Are the holidays over YET????

Well...it is New Year's Eve...and I am home from my trip to St. Louis and glad to be here. The drive up and back...400 miles each way....is about the most boring drive you can make. I am sure that I have made that drive a thousand times.....and there is nothing new. Even the JESUS signs, the vasectomy reversal signs and the adult arcade( not sure I want to know what that is) and video store signs do not change. They are literally within yards of one another....I just don't get it.
Tonite, Hillary and I are entering into the New Year by running a 5k race at 11:45 pm. Crazy as it sounds...that is one race I have never done. So...I talked Hillary into it...( I think she is questioning her sanity right now as she is wondering how she will stay awake and actually run at that God awful hour.) You know when you do crazy things....you must have a partner in crime. However...our race numbers start with a 33...and for those of you who know us...that is a great thing!
I am considering a nap for a few hours before I enter into that journey...I keep having to remind myself that I am not 25 years old anymore. (Really? That is such a disappointment! LOL!)
I do hope that all of you enter into this New Year with good health, and a happy heart! Believe it or not...we all have something to be thankful for.
Let me just say...my family gives me that happy heart...and I love them a bunch for that!

MERRY CHRISTMAS !

Hope you are all relaxing and ready for Santa to visit your house tonite. I am watching Dr. Phil...( not exactly holiday TV...but what the heck.)..after baking multiple goodies this morning, doing laundry, packing to go to St. Louis, and actually risking my life and going to Wal-mart...I am READY! Everything is wrapped, hidden and ready to put under the tree as soon as all the kids and grandkids are out of the house this evening. I always get a little sentimental when I start putting the packages under the tree....it brings back such wonderful memories of helping out Santa deliver those gifts after the kids went off to bed. Problem was...they did not go to sleep for hours...so the alarm was set for some awful early morning hour to sneak downstairs and do the deed without too much noise. ( I don't know who we thought we were fooling...but we snuck around anyway.) Now the excitement has been rekindled with the grandkids....the shopping, the visits to Santa and those adorable pictures of their holiday antics. It brings a smile to my face just thinking about it.
I hope you all have a special memory that makes this holiday season a blessed one.

I need the TRAIL!

OK...once again it is freezing, windy and just pretty miserable. The only good thing was that the sun was actually out today.

Kris (my biking partner in crime) and I have been putting the bikes on the trainers in order to make believe we are riding. This morning we rode to the conversation of Sunday morning news shows. Are we total nerds or what?
The shopping and wrapping are complete...Now all I have to do is bake for Christmas Eve...and pack to go to St. Louis. The trip looks interesting as every other day it is either predicted to rain or snow. Can't wait for that long, boring drive....
I continue to laugh at the grandkids...all of them. Abby's sweet little face...disguises a temper like you would not beleive, Quincy has become a chocolate addict and whispers sweetly to grandpa that she needs "chocit." Gabe is full of stories about laying blue eggs in his nest, and Josh now waves to you with his feet while taking swimming lessons..( and then laughs like crazy!)
Stay warm....give the ones you love a great big HUG!

BRRRRRRRRR

Good morning to all of you who may or may not be freezing your butt off. The wind chill here is 2 degrees...and there is ice on the road...so no school today. Last night there was a thunderstorm with pelting sleet...was very strange. Can't say I am too disappointed about staying home . It will give me time to finish wrapping and re-evaluate if I need to do anymore shopping.

On another note...Got the OFFICIAL results from the race I ran the other day. I finished 4 seconds behind the winner. I came in second...so I am still thrilled...REALLY! ( Well, maybe just a little bitter!) Just wish I knew what this woman looked like so I could hunt her down next time.

Can't run or bike today...so it will be time to put the bike on the trainer in the living room and pedal to nowhere. Not exciting...but it helps to work off all those EXTRA calories I have been sucking in. This time of year is tough...I have no will power when it comes to tasty treats!

Hope the sun is shining in your part of the world.

One LITTLE second!

Well I anxiously got our of bed this morning to check the paper to see the results of the Jingle Bell Run. I could not believe it! I missed a FIRST place trophy by ONE LITTLE second! I wanna track the woman down....she had to have finished right in front of me....Where was my competetive spirit? Usually I have an eye out for someone in my age group....Obviouslly I MISSED her! Now don't get me wrong....It is not about winning or losing....but doggone it....I am somewhat disappointed. However...I did run it...I did finish it....and I am not at all sore this morning....so I am thankful for that!
On another note...this wind is gonna be a serious issue before long....I hear the gravel from my shingles on the roof blowing off as I type. Yippee!
I actually did Christmas shop most of the day yesterday! Once you got to the mall it was fine....but coming home...my goodness the traffic! I curled up in bed within 30 minutes of walking in the door and it was lights out by 9. I slept 12 hours....must be getting old!
Hope this day finds all of you feeling well and ready for this holiday season!

First run in like forever!

