My First {Running} 5K!

Friday & Saturday - March 8-9, 2013

Just like last year, Dad and Brandon attended the Kentucky High School Basketball Tournament.

Dad got to meet Joe B. Hall this year!

Even though Dad's a UofL fan first and foremost, he'll still root for the Cats and meeting Joe B. was fun for him just the same.

The next day, we participated in a 5K race in the Ville.It was a family affair - from left to right:
My Mom, Brandon's Mom, My Dad, Me and Brandon

Mom and I walked the 5K together last year, but I set a goal to run it instead this year.  The training was hard at times, but I did it!!  And I finished the race in just under 38 minutes.

Dad and Brandon ran together too and our moms walked together.

After the race, we had a celebratory lunch at Cracker Barrel.

After eating, the women went flea market shopping.....

.....while Brandon and my Dad watched basketball with their eyes closed.

While at this point (middle of June now), I've lost most of my training and couldn't run a mile very easily, I'm really proud of myself for doing the training necessary and completing the race!  Hoping to do another one some time.

November in Review - Part 1

Mo-vember:  All Month

Brandon participated in a Men's Health Awareness Event called Mo-vember.  Guys across the country start out with a clean-shaven face and grow mustaches in November, in part to spark conversations and awareness about Men's Heath issues and the other part, I think, just because they can.  

Brandon started out clean-shaven on November the 1st, but we were getting portraits made on the 6th, so he waited until then to trim out the mustache.  Here's a sort of "before" pic though.....with a little stubble.

More pics of Mo-vember to come through this post and the next.....

Thursday, November 1, 2012: Skype with the Parentals 

Well, it finally happened.....my parents joined this century and got smart phones!!  I spent two and a half hours skyping with them teaching them how to use the phones.  It was interesting....and only slightly maddening.  :)

Weekend of November 2-4, 2012:  B's Birthday in C-ville

Although we had already celebrated with my parents, we traveled to C-ville for the weekend and celebrated Brandon's birthday with his parents.  His momma always makes him a pumpkin pie.

We played lots of dominoes that weekend!

Tuesday, November 6, 2012: Election Day?  No, Professional Pictures Day!

We got professional pictures taken.  One reason was to use them in Christmas cards and the other was because it's my hope to get portraits made each year to see the progression of our family over the years.  

Here's a few of our faves from the photo shoot:

My friend, Andrea, at work is also a photographer for Digital Real and she took them for us. 

After the shoot, we went to one of our favorite places (Qdoba) for dinner.  We got the same exact burritos and the burrito-maker marked them "His & Hers!"  Too cute!!

Mo-vember Update, Day 7:

After having our professional pics made, Brandon trimmed out his "Fu-Manchu" style mustache.

Monday & Tuesday, November 12-13, 2012: Kid Visit!

My brother, Brad, and his two oldest kids, The Tank & Goose, came to visit!  Brad was attending a conference in Lex, so they stayed overnight with us.

We drank hot chocolate.....

.....and played lots of games like Uno Attack, Monopoly and Atari.  I was able to take off work while they were there, so that was fun!!

The kids slept on a pallet in the floor and Brad slept on the couch.

They were only in for about 24 hours, but we had a great time and it was so fun having them all here!

Mo-vember Update, Day 14:

He not only trimmed out a Fu-manchu, but he left some "lamb chops" too!

Thursday, November 15, 2012:  T-giving at Hubby's Work

Brandon organized a Thanksgiving lunch for his group at work and spouses were invited.  here he is in his office.

Brandon really got into organizing the lunch, reserving tables and renting tables cloths to make it special.  I helped by punching out leaves in different falls colors to sprinkle on the table (I have a scrapbook leaf punch).

It was a great turn out!!

So much so, that we even had an overflow table (we referred to it as the kids table).

Brandon's coworkers were all surprised at his efforts and thanked him for putting it all together.

Friday, November 16, 2012: UK Basketball Game

I was able to get tickets through work at the last minute to attend the UK game against Lafayette.

It was a blow-out game, but we had a blast getting to go to it!

I was able to pick out, from across the floor, my friend and former coworker, Richard, and his wife Lisa.  They attend ALL the games!

Richard used to be an avid reader of my blog, but I'm not sure if he is now or not.....Richard - do you still read this??  I was stalking you!!!  My phone had no service at Rupp and I knew they'd never let me down into those fancy seats you sit in, so I didn't get to say hi, but I'm blogging about you!!!!  Email me if you see this!!!  :)

Well, that's part 1 of November - part 2 coming soon!!

Visit from the Outlaws....I mean In-Laws!

I'm trying to keep up with my blogging.....but I still seem to be a tad behind....

 At any rate, on Saturday March 31 (the day of the big Bluegrass Feud), Brandon ran in a half marathon.

The race started and finished at Keeneland Race Track.  Brandon's parents came in town and went with me to meet Brandon at the finish line (and seriously, can I just say that Keenelnad's grounds are bigger than you think and that we saw nearly every bit of it as traipsed around trying to find the "people race" and not the "horse race"!)

When we finally found it, we staked claim to a spot really close to the finish and began the lookout for Brandon - wearing all dark clothes and a white hat.

The race started at about 8:00am and around 9:49, The Hubs appeared - see that cute bearded man behind that blurry guy in the red shirt?

Beverley (B's mom) had walked down a ways from me and his dad to try to see him and signal to us that he was coming - he's waving at her here.....

....and then I think looking rather confused as he tried to find me and Jimmy (his Dad), especially since I was behind the camera.  But I put it down in time for him to pass and cheer him on.

After the race, we came back to our place and grilled out (we had burgers, grilled corn, baked beans & chips).  It was yummy!  And I learned that burgers should be flattened out a tiny bit more to go on the grill.  They shrunk up smaller than the buns!

We weren't sure if we'd see Beverley again before her birthday, so we surprised her with a little sweet treat to celebrate.

I think she liked it...

...and we *know* this guy did!

Brandon's parents left with enough time to get back to C-ville before the big game, so that left Brandon and I without any referees in our "House Divided"

Playroom Remodel

March 16-18 we planned a work weekend at my parents house.

First up though, Brandon and my Dad went to the High School State Basketball Semi-Finals in Lex.  

Before the games started (they had tickets to two sessions of two games each - 4 games total) they got to see Joe B. & Denny in person doing their radio show:

They ate at the food court during the radio show (isn't my Daddy cute?)

Between these semi-finals and all the March Madness, I'm surprised they didn't dream about basketball!

Meanwhile, as they were watching lots & lots of games, I was driving to the Ville to spend Friday evening with my Momma.....look at the sunset I enjoyed on the way there!

Dad & Brandon arrived back in the Ville late Friday night.....and then Saturday and Sunday, we all got to work on the playroom at my parents house.  

A few years ago, the ceiling and one wall had to be patched (for various reasons) and they were never really finished.  So, we went to help them mud, sand, mud some more and start doing some painting (after tracing all the characters to re-use later).  

The playroom is my old bedroom and it's needed a good paint job for years.  There's a few "Peanuts" characters here and there and some clouds on the blue walls so we're going to repaint those to some degree on the newly painted walls after it's all said & done (did that even make sense?). 

I'll post before & after pictures once it's all done (which may be a while) but here's the "Peanuts" characters that are there now:

Lucy (her feet are covered by a toddler bed)

Charlie Brown & Snoopy (this is where one of the walls had to be patched)

And Schroeder