C is for Cousin

It is also for crabby-pants, but we are not talking about Bill today (just kidding babe, love ya).

Today was the Cole family reunion and luckily Bill, Evan and I were in town. It is so fun to see Evan, Payton and Bailey grow and play together. And, Bianca is the best big cousin ever. I can just see her taking care of (and bossing) the little ones for years to come. I'm going to quit talking now and show you guys the pictures because they are so much better than anything I could say.

River trail running

Because I have the best mother in law in the world, Bill and I were able to exercise together this morning. It was so nice to have some alone time with him even if it was at 6:30 in the morning while running 10 miles. Life is about multi tasking these days.

Bill and I hit the Little Rock river trail. He rented a bike from river trails bike rentals, the people there are awesome! I can't wait to rent bikes there again.

The trail was as great as I remember. 10 miles went by so fast, even if the final 3 were hot as ever. Below are a couple pics from the run. Don't worry about Bill's face in the first one. Despite what it may look like, he was extremely excited to be biking this morning at 6:30.

Life just got a little sweeter!

I know I'm probably behind the times, but I just realized blogger has an app. This means I can blog from my phone and thus hopefully blogging will be a little easier and I will be able to post more. Good for me, sucks for you!

Bill, Evan and I are headed to Little Rock for the weekend. Driving in the new car is awesome! However there are rules. For starters, there is no eating in the new car.

Clearly our only option was to stop at Cracker Barrel for a chicken salad sandwich and blackberry cobbler. I only realized a couple weeks ago that I even like blackberry cobbler so I feel like I'm trying to make up for all the years I have missed out on this delicious food.

Do they make banana cobbler? I'm thinking that banana cobbler with peanut butter and vanilla ice cream might be what is served in Heaven.

Bill, shockingly, ordered a cheeseburger. Evan was mesmerized and I'm predicting he will be eating burgers like his dad by this time next year.

Lets get colorful!

It turns out that paying $45 to have someone throw colored chalk on your while you are running in the summer heat can be quite fun.  As you know (if you are keeping up with my ramblings), Ashley, Bill and I ran the color run this past Saturday.  We had to wake up at 4:00 a.m. Saturday morning to pretty up.

Blues Brothers 2020

It was still dark when we left OKC.  We left about 5:30 after stopping at McDonalds for coffee.  Bill said he didn't want to spend the day with me if I only have 4 hours of sleep and no coffee.  I am not sure why, I think I could be completely pleasant under those circumstances.   

Post coffee smiles (Side note - thank you Dr. Debbie for cleaning my sparkly whites)

We arrived in Tulsa about 7:00 to pick up our race packets.  The race website said race day is crazy and it would take a long time to get your packet if you choose to pick up the day of the race.  Note to The Color Run - 5 minutes is not a long time and a ten person line is not crazy! Needless to say, with the first wave of the race starting at 8:00 and us being toward the back, there was plenty of time for lounging. 

We met up with my friend Linsey from lawschool who for some reason wanted to join our crazy crew.  God help you Linsey. 

   

The race was pretty small. I think there was only about 10 other people running. 

Traditional prerace photo

The Color Run is unlike any other 5K I have completed, both in good and bad ways.  On the one hand, you are constantly entertained, it is fun and time flies by.  On the other hand, there are no time clocks or no control over whether runners start before walkers.  Basically, extremely unorganized.  That is why I am not claiming fault for the three people I ran over with the jogging stroller while running and weaving through the crowd.  WALKERS TO THE BACK.  I kid, but seriously I wish they would have had walkers on the right, runners on the left or something.  It was impossible to run the whole thing even if you wanted to. 

 The color stations were similar to getting into a fight with about 500 lbs of colored chalk.  

In each racing packet, you get a packet of chalk to throw at the end.  We threw some of its on each other.  

True story - probably 2 -3 times throughout the race I did not recognize Bill because I thought his hair was blond.  

Evan post race 

Ashley really wanted a picture of us jumping in the air.  This is the closest we could get.  Don't be jealous of our sexiness.

Race Stats:

Date: June 23, 2012

Time: 8:00, although I am sure our wave started way later 

Weather: not to bad for June

Course: I have no idea. My mind was too preoccupied with COLOR

Overall:  race and course organization could have been better (walkers to the right), but definitely worth the experience

Race 2

 After cleaning and decoloring, we headed to Which Wich for lunch and Pink Swirls (frozen yogurt) for dessert.  In other words, we continued the lets-do-everything-Jodi-loves-because-she-said-so theme.  We then rested up and prepared for 5K number 2. 

 Evan especially was excited to cheer on mommy and aunt Ashley.  Or maybe he was excited at the prospect of watching mommy collapse from cramming too much activity into one day.  Either way, he was excited. 

my mom is crazy.  She also fed me brussel sprouts, but more on that ridiculousness later.  

Bahahahaha.  I convinced everyone to do what I wanted all day! 

Seriously in denial about the heat, exhaustion, and the general age of our bodies.  

