RACE DAY!

Today I ran in the Knoxville Marathon Race. I ran the relay.... 4 of us as a team completed the entire Marathon course.

MEET MY TEAM! Me, Becky F., Lindsay and Chelsea!


Becky ran the first leg of the race, Chelsea ran the second, Lindsay ran the third (and longest leg), and I ran the fourth!
Becky came in averaging a 9 min mile! We waited for her at the relay tent (this is where we are in the picture above). We took a quick picture together because Becky had to leave us (she needed to get home). Then Chelsea took off. She averaged a 10 min (maybe a little less) mile. I heard from other runners that she had the HARDEST part of the race. Lots of hills! YOU GO GIRL!
Lindsay ran the third leg of the race. She ran 8 miles. She averaged 8 1/2 min miles! I was SO PROUD OF HER! She thought it would take her an hour and a half. WRONG... I was in the porta potty and then chllin' with Abel on my hip and there she was... waiting for me (OOPS... Sorry, we lost a few minutes there).
Then I ran the last leg of the race. It was a RUSH! I averaged a 10 min mile. I slowed down after about 3 1/2 miles to drink water and was having a hard time getting going again. Then I met a girl named Katherine. She was struggling as well so we finished the race together... encouraging each other to keep running.
I LOVED MY RUN... I got to run over the Gay Street bridge and then run right through Market Square. I finished my run with my team mates waiting outside of Neyland Stadium for me. We all ran in to cross the finish line together.
We ran the ENTIRE MARATHON (with 4 fresh set of legs!) in 4 hours and 18 minutes! WOOT WOOT!
(Above) - that's us running through Neyland Stadium. The finish line was on the 50 yard line.

Crossing the finsih line! BEST FEELING!!!!

It was celebrate the race day! We ate out with the Crenshaws for dinner. My friend Becky is the one who challenged me to do this on January 1st of this year. I am so glad she did! What a huge blessing!

Becky ran the half. She completed it in 2 hrs 13 minutes! Her husband Brent ran it as well. I am so proud of the Crenshaws!

My Talented Children....

I just videoed my kids... I got a kick out of the second video... and I LOVE the seriousness of Aidan's face in the first video...

So here is my Samurai and my Dancer :-) ENJOY

"hi, this is Addie... I am gonna show you some of my dance moves..."

Notice... the Samurai is still going in the background

Of course we have the dramatic ending... she hurt herself so she laid out like that. I love this kid!

One thing I realize is that the kids talk A LOT to each other. When the older two kids aren't around, Addie talks my head off! I LOVE IT. Tonight, her and Abel went with me to the gym. On the way home, Addie started her talking. She said "Sometimes people are mean to me." I said "Really? Like who?" She said "You.".... I said "What?" and she said "Like when you send me to my room... when I get in trouble". So I said "Addie, I am not being mean, I am disciplining you because you've disobeyed." She said "But mom... when I throw a pillow at Aidan's head, it's sometime a little hes fault". (I love the way she mixes up her pronouns). We went on with our conversation and then she started talking about her "love" Bruce (little Bruce Randall). She talked about how sometimes he hurts her feelings and I said "but you still want to marry him don't you?" She said "Mom... Let's not talk about that marry thing right now."

TO KNOW THIS CHILD IS TO LOVE HER! I wish you could hear her voice when she talks (oh you can on the videos above). She's five but she still has that baby tone when she talks. I want to pause this age. I LOVE IT.

DAFFODILS

In Texas it was Blue Bonnets... In TN it's Daffodils...

They are all over the sides of the Highway. I know in TX it is against the law to pick a bluebonnet. Don't know if it against the law to pick the Daffodils but they were pickin' before I could say NO DON'T ... ITS AGAINST THE LAW!

www.anceletphotography.wordpress.com

SPRING IS IN THE AIR ... and so is Lysol!

We have been SICK over here and I think I've sprayed my weight in Lysol around the house! Today the "germs have left the building!" ... or the house!
We were so happy to get out ... so happy Addie has to give Aidan a kiss!

These kids are best buds! Or partners in CRIME.

Our trees have bloomed. It is beautiful and stinky all at the same time! We have 3 huge Bradford Pair trees in our front yard and a Cherry Blossom. Can't wait for the Cherry Blossom tree to bloom... it is BEAUTIFUL!

Here's Aidan... hanging from the tree. YES... we went to Wal-mart today!

We got a pizza and headed to the park! We needed the fresh air and play ground.

Abel was laughing at Aidan. He always has a show going on in front of him from one of the kids.

It is Spring Break over here. We've spent the first half sick... I am not sure what the second half brings. I think we might try a trip to the Mts for the day! FUN STUFF. I'll keep you "posted".

FIRST LOVE...

The chase started like this....

Then it went like this....

How beautiful is Abel's little love ....

Precious Babies...

Yesterday I got to do one of my favorite things! TAKE PICTURES! Spring is around the corner and I am THRILLED to be back in business :-)

Head over to
http://www.anceletphotography.wordpress.com/
and check out the precious TWINS I got to take pictures of yesterday. I also got to take pictures of one of my dear friends little boy.

Just wanted to share!
Guess who I am photographing tomorrow??? MAYA woot woot!

and I am SO SHOCKED that my friend, Sondra, put me on her blog...
http://lebenphotography.typepad.com/blog/
I did a trash the dress session for Sondra. I got married 13 years ago so it was a HOOT to go out in a wedding dress. She bought a dress at David's for like $99 and it was my size so she asked if I would let her practice on me! HOW FUN! This was done back in August. I was so surprised to check out her blog a while back and see that picture. HOW CRAZY! Sondra is an AMAZING photographer and has been SO GRACIOUS to me. She's my photographer idol :-)