Grace's Amazing Race Birthday

Saturday we got to be apart of Grace's 13th birthday party, which was an Amazing Race birthday and one of the most fun parties we have been too!  Dawn had asked me to be one of the chaperone drivers for one of the groups which I was more than happy to do.  Who knew us adults would have as much fun as the kids did?!  There were 4 teams of 6 kids and each team followed their clues to complete challenges all around town, ending up at Grace's house here in our neighborhood.  My team was the green team and included Grace, Phoenix, Journey, Ramsey, Eliza Kate, and Kennedy.  Dawn and Westley had gone all out planning this party and it was so much fun.  We started at the church where the groups got their first clue which was putting a puzzle together only to have to flip it over to tell them where the next clue was.  After solving that our group was first to arrive at the Elementary school where Kelly & Kate were waiting to give the challenge and next clue.  The groups had to be tied together with a rope (around their legs) and make a lap around the track.  Since each group consisted of older kids and younger kids, it could be quite challenging to figure out the best and fastest way to get around.  I also got to snap a picture of Cohen with her group while we were there.  I loved watching her and it was a great thing she wasn't in my group because I know she was a lot tougher and less likely to whine or complain.

A Group shot before we started

My sweet girl ready to go

Challenge #1 

Trying to put the puzzle together again...this time to read the back

Challenge #2-LES track

Cohen's group getting started

Green Team coming back around...in the lead!  Ramsey had a lift from Phoenix but still had the rope on :)

Each team got $1 after making their lap and with that had to go buy gum, take it back to the church with a receipt to get the next clue.

Kennedy & Ramsey running out with the gum

This time they had to "go home and sing the song with the line "I don't care if I ever get back".  I thought this would stump a lot of them but my group was quick to know they needed to go to the ballfields and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame".  I videoed them singing & then we were off to Shawn & Nat's house.  There it was the hardest challenge for everyone.  They had to cross a roped out "river" with 3 boards and 3 blocks without falling in.  So it took a lot of thinking to figure out how to get across.  The blue team who was last to arrive was first to leave because they got across first.  Here is the green team trying to figure it out.

They got across at last by going so far on the boards and then jumping to the "bank".  Next clue was unscrambling the name of the place to go which was Morgan's Hardware store.  They had to go to 2 spots in the store to find the next clue which sent us on our way to Harbin Lumber company.  We almost beat Westley there even though we were slowed up by a slow driver.  These kids were screaming for me to pass them--in the turning lane that is, in the middle of town!  I had to explain how illegal that was and that we were already pushing it! haha!   At Harbin's the team had to have 5 team members nail a nail into a board-straight that is :)  At this point the green and blue teams were neck in neck.  It was starting to get nerve wrecking!

going through the hardware store

Nailing away

From there we made our way to Carnegie Library to find the sign that showed the year the library was built, which was 1911.  They had to take a picture with the sign, so while I kept the car running at the stop sign they kids jumped out and would have to take a selfie.  Both the green and blue teams were finding the sign & taking their pictures at the same time!  Once they jumped in the car we sped off headed to the finish line, blue team hot on our trail!  Since Lavonia's festival was Saturday we had more traffic to deal with than normal and when I got to the stop sign in town there were cars coming from both directions and turning.  This would really hold us up so the kids let the window down and yelled to get a man to let us pull out...the winning move I call it. haha!  This allowed our car to get right in front of the blue team since they had turned to avoid that busy stop sign turn.   We must thank that nice man for letting us out!  We headed back to Gillespie Estates going faster than I would normally drive and still being asked by the kids to go faster! haha!  I had to let them out at the front of the subdivision and they had to run up to Grace's house.  It was a race between green and blue teams to the finish line but the green made it first!  Yay green!  Hard work and mad driving skills do pay off!  I think every team came in on 2 wheels with us chaperones on edge just like the kids.  It was a lot of fun though and Dawn & Westley did such a good job.  I know Grace and all her friends loved it!  A fun way to turn 13 for this special girl for sure and we were so glad to be apart of it!  We love you Grace!!

Taking it all in at the finish line!

This cutie did so good!  I was so proud of her for hanging with the big girls & boys!

a trophy &100 Grand (aka chocolate bars) for the winners!

Night of Neon Run

Friday night was a fun night out with the girls!  We completed our May 5k run at the Night of Neon run at East Jackson High School.  It was great weather and of course we had fun being together.  This race it was Dawn, Stacey, Jennifer, Keaton and me.  We were missing a couple out of our group but we will hopefully find another run for all of us soon...while I can still run!   This race had age group winners and I actually won my age group!!  Woo hoo! Not too bad for a pregnant girl with way more extra weight than I would like to admit!! (and yes there were more than 3 people in it!) That was the question from our supportive hubbies, can you believe them?! ;)  Dawn was 2nd in her age group and Jennifer was 3rd...a good night for us mamas!  Keaton (Jennifer's son) was 1st in his age group too and was actually 12th overall.  I think there were 100+ runners so he did an awesome job.  I don't think any of us will be catching him any time soon.  It was a fun night for a girl's night out which we always love.  I'm looking forward to our summer night runs like we had last year.  With only 2 weeks left of school I see them starting very soon!  We also have to get our June run in the works which is harder to find than we thought, but we will keep looking and having fun running in the meantime!

