Seabrook Lucky Trails Half-Marathon

I want to think of something profound to write about my experience of running the Seabrook half-marathon yesterday, but I just can't quite find the words. You see, the route ran right past my mom's house and ran on the Seabrook trails--trails my mom frequently walked on. The trail ran past the library that my mom loved and continued down to the bay that my mom loved.

My good friends April and Ryan (who are both awesome!) ran with me. We all spent the night at the house then walked to the starting line (how cool is that?).

It was an overcast cool day, perfect for running. As we ran past the house, Linsey, Matt Stutts, Tom, Braden, Garrett, and Ras (Ryan's son) were out front cheering. We stopped for hugs and to drop off our cameras and long-sleeved shirts. Just as we began running again, I heard a little voice yell, "Go Mommy!"

When we approached the bay the first time, I had a hard time fighting back tears. Linsey has shared with me that she feels closest to mom when she is at the bay, and I sure felt it that day, too. I felt mom's pride and her love, and that gave me strength.

Two hours and fifteen or so minutes after we started, we made our final approach to Meador park. Our cheering crew was waiting for us by the library. Braden broke into a huge grin and began to run with us. He ran, holding my hand, all the way to the finish and crossed the finish line with us.

We received our medals, our cheering crew gave us St. Patrick's day themed leis, and we paused for lots of pictures and hugs.Me and Tom. Greatest step-dad EVER!!!My sweet hubby!

My biggest fans: Braden, Cali, and Garrett.

Pirates

No time to write anything now, but I wanted to share these pictures. The boys and I played pirates today using the back of the truck as the pirate ship. Lots of fun had by all.

I'm a grandmother!

Garrett was just sitting in my lap as I checked Facebook. He saw a picture of a cute little baby girl. He pointed and said, "that's my daughter. Her name's Mookie. I love Mookie."

I'm so proud.

An update! While Garrett was in the bathtub, I found out the baby mama's name. I'm not sure how to spell it, but Garrett pronounced it Cah-lay.

The shock! The horror! The drama!

What a beautiful day today! Not a cloud in the sky, a light breeze, a warm sun...it is a perfect day for flying a kite, so that is exactly what we did.

First, let me set the scene: last weekend we went to a birthday party for Blake Graff. As party favors, they gave out kites. What a terrific idea! My boys played with their kites all week--dragging them behind their bikes, running with them like shields, and generally acting like boys. As a result, by Friday, the kites were done. Had it. Ripped to shreds.

Yesterday, I bought the boys new kites at HEB (for $1.99). I picked out a flag themed kite for Braden and a pirate themed kite for Garrett.

Today, we got the kites out in the front yard. Not enough wind.

We went down to the community landing at the lake. Good wind, but Garrett's kite fell in the water.

Then, I had a brilliant idea: we should go to the soccer fields! At Veteran's Park! It is open and breezy and perfect!

I called Dad on the way there (he's here from Washington DC because we ran a half-marathon this morning). Dad was at Academy, so he was able to get a very cool seagull kite (real wing flapping action! $2.49!).

The boys played on the playground waiting for Grandaddy to arrive. He pulled up. We put the seagull kite together. All of us walked out onto an open field, held the kites up to the wind, and immediately they launched. It was beautiful! A crisp flag, a bright pirate, and a flapping seagull blowing in the breeze. A bird began to fly near. We laughed!

We extended the string. We were brave. We extended the string even more. Gorgeous. I took out my camera. I dreamed of the scrapbook page I would make with all the beautiful pictures of kite-flying fun.

I carefully handed Garrett the string spool of his pirate kite. For about five seconds we were in paradise and then...
...Garrett let go!

Shrieking, we all chased after the spool as it zip, zip, zipped as the string unwound faster and faster. The kite flew higher as the spool momentarily hung up on the fence surrounding the dumpster. Just as I reached the fence and reached my hand up to grab the spool, it took off again into the air and then, as if in slow motion, flew right into the only tree around. It hit the tree about midway through the crown, but quickly jumped and skipped up the branches until the spool was caught on the very top branch with the kite flying straight up in the air miles away (maybe not really miles, but it sure seemed like it).

In the meantime, Braden's kite (the seagull), crash landed as he chased Garrett's kite. As it was dragged across the ground, the tip holding the cross bar fell off and the seagull was permanently disabled.

Braden burst into tears: tears for the pirate and tears for the seagull. Then he stomped his feet, and marched off to the truck, jerked the door open, climbed in, and slammed the door. I could see his crushed little face crying as he peered through the back window.

Garrett burst into tears: tears for his pirate. "Get it mommy!" he screamed. And then he stomped off to the playground where he promptly flopped down on a bench resigned to his kite-less life.

Our kite flying euphoria was short lived: 30 seconds in all, maybe.

Wrapped up in that 30 seconds were all the emotions of life: joy, hesitation, reckless abandon, carelessness, shock, horror, sadness, disappointment, and finally, comfort.

We came home, told the story to Daddy, and were able to laugh about it. Garrett went off to watch Dora the Explorer (for the millionth time this weekend). Braden set about painting the stepping stone he made yesterday with Grandaddy. I uploaded the pictures and began to blog. Grandaddy tried on his new Wranglers and boots.

Life goes on. Thank God, life goes on. Tomorrow will bring a new day, new adventures, new disappointments, but we'll be okay because life goes on.

Interview attempt #1

My friend Stormy had a great idea (that she stole from someone else) for a blog post and for a fun memory of her kids: She interviewed each kid with the idea that every year they will repeat the interviews and see how the kids grow/change, etc. Stormy's boys are each a year older than mine, and they are the cutest, funniest kids with very distinct personalities. I loved reading about Keaton and Tucker's interviews. At lunch today, I picked Stormy's brain about how to set up the interview to get optimum participation. I thought I was ready. I had the questions, I had the laptop, I had the kid.

I didn't have the participation.

Here's how Braden's interview went:

Me: "What's your name?"

Braden: "I'm not talking to you."

Me: "I'll get you chocolate milk if you do the interview."

Braden: "I SAID I'm not talking to you."

And then I gave up.

If you know anything about my oldest child, you know that he is the most stubborn kid on the planet. He must get it from the Stutts side.

I'll try the interview again in a few days--maybe with ice cream as the bribe. I think he'll talk for ice cream.

For your viewing pleasure...

Braden's first soccer game of the season was this morning. I was hoping to have new video to post, but alas, the camera battery was dead.

So, while the camera is charging, I'll post a video from a couple of months ago. This was a week or so before Christmas. My kids will hate me for it one day. You may want to mute the playlist player at the bottom of the page so that you can hear the audio from this video. Enjoy!

Heard at the Stutts house...

Braden was in one of his typical grumpy, emotional moods the other night. He was standing in the pantry, and Garrett was trying to gain entry to the pantry. Braden scowled and growled and made a kicking motion toward Garrett.

Garrett screamed, "Don't kick me!! I'm not a soccer ball!!"