Cotton Row Run 5k race

I set a goal for my self several months ago that I would run the 5k race on Memorial Day. 5k is equal to 3.1 miles. I have been "training" as it were as much as I could on my treadmill at home. In the last several weeks had finally worked up to 3 miles. My friend Krista I also talked into doing it with me. She didn't have as much time to get ready for it. She also works part time which takes up her "training time. But she did and awesome job. I came it at 45:20. There were over 1600 runners and I came in Fourteen hundred seventy something. It was in downtown Huntsville. There were people lined up cheering you on the whole way. Even though they didn't know you they looked right at you and cheered you on. The whole experience was awesome. I think I'm hooked. I'm already trying to figure out when I can do another one. Krista is also willing to continue getting in shape with me. That is sooo helpful to have a partner. Anyway, I had a wonderful time and thought I'd put some pictures of the race on here.

Sunday

I just wanted to drop a line here and update everyone! We are all well. Chris finished up his review coarse on Thursday and he is now just waiting for his authorization to test number. Once he recieves that he will call and set up a time to go to a testing center and take his nursing board test. He is hoping to have it taken and passed by the time we head to Utah and vacation. Noah's last day of school was Friday. All we did was go and pick up his report card. He was promoted to the 4th grade. We had no worries, as he is a good student....well in everything except spelling. I picked up several work books from Wal-Mart for all 3 of the big kids to work in this summer. The girls were excited and wanted to do everypage right then!!! So hopefully Noah and Eve will be ahead of the curve when school starts in Aug. Friday we also went to Brown's Farm and picked 3 gallons of stawberries which we'll be making into jam tomorrow. We enjoyed our BBQ Cookout yesterday and had quite a few people here. We enjoyed everyones company. The rain tryed to put a damper on things but our prayers prevailed. I guess since it is sunday we will just enjoy a quiet relaxing day of rest. I need to rest up for my 5k race in the morning!!!! Wish me luck!!

WE DID IT!!!!

Well, last weekend Chris Graduated from Motlow on our first (and I think going to be the hardest part)leg of his Career and Education in the Nursing field. Traditionally the nursing class has pinning ceremony where they receive their pin for completing the nursing coarse. Before you had Nationalized boards this was all that you needed to practice nursing. But it is still a tradition so, Thursday May 8th we had his rehearsal pinning ceremony and a dinner. Friday Evening we had the pinning ceremony and program. It was held in Murfreesboro and the program is all put together the the nursing student body, mostly the class officers. They did a great job. It was soooooo wonderful to meet all these people that I feel I knew already and put faces to names that I've heard about over the last 3 years. The kids spent the night at Grandma's house and after the Pinning we went out to the movies with some Friends. We saw Star Trek, which I really liked. We got home very late but enjoyed sleeping in with no kiddos here. Saturday we went to the Argo's to pick up the kids and headed to Motlow for the official Graduation. It all went well. I think it was only 1 hour long thankfully because I had all the kids. But I'm glad they were there to see Daddy recieve his diploma and how important educating yourself is. I am sooo Proud of Chris. He is one in a million at least to me. A HUGE Thank you to all our friends and family who have supported and prayed for us through this endeavor. We have truly seen Heavenly Fathers Hand in our life. But We couldn't have done it with out all of you.


We headed from campus to the church for the Mothers day cookout. We enjoyed burgers and and all the fixins. This is the second year that the YM have sponsored this treat for the Mothers. It was nice not to have to cook that night. After re cooperating from the weekend I woke up Monday Morning not feeling well at all. By Tuesday my throat was horrible looking so I headed to the doctor. YEP! Strep and a sinus infection. See I told you I felt yucky... Anyway, I got some drugs and I'm Finally feeling better. The RS brought in 2 meals which was a surprise and so nice to not have to worry about what to fix for dinners. I love our Ward. Anyway, I just wanted to bring you up to speed and tell you all about Graduation.

