{ march! }

Is it just me or does the calendar turning to the month of March just make everyone a little bit happier? It's like you know you are almost out of the really bad winter months and can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I know that it is often the heaviest snowfall month but there is also a chance that it could be sunny and 60. I'll be an optimist!

The turning of the calendar also means a birthday for me on the 1st of the month. Whoop :)! I've never been a big birthday celebrator and getting another year older has never bothered me. It is often just like any other day! Except this year it was extra special. I had hit the 12 week post surgery mark on the second hip and that is the typical week mark when people are cleared to start running again. I have been on track with most things since surgery and I was given the go-ahead! I saved my first "run" day for my birthday and was excited to hit the Y Saturday morning to complete it. And yes, no cars will hit me when I'm out on the streets running. Seriously, why did the best fitting running shoes have to be the most obnoxious?!

Though given my injury history (and my ability to not slow myself down), my personal trainer and physical therapist both put me on a strict walk/run program that is on the very conservative side.
It is an 8 week program running 3 days a week, building up to a 30 minute run. For week one I could walk 6 minutes/run 1 minute, repeating 3 times. Not much but definitely progress......baby steps!!

After completing their kindergarten screening later that morning, Oliver and Stella took me out for lunch at our neighborhood restaurant George & the Dragon. Where they proceeded to eat my birthday cookie and ice cream!

That night we headed out to Travail for dinner with Deborah & Dan. For anyone in the Twin Cities.....do not walk, run to this restaurant! It is AH-mazing. We knew our wait time would be long and long it was. We arrived around 6:40 and were told we would be seated in the 9:00 seating. Well that turned into a 9:45 seating and after a 10 course meal, we left around 12:15am.

Lets just say that it gave us time to sample almost every specialty cocktail on their drink menu. Like their food, it changes about every week or two. The chefs behind this restaurant are creative geniuses and put together brilliant, tasty dishes. Add to that fun music, waitstaff that is drinking, communal tables......it kind of feels like a house party (just an expensive one)!

Speaking of house parties, we put together a little game of toddler hammerschlagen to help pass the time one afternoon.

Stella has also been enjoying taking part in doing PT exercises with me. She said to me on this day "Mommy, I need to do my exercises so I can bike faster!".

It seems we have turned a serious corner when it comes to swim lessons. These two are killing it in the water! A combination of their age and a good teacher has them trying to actually "swim" in the water. Of course the one time I try to catch it, they don't go as far but you still get the idea.

Fingers crossed for sunshine and 60 this month!