Friday, December 31, 2010

Happy New Year's!

Happy New Year!  I am so excited to see what 2011 will hold for us.  We spent New Year's Eve with my bestie, Amanda and her sweet family!



I love these kiddos!  The only one missing is Aiden, and that's because he was asleep!

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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

And They Love Each Other, Too!

Sophia and Sammy are at such a neat age - Sammy is 4.5, and Sophia is almost two.  It's so sweet to see them playing together and interacting on a daily basis.  I love them, and I know they love each other!


A sweet face while drawing with shaving cream!

Yep, Sammy's dirty!

Hugs in our favorite place, the laundry basket!

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Saturday, December 25, 2010

Christmas 2010

There are too many words to describe Christmas, so how about some pictures instead!


Sammy opening presents at GiGi and GoPaw's!

Sophia and her Cabbage Patch Doll from GiGi and GoPaw!

Karsyn, Madison and Sammy being the monkeys that they are!

Sammy and Karsyn

Mom, quit taking pictures of me!

Christmas morning at our house!

Sammy's big present, the iPod!  I think he liked it . . .

More shoes for Imelda Marcos . . .

Sophia's big present, the outdoor playhouse!

My cousin's hubby Jeremy, sporting the running belt that I would like to wear!

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Thursday, December 23, 2010

Yep, They're Related

Watching a movie at GiGi and GoPaw's (Mike's parents) . . . blocks in mouth for both of them, apparently . . .


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Sunday, December 19, 2010

Mowing the Lawn

It was an unseasonably warm day, so Mike decided to run the mower over the lawn to even everything out and mulch some of the leaves.  It's so cute - Sammy decided to help!


Mike is hustling for sure!

Sammy focuses . . .

I love my two men!

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Friday, December 17, 2010

Surgery, Christmas Cards and Other "Crafts"

Sophia had surgery today to correct her umbilical hernia.  It was not a long procedure, but afterwards she was pretty upset when waking up from the anesthetic.  Sammy was so sweet - he tried to sing "Baby Mine" for her.  She was a total champ the rest of the day!  Here's how she spent the majority of it . . .

Cuddled on the recliner with a blankie and her pink CareBear!

Later on that day, Sammy and I worked on his Christmas cards.  Every year, we exchange Christmas cards with our playgroup friends!  I always try to have the kids make a homemade card - I think it's fun for them to work hard and then share their art with their friends.  Here's the cards we made this year . . .


It's meant to be a candle.  The inside says "Jesus is the LIGHT of the world!"  I cut the strips and the flames, Sammy glued them on and signed the inside.  It was a good use of my leftover scrapbooking paper for sure!

Sophia wanted to sign them as well . . . she also ended up signing her face!

We rounded out the day by decorating gingerbread men.  I was feeling a bit sad about the fact that we didn't decorate a real gingerbread house this year, so I thought this could be the next best thing!

At first, Mike was a bit hesitant, but he got really into it after a few minutes . . .

Sammy and his gingerbread man . . . Sammy loves icing, can't you tell?

Mike's final product.  I believe it looks like Mister Bill!

Sophia just loved eating the cookie and all the candy!

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Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Illegal Activities

I may have done something just a tad bit illegal today . . . I was driving home from a girlfriend's house and I happened to notice several signs outside the Chevron gas station.  There were at least six of those signs, and said gas station happened to be closed.

I may have driven into the gas station, and I may have jumped out and grabbed one of those signs.  And I may have placed that sign into my front yard when I got home.



Or perhaps that sign may have just shown up all on its own in my front yard.  Oh yes, and I may have inspired several friends to 'borrow' their own signs.  But no names, right?  Right, Chuck?  Right, Elle?

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Monday, December 13, 2010

We Love Gingerbread Houses!

This year, we made a real gingerbread house at our friend's house with playgroup, so I purchased a foam gingerbread kit for Sammy and I to do at home.  I have to admit, at playgroup it was very difficult for me to be hands-off, but I was pleased (and surprised) at the wonderful job Sammy did on his very own gingerbread house.  Plus, he was so proud to have done it all by himself!


Sammy's all by himself gingerbread house!


Getting all set up with the foam kit . .. 


Working hard!


Look at me!


The requisite putting stickers where they don't belong picture!


Look at that! 


And a side-by-side comparison!




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Sunday, December 12, 2010

Sugarland FLS 30K

No, I did not run a 30K.  I did, however, run 2/3 of a 30K, and supported my awesome friend Elle during the last two legs of the 30K that she ran.

Let's start by talking about mistakes.  Number one, I was at Mike's company Christmas party the night beforehand.  Until 1 in the morning.  Wearing heels.  Not smart.  I was tired, and the balls of my feet were killing me after mile 3.  Number two, I did not fully think through the details of getting myself 1/3 of the way down the course until the morning of the race.  So I spent an hour looking, and ultimately finding, a ride to mile 6.  For some reason, I thought this was a triple loop course, just like the 25K we did several weeks ago.  It is, in fact, a triple loop course, but first you run about 3 miles to get to the triple loop area, and at the end, you run about 3 miles to get back to the finish.  So arriving exactly 1/3 of the way in proved a bit challenging to say the least.  Many thanks to Gerry for being such a good sport and giving me a lift!  We'll get to mistake number three in a bit.

So, let's talk about the weather.  Cold, a bit windy, but sunny and clear.  Since I'd decided to carry my cell phone in my hydration belt this time, I didn't have room for all my Gu packets, so I wound up pinning them to the front of my pants.  When I tried to pin them to the inside of my pants, they started falling down (which is kind of a good thing considering I bought them a month ago.  It's a bad thing because they were $57).  So, on the outside they went.  And I learned, 6 miles in, that Gu pinned on your pants gets really annoying, because every step you take it is slapping on your leg.  I'm really glad that I somehow ended up running all of the Warm Up Series races this year, despite the fact that I'm only a halfer.  I seem to learn a bit more at each and every race!


