Our weekend

 We had an incredibly short, busy weekend!  How is it that the week goes so slow and the weekend flies by?!  It was GORGEOUS this weekend and we enjoyed lots of outside time!

 Park time...

Jay and I were GLUED to the tv Friday watching them chase down the Marathon bomber and of course as soon as we turned it off to go somewhere within an hour they had caught the guy!  SOOOO thankful they caught him and no other lives were lost.  I appreciate the men and women who worked so hard and risked their lives to protect the rest of us.

Friday night we went and canvassed a neighborhood for our church going door to door for a block party that was happening on Saturday.  Afterwards, I met up with my friend Paige and we got coffee/dessert at City 

 I have completed many 5k's but have never "walked" one, I usually run them.  But my friend Paige has always had a goal to finish a 5K and had never done one.  Thirteen years ago Paige was in a horrible car wreck and almost died.  She was in a coma for like 6 weeks, had open heart surgery, brain aneurisms and basically lost most ability in her dominant (right) hand.  She had to learn how to do everything with her left hand and spent a LONG time recovering and still has issues that stem from the wreck.  She has little stamina and strength, so to her, walking a 5K was a HUGE deal.  I wanted to see her complete her goal so I committed to walk it with her...I was proud to do it and so proud of her for finishing!  

This was before the Orphan Run 5K...Paige is on the left and our friend Monica who walked it with us.

 

Proof to her husband (our pastor) she did it ha!

After the race...she did it!  Yah!

 I came home from the race and spent some time with my family and got us ready to drive an hour away to go to a birthday party.  Lucy and I painted nails...

We drove an hour away to go to our friends' Story, Meila and Oakley's birthday party and the theme was Western.  You can see pics from the party here.

Thankful for God's Word and how timely it is in my life!   The things of this world are temporary and I desire NOTHING on earth but YOU!

Sunday morning we went to church and then came home to grill out for lunch.

Sunday after lunch Brayden had practice so we all went because it was so pretty outside.  Then we took the kids to Splash at church while we met with several other small groups and had a fish fry.  It was a great weekend but SOOO busy.

Labor Day Chickfila 5K 2011

When I started running back in May, I went ahead and signed up for several 5k's so that I wouldn't quit.  This was the last of the 3 5k's before running a 10K in October.  Here is our crew before running...my mom, dad, brother Jonathan, friend Ambere and some of my mom's friends as well!

It was so fun to get to run with my family again as well.  I am so proud of my mom and dad!  They have come so far....both are running and dad has lost 30 lbs. and my mom has lost 50 and is a weight watchers life member (she has reached her goal just must keep it there).  I was so glad Jonathan came to this race because we don't ever get to run together and almost run the same pace (he is a little faster than me!), and we are running the half together in December so it was fun to run with him.  He usually runs a 29:30 and I usually run a 31:30 so he convinced me to keep up with him and he promised he could get me in under 30.  Well I kept up through mile 2 and then we hit a huge hill and I got behind.  He ended up finishing at 28:01 and I came in at 29:37.  So not too bad and I achieved my goal of under 30 minutes!  Thanks Jon-Jon...13.1 here we come!!!

My running buddy Ambere before the race...

The next time I will come through this exact finish line I will be coming in from 13.1!  I think I can, I think I can, I hope I can!

Here is my Nike Ipod for the race although I just realized my dates and times are off on it.  I didn't run this in June and I certainly did NOT run it at 2:44 a.m.! Ha!  And I forgot to turn it off until I remembered about a minute after running...ugh!

The weather is absolutely perfection here today!  It was a little chilly this morning, but ended up being 70, sunny and windy, perfect for running weather!  So when we got home I got the bright idea to run my long run today.  I ended up running 7 miles in 1 hour 16 minutes, totaling 10 today.  My legs are paying for it today but the weather was in my favor today so I took advantage of it!!!

I do not post these to brag by any means because I am a really slow runner (nothing to brag about!), but I wanted to keep track of my journey to the half marathon.  It is my blog so alot of it just for the (my) record. I am the poster child that ANYBODY can do this!  I struggled on week 1, day 1 like everybody else and had to work hard to get here.  Some days are easier than others and I still have SOOO much more to learn and achieve along the way.  If you think you "can't" do it, give it a try, you might surprise yourself! AND you might actually enjoy it too!  :)

Here are some pics from late Saturday night and Sunday morning of the girls when Precious was here.

Lucy is such a girly girl!

Lucy got to sleep in between the girls on Saturday night and was soooo excited can you tell?!?!

The girls picked out coordinating outfits from Karis' closet so they could look alike.  :)

Tonight we are sitting with the windows open listening to the rustle of the leaves in the wind.  I LOVE Fall weather...bring it on!  WOOHOO!  Looking forward to great weather this week!

Forrest Spence 5K

My childhood friend Candace sent me a link back in 2007 of her friends, Brittany and David Spence, who had just given birth to their first son, Forrest Spence.  He was born 3 weeks premature and his lungs weren't completely developed.  Somehow he contracted Strep B infection even though Brittany tested negative days before and he began fighting for his life.  He ended up living 55 days and his parents set up this 5K in his honor to help provide funds for families of children in Lebonheur.  Since I have followed their Caringbridge since then, I thought it only fitting that I run this 5K.  And I had some family and friends run in it too which is always more fun!  There were over 1,000 people running in the race and it raised more than $38,000!  You can read their whole story here.

From L to R: My dad, my mom's best friend Karen, Debby, my mom, Jennifer, me, Candace and my brother Allen.

Me and my friend Candace (who told me about this family).  We have been friends since I was in 4th grade!!!  It was so good to see her and run with her for a while (until she started smokin' me!).

Me with my mom, dad and brother

I didn't get a pic of me coming in but I finished in about 31 1/2 minutes don't know my official time yet.  I was hoping to come in under 30 but that's ok.  My dad has been doing the Couch to 5K program and hasn't even finished it yet (actually he has only run a 20 minute once!) and finished the race in 36!  I was so proud of him!!!!  This was he and my mom's first 5K!

So proud of my momma for coming in at 38 for her first 5K!!!  So proud of you mom!

Me with Karis and Brayden after the race...

We survived the race!!!

This was a great family event because they had lots of stuff for the kids....moon bounces, games and kid races.

The gang hangin' out afterwards...

Karis and Brayden getting ready for the up to age 6 100 yard dash....they were so excited they got to run too!

Lining up...

Karis was up in the front of the pack the entire race and was grinning from ear to ear!

And they were proud of their ribbons they got for finishing the race!

Uncle Matt being silly...

Jay and Lulu

Karis and Kinsley

Playtime....

Such a fun day!  AND the kids didn't want to come home so Lolli took them back home to her house for another day!  So thankful for grandparents!!!

Final race results can be found here.