Sweet Sweet Summer

We had a pretty low key summer. Which is never a bad thing.  The temps here in KY never did get very warm.  But when it did we took every chance we could to get in the swimming pool.  The kids love the water and I love to be a Sun worshipper!!! So it is a Win Win!!!

Maddie loves to play on steps and with her Barbie Dolls.  However she got some of Carter's wrestling action figures out and played with them as well.  Well actually they were Chris' when he was a youngster!  Who knew that Barbie and Hulk Hogan would be swimming together!

Just Floatin!

Yes she is her Mother's child!!! She said look Momma I am getting a tan like you!!! By the end of summer she was the cutest little Coppertone Baby!!!

Spending the day with our Besties at SomerSplash water park!!!! Maddie and Zaylee striking a pose!

When these 4 are together you can bet you will be entertained!!!! It may not seem like fun entertainement at the time, but I can bet we always look back and laugh on it!!! I love how Jessica and my kiddos are so close!!! Notice Carter and Zaylee's hands!!!! There is only 5 years between them...yes now it is a lot but on down the road.....well stranger things have happened!!! ;)

Glow Run for a Cure 5K

Our Relay for Life was this past weekend and on the Thursday before they had a 5K to kick start the event.  It was called Glowing for a Cure.  To be honest I wasn't expecting that big of a crowd, due to it being on a Thursday night and it really wasn't advertised that much. But there was a wonderful turnout!!!!! There was about 80+ runner/walkers, which is really good for our town.

I wasn't expecting any PRs, but I did better than I expected!! My official time was 27:44, so I was very pleased! And I was 13th overall!!!! With about a half mile to go, I looked over my shoulder to see if anyone was back there and about 30 feet back there one girl.  Coming around the townsquare with about 3/10s to go I could feel her gaining on me, I didn't want to go full power yet, as I rounded the last curve, I dropped the hammer (Chris's favorite saying) and went full Beast and I be darn if she didn't too.  We were hashing it out to the finish line. I am talking palms open, full stride, RUN!! She beat me by 1/2 second!!! After I caught my breath and saw that I wasn't dying, I went over and asked her if she was the one that just gave me a run for my money and she said yes, I said good race. I then asked how old are you, she replied 33, I just turned and walked off!! There went my 3rd place in my age group!!!! I knew that 1st and 2nd was tied up.  But I can't hang my head, I gave it my all, I had ran one time last week and gave it a 110%!!! This is one time I am looking forward to my birthday and turning 35 I will leave this very competitive age division!!! Especially since Jessica is now in my age group!! :)


Carter was the real winner, he placed 5th overall and PR'ed big time with a 24:51!!! He ran with one of our running buddies and paced the entire race with him!!!



Maddie ran the little Kid's 1/2 Mile Race!! She was super excited, but when I met her coming down the townsquare she was crying, her legs hurt, her hips hurt, etc!!! Oh the Drama!!!! She got a medal and all was good!!! My niece also ran the Kid's Race

My Momma and Sister also ran the race and my Momma won her age division!!!  Jessica was Beast that night!! She won first in our age group.




Maybe he will run with me someday, until then I will take him being a spectator and cheering us on!!!

My Partner in Crime!!!!!

I love this our girls!!!! Poor Maddie was crying, she said her hips and legs wasn't made for running!!!! LOL

9 Years Ago

Wow, has it been 9 years ago that I became a Momma!  Sure doesn't seem like it has been that long.  So proud of the handsome little man that Carter is growing up to be.  You have come a long way from that little 3lb baby to running a 24 minute 5Ks!!!!! How incredible is that!!!!

 I wrote a couple of blog posts a couple of years ago about his birth here and  here

At Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. 2 days old



Carter was 2 days old. First time I got to see him and really remember it and the first time I held him

 

5 days old



The day he came home from the hospital. I was bound and determined
he was going to wear that outfit! It was HUGE on him, but he wore it!

so tiny!!!!

first doctor's appt

10 weeks old, in the outfit he was brought home in

Long Time, No Write

Well Hello there!
I have been MIA, for very good reasons! Kiddos!!!! If you have kids you know exactly what I mean, especially if they are active in various activities.  Maddie has had her dance recital the last 2 nights and Carter had a ball game last night.  Thank goodness for grandparents, because they took Carter to his game while I was at the recital with Maddie.  Update on that later!!

Saturday we ran a 5K in Campbellsville at the Green River State Resort Park.  The race was called "I'm a Dam Runner" due to crossing the dam! This has probably one of my favorite races ever.  The course was super flat with just a small incline of a hill and the scenery was beautiful. Weather was perfect it was about 65 degrees and about half way through it began to mist rain, and it felt really nice! However hard on the hair!!! There was several people from our community that went and for some it was their first race ever! So proud of them for getting the courage to even sign up and participate.

