long runs. The rainy mornings were the best. I felt like I had such purpose. I never got to run that race with my friends. I got pregnant. I was there at the finish line with cookies and hugs for my training pals. Part of me still really wanted to run that race…
And a runner was born.
After welcoming Lauren into our lives, I found a mommy/baby exercise group. It was the perfect way to get in a workout AND not have to pay for or put my baby in childcare. My sister was doing the same thing in St. Louis, and loved her group! I was hooked. I signed up to run that Half Marathon again, and then quickly realized that I didn’t know what I was thinking. I had a baby nursing all the time and up all night. I was in no condition to train for something like that. But I did have my mommy/baby exercise class, and I met other moms going through the same crazy stuff as me and still wanting to do something good for themselves. I liked this message, and I spread the word.
My participation in my stroller class has changed throughout the 4 years I have participated. Andrew comes along with me and rides his bike when he is off school. Lauren has friends that she looks forward to playing with after our workouts. I have friends that have common goals, and we push/support each other in our endeavors. They helped me finally meet my goal of running my Half Marathon, and we have run many races together since. But as my kids got older, I started to wonder how long could I really stay involved in the group? There was really only ONE answer in my mind.
Teach.
I want to help other moms focus on themselves for an hour a day. The kids get the other 23 after all. I am excited to begin my new career chapter, and I continue to seek out new goals for myself each year. After checking off the Half Marathon, it’s fun to try and discover what you can push your body to do. I hope to encourage you to take some time for yourself each day. I will give you ideas for ways to stay active and healthy and model that lifestyle for your children. We mothers are STRONG. Sometimes we need to be reminded of what we are capable of.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Cyndie is highlighted in the Stroller Strides Newsletter!
2. What is your hometown/town of birth?
3. What was your major in college? Any regrets?
4. What was your career before being a mom?
5. How did you meet your significant other?
Chris and Cyndie, 1991
6. What are the ages of your babe(s)?
Lauren Grace, 3.5
I attempt to blog about our family here, although I've just started: http://peltofamilyblog.
7. What are your hobbies?
9. Why do you participate in SS?
Friday, June 4, 2010
Why We LOVE Oregon!
However, rain doesn't stop Oregonians from getting out and living life. Lauren and I still make it to Stroller Strides three to four times a week at the local parks. Me soaking wet, her snug as a bug in her jogging stroller with rain cover and snacks. Andrew's recesses are held under cover, as the kids desperately need to get outside and run run RUN! We even managed to keep the On The Move program running during lunch recess, many days in the drizzle, allowing a record number of kids to earn their Marathon Shirt (Andrew got his!).
All this rain makes it easy to forget why we love living in this part of the country. It's easy to focus on the gloomy gray skies, the missed baseball games, the cold, wet workouts, and the bad moods. It's hard to look past all of that and remind ourselves what all this rain gives us. So I'm taking some time to remind myself of that very thing. Because I have been whining about the rain far too much these days!
1) I grew up land-locked. No, the Mississippi River doesn't count. Being able to drive one hour West and end up at the Pacific Ocean is amazing, and it never gets old. The beach towns in Oregon range from quaint and artistic to touristy. All have one thing in common...they are close to our home! We have taken many day trips to the coast. Once, right after we first moved here, we drove out there to eat dinner. Yep, just for dinner! :-) It was so cool eating overlooking Haystack rock, watching the tide come in, and listening to the waves crash. We were hooked. Now, the kids beg to go to the coast. We pack up our kites, sand toys, sunscreen, baby powder (the only sure-fire way to get sand off), sweatshirts (we've learned the hard way to always prepare for chilly weather), and snacks. We spend the day on the beach, playing in the sand, Whale Watching, exploring the tide pools, collecting shells and rocks, eating lunch, followed by ice cream, we've added Geocaching to our activity list, flying kites, and just having FUN together. Sometimes we even stay for a sunset, and then head home. It just doesn't get any better than that.
2) And hour in the other direction, and you are witness to some of the most spectacular scenery, and year-round skiing around. Mt. Hood, the iconic image for Portland, lies just an hour East of our home. We look forward to exploring Mt. Hood, and the surrounding areas, more and more as the kids get older. We took Andrew sledding here for the first time, and visited the historic Timberline Lodge overnight with my parents. I even attempted to ski on Mt. Hood. I made it down a few runs. Maybe when the kids are skiing circles around me, I'll get braver. Regardless of if we are traveling to Mt. Hood or not, just being able to SEE the mountain as we are driving around town never gets old! It is the most spectacular sight!
4) Green Year-Round... yes, even the grass. My husband seems to think that we have the longest "mowing season" out of any state. I have to agree with him on this one. In addition to the natural beauty you find yourself surround with year round, Oregon is also one of the leading "Environmentally Green" states. This makes me proud. I'm happy to be raising my kids in a part of the country that respects the environment, and encourages it's residents to do their part. From recycling centers, to major no-smoking ordinances even in public areas, to being one of the friendliest Bike Cities in America, Portland and Oregon really have this Green Thing down.
5) Mild Weather... Yes, I find it ironic that I started this post whining about the rain, and am including the weather as a reason I love living here. But the mild temperatures really are wonderful, especially after growing up in the Mid-West. Sure, there is the occasional "Arctic Blast, 2008," but snow is rare, and drastic temperatures are even rarer. Summertime humidity is non-existent, and we rarely have to use the AC (I wouldn't have a house without it though...I'm not crazy!). The only time you need a parka in the winter is if you are skiing Mt. Hood. In my book, this make any amount of rain worth it!
6) This is our HOME. And really, that's what it comes down to. We would adapt and change to any area that we found ourselves living, and hopefully find many wonderful things to love about it. We love Oregon because it's our home. It's where Chris got his first job, that allowed me to stay home and raise our kids. It's where Andrew has grown up, and where Lauren was born. It's where I've become involved in many different organizations to better our family's experiences. And it's where we've made our friends that our children will grow up with.
Could we have done all of these things somewhere else? Of course. But Oregon is where we landed.
And we love it. Rain and all...