SMOKIN' INTO HIS 40s

 Cora had the brilliant idea to get daddy a new grill for his birthday (I suspect he mentioned something to her in passing, since she asked me about it months ago - thankfully I remembered). It arrived much earlier than expected, and in a very conspicuous box, so Jay got to open and assemble it well ahead of his birthday. No worries, now he can go SMOKIN' into his 40s! (I"m sorry, I couldn't resist. James and his love of puns has infected me in the worst way lately... The grill is an Acorn and it doubles as a smoker. Or maybe it's a smoker that doubles as a grill? Either way, it's very cool. And VERY heavy... Thank goodness for the wheels!)

 Complete! We can't wait for our first fancy meal. Nothing like a birthday present that requires continued work, eh?...

Cora insisted that we stay in the sunroom throughout the construction since "the gift was MY IDEA" and she wanted to keep her daddy company. She read us a book and all was well.

BARLEY'S ANGELS, NOVEMBER

 This month we just threw a meeting together and all brought a beer to share. I brought one of my favorites (Fire Ant - Imperial Red Ale), but the highlight was the Game of Thrones Take The Black Stout (not because I've ever even seen Game of Thrones, but because the beer was delicious - a special treat that Gaurav brought back for Lisa from New York when he was there for the marathon earlier this month). Oh, and I met one of our ERDC security guards outside of work. And she was exactly like Jay and I have always suspected underneath the uniform - wish we'd become friends with her sooner!

STRETCHING OUT THE SORENESS WITH THE SILLIES

 After Lego building,Skyping with Grambot and PawPaw, and lunch, we headed out to run some errands, then hit up the South Loop at the military park to stretch out our sore legs with our very silly kids (who badly needed to run out some energy!) The South Loop houses the Kentucky monument (just a little off the road, down a short trail) complete with an Abraham Lincoln statue (since James learned about him in school last month, he was interested to see him "in real life"). They ran and climbed while Jay chased them and tickled them (and I hobbled around after them all...) It was a beautiful afternoon and I was grateful for a little family adventure.

She's been very snuggly with James this week, but they really do need to get back to routine and have some time apart, as evidenced by the many moments when he wanted nothing to do with her snuggles (and less friendly advances) this past week! They really are adorable together most of the time though...

That blonde hair of hers, flying in the wind as she runs...

They decided that mama was moving too slow, so they all ran back up the hill to get the car at the end of our "hike", then drove back down to pick me up. They thought they were pretty hot stuff in the front seat for that 0.1 mile...

ALL ABOARD THE LEGO TRAIN

They finished their Lego train this morning, so we set aside one end of the kitchen table for Christmas Lego toys, which were quickly invaded by Endermen and Disney princesses...

BIG DOG TRAIL RUN 2016

 About 2 weeks ago we decided to sign up for Big Dog, after Jean graciously agreed to stay an extra day and watch the kids for us (so we could both run). Jay hadn't run in 4 weeks, but decided to register for the 10-miler anyway (instead of the 5-miler). Then he still didn't run. So by race day today he had been back to running for less than 1 week (after a 5 week hiatus due to a tweaked knee at Great Wolf Lodge) and had completed just two 4ish-mile runs. No problem, right? Apparently not, since he did just fine running the full 10-mile loop with Mack.

Jazz hands before the start of the race. Just a little bit excited. More nervous.

