I Did the Dash.. the Monster Dash....

 

This weekend has been so busy I need a nap! The final event was Raleigh's Monster Dash 5K at Cameron Village. After a full day of State Fair walking and fried food, I threw on my "Runaway Bride" costume and hit the bricks. Set my personal best for a 5K and came in second in my age group by one second (if I had only known she was my age I would have run her down!). Check it out HERE.


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Before my race, my future little runner girls got some expert coaching at the beginning of the 100 yard dash. Thanks, Coach.

 

Earlier in the day we caught the final day of the State Fair. The girls rode the rides, milked the cows, and ate the food.

And have I mentioned Grandpa Tony has been here as we have galloped from one event to the next???

 

He joined us for the all this AND the neighborhood Halloween party and the Friday night School book fair and storytelling in pajamas. Phew! What a weekend!

Rock the Vote

Here in North Carolina residents are urged to vote early, just not often! I waited in line 35 minutes outside an early voting location on a weekday morning. I was pretty proud of everyone else in that line. We're part of the 1 Million North Carolinians who have already cast ballots.

Believe in change. Exercise your right to be heard whenever your polling place opens!

Another One of My Pumpkins!

 

So this morning found us in the remote reaches of Franklin County to go pumpkin picking with the 4 year olds. There was a hayride and a snack and each child came home with a hand picked pumpkin. Stop me if you've heard this before!

And yes, we are getting lots of mileage out of the adorable Lilly pumpkin pants and pumpkin shirt. We keep telling Joe that we get our money's worth out of these fun "little" purchases....

The Cutest Pumpkin in the Patch....

 

It's Pumpkin Patch Field Trip Season. My inaugural run was with Kindergarten. Year 2 of dodging rain drops on this particular outing. We still did the hayride, the maze, the giant slide, the picnic lunch and each child selected a pumpkin to take home. We didn't lose any of them either so it's considered a success!

An Anniversary Kiss...

 

Although it will go unnoticed and unmentioned in these parts today, this is Anniversary Number 8. Photographs of us together are as rare as, well, anniversary cards and gifts! But from time to time Sophia takes the camera from me for a few shots of her own and that can result in a rare couple sighting on film, or er, on a memory card!

If this is our anniversary that means greetings are in order for Hillary and John and Leslie and Matthew as well!

Editor's Note: I just have to mention that this anniversary did not go unnoticed. A blue box appeared on the bathroom vanity. A mumbled, "It's probably the wrong one" (I'm sorry did you say WRONG while talking about Tiffany's??? Not possible.) So I missed out on sharing anything pottery for number 8 (and I thought for a seoond, about his favorite home decor store, POTTERY Barn..) I love my new necklace. I can't believe he changed up the tradition 8 years into the game.

A Ten Mile-stone

 

Since we only logged -- I don't know -- 6 or 8-THOUSAND miles on Disney property last week I decided to try and tire my legs out a little more. And that is how I came to my very first 10-Mile road race. Regular readers know this is a relatively new distance for me. But I had enough 10+ practice runs under my iPod to give this one a try. The race benefits the Anna's Angels Foundation. The Foundation was started a few years ago by a local Mom whose daughter, Anna, has Down Syndrome and has battled leukemia. Proving the power of the volunteer Mom, this Mother runs the Foundation (and its 10-Miler, Gala, and Cookbook Sales), helps decide how the proceeds are distributed through grants, and runs the race! Mom crossed the finish line carrying a healthy 6 year old Anna. I'm happy to say I had already finished with a fairly respectable time and saw that moment.

So 10 Miles doesn't seem like such a big deal anymore. Maybe November means it's half-marathon time!

"It's very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants to quit."
Dr. George Sheehan
Runner/Writer/Philosopher

Where in the World???

 

Disney World -- that's where! An exhausting week of princesses, pixie dust and millions of miles by foot. We did a ton and saw even more. And now we need a vacation!