Easter

We had a Wonderful Easter Celebration yesterday!! We awoke to beautiful sunshine and you couldn't help but feel uplifted. Sunday's church service was fine. Chris came home after Sacrament to checkon the 2 turkeys we had cooking to make sure the timed cook came on and the oven was hot. He came back for the rest of the meetings and when the kids and I got home the house smelled delicious. Both turkeys were done and looked yummy. Chris had to stay for a meeting but the made it as short as possible. I took some pictures of the girls in their Easter dresses. I had already layed Ethan down for his nap and Noah had already changed or I would have gotten one of all the kids. Oh well. I will try to get a good picture of them all next sunday after church. We headed up to the Argo's a little after 2. We were the first of all the married folks to get there. Since the weather was sooo beautiful the kids played outside most of the time. Joey and his crew got there next, then Tiffany and then Bobby and Leeanna. The food was delicious. It was just like thanksgiving except on Easter. Kristina brought her yummy sweetpotato sufle' I think she called it and squash caserole and a pan of brownies. She is a good cook. Mom added some green beans, stuffing and cranberry sacue. After we were all stuffed, we all sat and enjoyed conversation and watching the twins and their funny antics. Somehow an arm wrestling tournment started up in the kitchen with Kim, Emily, Ashley and Heidi. It wasn't long before the crowd gathered in to watch and cheer. I even faced off against the champ Kimberly. She washed the floor with me. Funny thing is that was me when I was 16. She beat all the girls. Then it got serious. We were trying to get Joey and Bobby to face off but neither wanted to. Well, you could see that they wanted to, but the what if I lose doubt was there also. So Dad decided he would break the ice and get the show on the road. He and Bobby were the first face off. It was really intense. Bobby ended up beating dad. They had nail marks on the back of their hands from digging and straining so hard to beat the other. Next was Joey and Bobby. Bobby also again won. Both dad and Joey knew that bobby would win since he works out, but they both hung in there for a while. I'm sure they are all sore today. It was very exciting. I think it is funny what our family comes up with for fun. Anyway, we loved the day. Here are some pictures.

My Baby's not a Baby anymore

Quite a few have been on me to cut Ethan's hair and I just didn't want to. To me if I cut his hair he wouldn't look like my baby anymore. And since he is my last baby I guess I wanted to hang on to it for as long as I could. BUT, giving him a bath the other night and after wetting his hair in the back the length of his hair was almost to the middle of his back and earlier this week I had picked up one of the girls' hair pretties and I stuck in his hair for that moment while I finished what I was doing and I could no longer rationalize NOT cutting his hair. It was getting to long. So after our adventure with the derby race and we were home and he had a nap I commenced to giving him his first hair cut.


BEFORE





AFTER

Down & Derby

Today was the Pine wood Derby and I have to say our experience was mostly down this year. First off they don't have individual pack derby races here which is the way I've always seen in done. Then the winners from the dens of the packs go to the district Derby race. Well here in good ol'e Fayetteville (and across our whole district) all they do is a district race. So about 100 boys not including parents and syblings (they can race in and "open class" race) get together and race. Last year we had to travel about 45 minutes to the place where it was held. This year we got to drive 1 hour and 20 minutes away (oh goody). Chris worked last night so we met up with him by the interstate and then he rode with us. It was held at a skating rink, of all places. The sound system they were using kept screetching and scarrying Amelia so bad that Chris had to take her out side because she was scared and wanted to go home. The boys as you can imagine after walking in soon forgot about the race since there were walls and walls of video games and an open snack bar. FINALLY they called all the boys to the other end of the rink floor. That sure cleared it out up where we were at and then the girls sat up in the video games and played while they got the races started. Noah raced 3 times down the track. Lost all 3 times......and that was it. We were done. Up at 6 am, traveled almost an hour and a half waited more than an hour after getting there and 3 runs (5 minutes) and it's over!!!. We could have stayed and watched some of the other boys from our pack but Chris needed to be back to Fayetteville because he is taking some call for the hospital so we packed up and headed out. Noah got a participation certificate and a patch and that was all she wrote for this year.

Our March 1 2009 Snow Fall