Color Run = Miserable Run

It was finally time for the color run.  We had originally signed up to do the color run a year ago but it was rescheduled twice due to being rained out both times.  Since it was rescheduled for Memorial Day Weekend, we got the Kenyon's to sign up with us.

Well, it rained the night before and so we were partially expecting it to be cancelled again but it wasn't.  Instead they said that the parking at the site of the run was all muddy and so instead we needed to park in a parking lot and would be shuttled to the site of the run.  They recommended coming early since everyone would be shuttling in.

When we got to the parking spot, there were HUNDREDS of people in line and only 2 shuttles running.  It was HOT, HUMID, and awful.  There was no shade and we all just sat there.  Waiting.  Barely moving.  We grabbed a couple umbrellas from the car for shade for the kids but unfortunately didn't have enough water.  I had brought some snacks that we rationed for the kids.  The poor kids were just so bored and tired of standing.  We did everything we could to keep them entertained but it was just so HOT!!!

Seriously, it was miserable and we waited for hours in the peak heat of the day.  The parking lot had no water or restrooms.  It was horribly planned and there was no staff there.

At one point, I started feeling nausea and I think it's because I was starting to get heat or sun stroke (I'd been trying not to drink any water so that there was some for the kids).

So after hours we finally are about to get on the bus and rumors start circulating around us that they have opened up parking at the run site.  So the boys decide to not get on the bus and instead drive the cars to the site so that when we are done with the run we don't have to wait to get back on the shuttle to come home.

Getting on the bus was great because it wasn't as hot as waiting in line but the buses stunk from all those sweaty people!!

At the color run unfortunately things didn't turn around dramatically.  The set up was small... there wasn't a ton of vendors there.  They had bounce houses but you had to pay to use them and there were supposed to be food truckS but instead there was just one.

They were trying to have people start in waves but we were so OVER IT that we wanted nothing to do with waiting any longer.  So we started off without a big burst of color.  The site of the color run was just a big field.  There was no paved path.  Instead we were running in hay fields that had been recently cut.  The path was sort of marked with cones.  It was extremely uneven and so trying to push the stroller on the dirt was awful.  I ended just cutting across the field with Emmalyn but it was a serious work out because it was so uneven and I was trying to avoid ant hills.

The older kids had taken off running and Maxwell followed them out of site which had me freaked out so Peter took off after them.

There were no refreshing water stations.  At one point we happened upon a barrel filled with cold Dr. Pepper so we grabbed some just to put against our hot faces.  (Eventually there was *1* water station that served warm water.  Awful!)

We did have a little fun throwing the color from our packets at each other and got messy.  We stopped for some pictures and to get the group back together at about halfway through the run. (Really it was only a quarter of the way through because to do the full length of the run you would do the course twice.)

Maxwell and Natalie

Landen, Natalie, Maxwell, Makenna, Hayden

Natalie tried to pick up Emmalyn and she wasn't having it

Covered from head to toe

After we took pictures, some of them took off to finish the route.  Michelle and I and a couple kids had no interest in walking through the hay/weeds any longer and took a short cut for the finish line.  Well, Maxwell who was super excited about the run didn't want to take a short cut so Peter went with him.  He stayed interest for just a short while and then was tired but unfortunately they were too far out at that point to really do a short cut anymore so poor Peter who was already hot and drained had to carry him.

We survived!!! 

There was live music and other things going on after the run but you couldn't pay us to stay any longer.  When we got to the cars we worked on brushing off as much of the color dust as possible but it was incredibly messy.  I was irritated because right at the finish line some punk kid took a handful of the color and threw it right at my chest  - - well, I had PILES of it down my bra.  SO GROSS.

We didn't bring clothes to change into so instead we changed the kids into their swimsuits from the splash park earlier today.  

Seriously, this was the worst planned event ever.  I got onto their Facebook page and roasted them.  I complained about all of the horrible parts of this event and recommended that no one ever give them money to participate in this thing ever.

Want to know the icing on the cake?  The next day we realized that some of us had chiggers from being in the field.  (So glad none of my family had chiggers.)  So the pain and irritation of this "FUN" event stayed for days.  I think Richard will be probably be complaining for years.

To try and turn the day around, we stopped for snow cones on the way home.  That was delicious.  We were so tired and ready for showers that we made dinner at home which was a bummer.

Thanksgiving 2012

Thanksgiving was a fun day!

We started out the day burning some calories.  Peter and I went to run in the Frisco Turkey Trot with our 5k buddies - Jessica and John.  This time we both left our babies with family so we could focus on running.  It was a GOOD thing because the race was super crowded.  It actually was irritating for all of us.  There were tons of participants and we started towards the back of the group so we spend most of our run dodging people that were walking and baby strollers. 

Despite all the dodging, we each beat our time from the July 4th 5k!  Peter REALLY killed it.  I ran the first 2 miles without stopping - that's the best I've done yet.  I wanted to run the entire thing but the dodging thing really broke my focus and ability to just get in the "zone" so I only made it to 2 miles.  It was still my best time ever.

