Memory Lane

I grew up loving Barbies. My sister and I used to play for hours with our Barbie and Ken dolls. Eventually the dolls were boxed up and forgotten, and I assumed they were given away a long time ago. So I thought.

As we were helping to unpack boxes at my parents' new house, we came across boxes filled with our childhood toys. Yes, Care Bears, Pound Puppies, Cabbage Patch Dolls, Sylvanian animal families, Little People, and lots of Barbies. Holy Smokes, I had forgotten about most of these!

So of course, I had to pull everything out and comb through it.

I was amazed at everything Mom had saved. 

 I can understand keeping the kitchen and living room furniture...

But the Travel Agency?  Yes, we had that, too. 

Because Barbie can do anything!

Not only had my saved the dolls, clothes and some of the props, she even saved the tiniest shoes, combs, and stuff that comes along with the dolls and sets -- Barbie-sized scissors, picture frames, plates and cups, and plastic food.

We have camping equipment (complete with camper), a Juke Box, nursery furniture, and more. (Alas, no Barbie and the Rocker stage and accompanying music cassette tape.) Niece Lilly will have loads of fun playing with all these things at Gramma and Grampa's house.

But we may have to explain what these outdated items are:

And as my Mom and I sifted through all the Malibu Pink paraphernalia, Adam comes in and plops himself down with us. After looking over all the toys he only had one question:

"Where are the cars?"

That's a boy for you. 

(But, yes, where are the Barbie cars? I was wondering that myself!)

Welcome Home!

Where do you go when you want to get away? Georgetown, Kentucky, may seem like an odd choice to you, but it's our new vacation spot. That's where we were last weekend, helping my parents unpack and settle into their beautiful new home. And while it was work and we were tired by the end, it oddly felt like a vacation. It felt like we were away.

Situated on 5 acres along horse pastures and rolling hills, how could you not feel at peace when you wake up to this?

The horses belong to the neighbors, but we get to enjoy them, too.

Finally the Elder Homestead is close enough to everyone now, with room enough for everyone, too.

Can't wait to come again!

Welcome Home!

When Pigs Fly!

If you'd have told me 10 years ago that some day I'd enjoy running half marathons someday (and even complete a full marathon!), I'd probably have said something like, "When Pigs Fly!"

Well, folks. Pigs flew. I became a runner, and every year Cincinnati hosts the Flying Pig Marathon Weekend, ironically. While I know it's named after Cincinnati's "Porkopolis" from the mid-19th century when the local meat-packing industry led the country, I prefer thinking that it's named for all those runners like me that never thought they'd be waking up at 4:30 in the morning to run 13.1 miles or more on a Sunday.

Welcome to the racing lifestyle!

I was thrilled that this was a destination race for 3 of my girlfriends who came in from Florida and Illinois for the race. Together we've run multiple half marathons, 5ks, 5-milers, and even a full marathon, plus countless Saturday morning long runs. Frankly, running is just all the more enjoyable with one of these girls by your side.

These 3 girls and my sister all signed up for the half marathon. It was my intention as well, but when the fatigue of the first trimester took me over, my training took a hit. I had to come up with another way to race without racing, and finally roped my other sister and two of her friends into a full marathon relay team. This way I could be a part of race day as a runner but not put my unprepared-self across 13.1 hilly miles.

Race morning we all drove to the race start and dropped off the girls. Michael had a relay team of his own and had come up with the genius plan (yes, babe, now I agree it was genius) of skipping the shuttles and being our own shuttle. When you take the shuttles you depart super early for your transition location which leaves you with a long, lonely wait until your runner shows up. Our personal shuttle worked brilliantly.

The girls still smiling in the first few miles.

We picked up two of Michael's teammates and also dropped off Bud, their starting runner, and we set off to the first transition spot. Michael and I both had leg 2.  Angie was running leg 1 for us girls, too -- a 7 mile run that took her into KY and back to OH and then up, up, up on a long climb. Naturally, Bud came through first and Michael took off on his run. We missed Kim run through in the crowd, but not too much later Angie came through with Christie, and instead of calling it quits after handing over the timing chip, that girl kept running! Christie and I ran together for 2 or 3 miles. It was fun to be racing side by side again! But, alas, then came the split where the Half-ers go left, downhill into the shade (it seemed), while us Full-ers turn right, up hill into the sun.

My leg was just over 5 miles, and when I handed off my timing chip to Runner 3, I simply made a quick phone call and met up with our "shuttle". Super convenient!

We had one last drop-off of Michael's brother for the boys' last leg, and then it was down to the finish line to meet up with all the half marathoners who were done by this point. Congrats, finishers!

There were several personal bests in the group, which is saying a lot since the course is considerably hillier than any running trails in FL or IL. They rocked it! I have to admit, I was a little jealous that I had not put in the miles myself and gone the full half marathon distance with them. There's always next year.

Angie, Sarah, Kim, Moi, Christie & Abby - with Adam and Brenna
My new favorite finishing photo!!

Worth mentioning --

• Angie ran leg 1 and then kept running, all the way to the Half marathon finish line! She had an (unofficial) personal record! 
• Our marathon team finished in 4:55:55... can I now say I've run a sub-5 hour marathon? 
• Special thanks to Sherpa Josh for watching Adam and keeping us updated on the girls' progress
• Extra special thanks to Gramma and Grampa for helping to watch the kids back home

And the tutus, I have to say, are a must for all future races!

Snow in May?

Cottonwood is something I've always heard mentioned in country songs, particularly. I don't know for sure that I'd ever actually noticed a Cottonwood until last weekend when the Cottonwood bloomed and made us notice. When the pods burst, it looks like snow in May, and the lawn looks like a bazillion dandelion seeds blew all at once and collected in our yard.

Here's the Cottonwood tree culprit, though I don't know if you can see the puff pods on the tree in this picture very well.

Good thing we don't have allergies.

Mamas

Every Mom loves the first time her baby says, "Momma." Then that little "Momma" becomes a sweet "Mommy," which I adore even more. But before you expect it, and it takes you by surprise, you are suddenly, "Mom." Just "Mom." How are we already seeing that transition at just over 2 years old??? I thought surely we'd have two or three more years of Mommys! I am really not prepared for this.

But call me what he'd like -- Momma, Mommy or Mom -- I'll answer. Any way it's spoken, it's still LOVE. It's still NEED. It's still WANT. It's still HOME and COMFORT and SECURITY. And no matter how old you are, the title will still hold that value when heard from my son or when spoken to my Momma.

Every day is Mother's Day, in a way. Every day there is a moment when you feel completely special and blessed and so very lucky to be raising this child.

But I have to say, I absolutely love the sweet handmade gifts that come with the occasion.  :)

Or the completely unexpected and beautiful gesture of flowers delivered to my house from my thoughtful Pop-Pop. {Thank you SO MUCH, Pop-Pop! We love you!}

And.... Next year will be TWICE as special for us when Adam is a...

That's right! Come November we're expecting Baby #2 and are SO THRILLED. A Happy Mother's Day, Indeed!

Happy Mother's Day to All Those Special Moms in My Life!

You are all So Beautiful, and what a blessing you are! Love you all!