My garmin said my time was 27:15, however the official times has not been posted yet.  I would have gotten 3rd place in my age group had they been rewarding 3 places, they only had 1st and 2nd, I am still raw over that one.  How I know you wonder, because I was about 5 steps behind the chick that got 2nd and had their been two more tenths of a mile I would have caught her!!! URGH!!!! This wasn't my fastest time, but I was still pleased, since it is only my second 5K of the year.  My Mom did get 2nd in her age group!! Woo Hoo GO Nana!!!  Carter placed at least 3 minutes ahead of me, I asked what the clock said as he crossed, his response "dunno", what was the placement on your card as you crossed the finish line "dunno" so who knows!! All I know is he beat me!!! I failed to look at the clock as I crossed because I was looking at my Garmin.

after the race with Carter and my Mom



My Road Dog!!! She was beast and pushed a stroller!!



With our wild and crazy crew!! Her son, ran his first 5K, huge accomplishment

for him, ran in 40 minutes!!! And little Priss rode in the stroller.



Some of the participants from our town.



Carter and his buddy!!!!

 ****official time 26:50*****

Ridin'

I am so proud of Maddie and her bike riding. She said one day she was going to learn how to ride her bike without any training wheels, and 3  hours later she was riding her bike without any training wheels!!! When she sets her mind set to something she is very determined!  She has now mastered the braking and turning.  At first she had to stop with her feet or walk it to turn around or a curve.  Before long she will be an old pro like her big brother!

Loving the green field and the beautiful Redbud trees in the background!!!

Long Run / Farm Life

Sunday was a long run day for Jessica and I.  It was such beautiful weather! We ran 8 miles.  We took it slow and didn't get in any hurry.  We said before we left that we just wanted to enjoy being outside and not worry about any time.  So it was a very slow pace, no 5k pace or anything.  However I ran in my new Mizunos and the longest run that I have done in them is a 4 mile run and these 8 miles rubbed 2 blisters!  I am hoping that they will heal very quickly!

After our run, I went home and we fed our 40 Holstein calves.  Chris and Carter are partners on the calves.. 50/50.  Yes Carter paid for half of the calves!  His 2 grandpas has either given him calves or raised him a calf since he was a baby and we have put the money in Interest earning CDs.  It was time for the CDs to renew so we decided to cash them out and really invest the money.  We asked him if he wanted to do that and after discussing with the Grandpas, they thought it was very wise decision.  It was a win win situation!  My daddy decided not to purchase any calves this year so we are using his land to run the extra calves on.  Usually we only purchase around 15-20 each spring, so this year they bought 40! Carter is in Heaven!!! He feeds everyday with Chris, wades the mud, poop and all.  He loves to doctor them!  He is always wanting to give one a shot!! Maybe he will become a Vet someday!!!!  Now Maddie....she likes to look at them from a distance!

 Carter checking them out!!! Probably wondering if one needs a shot! LOL

This is only part of them, the rest of them are in the field in the distance, you can see some little black and white dots!

Carter's First Buck

Carter is an outdoorsy kid. Anything that involves the great outdoors you better believe that Carter will be doing it.  He loves the farm life, anything to do with a cow, tractor, or any animal for that matter.  He loves nature; he explores the woods behind our house.  He loves to go hunting; any kind of hunting, coon hunting, deer hunting, etc. 

You can see some of his trophies behind him!

My Daddy has never smiled this much for pictures in his life!! ;)

                                                       
This past weekend was opening day of Modern Gun Deer Season in KY.  My Dad is an avid hunter. He has "trophy room" in his house where an elk, Mule deer, White tail deer, salmon fish, antelope, many antlers and soon a Brown bear "reside" on the wall.  He takes his hunting serious.  He has deer cameras in the woods beside where he feeds the deer in order to see what has been coming to his corn pile.  On one of his cameras there was a 10 point buck!  HUGE!!!  So I figured that is where he would be going on opening morning, but much to my surprise he went to the woods behind our house just so that Carter could go with him.  Ya see Carter is the only boy on my side of the family other than the son-in-laws.  I have one sister and she has one daughter and then of course Maddie.  So to say that my Daddy is "Carter struck" is an understatement!
Carter stayed the night with my parents so that they could get up bright and early to go and kill that deer!!!

While on my way to Nashville to run my 10 mile race, my Mom called to say that Carter had killed his first deer!!! A 6 point buck!!! She said that Carter was over the moon with excitement!!! He said it was going on his wall in his bedroom.  I am not overly enthused but I guess I will allow since he already has a raccoon skin, fish and a bobcat, yes I said a bobcat. My Daddy killed it in Mississippi and Carter begged him to let him have it and of course Grandaddy did!!