and we decorated for christmas

2 strands of lights, 2 Nativities, 2 funny snowmen, 1 Christmas tree.

Turkey Days

We drove to DC for Thanksgiving & had some fun. Ok, a lot of fun. We stayed with Lexi & Lance & fam & really the time was too short. Drove in Wednesday night (after stopping in for some Cafe Rio) and drove out Saturday afternoon after the OSU vs Michigan game, & maybe another stop by Cafe Rio. It's just so good how could we help ourselves? Now for lots of pictures. Too tired lazy for words.

 how many nephews? wrestling with Uncle Jamey was their favorite

 my 1st Thanksgiving w/homemade cranberry sauce. ha

 turkey bowl

Abby did not care for her Uncle Jamey. loved me though

 

 the only pic I got of Lexi. at the National Museum of Natural History

basketball at the park

I'm a Rockstar

So I'm not usually a big gloater, but that has all changed today. I RAN A FREAKING 1/2 MARATHON. that's THIRTEEN POINT ONE miles. And because of that, I think I'm amazing. We drove to Indianapolis yesterday & met up with the Stroud's (pictures later, but they have them all and I couldn't wait, too happy). We went to the Expo, got some grub (typically I hear people carb load, but I had enchiladas and they were yummy). And then brilliant me I forgot my knee brace. We walked to CVS. Closed. So we hailed a cab to Walgreens. Yep! My 1st time in a cab. The Stroud's are great because they are so go-with-the-flow and non-stress that they are super easy to be around. And we got ice cream.

Woke up this morning, got ready, & forgot a million things. My inhaler, some energy beans, my earphones (got them from the car just in time). It was a traumatic start. But I found my girlfriends from my ward to run with in the nic-of-time (pictures of them are with them, so they'll come later too). Seriously, the bell had already rung & the crowd was a-movin. It was stressful. When I found them we were near the start line and I almost started crying from all the emotion. But I held it together. And then we ran. Oh we ran. And had a blast. I loved all the people on the sides and the cheering and playing. I figured if I was doing this then I was going to make the most of it. I stayed with the girls til mile 10 when they detoured for a pee break but I knew if I stopped I'd likely not be able to start again. And I was feeling good so I wanted to keep that as long as possible. We said adieu and I ran the last 3 miles solo. Coming up to the finish line, Jamey (who had finished his race an hour earlier) was right there to  greet me. I don't know if I was happier to see him or the finish line, but they were so close together that I'll never have to make that distinction.

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Jamey got me signed up for a massage. She asked where I wanted her to work and though I felt a little bad, my butt was so tight and she had hands of steel. AMAZING. HEAVEN. She also worked on my calf some but that hurt and I didn't want it, even though it needed it. I just wanted my butt rubbed out.

Thankfully, we got back to the hotel in time to shower before checkout. And then we all sported our Indianapolis Monumental Race shirts. I wanted to wear my medal around all day too but I kept the humiliation to a minimum for Jamey.

We got beanies, medals, and shirts. Isn't my husband good-looking? He's started growing out his Christmas beard. I like it. It's so long now that he's having to part his mustache. I like combing it out at night before we go to bed.

I never could have achieved Rockstar status alone, I never had the desire nor the motivation. Shelby put the idea in our heads, wanting Jamey to have a good 1st married birthday was the motivation, Sabrina was my voluntary running partner that showed me it could be fun and kept me pushing myself, and running with the girls today made it worth it (& that I basically ran into Jamey's arms, he made it worth it too - I love seeing that guy happy!)

Moral of the story, running a 1/2 Marathon does not make you a certified masochist.