Carmel, IN Half Marathon Weekend

I completed my 4th half marathon Saturday. My running group and I left Friday morning and drove the 6 hours there for packet pickup.

 We all had matching running shirts

My girls and I about to head out

It was a great drive there

We arrived in Carmel late Friday afternoon and went to pick up our shirts and race bib

This is our group on Saturday morning the day of the race at the hotel

The weather was COLD and had an overcast most of the race. It rained really hard the day before and flooded most of the flat course so the race director had to reroute the course to A LOT of HILLS. 

The start of the race was great. I was doing pretty good and about mile 5 my ankle turned and I fell. I fell hard into the concrete and scrapped my leg and both my palms. I got right back up, but that fall pretty much messed up my mo jo.

 

My original goal was to finish in 2:20. My personal best is 2:24 so I wanted to PR by 4 minutes. Well with the added hills and the fall early on I pretty much just took it easy and completed the race in 2:26. 

After I finished I headed over to the medical tent to get my hands cleaned and bandaged up

At the finish line

By far my nicest medal

We had several people run their first full marathon at 26.2 miles. CRAZY!! Lauren is one of those people. She is amazing to have completed those 26.2 miles with an injury. Our motto is "no runner left behind". And after 5 and half hours she completed her first full marathon injury and all with all 50 of us there cheering her on. This was my best moment of the weekend hands down.

I never thought I would become a runner. This time last year I was not a runner and would have never dreamed I would already have 4 half marathons under my belt. Running has done so much for me and I have meet some AMAZING people that are so positive and supportive. Maybe that is what keeps me going or maybe the high I get when I cross that finish line and they put a medal around my neck. I don't know what it is, but I sure do love it. 

I am so looking forward to next Saturday. A team of 5 including myself are running a relay race. It's 53 miles divided up by 5 people. This will be my first experience running as a relay team and I am really looking forward to it and the memories well make. 

Happy Thursday!!

Where has the time gone?

Where has the time gone? Could this really be happening?

My baby is graduating Pre-K in 4 weeks 

We register him for kindergarten in 3 weeks

Where has the last 5 years gone?

Random Happenings

Not too much has been going on in our house hold lately. We are 5 weeks out from summer break and its about to get busy starting in May. Here are some photos of random happenings

One of Landon's little friends came over to play last week. Our back yard is a common area that's wooded and the kids like to play back there. The boys were playing and found a plastic chair, a tiki torch and some medal fireplace wood holder thing. The things boys can get into.

I was able to have a nice lunch with my mom and a good friend from work

The weather has been wonderful so we ventured out to the Nashville zoo. Landon LOVED brushing the goats. He made sure every goat was bushed in the petting area. A little OCD like his mama ;o)

Poor Houston was running and fell face first into the concrete

The great thing about my job is that my boys are able to go with me and I can see them anytime I want during the day. Here is Houston being pushed by two adorable twin girls. 

I am revamping our front porch this spring by re painting our furniture and adding new cushions. Landon decided he wanted to help so why not. He actually did pretty good

Our VBS is coming up in June so the family and I walked our neighborhood to place VBS magnets on their mailboxes. Landon had a blast doing this and making sure everyone received a magnet. Again a little OCD

Like all of us I am truly devastated to what happened in Boston on Monday. I started out the morning tracking my 6 friends who ran that morning and ended the day in horror . I had 6 friends from my running club that ran the marathon. Luckily they all crossed the finish line before the bomb went off and were able to receive their medals. However there were thousands of people that did not and were stranded on the side lines and of course others that lost their lives or suffered injuries. As a runner in this running community I am upset that someone could and would do this. I am leaving tomorrow morning to run in my 4th half marathon with my running club. Now more than ever am I looking forward to spending the weekend with these awesome people and running in honor of those people in Boston.

Here are our 6 Boston Marathoners with their gorgeous medals

80 people came out last night to welcome them home 

My friend sent me this and really hit home

 

I leave tomorrow morning with 50 members of my running club for the next three days. I am more excited about this race than ever. Not only because I plan to beat my previous time from my last half marathon, but I am so excited to be cheering on my friends that are running their very first full marathon (26.2 miles). And to honor those from Boston

I am a runner and we will run!

8th Wedding Anniversary

Today is mine and Jason's 8th wedding anniversary. It seems like just yesterday it was April 9, 2005. We both were 23 years young and about to start the adventure of our lives together.

Believe it or not digital pictures were not popular just yet and all my wedding photos are on film

It was the time of tiaras, big veils and dresses with LOTS of beading and sequence  

We had an evening ceremony with about 200 guest

I remember our first dance like it was yesterday

I was so excited and still am to be married to my best friend and partner in life

A few hours after this picture was taken we were on our way to Aruba for 10 days

The past 8 years have really been the best years of my life. As a couple we have accomplished so much together and we continue to grow and achieve new goals every day. Of course our biggest accomplishments are our two beautiful boys and the life we have made for and with them. Jason, I love you and look forward in continuing this journey of life with you. 

Happy Anniversary!

Color Run

Last weekend Jason and I ran the Color Run. Well, when I say ran we really just walked it. I actually ran 10 miles the previous morning so it was a rest day for me. There were about 15,000 people there and it was difficult to actually run, it was not a timed race and there are no prizes for fastest time. It really was just for fun and to enjoy the downtown Nashville scenery.

You have to wear a white shirt and get as much color on you as possible

15,000 people all with white shirts on

My friend Kim and I 

The Color Run mascot is a unicorn

 

In front of the Titans stadium and LP field

We walked through 5 different colors

At the end we were covered 

This was our 2nd time participating in this run and we just have a blast each time. Landon wants to join us for the one in the fall and I am excited he wants to run like mommy. Get your kids to exercise folks ;o)

I look  forward to doing this again in October. 

Easter 2013

I cant believe that Easter has come and gone and were already into spring. The boys and I are on spring break this week. After this week school just flies by and we have 6 or 7 more weeks till summer break. 

We had a pretty uneventful Easter weekend. The weather was horrible and rained ALL Easter Sunday so that but a damper on our egg hunt plans. 

My great friend Suzanne and I got our 10 mile run in on Friday afternoon. Our next half marathon is in 18 days in Indiana. 

Landon had an Easter egg hunt at school and racked up the eggs

Saturday morning, Jason and I ran the Color Run 5k and had a blast. I'll post more on that run later

Saturday night we attended our churches Easter Saturday service so I could serve in the nursery Sunday morning. 

Sunday the boys woke up to their Easter baskets from the bunny

Landon loved the money the most

and his life sabor

 Suzanne and I served in the nursery Sunday morning. I walked into the room and realized we were dressed very similar. Not planned and very funny.

After church we headed over to Jason's grandmothers house for Easter lunch

Trying to get a picture of the boys together is impossible

Then I tried to get one of the boys and I. You see how that turned out?

I register this little guy for kindergarten in 4 weeks

Sadly I did not get a family picture. Every time I thought about it, I got distracted. At least I was able to capture what I did.

After lunch I came home and sorted all the candy the boys received between school parties, church parties, Easter baskets from us and grandparents. I think we have enough candy for the rest of the year. 

I hope everyone had a fabulous Easter weekend with your families. My family and I are beyond  blessed to be loved by a man who sacrificed so much and died for our sins.