Go Cats!

I love college football! But.... my alma mater is a basketball school. This is awesome and exciting and worthy of gloating (ranked #1!)... during basketball season. Usually we have to suffer through football season first.

Meanwhile, my best friend is an Alabama fan. We've learned to live with this and love her anyway. She's not just a fan, she lives Bama football, often traveling out of state multiple times a season to see her Tide play. When the 2013 SEC football schedule was announced years ago with a AL vs UK game in Lexington, she started making plans to come up from Florida for the game.

I didn't care that we had no real chance of winning this game. I didn't care that our seats were in the AL section surrounded by students (ok, by the end I cared a little). I was just so excited to be back at Commonwealth Stadium on game day!

I knew the game would be a blowout, so I felt pressured to make the tailgate a fun time.

I haven't been to a game in probably 10 years (if not more!) and was giddy just being in the stadium.

And better yet to be there with some favorite people.

We won't talk about the final score (but, hey, it was 0-0 after the first quarter!), and honestly, months from now I won't even remember the score or the turnovers or anything else about our loss.

But I'll remember our weekend with Sarah and Mike.

Thanks so much for coming up! 

It's Really Hard to Get to the Finish Line

A few weeks ago we signed up for a small 5k in Georgetown, KY, and Michael thought this would the perfect day for Adam's first real race. He's been in races before before as a participant, like the Fastest Kid in Town Race, and he's ridden others in the jog stroller. But this -- We're not talking a 1-mi kids' run or a 1.5 mile family walk here. We're talking over three whole miles on small 3-year old legs. By himself, no help from us.

We checked him in and he was the youngest competitor by many years, and only one of two kids in his 10-and-Under age category.

I took Sam in the stroller and set off with my sister, with Michael and Adam in the rear. I passed them just past the first mile marker, and he was still hanging in there.

Once I finished (certainly not a PR for me), I met up with Angie and walked back to see how our little guy was managing.

He and Michael had about a mile to go, and he had done it all on his own. He had done so well, and twice along the way told Michael, "It's really hard to get to the finish line."

As soon as he saw me and the stroller he wanted to ride or be carried, so Angie took Sam and I walked the last leg with them. We didn't pick him up. We didn't carry him. Every step he took on his own.

As we approached the last turn toward the finish line I wondered how he'd do if we asked him to run it in. I feared he'd be too tired, too whiney to run, or worse, start running only to trip and fall and cry and have to be carried across (because we've been there before on another kid race).

And then the time came, and he took off! 

Many of the other participants were still waiting around for the awards and cheered him as he finished. He was clearly so proud of his accomplishment. I heard one spectator say, "That's really far for a little guy!"

And, to make his endeavor even more special, he finished in second place in his division! He medaled!

And so did Aunt Angie!

And so did Daddy!

Three out of 4 isn't bad, right?!

Summer in the Cincy

Michael is really good about looking up local events and getting us out of the house for mini family outings. We've been known to pack up the car, load the kids, start driving and then look at each other and ask, Where are we going? We really enjoy checking off landmarks and events that this great city has to offer, like past visits to Findlay Market and Carew Tower, our annual Reds games and recent visit to the Basilica. As we are in the midst of a beautiful Fall here, I thought I'd look back at a few other summer events we shared Downtown this year.

Park along the Ohio Riverfront. Adam had to do the entire maze. 

Activities at movie in the park.

Burlington Flea Market

Special trip downtown to buy an official Cincinnati Reds ball cap.

It was a great summer, and although it all didn't happen in Cincinnati, it's still fun to remember the highlights...

It's easy to say goodbye to summer when Autumn is so gorgeous. Nothing beats Ohio in September/October (except maybe January in Florida)!