12 mile run today!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so delighted to share two new records with you. First of all, today I ran 12 miles, without stopping, for the first time in my life!!!!!!!!!!!!

I attribute this success to one of Rick's Charlene Blassingame Del Ray Woods cookies and a small bagel. I usually do not eat before I run, since I go so early in the morning. But with the temps below 32 again this morning, you better believe I waited until 9AM for rec center to open up. I had time to eat before running today, so I thought I'd do a little science experiment to see how the carbs before running might affect the run. It was fantastic!

With the quantitative research class I'm taking, I should be able to identify what the independent variable and the dependent variable are in this treatment program!!! But I can't tell you!!! I always get those two variables mixed up.

Man did I feel good leaving the gym!

And so, that brings my weekly run mileage to a new personal record as well: 42 miles

S- rest
M- 7 miles
T- 5.5 miles
W- 7 miles
Th- 4.25 (not bad considering I had a 7:30 meeting that morning!)
F- 6.25 miles
S- 12 miles

Now of course I'm sitting in the red chair with my legs propped up on the footstool and drinking some hot cinnamon tea in the Flavia mug that mimo gave me a while ago. I love this mug.

who is that big kid on the field?

I know it's a bit small, but CJ is wearing all black. He passes to his buddy Caleb, who in turn passes it back to CJ and into the goal. It was a great play!

The other video you'll notice all these sweet kids who love to play with Rick after the games. Tonight they played for about 15 minutes after the game was over. So funny.

bikini bread

A friend of ours gave us a loaf of chocolate chip zuccini bread a month ago, which both boys ate up in one night and since then BJ has called it "Bikini Bread." Every weekend since (three times) BJ, CJ and I have made banana bread. Last weekend we tried pumpkin bread. BJ calls all of them "Bikini Bread."

In this picture you see BJ eating some of the "bikini" bread out front while waiting for our wonderful babysitter to arrive. She is a junior at the university, secondary ed major with biology specialization. The boys just LOVE her and we are so fortunate b/c she is willing to take them both to CJ's soccer games on Monday nights when Rick and I are in class. I happened to work with her all summer, which was a stroke of pure luck for our family.

I came home from school one night to find lego ships all over our bathroom. The boys were SO proud of their creations and apparently had done experiments with our babysitter to find out which ones sink/float best...

BJ's soccer game

Last week was SUCH a busy week. Unfortunately I have class on Monday nights, so I missed CJ's game that night. I'll have to take some pics this week at his game for everyone. CJ scored 7 goals at his Wednesday night game and BJ finished his Thursday game with at least 8 goals (a few for our team, and few for the other team too!). They are loving soccer and so are we.

BJ's first soccer practice

Fun pictures from their first practice. The little girl sitting on the red ball and the little girl with the yellow shirt are both in BJ's class at school. The coaches are the parents of the little girl in the red shirt. And the boy standing beside CJ is also in first grade and brother to the girl in red shirt. In other words, CJ and Finn played together all summer at BJ's school and now they have fun at BJ's games b/c they can play together on the sidelines. It is a fun little team!

new pr

Saturday 8.25 miles
Sunday rest
Monday 7.0 miles
Tuesday 5.5 miles
Wednesday 5.25 miles
Thursday 5.5 miles
Friday 7.5 miles

Total for week: 39 miles

four soccer goals, two for us and two for them....

BJ had his second soccer game tonight and he was in good form tonight. His first game, last week, was a good intro for him...get on the field...get a feel for the movement, the crowd, etc.

Tonight BJ scored 4 times and he looked like was a superhero running around out there! He was SO excited, as were Rick and I!!!

The first goal was scored by dribbling from one end of the field to the other, kicking it just right of the goal post, quickly pickeing up the ball, placing it infront of the goal, and kicking it in!!!! The crowd was all cheering for him and he was thrilled! Rick yelled out "whatever it takes BJ!!" and the families thought that was so funny and of course all agreed:)

Another goal was scored on a beautiful break away, in our opponent's goal, and BJ was so proud! He came running back to mid field, amidst the cheers of the crowd. I think he was a little shy with the attention on him.

At midfield, he flashed me the hand signal, "I love you" and then yelled out, "I LOVE YOU MOMMY!" You an imagine the pride and joy swelling inside of me at this point.

Another goal, similarly scored on a break away into our opponent's goal. BJ comes running back to midfield, amidst more cheering from the crowd, and this time he decides to wave to everyone!

There was a fourth goal in there too, in OUR goal.

It was a HUGE game for little BJ and we knew it was coming.

Of course I didn't have my camera with me.