Well...today marked the beginning of a new running career..I think. I decided..that this old body of mine continually needs a challenge. A physical one. So I decided to start running again in order to join Hillary in the 5k Jingle Bell Run.I am happy to say that I did it in under 10 minute miles which was awesome considering it was windy, cold and a tough, rolling hill course.( Not to mention I had a stomach virus for several days this week.) I had no goal when I started out this morning...except to finish and to still be breathing. However...there was one little catch. I started looking around for people I had competed against in the past...and I mean PAST! Like over a dozen years ago...and lo and behold there was this one lady that I recognized. Now in the PAST we would pass the torch back and forth as to who would beat who in any given race....WELL...I am happy to say that I beat her ass today! WOO HOO! That in itself....was a thrill! So I am now wondering...if this thrill will be replaced by aching bones tomorrow. But for right now...I am going to go shopping for a bit, have lunch with Hillary and then come home and take it easy.
PS to HILLARY...your mom is so proud of you !

Rodent Thoughts...

Ok...Here is what I think the little rodent guy looks like.....as he realizes that Kooka is licking his lips!

OK...What is with the weather?

It is warm and windy here...I mean really windy with gusts of over 40mph....not exactly the kind of weather you can ride any distance on a bike. Tomorrow however...it could be snowing...So when you think it can't get worse...it does! I guess it will be trainer time....unless I decide to get out and run. We'll see.

Gosh..27 years ago today...Jarrod was born. Little did we know how our lives would chance. Under the circumstances I guess we were naive to think any differently.

Please explain to me why...6th grade students cannot take on responsibility? Do they do it just to drive their teachers insane? That is what I feel like more everyday. Please tell me that retirement will actually happen in a few years. If not...just shoot me now!

I have been following a blog...from the Livestrong Challenge website...and what an inspiration Susan has been. She is asking people to join her team for next years' Austin Livestrong Challenge in October. Please consider doing just that. She is a 10 year survivor who continues the battle....and wouldn't we love to see her victorious? I know I would!

BTW...I was back on the road yesterday. I have been off my bike for weeks because of a bad ankle sprain! Boots and crutches were like being in a straight jacket for me. ( For anyone who knows me...being confined is not a good thing!) I rode some of the normal route...hills and all and basically feel pretty good. The ankle was a little swollen today....but I am working through that. Can't wait to ride again after this crazy weather patch passes us by.

Keep the hand sanitizer handy...Seems like the bug is everywhere. Poor Hillary cannot get it out of her house.Maybe the little night critter she has will get it....who knows. With all the sweets it has been given lately....it may be on sugar overload. Cannot wait to hear about the latest videotaping session. If it is some type of phantom rodent....we will not be pleased.

Thank goodness....no ice storm this year....last year it was NOT pretty!

Last night the birthday dinner went well even though I was in charge of grilling...which was scary in itself. Everyone said the burgers were fine...but I did not hear anyone say they were as good as "dad's". He seems to have a way of grilling that no one can match.

The kids and grandkids were all here and that is a house full. They were in a million different directions...all at the same time....but one thing that was consistent...was that Quincy wanted CAKE!!!!! I will have to post those pics later.

Abby was all about the cake as well...and managed to have it everywhere...but was content as she could be. Gabe and Josh got to sleep under the Christmas tree last night...with the lights on. I thought I was never going to get to sleep because it was so bright. ( I sleep on the couch...just in case they decide to get into mischief. :-) )

SERIOUSLY?

Sitting here today asking myself....is it really time for Christmas already? Seems like yesterday I was on my bike in hot sweaty 95 degree temperatures.But...here we are...with Santa right around the corner and everybody panicking about the shopping crunch. Me...not so much! I have most shopping completed and a lot of it wrapped.....so I am pretty relaxed.

December 13th Hillary and I are doing a 5k run for the Arthritis Foundation. We decided it would be a fun thing to do together and since then one of us has been a tad under the weather...sinuses, puking, and a boot and crutches. We hope all that is in the past and that we will finish the run without major incident! Those of you who know me ..know that I have not formally run in MANY MANY years....and you may be asking yourself what the hell I am doing....but I thought it was a good idea to sometimes get my butt off the bike and put some weight on the legs and see what I could do. I am pleased to announce that I have been able to run the full distance with few aches and pains. I guess this old body has not forgotten how to pound the pavement. Now don't get me wrong...I am still madly in love with my bike...there is nothing like it....( sore butt and all.)

Today is Jarrod'd b-day celebration. His b-day is Monday but everyone cannot make it to the house then for bbq...so today is the day. Yes, it is December...but there are few celerations here without something being grilled. We are just weird that way.

That sweet little ( not really ) 9 lb baby boy is now going to be 27 years old. Little did we know when they gave us the news that we were going to be parents again.... what a comedian we were going to have on our hands. He thought he was funny from the start after showing up after having my tubes tied. No one has been able to EXPLAIN that to us....but what can I say?

Guess I had better go tend to the celebration dinner and prepare for the kids and grandkids. I am sure there will be a funny story to add tomorrow. Probably Quincy telling everyone that she wants chocolate pie...NOW!