Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!! I pray you all have a wonderful time celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior!

Ragnar Relay 2010

Most of you have already heard some about my Ragnar Relay adventure, and this is a REALLY long post, so be forewarned. It is mostly for my memory.

Ragnar TN was a 12 person, 195 mile, running relay race from Chattanooga, TN to downtown Nashville, TN. Each person ran 3 legs of varying distances. Someone from each team is running at all times, day and night. There were 36 exchange points along the way.

My legs were about 8, 5, and 4 miles. My average pace for the 3 legs was 7:57 min/mi. Our team time was 27 hours and 8 minutes and our team pace was about 8:20. We had a couple of guys on our team that did awesome!- like 6-7 min. pace.

Here is a little about the adventure. Pictures really don't do the experience justice, but here it is:

This was when we arrived at the starting line location and I was getting ready to run. I seriously think the hardest part was keeping up with all my "gear" in my bag, in the vehicle. Every time it was my turn to run, I was always stressing out looking for something, right up until I had to jump out and run. This gives you an idea of how crowded it was!

When we got out at the start line, of course we all had to use the port-a-potty (the first of too many to count). Before I left I got myself a big handful of the sanitizer gel that was hanging inside to stall. Well, I would soon discover- it was NOT sanitizer gel, but SOAP. Nothing like having a huge lather of soap all over your hands with no running water in 30 degree weather, just minutes before you are to run 8 miles. Our sweet driver, Tracey, sacrificed her pants for me to use as a towel.

There was a staggered start and I think 14 teams started when we did. I was the first runner on our team, so that meant I was the first one done too!

Most of the time you could see a few other runners, but really weren't running with them and the roads were not closed to traffic like they are in most road races. Your vehicle was not allowed to drive beside you due to the traffic, but they could park and cheer you on as you came by then drive up a ways and do it again. They called this leapfrogging.

Someone on my team said I was like the firstborn child, since I was first. Everyone was still so fired up. On my first leg, they stopped to cheer frequently, yelled really loud for me and took lots of pictures. As time and legs went on. the enthusiasm died a little. We joked about it a lot, but toward the end, you were lucky if they rolled down the window and yelled a "Whooo!" for you!
After just finishing up a BIGG hill on my first leg. You know the kind of hill, that you can hear the vehicle beside you kicking it into high gear to get up it. This was at about mile 4. For my Oklahoma friends, those flat plains are good for something!

Our first exchange.

This next pic is out of order, but it it just after my second leg, and it was already dark. It was around 7 pm and right at the outskirts of a town, so there was a LOT of traffic and NO shoulder. This made me a little nervous.

We passed a lot of really cool places along the way. Too bad most of them were closed and we didn't have time to stop.

One of my teammates running through the beautiful hills of Tennessee.

A couple of my van-mates and I waiting at one of the exchanges. They are very big on safety and you had to have a vest on anytime you got out of your vehicle.

The next picture was the one and only time we got to go inside at an exchange. I didn't know we'd get to do this, so it was a nice surprise that this elementary school let us come in and use their gym. I expected to get more sleep than we did. With it being so crowded, and all the stopping and starting and cheering for our teammates, sleeping in the vehicles just didn't happen. It was about 12:3o am when our van arrived here and you could hear a pin drop in this gym. Everyone was wiped out. I slept here about an hour, then I got the call that my teammate was about 2 miles out. I had to jump up and go get my gear on for my last 5 mile leg.

Here is an example of our night gear. My last leg was out in the middle-of-NOWHERE, TN. There were no streetlights, houses, traffic- nothing. I passed one girl just as I started then didn't see or hear another living soul for 5 miles- well other that the wild animals howling at me. Also, it was about 25 degrees.
We all got to meet up with our last runner and come across the finish line together. It was really cool to see all the teams come in together!

Team Perpetual Motion Squad at the Finish Line-27 hours later. We were 20th out of 160 teams. Not too bad.

We were just a little tired. I got up Friday morning at 3:30 am for the drive to Chattanooga. By the time I got home at about 2:00 pm on Saturday, I had slept about 1 hour (on a basketball gym floor, mind you), and had run about 17 miles during that time. The word tired just doesn't quite cover it!

