1 Year Later at the T-Rex Cafe

Monday Mitchell and I set out for KC to pick my parents up from the airport after almost an entire month of cruising and vacationing in Alaska.  We are all very glad to have them back home!!  Since their flight wasn't due until evening, we decided to make a day out of our two hour trip east.

After spending the day in Lawrence with my good friend Amy and her oldest son playing at the pool, I took Mitchell for a special treat...the T-Rex Cafe at the Legends!

While I'm not sure the food (and the elevated price tag that goes along with it) is worth it...Mitchell was very excited.  We took him there after his spinal tap almost exactly one year ago and this was the location where he started experiencing intense pain from the procedure so we had to cut our meal and visit short. 

What a difference a year makes!  Even though I was less than impressed with the food (and again, the price tag) seeing Mitchell experience the fun atmosphere still made it a great evening together.

The boys were also able to participate in vacation bible school this week and loved it!!! 

After yesterday's sweltering run I have now logged over 300 miles of running in 2012!  I think this picture of Collin below sums up how we all feel about the relentless heat right now.....

Running in the Kansas Heat

106.
That is today's projected high in Manhattan.  And what's tomorrow's high you ask?  107.  Yeah....

Needless to say the boys and I have spent lots of time at the pool in this heat!  But one thing is for sure, running in this heat and humidity takes on a life of it's own.

This year Chad and I will be running in Junction City again on the 4th of July doing the 5K race.  With highs similiar to the one's listed above and knowing what the heat index was when I ran outside this morning....I have no lofty ideas of obtaining a PR during this run. 

I continue to keep in mind that the summer heat and humidity means slower times/pace and that once the heat subsides and the humidity goes down, my legs will stop feeling like blocks of cement 1.5 miles into my run.  Training will start soon for my next half marathon and at the very least I will need to start increasing my distance for the upcoming Brew to Shoe in August.  The heat is on, but I am determined to keep running....even when it's 88 degrees at 8:45 a.m.

Another First

Even though we have lived in the Manhattan, KS area for nearly 9 years....we finally experienced our first Country Stampede on Friday night.  And as you might guess, the people watching was epic! :)

The weather was perfect and we were excited to see the Zac Brown Band in concert again as they are such a talented group. 

It was fun to spend an evening with a group from Chapman including the Ingram's.  I will miss my dear friend (and fellow counselor for the past 7 years) Shelly so much next school year!!!

120 Days

It's 120 days until the Waddell & Reed Half Marathon and to be honest, my weekly mileage has been pretty low.  But at least once a week Mitchell and I have been out on a bike/run.  He does great, and unlike last year where I would be pushing him up hills, he is now pushing me along.  This evening we did 3.5 miles around the neighborhood and as always, the conversation was hilarious.  We talked about serious things like when people are mean and how to handle it to zombies.  Like I said...it was a random conversation!

Soccer was an experience with Collin, but I am happy to report that he did make great progress! 

Collin still had his moments. Last night during some of the matches Collin chose to be a dinosaur instead of participating in one of the matches... but we are glad that Collin stuck with his micro soccer camp and I had fun playing in his last soccer scrimmage with him Wednesday night.

All in all.....we survived 4 and 5 year old  micro soccer camp and everyone still had a smile on their face!

North Bend

We celebrated our 11th anniversary this year in North Bend, NE at the Croghan Cabin.  Krista was having a party for her 40th birthday and we had a great day playing on the lake!

The boys love the water and they were even more excited to sleep in a tent with daddy for the first time.  We were wondering if one (or both) would end up on the floor in the cabin....but with a day full of swimming and excitement, they had a successful first camping experience.

Thanks to our good family friends the Croghan's for allowing us to spend the night with them in North Bend, NE and share in three special events.  Krista's BD celebration, our wedding anniversary and father's day.  It was a great weekend!

Our 11th Anniversary

11 years ago today, I married my best friend in Grand Island, NE.  Here's to our next adventures together!!!

Dirty

Just how dirty can two little boys get a baseball field?

 This was within the first 10 minutes of arrival at the ballpark last night!  I tried initially to keep him out of the dirt.  But really.... it was so dirty and dusty, the game hadn't even started and I knew I was fighting a losing battle.  So we went to the edge of the field where Collin could go wild and get dirty!

As you can see....EVERYONE was very dusty and dirty at the end of the game.  Mitchell had 3 great hits last night and the rain held off long enough for the Rockies to get their first win.