As you can tell, the race was small.  I like the big fish, small pond approach.  Don't judge. :) 

Pre race photo

The race started off fast.  My watch flash a 7:00 minute/mile a few times and I think it might have been laughing at me.  Within a half mile, we got a lot more realistic and we settled into a comfortable 8:00 pace, which we stayed at for the first mile.  Miles 2 and 3 were a little slower, around 8:20.  I blame the heat, the time of day, my general physical shape, and the chafing happening in between my post pregnancy thighs.  I also didn't want to make this guy look bad by getting beat by two girls. 

We crossed the finish line in 25:40.  Didn't quite break 25 as we hoped, but we gave it our all, didn't puke, and received first and second place in our age group.  Every other 25- 29 female in OKC apparently has a life on Saturday night. 

Joking aside, I loved running two 5Ks on the same day.  I would do it every weekend if I could and if I didn't think Bill would find new friends.  That's the great thing about racing.  Every time I toe the line, I think why in the heck are you doing this, it is going to suck so bad if you fail. And, every time I cross the finish line, I think what do we have planned for next weekend?

Race Stats: 

Date: June 23, 2012

Time: 8:00 p.m

Weather: Hot Tamales

Course: easy, flat out and back

Overall: Nothing special about the course or race, but certainly was fun for a Saturday night.  

Will Travel for Color

It is 6:30 here in good ol OKC and we've been traveling for over an hour. Oh the things we do for a little bit of color! What better thing to do when traveling than take self portraits? I know, you're welcome. Also, you will have to wait until I'm at my computer because I don't know how to upload on my phone. Or look on Facebook. If you are not on Facebook, perhaps you should join the 21st century. (not you, dad. Stay where you are, you are just fine). I barely got any sleep last night I was so excited about today's racing activities. Lack of sleep always creates a sarcastic, aggravating Jodi. Racing and sarcasm, could the day get any better? It also makes me clumsy, more clumsy than usual, which is why I will be starting to the color run with my white shirt stained brown thanks to a coffee spill this morning. Or as Bill said, it looks like the baby pooped on you! It's not my fault, they are the ones who let me wear white. The goal for this mornings run will be to get as much color as possible. This evenings run, the goal will be 8:00 pace. There, I said it. Out loud. My Legs just cramped in revolt.

Color Me Crazy

Let the weekend of running fun begin!  My friend Ashley is in town visiting this weekend and what better way to celebrate than running!!  Tomorrow morning we will be up bright and early for the Tulsa Color Run.

As crazy as this 5K is, outfits were in order!  We spent Friday evening in the 80s time capsule that is our outfits!

He's obviously a hard worker!!

Taking a Stroll

Yesterday, Evan had his first experience with riding in the shopping cart.  Only Bill's child could figure out how to making shopping car riding look so cool.

Sitting up quickly became boring and a nap was in order: 

I haven't finished my coffee and therefore it is a completely ridiculous request for you to ask that I turn this picture right side up before posting it.  Please rotate your head.

Happy Father's Day

One year ago today, I remember giving Bill a children's book for Father's day.  I took time to write a letter to Evan about his daddy and how lucky he was to have Bill for a dad.  I was so excited about what the future held for us and was eager to see Bill take on the dad role.

Fast forward one year and Bill is a better dad than I could ever have imagined.  Bill has become very patient with Evan, taking time to teach him new things every day.  Not to mention that on weekends, Bill changes twice the diapers that I do, and that three to four times a week, he get up with Evan before the sunrise so that I can run with friends.  Perhaps most importantly is that Bill does twice as much around the house as he did before Evan was born, which was practically everything anyway. :)  I could go on and on, but in short, I am just so thankful for him!!

We had a great day today.  Church sponsored "summer days" with a fun family activity after service each Sunday in June.  Today was exotic animals.  So fun!! How many of you have ever rode a turtle??

Yea, well, Evan probably wouldn't have either if his mom wasn't so crazy!

 As you can tell by these pictures, Bill is the adventurous one.  I preferred to use Evan as my shield from all potentially dangerous animals.  So brave, I know.

No, the wrinkled shirt has nothing to do with the fact that I am a new mom and everything to do with the fact that I am me. Do we even own an iron?  I'm not sure, ask Bill.


After church, lunch and a nap,  Evan and I decided to give Bill a couple hours to have the house all to himself.  In other words, we were kicked out. (only kidding, it was voluntary. sort of.)  We hit up Hafer park and after getting the necessary exercising in (aka me lugging a stroller in 90+ degree weather for 30 minutes), we stopped for a rest to watch the ducks.

I didn't think far enough in advance to bring bread, but did find a piece in the dirt that I used to lure the ducks closer so that Evan could easily see.  I wish I were kidding about digging in the dirt.

Last stop was the swings.  This kid loves to swing.

I think he was hoping for a nap while sunbathing and his mom pushing him for 45 minutes.  What he got was 10 minutes in the swing and a nap in the car.  I'm so generous.  

After the park, we made a stop at Menchies, a new frozen yogurt place that I haven't had a chance to try.  I think these frozen yogurt joints put crack in the yogurt.  I haven't been to one since last summer, went two weekends ago, and here I am addicted.  

We got home just in time to bath up, cook dinner and watch the OKC Thunder.  Whew, what a day!