Peter's Time: 25:20
Kallie's Time: 41:57
JESSICA's PICS

After the race and picking up Max, we went home to prepare for the big meal.  We were eating at Brittany's again this year.  I made my usual rolls, Peter made Pumpkin Pie (lots of pressure considering what happened last year).  

Happy Thanksgiving from our family!

Ready to party!

My cute sister, brother-in-law, and nephews!

The meal - Brittany does an amazing thanksgiving meal.  She is so talented at cooking and graciously shares that talent!

Peter crashed after the meal.

It's hard to truly relax when you've got a one year old crawling all over you.

Big kid!

Video - Max busting a move to some Michael Jackson.

He LOVES his Aunt Brittany.

Showing off while enjoy Peter's yummy pumpkin pie.

My pretty rolls.

Yeah!  Thanksgiving means it's time for Christmas lights.  I wasn't planning on doing lights but the guy who cuts our lawn asked if I was interested in having him hang the lights and he offered to purchase them and everything.  So, all I had to do was write a check.  EASY! and it was worth it.  I love how they look.  It's our first time ever doing real Christmas lights outside.

It was a great Thanksgiving.  We didn't play games like usual because I wasn't feeling too well and we called it a night early.  We figured it was because I wasn't properly hydrated after the run and then didn't eat other Thanksgiving dinner.  Once I had some Gatorade and got some electrolytes into my system at home, I felt better.

Celebrating Max's first 4th of July

We got up early on the 4th of July to go run in a 5k race.  At 7:30 it was already over 80 degrees. I have to remember that the summer months are NOT the best time to do 5k's in Texas.  (And who in their right minds picks a route with a big hill at the END of the race?!)  We did the race with our friends Jess and John (and C).  Mainly we saw them before the race and after the race.  They were faster during the race than we were.  :)

Max is all ready to go

Kinda sleepy

Peter's ready to crush this thing!  Okay, not really.  He was a good husband and stuck with his slower paced wife.

It ended up being a good race for me.  I beat the goal I'd set, which made me happy.  Especially because I thought my goal was aggressive based on my limited training.  Max was a trooper and was happier than last time but that was probably because Peter fed him bread throughout the race.  Our time was 44:16.

It was hot at the end of the race but we found some shade and visited with our friends.  We enjoyed Gatorade and yogurt while we recovered.  Max enjoys yogurt so he got most of that.  :)

Yogurt face

Family picture - whoops, Max got shy

There we go!

We went home and enjoy hanging out together for awhile.  Then for dinner we went over to Brittany's house.

Sneeze!  Right when Momma went in for a kiss

Max is playing catch.  This is him about to "throw" it.  He will tilt his hand forward until the balls rolls out of it.  So cute.  :)

Hayden's crazy face!

Landen's crazy face!

Max enjoyed some watermelon for dinner

Ahhhhhh dinner was amazing.  Brittany made BBQ chicken (with Grandma Nelson's fantastic BBQ sauce), baked beans, corn on the cob, watermelon, and garlic bread.

 After dinner both families headed out to FC Dallas stadium for soccer and fireworks!

We had GREAT seats on the side of the stadium that doesn't face the setting sun which helped a little with the temperature.  The bad part of our seats was that #1 we were close to the loud speakers and #2 every seat around us was filled with screaming, excited fans.  These two things meant that our great seats were horrible for Max.  I bought wax ear plugs for his ears but they didn't work and kept falling out.  So every time something was said over the loud speakers or the crowd cheered (i.e. screamed), Max was terrified and would cling to us and scream.  It was so sad.  :(  I felt awful that he was so affected by it.  To be fair, it was past his bedtime.  Eventually I just nursed him and he fell asleep.  When he woke up later in the game, he did better with the noises.

Scared, crying Max

Landen, Britt, Hayden, and Joe

Peter, Kallie, Wiggle-Max

Note the kid in the row in front of us with the pink hair?  Max kept trying to grab at his hair.

After the game they did firework.  It was a fantastic display!  We watch these firework last year but from outside the stadium.  It was fun to be inside the stadium this year.  Unfortunately the fireworks terrified Max again.  He kept turning to look at them and then would get scared again.  He was so scared he would grab onto you and try to climb up you in an effort to get away.  Again, eventually it was so awful seeing him scared like that without being able to calm him down so again I resorted to nursing.  Thank goodness for that!!

:(  Poor scared Max

Watching a little bit

He crashed as soon as we got in the car to drive away.  It's hard because I want him to be able to experience some things that require him to be up past his bedtime but on the flip side I feel bad keeping him up when I know he just wants to go to sleep.  If I was a better parent, I guess I would stay home so that could go to bed and just plan on doing these sorts of things when he's older.  But I'm not a better parent.  I still want to feel like we, not Max's schedule, have control of our lives.  So what ends up happening is most of the time, the schedule reigns.  But we do make exceptions!