While Jay stayed with Mack (for company, for an easy pace, and to keep him safe - yes, we know he's probably fine out there solo with all his experience, but at age 72 it doesn't hurt to have someone with you in the woods, just in case), I ended up solo for my entire first loop. I got caught up in the wave of 5-milers at the start and was thus stuck in the line of faster moving runners for the first mile of single track before the trail opened up and I could step aside for a minute. Lee, Maria, and JP never caught up to me that lap though, so I just ran along at my happy pace (hiking the steeper hills) until I went through the start/finish area, where I took a break to search the car for my plantar fasciitis foot wrap... It had started to flare badly a couple miles back and ibuprofen wasn't helping. I couldn't find the brace though, so I had to head back out without it. JP and the girls caught me about 2 miles in (I had slowed down due to the foot pain, and because I was getting tired - Lincoln Parish Park is a very hilly course and it takes its toll on you after you hit double digits) and I ran with them through the mile 7 aid station (well, mile 17 on lap two). At some point between miles 13 and 15, I had tweaked my right knee, and by mile 17 it was hurting bad enough that I wasn't able to run long stretches anymore and could no longer keep up with them. Since I was out there, I had to finish (yes, I could have walked to the nearest road crossing and called Jay, but I'm stubborn and I wanted my 20 miles). I'm also smart enough to know not to make a "twinge" turn into an injury by running on it, so I jogged slowly and hiked as I was able for a mile or so, then basically walked the last 2 miles (there was a little running in there, but they took me 30 minutes, so clearly there wasn't much). My hips and ankles were aching anyway (soft trail is easier on the joints than asphalt, but 20 miles is 20 miles, and running downhill is pretty jarring), and my quads and calves were toast (again, the hills), so I really didn't care. I wasn't racing (myself or anyone else), so I was just concerned with finishing the miles and getting a good "time on feet" run before the marathon. Mission accomplished. I finished 6th female (and last female - ha!) and it took me 25 minutes longer than when I ran it 3 years ago with Sophie. The first lap took me 2 hours and 5 minutes to complete (a respectable 12:30/mile trail pace and the same time it took Jay and I to run the 10-miler two years ago) and the second lap took me 2 hours and 40 minutes (16:00/mile pace...)

It sure is peaceful and beautiful out in these woods...

The 4:15am wake-up call, 1.5 hour drive, 2.5 hour race (running his longest total mileage in at least 6 months), and another 2.5 hours waiting in the cold for me to finish meant Jay was one tired cookie by 1:00pm. He's a very good sport though, and smiled through a quick selfie before we hit the road for the drive home to Gramma and our babies.

Ruston, we love you, and we'll be back again - hopefully sooner than this previous stretch!

GRAMMA TIME

 The kids spent a LOT of time crafting and coloring and writing this week with Gramma...

 They spent even MORE time reading (to themselves, to each other, and by Gramma - James even convinced her to read him Goosebumps chapters during his baths... spoiled rotten!)

This is how they felt about mama and daddy being out of the house at work or running...

 Jean built them a tiny tent this afternoon and caught James reading Junie B. Jones to Cora:

GETTING IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

I caught Jean rearranging a few ornaments after the kids decorated the Christmas tree (no worries, if she hadn't done it, I would have), but for the most part it was their project (though they did set aside a few special ornaments each for Jay and I to hang, and daddy had the honor of placing the copper angel on top when it was finished). Cora insisted we add candycanes to it this year, and I admit, they fit right in with our hodge-podge of family heirloom, kid-crafted, gifted, and keepsake/souvenir ornaments. I missed us all doing it together with Christmas music and candles and hot chocolate, discussing where and when each ornament was acquired and why, so we'll make sure to do that again next year (and not decorate while Jay is doing his Black Friday brew and decorating outside).

We'll likely add a banner and some lights along the underside of the mantel, but we're loving the wreath in the clock's place this year rather than on the front door where we never see it!

All our white lights expired, so we decided to go with color outside this year and kept it simple (i.e. not line the entire roof line with Christmas lights like the past two years)

A different wreath for our front door. Cora cracked me up wanting to be in the picture pointing to it!

Getting started on the Lego holiday train with daddy and Gramma!

James wanted a photo showing the fireplace AND the tree, so here ya go!

We pulled out GG's quilt for the couch and Cannon was very pleased. He even slept on my lap for a while (unheard of with this normally just-out-of-your-reach kitty) in front of the fireplace (which Jude tends to sleep directly beneath, when she's not just sitting there staring into the flames...)

THANKSGIVING 2016

TURKEY RUN 6.354K

 We joined 15 ladies this morning for their annual Turkey Run 6.354K (they say they like to be different), which is not a race - just an excuse to get together for a fun tailgate after a good run (and before rushing home to get the turkey in the oven!) Even though it wasn't a race, we received a lovely set of chocolate coin medals upon completion. Yes, we later gave them to the kids.

 We knew at least half the ladies there (between work, the YMCA, and soccer), but Jay still felt awkward being the only guy (who ran - those old guys on the end simply manned the mimosa and poinsettia bar). In my defense, I had no idea it was a group of ladies who ran this event, since last year's group photo showed multiple guys in attendance... Oh well. He still got a plate full of delicious food and a couple of poinsettias to start his holiday off right!