All Finished!

Winners!!

almost 17wks!! 

16 Weeks!

This week I had my 16 week check up.  The appointments are pretty quick.  These next few appointments are just to make sure everything is going ok, check my weight, blood pressure, and baby's heartbeat.  Everything is looking good!  Any day now I should start feeling those little movements.  I'm really looking forward to this because if I'm going to look pregnant and see all these out of control changes happening, I want to get rewarded with those little kicks.  It becomes a little more real too :)  The nurse actually felt the baby move against the monitor that she was listening to the heartbeat with but of course I felt nothing.  Baby is always good to move around for us at the doctor though.  The heartbeat was a strong 144.  My mama had gone with me this time and of course Kate!  I've decided to try to get a picture of me and Kate at the doctor since she has been my faithful companion at all of these appointments.  Not the best picture but I want to remember having her with me!  She is the sweetest thing at all the appointments and she gets so excited to go "hear the baby".  I have my big ultrasound in a couple of weeks so maybe we will have baby pics to show then.

I have to share some funny pictures of Kate from this week.  Both yesterday after the doctor's appointment and on Tuesday I had some shopping to do.  Kate of course still loves the mannequins in the stores and is adamant that I take her picture with them at the store...every.single.one.  Usually I take the first picture for real and then pretend on all the rest.  These are the 2 we took this week.  She really liked the little girl mannequin at Old Navy...just her size!  She cracks me up!

Also, last weekend was our April 5k.  My girlfriends and I have made it our goal to run at least one a month so we barely got one in for April.  I'm still glad just to be able to run and not have any issues.  Sometime in my pregnancy with Kate I started to hurt when I would try to walk so I'm praying that I can keep it up as long as possible this time.  I never ran until after I had Kate so maybe that will make a difference.  We will see!   I love running with these girls and now that it is starting to feel so good outside it helps a lot!

Easter 2014

We had such a fun Easter!  The day is always so busy that it leaves me wishing we had Monday to do nothing but we managed just fine.  I was looking forward to seeing all our family and having some really delicious food!  And that is just what we did.  The girls were both excited to wake up to see what goodies the Easter bunny had left for them in their baskets.  Then we got ourselves all ready to head to church.  We had a great time at church.  Instead of Sunday School we have a family celebration time so we could eat breakfast, have a small worship time, and make crafts with the kids.  Everything was great and Cohen has told me this week how much fun she had at church on Sunday.  Miss Angie really goes all out!  After church was an egg hunt for the kids.  It was separated by age group so I didn't get a picture of Cohen with her group but I did snap some of Kate.   She has really enjoyed hunting eggs this year!  She knows just what to do and with every egg she picked up she would shake it to make sure there was something in it.  After the egg hunts we had a family picture at the beautiful cross!  We do this each year and this year it was so pretty.  Everyone brings flowers for it and with Easter being later this year there were so many pretty flowers on it.  We were all thankful for the sunshine that came out too!  It was the perfect way to start the day and to really look at that cross and know that Christ is Risen!  What a sacrifice that I hope we never forget!

putting flowers on the cross

So proud to show me her egg

After church we made our way to Athens to Nana's house.  We always look forward to getting together with everyone there and have such a fun afternoon together.  We all get to catch up with each other and the kids can play.  Nana has the best porch and I always look forward to the weather warming up so we can sit out on it.  I love it!  The girls had fun playing in the yard and of course hunting more eggs.

Our one picture together taken in the car!

Doesn't she look thrilled to be taking another picture!? 

The great grandkids...group attempts are priceless!

Cohen & Savannah wanted to sit in the tree

Kate wanted to be like the big girls but once she was up there she didn't like it so much...hence her excited face!

We left Nana's a little after 4 and made our way to Suzy's house for more Easter fun and more yummy food.  This pregnant girl was in heaven with all the food!  The girls enjoyed another egg hunt and even got some quarters in their eggs this time!  I was happy to see those instead of more candy!  We had to have more group pictures with Nanny too.  This was little David's first Easter so we had a new great grandchild who had to be introduced to all of our photo opps!  He was precious just like the others!  I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend the Easter holiday.  We are blessed!

Great Grandkids...#1

#2

Grandkids!  I think our last picture I was pregnant with Kate so we were due another!  

One story to share that I couldn't possibly forget...Cohen was so excited to give me an Easter present. She had worked on it days before Easter and had even got a gift bag out to put it in.  After church she made me run inside the house to get it so I could open it.  She made me melt!  Inside were the sweetest little gifts...her picture album of Kate when she was born, a rubber band bracelet she had made for me, a note saying "best mom ever", a picture of Jesus on the cross (with some very funny details but so sweet), and $36 that she had got from her own money.  It was the most precious thing ever.  Later that night I put her money back in her wallet along with her picture album since she needs to hold onto that but it was so sweet.  Here is a picture of everything in my gift bag she gave me :)