127 down, 13.1 to go

Miles, that is. Well, technically I have 19.1 to go, but those other 6 are divided into 3 2-mile runs, and 2 miles is nothin', so I'm not counting them!

Sarah and I have a hot date with a section of highway on Hilton Head Island one week from today, and I think things have come along swimmingly. Despite my knee injury, her foot injury, her girls' trip, and Christmas break, we have managed to complete most of our training now and seem to be ready to go for the half marathon next weekend.




We had a great 10 mile run this morning along the North Augusta Greenway (that's it up there -- pretty, huh?) and I can honestly say that I felt fantastic clear up until 8.5 miles. At that point I could tell I was getting tired, but I certainly wasn't spent. I am attributing the success this morning to three things:

#1 Tyler's advice last week (thanks Ty, things went MUCH better;)

#2 The 23 pounds of seafood I ate at dinner last night. And the key lime pie.

#3 GU Tri-Berry Energy Gel


This little packet of sugary goop made a big difference in my energy level and helped a lot. Think berry flavored frosting. Okay, don't think that -- it sounds gross. Sarah almost puked hers up (different kind) but once she got some water on board she said she felt it too. So a few of these little packets will definitely be coming with us to Hilton Head.

We came in at 1:28 for the full 10 miles, and for us that was pretty fast. I'll post some pictures and results next week when we finish, unless of course we blow it or have a really lousy time, and then we'll all just pretend I never posted this, mmkay?

So, to recap:

Not eating Kashi and Fiber One bars BEFORE a long run + every kind of seafood you can cram into one sitting + key lime pie + GU berry frosting = 10 miles in 1:28.

Peace out.

P.S. Dear Georgia,

It would be great if you could quit sucking just enough to pave some sort of trail like this so I wouldn't have to drive to South Carolina to run on a paved, flat surface.

Love,
Nicole

Happy

I've been thinking for several days that this would be the day that I finally had something to say.

Turns out this was the day I watched CNN for...oh...about 15 hours. And even after soaking in all that inaugural love, I still don't seem to have many words.

I am excited. Proud. Hopeful. Anxious. Wondering how the Obama's are still functioning after the day they've had.

But more than anything, I think I am still just surprised at how strongly I feel about our new president. I literally have visceral reactions when he speaks and when I watch how others respond to him. Clearly it's not just me who feels this way, it's just that I never expected to feel so inspired by a politician. More than 2 months later, I still get chills when I watch them call the election. I suspect I will feel the same way every time I watch him waiting in the wings to step onto the platform. He looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, and I immediately wept for him and the incredible challenges he is up against.

I am grateful to say that at least for today, I feel like both Republicans and Democrats (and the entire world, really) HOPE that he will be successful. I know there will be bumps in the road, and I am preparing myself for the day that he will do something I wrinkle my nose at (what? It could happen), but on this Tuesday night, I am simply...

Happy.

P.S. Have I already mentioned that I have shaken his hand? I have? Hmmm...well...have YOU shaken his hand?

P.P.S. Today after about the 7th hour of coverage, Keaton built a block tower and then said to me, "Mom, is Barack Obama coming to this house (pointing to his tower) today?"

"I don't think so, Keaton. He's pretty busy."

And then a few hours later when there was a knock at the door, "Mom! It's Barack Obama knocking!"

Oh, and be sure to ask Rylan who the White House Chief of Staff is;)

Dude, how sad was Biggest Loser tonight? Seriously, Boone and I were both bawling more than once.

That's it.

I'm turning over a new blogging leaf

Okay, not really. Boone just got called in (it's after 9pm on New Years) and I slogged down WAYYYY too much egg nog to get on the treadmill while he's gone. So thanks to the rednecks who let their 7 year old fire a bow that kicked back into his face and broke his tooth, you all get pictures. I know, I know, you can't believe your luck!

None of this is relevant anymore (well, not until the very end at least) but for record keeping purposes I am posting it anyway. Also because my kids are cute and I can't let the rich relatives forget it (where are they anyway?)

Without further ado, here is what our December looked like:









Wait for it...
















Hahahaha! Aren't I SOOOOO funny? This requires a little background. Keaton loves his blanket, as you may recall from the earlier post. He loves it even more when it is freshly laundered, and recently he figured out that if it "accidentally" gets dirty I will wash it for him immediately. So he started purposely dumping yogurt onto it and then saying, "Oops! Mommy, I need to wash my blankie again!" It was cute the first two times, but the third time in one day it started to get old.

Anyway, this wasn't that first day, but he had purposely yogurted (totally a word) his blanket and his clothing. He stripped himself down while I started the never-say-die Kenmore, and then he and Rylan watched the entire wash cycle like it was the best thing they had ever seen. They giggled, they pointed, they exclaimed, they jumped up and down. I guess I could have lived without a TV if only I had realized the attention grabber I had in my laundry room. Oh well.


Rylan had a fun December between being in the Grovetown Christmas parade and wearing pajamas to school for Polar Express Day. Oh, and Christmas.





See the smile? Proof that she was happy. This was at Lights of the South, which was actually pretty cool. We went with our friends the Galans, who posted pictures like 3 weeks ago because they are prompt. What's up with that?



Branik ate about 19 candy canes while we were on the hayride. From the look on his face they were spiked with something.

What are the odds that at a Christmas light exhibit they would have an erupting volcano? Well, in Georgia it turns out those odds are 100%. Keaton was as thrilled as you think he was.


Cute little stinkers, aren't they? So my sister Tiffany and her family came all the way from Erie to surprise our kids for Christmas. My stupid camcorder won't let me upload the video, but trust me, the look on Rylan's face when her cousin McKinley came around the corner on Christmas morning was priceless.

Also priceless -- Keaton's face when he opened this gift from Chrysta:

Can you tell? It's an erupting volcano lamp. It is now Keaton's night light. All night. He is in love. I worship at her gift giving feet, because that was absolute perfection for Keaton. I tried to get him to look at the camera, but that would have involved looking away from the volcano, and that wasn't about to happen.



Uncle Abram and the big kids spent some quality time coloring, but I am most grateful for Abe's time in our kitchen. I am 3 pounds heavier than I was last week and I don't care:) Somehow this is the only picture I got of him, and Tiffany would kill me if I posted the one I have of her, so this will have to do.


All together now -- "Awwwww..."



Here we have a picture I'd like to title "Busted". There were 4 sugar cookies left in a baggie on the counter. Then Keaton found them, and Calum was more than willing to help Keaton get rid of the evidence ASAP. Those two boys should not be crossed under any circumstances. That's all I'm going to say about that.

We had a great time with the Collard family and are so grateful that they drove 12 hours each way to hang out with us.

Our last bit of news happened just today and and was slightly bittersweet for me. Branik moved into his big boy bed from his crib. I have had a crib set up somewhere in my house for nearly 7 consecutive years, and today it went into the attic. Branik LOVES his bed and was more than ready, falling asleep without a peep in about 5 minutes. I don't think it has occurred to him that he can just get out of the bed and leave his room at will, and for however long that holds, I am grateful.

Here is my baby, reminding me once again that he is growing up way too fast:


We'll put his mattress up on a frame once he gets used to sleeping without walls around him, but for now, he is thrilled have enough room for himself and half of the Island of Sodor in his sleeping quarters. Done with bottles, done with high chairs, done with cribs. If we can just kick the diapers...