Running in the Snow

“Whoever thought of this tradition is uninvited next year,” declared my father-in-law as we all loaded up in the cars to head out for our three mile road race. I think that this is now the second holiday in a row that I’ve run a road race, a little disconcerting and it was colder this time! The kids stayed warm though, don't they look happy! After the race we shared “high-low,” my high was definitely McDonalds and a cup of coffee post race, the low was at my first mile when I looked at my watch and realized that I was pacing at 7 minutes; I was in shape for 8 minute miles. It was a rough last two miles, but not as bad as my brother-in-law’s low. Katherine asked Jerry to go in and look for Jon, when Jerry came back out the 200 people who were standing expectantly at the starting line in the 22 degree weather a moment ago were nowhere in sight. No worries Jerry, next year you will be in Greece on stint and I will be running around a parking lot in Shelbyville in sub-arctic temperatures! And please no comments about the lime green running shirt!!

That little stinker!

How do you keep a fifteen month old and her three year old brother quiet for a nine hour car ride? Two words, Diapers and dumdums! Our first pit stop was right outside Chattanooga at a “real” Wal-mart where an overly friendly attendant made an unfortunate comment about Katherine’s hair. A mile later, I realized that I had inadvertently left Ava Marie’s diaper on the top of the van, we were not going back! Breakfast and nap #1 kept the kids content from Chattanooga to Nashville where Katherine discovered that the diaper was still on the roof! A mile later, she realized that she had forgotten to throw it away! Nap #2 kept the kids quiet from Nashville to Louisville where we finally threw away the diaper which had collected no little amount smog along its five-hundred mile rout! From Louisville to Mooresville we sang Veggie Tale tunes and passed out dumdums. I know you probably wish you were there to partake, just don’t forget the diaper on the roof!