My great friend Heather and I at the finish line:

....and with my fans at the finish line.

I wonder what my kids think about all of this. When they come to watch me do a run or triathlon, they just see me do like the last 50 yards or whatever. They are probably thinking......"That's it? Big whoop-de-do!"

Anyway, it was a big crazy adventure and I would do it again in second. Actually I probably will do it again in about 10 months.

Tidbit Tuesday

Hollace: Just thought I would post these pictures of Missy on Hat Day at school a while back. Her Aunt Juana made her this hat and Grammy bought her this outfit when she was here. She was so exited to wear it all. I wanted to take a couple of pics before she left for school. This is the poses I got, without any encouragement..........

Rhett: He says the funniest things. I just wish I could remember it all or could always write it down immediately. The other day he and Thad were sitting at the table eating breakfast and I heard Thad sneeze and I guess he blew a little of his food from his mouth out onto Rhett. Rhett said, "Eewww!!.....Mom, Thad just bless-you'd his food on me!!"

Thad: He is talking so much now. It seems like one week (I think it was in October) he just started trying to say everything. About that time he had an owie (however you spell that) on his knee. He would point to it and say "knee, knee" and we would say "yes, that's right. That's your knee!". Now he calls injuries of any kind, anywhere- knees! It is so funny. He will fall and bump his head and immediately point to it and say "knee, knee!". So cute!

We saw Santa for the first time on Saturday. He was at the clubhouse at our neighborhood. It was so convenient. No lines, no crowded shopping mall or store, no drive across town for a 2 minute visit....that is my kind of Santa.

Thanksgiving Wrap-Up

Hard to believe Thanksgiving has come and gone and Christmas is on it's way. I thought I'd do a little wrap-up of our holiday weekend.

Wednesday Hollace got to bring home her sign for being a "Key" student of the 9-weeks. I had to pull her off her bike to come take a picture. We are very proud of her.

Thanksgiving morning I ran in a local 5 mile run. It was almost perfect running weather and I ran it in 37:58. A 7:35 pace-a PR for me for 5 miles I think. I came home and finished cooking then we went to some friends' home for lunch/dinner. It was a traditional YUMMY Thanksgiving feast. They are actually from Oklahoma too and weren't having any visitors, like us.

I decided to join the crazy people and go out for the black Friday deals. There was actually something we wanted that went on sale at midnight and something else not available until 5 am. Brent went about 11pm to get the midnight item and got home about 1:30am. I crawled out of bed and hour and a half later to get in line for the other items. Crazy, but worth it I guess. We were successful in getting the items we went out for.

Saturday we went to the movies. This is a rarity in our household. We had to get a babysitter for Thad. Yes, I know you are shocked that we can't take him to a public place and expect him to be quiet and still for 2 hours. Who am I kidding, I can't take him in public for 5 minutes without a scene. Anyway, we went to see "Tangled" in 3D. The kids had both been asking to see it and we decided it would be a good movie for the family to go see. It was very cute! It's a good thing too. It cost us about $70!! (including the babysitter). THAT is why it's a rarity for us to go to the movies. We love Redbox!

Here is Rhett with his 3-D glasses and the popcorn that's as big as he is! They had a great time!

The rest of the weekend was spent taking pictures for Christmas cards, working on some Christmas presents and church. A wonderful weekend with my wonderful family. I am so thankful for my many blessings!!!!

Shutterfly Time

Thanksgiving is over, so I guess it is officially time to get ready for Christmas. Shopping, decorating, and Christmas card making. I love to make our card and receive cards from all our friends. With all the new technology and ways of keeping in touch, I'm afraid fewer people will continue to make Christmas cards each year. Please make one- and send me one! I may see you all the time or see pictures of your family on your blog or facebook, but something is just still so fun about getting the cards.

Shutterfly has some great cards. It is so easy to do and they are always quick about getting your order to you. If you haven't started yet, go here: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards to see their many choices.

Here is our card from last year. I think the only year I've missed doing one was the year we were moving to Tennessee and Thad was about to be born. It didn't seem right to do a family card without Thad, when he was so close to being here. We waited until he arrived and did a Valentine's /birth announcement card.

