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.

Peter breaks out of jail!

Well, Peter sort of broke out of jail.  Okay, not really.  But he did participate in an obstacle race called Jail Break.  It's not really a race because it isn't timed but it's a 5k with a bunch of obstacles.  (Think the much easier version of Tough Mudder but rougher than a 5k.)

Joe, Britt, and Peter all did it together

Waiting to "break free"

They ran it with a bunch of our neighbors - Chris, Jake, Melissa and Clint

Peter talking to Max when he was at the start line

I had all the kids with me and walked around with Mary Ann, who was nursing an injured foot, while we tried to capture pics of them doing the obstacles.  She got some - I just haven't saved them on my computer so that I could upload them.  Sorry, you miss out.

It was hot, there was no shade when the sun came out from behind the clouds, and I stunk at keeping the kids entertained while we waited for everyone to finish.  Good times! :)

Video - Maxwell enjoying the music they played and having fun counting down the runners.

Emmalyn in our stroller for the very first time.  Such a big girl.  She was a happy camper for quite a while.

Maxwell wanted to take a picture of us.  Good job, bud!

I adore that tongue and those sweet crossed feet

My crew.  I was not fully prepared.  I ended up putting a shirt on the ground and sitting on it.

Part of the group (including the Ray's son and his friends)

These boys got DIRTY by choice.  The last obstacle was in the water and it was cleaning everyone off so these dorks rolled around in the mud so that they'd be dirty before they ran for the finish line.

Good job Peter!

Maxwell didn't want to touch daddy and get dirty

Here comes Brittany.  I am so proud of her!  She did the whole thing!  There's no way I could have done it in the shape I am currently in.

Goofballs

Cheers

We went to Costa Vida for lunch afterwards

My son hasn't met a pair of sunglasses he didn't love

How fast can YOU climb 52 flights of stairs?

Me, Hayden, and Max's double chin - Ha!

Want to cheer Max up?  Give him some stickers.

Another lunch at Britt's where Max slept the whole time.  Don't you love his socks?

He finally started feeling better last night and that has changed everything.  It's HARD to have a baby who doesn't feel good.  It's hard on them and hard on you.  It's been so nice to have my happy baby back who smiles and laughs instead of cries and screams.

He can now point out eyes, ears, tongue and teeth on pictures of people and some animals.  He said sticker today - I had no idea he knew the word!

I have been taking him to a gym class for toddlers.  Most of the time it has been me pushing him to try things and he hasn't been very interested, adventurous, or independent however this week he finally started to get more engaged.  I look at what some of the kids his same age are doing, and he's just not there yet.

He is starting to be able to pick up some food with a fork.  Mostly scrambled eggs. And can use a spoon when eating something thick like yogurt.

If you bend down and ask for hugs, he will run at you full force with his arms outstretched and then when he reaches you, he will wraps his arms around you.  It's fantastic.  I love it!

You never know what you are going to get when you get kisses though.  Sometimes they are closed mouth kisses, sometimes they are open mouth kisses, and sometimes his tongue is there too.

He really follows directions well, which is nice! 

Silly faces

Everybody smiling!

Max cuddling into his momma

Max on the 23rd of January:

• Even though he's feeling better, Max isn't all just sweetness.  He has started throwing tantrums which include screaming and hitting.  Joy. 
• He calls me Kallie lately more than Mom/Momma/Mommy. 
• He is GREAT at letting me wipe his nose.  It's never an issue and usually he stands there waiting for it to be wiped.
• He has been sleeping until 7:20 am which means he's been sleeping for 11 1/2 - 12 hrs each night.
• I'm not sure if he's going to be left or right handed because he uses both of them frequently.
• He loves eating plain yogurt and also loves Oatmeal Squares cereal.

Don't those pants look so stylish? 

Yeah.  They aren't pants.  They're shorts. 

Being a big kid sitting on the trike.

Sweet boy, boring socks.

Silly!

Not quite sure why he was wanting to eat the furniture.  Teething?

I'm sure you are like, what does any of this have to do with the subject of this post?  It's doesn't other than these were some pics from that week.  NOW...to the fun part of the post.

Peter's work, Ivie, sponsored a race.  However, it's not a 5k race or anything like you are used to.  It's called the Big D Climb.  And it's 52 flights of stairs and 1,040 steps.  You can check out their website here.  It's done downtown in a really pretty skyscraper called Fountain Place.  Peter asked me if I wanted to do it with him but I was chicken.  I've never climbed 52 flights of stairs at once and wondered if I really could.  When we go on cruises we make ourselves take the stairs and if I have to do 7 or 8 flights, I'm huffing and puffing at the top.  How in the world could I do 52?!

So I wussed out but he didn't. 

The day of the race (1/26/13) was cloudy so when you looked up towards the top of the building, it got all cloudy.  In fact when we were driving in, we couldn't even see the top of the building because of the clouds.

Before the climb.  I couldn't get Peter and all of the building in one picture.

The top of the building (yup - he's going all the way to the top!)

We hung out in the crowded lobby waiting for his start time.

Because of tight quarters at the top of the building, you couldn't go meet your racer at the finish line.  You had to meet them back in the lobby.  So while Peter raced, we made him a sign.  We had no idea how long it would take Peter to do this so we came prepared to wait a while.

Peter was back before we knew it!  He finished in 12 min 13 secs!!!!!!

He smashed it!

Way to go, Daddy!

His whole group.  He's in the very top left.

I asked him how it went.  He said it was good until about flight 40.  At that point his legs were pretty weak and he, along with those around him, were using the railing to help pull themselves up.  I think what he did is pretty amazing.  52 flights of stairs!!!!  Nearly 12 minutes!!!  That's less than 15 seconds per flight!

After the race we went to a little cafe for a celebratory breakfast.  Max was a BIG fan of the homemade blueberry muffin.

Good job, Peter!  You are awsome.