Mother's Day 2011

I started my morning by being woken up by some certain almost 8 year old requesting that I get up so I could open presents. I managed to ignore her a little while longer before I finally got myself out of bed. Once I got up I was greeted in the living room with flowers, handmade cards that made me cry, and a new baseball glove. We then all got around and headed to Tanganyika Wildlife Park just west of Wichita. Mom's got in free for Mother's day and I had a groupon so we all got in free. I actually prefer Tanganyika over Sedgwick County Zoo because it is a lot more interactive and smaller. We spent a couple hours there and then went to On the Border for lunch.Once returning home we all relaxed inside in the ac.

 Petting a python

 I'm gonna have to put a brick on her head...she is getting so tall!

 Feeding the Lorie's, where she barely escaped being hit by bird poop

 Thankfully this llama did not spit.

 I wonder how many fingers the tortoises bite on any given day?

 Riding Charlie the camel

Taking some time to play on the playground

 This girl so needs to live on a farm!!

 My fav.. the Lemurs

It was an enjoyable Mother's Day and I'm so thankful and blessed to be Madelyn's mama.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas out there!

Wichita 1/2 Marathon

This was my sixth 1/2 marathon and my ideal goal was to have a PR (personal record) and beat my previous PR of 2:00. I felt like I had trained well but wasn't sure I had trained hard enough. The weather was perfect for race day, overcast and cool. Start time was 7:30am, nice and chilly then. The first two miles were a clustered mess as people were trying to find their pace. I always struggle with the first 2 miles because I don't want to go too fast or too slow and my legs are always sluggish. Miles 3-4 I was trying to find my groove. Miles 5-8 I found my groove, and had negative splits. Miles 9-11 ho hum, miles 12-13 let's get this over, .1 sprint to the finish. My official time 1:58:32, that is my new PR!!!!!!. I was smiling from ear to ear when I crossed the finish line under 2 hours.
I averaged 9:02 minute miles, I came in 440/1067 overall and 37/119 for the 35-39 age group. I'm still giddy.

My friend and running partner, Angelia, completed her first 1/2 today. Her goal was 2:20 and she came in at 2:16. I was so proud of her. All her hard training paid off.

 Our camera set on some funky setting, hence the odd color.

We did it!! 

Flashback Friday

Easter 2011

Saturday morning I woke up early to get in a 10 mile run before we headed to Bob and Shelly's (aka the dog farm) house for the Muhlig Easter. We had lunch, then Garrett and Madelyn enjoyed hunting eggs, riding 4 wheeler and everyone enjoyed smashing confetti eggs over heads. Then the shoot out began. It was a great time and we are looking forward to it again next year.



 The "borrowed" wheelchair was a hot commodity.

Garrett's first time on the 4-wheeler, he was the first to roll it too.

 

Jen & Papa Bob

 Brett & Dustin

 The queen of the shoot out.

 Brrrrr....it was a tad chilly

 Let the shooting begin

Then we headed to Council Grove for the Sill family Easter. We enjoyed a dinner of pork chops, hotdogs, & brats with all the fixins' then the annual Easter egg hunt. The hunt is always good for a few laughs.

 Gearing up for the Sill family Easter egg hunt

Paw Paw enjoyed not telling us where the eggs were hidden.

On Easter morning Madelyn woke us up before 6:30am to see what the Easter bunny brought. She ran through the house in a matter of minutes picking up eggs. Ryan fixed us breakfast, then we got around and went to Church. After Church we had lunch at Playa. I spent my Easter afternoon taking a 3 hour nap, while Madelyn watched her movies she got from the Easter bunny and Ryan trimmed trees. It was a perfect way to celebrate He is risen! 

 

 

 

Wordless Wednesday

R.I.P Tom Cat

This morning Ryan and Madelyn discovered that our fish, Tom, had died. Tom wasn't just any kind of fish, he was a mad tomcat fish that was rescued or, more like kidnapped, from a creek on Easter two years ago. I never thought he would make it a month, let alone two years. As silly as it may sound I got rather attached to Tom (my sister and brother-in-law have witnessed me being a complete wreck over a dying pet fish before). Tom spent most of his life hiding under rocks and would only come out to check things out when he was hungry. I was usually the one to feed Tom, if I remembered, when I would see him happily swimming around his bowl. I would chat with him for a bit, throw in a few blood worms and watch him eat. Then when he was done he would make his way under the rocks again. This became our evening routine. He was a low maintenace fish that only required chlorine free water and some rocks. I cleaned his bowl only when it was too dirty to look through. He survived three trips down the drain thanks to Ryan being able to take the drain pipe apart and "fish" him out. I think what I liked most about him is that he wasn't the average fish, he was a tadbit unique. R.I.P Tom Cat.

Lincoln Elementary Fun Night

Madelyn & Kenzie with their new hats

 Jump! Jump!

 She spent some time in the "emergency room."

The tough chics