You can also make photo books which make GREAT gifts and are so much quicker than scrapbooking ( Although I still love to do it the old fashion way, but I just don't have the time right now). Check out their photo book ideas here: http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-books

So........I may or may not be getting 50 FREE photo cards for this little write up, but it's all true.
Now, to get busy on this year's card..........

Giving Thanks

"O Come let us sing for joy to the Lord; Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving. Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods, in whose hand are the depths of the earth; the peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it; and His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker."

Psalm 95: 1-6

Family Fight!

This is not what it sounds like...........Nearly every night, the kids beg Brent to fight with them. They wrestle, have towel fights, tickle wars, and just about every time--someone ends up crying..........but they LOVE it. They start asking at dinner sometimes, "Can we fight tonight?". It is usually after bathtime and has become part of the usual bedtime routine. It is really funny to watch how Thad has gone from not being involved at all as an infant, to an innocent bystander who sometimes got involved against his will, to being completely involved and sometimes the instigator. It is fun to watch them having such a good time together. I usually try to stay out of it, but every once in a while I have to come to one of the kids' rescue.

This particular night the kids decided to try to take shelter in Thad's bed.

Poor Thad was a sitting duck when he couldn't get into the bed. As you know, he mastered getting out of the bed month ago, but is still working on the getting back in part.

He decided on the 'climb the rocking chair' method.

We have lots of fun memories of the nightly "family fights". I can only imagine what this could look like a few years from now.

Wordless Wednesday

Okay, one word: Mascara.

hAlLoOWeEn FuN!!

My 50's girl, police officer, and Superman!

Maybe I'm a little biased, but I think they're pretty darn cute!

Love the little goblins!!

(I'm not sure why Rhett was making this face.)

Brent combed Thad's hair over and sprayed it down, for a more authentic Superman look.

I guess this is Rhett's tough police officer face.

Sweetest Superman I've ever seen.

I was really happy to get another use out of this cute poodle skirt my mom made a while back for the Daddy daughter dance. She played the part well.

.............and the goofy police officer face.

Rhett was a little leery of this bowl of treats.

Our neighbor, Joel, is a real metro Nashville police officer. He let Rhett take a picture with his real badge.

At the first few houses, Thad wanted to eat his"treat" after each stop.

He would get his "treat" then immediately sit down on their porch/sidewalk and eat it.

They had a blast! and I admit... it was pretty fun! All the adorable costumes and enough candy to make you sick!.....what's not to love about Halloween??

Upward: Season 2

Hollace decided she wanted to give cheerleading another whirl this season. I don't know if you remember her summation about cheerleading at the end of the season last year. See this post. Still maks me laugh. I think the fact that her 3 best little friends who live on our street, decided to cheer, had something to do with her wanting to do it again. She has had fun and we only have 3 weeks left now. They have a fall and winter season. We'll see if she wants to do the winter season.

I think she had more fun this time, because of her friends and also because she knew the cheers better than she did last year.

Hollace and 2 of her best buddies to her right.

The cheer: "Jesus rocks the house... and when Jesus rocks the house, he rocks it ALL the WAY DOWN!". So cute!

Jesus rocking the house all the way down again.....

She looks so grown up.

OCTOBER

Is this really the LAST week of OCTOBER? I love this time of year and especially October, but this month has just been a whirlwind. We have really just had a crazy last few weeks. We had a birthday party, visits from both grandparents, a race event I've been helping organize for the Arthritis Foundation, a big project I had due for MOPS, Upward cheerleading, and the stomach bug (everyone but Hollace, so far) and lots of other little things..............all in the last four weeks. I am ready for some days with NOTHING going on.

We went to a local pumpkin patch Sunday after church while Brent's parents were here. I got some pretty cute pictures, that represent October and my three little pumpkins well. (I really liked a lot of the pics, so there are a lot here.)

Love this one...look at Rhett's face.

Love these kiddos! I am so thankful God chose these blessings for me!!!

Sweet Thad......

Ornery Thad.....

Exploring...

Wonder what he's thinking here.

I really need to do an update on Thad. He has really grown up lately.

I could not get Rhett to look at me AND smile at the SAME time.

This is just funny.........

Climbing........so typical.

Sweet boy

Hollace looks so grown up. My sweet girl -such a poser.

Happy Fall to everyone!