I love this pic - the look on my face is priceless - I love running!

And now, let's talk about the race.  The Sugarland FLS 30K is a bit different.  Since it's not a straight course, and a triple loop, you are literally getting passed by faster runners throughout the entire race.  Usually, you might have a period where runners are passing you, but then it fades.  And if you run a negative split, you usually have a period of time where you are passing other runners at the end of the race.  But during the 30K there are runners passing you all the time.  And that's ok!  You just have to stay focused on your race.  The only difference is, when the really, really fast runners go by, they yell "elite runner going through."  Normally, that doesn't happen, but the 30K is not a closed course.  The outside lane of Sweetwater Drive is still open, and the elite runners run on the right (which is not normal - normally a faster runner passes on the left), which basically puts them in the flow of vehicular traffic.  In addition, since you are running a loop 3 times, you see everyone at least 6 times.  It's a good time to observe other runners, and to cheer each other on!


Look at my pinned on gloves . . . it was cold for a mile or two, but after that I was done with them!

When I jumped in at mile 6.2, Elle was already running a 10/1 interval.  This means we run for 10 minutes, and we walk for 1 minute.  I'm normally a continuous runner, but I run at a bit slower pace than Elle does.  If we run a 10/1 split, I'm able to keep up with her faster pace since I get a minute of rest.  We ran approximately 10 minute miles for about the first 7 miles I was on the course.  At my mile 7, and Elle's mile 13, she was hurting badly due to the development of several blisters, and she wanted to walk.  We walked for approximately 5 minutes, and I convinced Elle to run again by telling her we only had to run 5 more times, and then we could be done.  We took off again, passing several runners who had passed us while we were walking.  I vividly remember hearing them call out, "Go Girls!" while we ran past.  That certainly felt good, but again, I was only at mile 8 or 9 by this point, and Elle was starting on mile 15.  At that point, she had to walk.  I tried in vain to convince her to run again, but she was in too much pain.  I remember trying to yell at her to pick up her feet, and she told me just to go on.  I told her it wasn't my race, and I wouldn't leave her.  I'm glad I didn't - I've never experienced running on blisters, but I imagine it must be pretty painful. 

We finally left the Sweetwater loop and headed back towards the finish line.  As I mentioned before, we still had about two miles to go in order to finish.  I kept trying to convince her to run, but it was to no avail.  We saw a guy in a kilt at about mile 16.5.  He was on the side of the road, playing bagpipes.  I remember laughing and asking other runners around me if they thought the kilt wearer was wearing underwear.  We all laughed about that for a bit, and one of the runners actually asked the kilt man about his underwear.  Apparently, he wasn't wearing any.  That was so funny - and it was enough comedic relief to give those runners the boost they needed to start in to the finish line.  Elle still hadn't gotten her boost yet.  I'd tried singing, like I did at the 25K, but it just wasn't enough. 

We were about a mile out from the finish line when the Black Eyed Peas song, "I've Got a Feeling," came up on my iPod.  We were walking, and there was a man walking in front of us who we were starting to gain on.  When we got next to him, he started to walk faster to keep up with us.  I turned to Elle and started singing the words . . . I gotta feeling . . . that tonight's gonna be a good night . . . yeah tonight's gonna be a good good night . . .  Elle chimed in, and the man with us turned and his ears perked up.  He said, "Hey!  That's my running song!"  Elle laughed and said, "Then let's run!"  and we all took off!  The walking man smoked us.  He was gone.  I'm glad I helped him finish!


Elle and I, with another runner to the right

And I'm glad I got Elle to run again as well.  Because when we turned the next corner, there was her husband and her kids, waiting to cheer her on.  I'm so glad - I know she wouldn't have wanted them to see her hurting the way that she was.  When we ran in and crossed the finish line, Elle had such a grin of accomplishment on her face.  I'm so proud of her - 18.6 miles is no small feat, for sure.  And for me, 12.4 was the farthest I'd run.  True, I felt a bit cheated when they gave me a medal and a finisher's shirt, but I'll wear it proudly because I know that God had me at that race for a reason.  Otherwise, the kilt asker, the walking man, and my friend Elle might not have finished . . .


So proud of you, Elle!  You are my hero!


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Saturday, December 11, 2010

The Original Butt Sketch

At Mike's work Christmas party, there was an original butt sketch artist . . . I was a bit skeptical at first, but after seeing several pleasing derrieres result from his work, I let him have a go at ours . . .



I'm not saying it's true to size (or shape for that matter), but I'm pretty proud of my butt sketch!

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Tuesday, December 7, 2010

The Santa Picture

You know, the Santa picture.  The one where you dress your kids up, drive to the mall, stand in line to take pictures with Santa, and pray that for just one second, both of them will be smiling . . .

We actually got lucky this year!  I figured, as long as they were both dressed, I'd take a few pics at home, and then head on to SantaLand at the mall and just hope for the best . . .


Look how sweet they are!  We actually used this on our Christmas card!

Although it's not the best picture, as she's not looking at the camera, I love how he's holding onto her and the trust in her face!


Don't laugh, I tried, people!


Sammy's smiling, Sophia is trying not to cry.  So proud of her - she was unsure, but she was willing to stick it out!

And this one is just pee-in-the-pants hilarious!  She's smiling, and he has the "I didn't do it!" look on his face - what a card!

How'd your Santa pics go this year??

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