why grow

movie night

2010-09-26T20:40:00.002-04:00

stella & dot atlanta trip

2010-09-26T20:32:00.002-04:00

first day of school

2010-09-26T20:28:00.000-04:00

t-rex sized birthday celebration!

2010-08-16T16:12:00.000-04:00

owen's 8th birthday party...nick hotel!

2010-08-16T15:11:00.002-04:00

williams syndrome walk

2010-08-16T15:00:00.000-04:00

geocaching day

2010-08-16T14:55:00.000-04:00

mary poppins sing along at tampa theater

2010-08-16T14:48:00.000-04:00

ballerina girl

2010-07-14T15:44:00.000-04:00

sleeping beauty starring our very own kenzie!

2010-07-12T15:38:00.000-04:00

4th of july treasure hunt

2010-07-11T15:31:00.001-04:00

museum day

2010-07-10T15:13:00.001-04:00

s'more fun

2010-07-09T03:01:00.000-04:00

4th of july

2010-07-08T15:30:00.001-04:00

cherokee time

2010-07-08T15:13:00.000-04:00

snails in nc

2010-07-08T15:01:00.000-04:00

captured by galina promotion

2010-06-13T19:46:00.000-04:00

I cannot thank my good friend Galina enough for the beautiful portraits from our Stella & Dot session. Our two little beauties made the perfect models for our newly launched Little Girl Line available now!

Captured by Galina is an exclusive baby, children and maternity photographer who offers fresh and distinctive portraits and photography for the modern Tampa bay family. Galina is a Tampa photographer known for her bright and vibrant baby and children portraits created on location using entirely natural light. She serves as a preferred child, babies, newborn and pregnancy photographer for Tampa areas

...and for my fans, friends, and customers, Captured by Galina is offering this phenomenal promotion.

Book a session with Captured by Galina, bring your Stella & Dot jewelry (little girls and/ or moms) and receive a FREE 8x10 portrait ($70 value). Visit her website at http://www.capturedbygalina.com/ for session details and to see previews of recent sessions visit her Facebook Fan Page at
http://www.facebook.com/CapturedbyGalina.

summer cake!

2010-06-11T19:30:00.000-04:00

last day of school...headed to 5th, 2nd, and preschool soon!

2010-06-11T19:21:00.000-04:00

school house rockers!

2010-06-02T09:01:00.000-04:00

Stella & Dot Little Girl Model!

2010-06-01T08:56:00.000-04:00

medieval meal

2010-05-31T14:43:00.000-04:00

in celebration of wyatt's humanities studies of medieval times, he and his friends made medieval cherry torte! it is said that they were actually good (and totally kid made).

special delivery

2010-05-30T21:06:00.000-04:00

owen was so excited when the door bell rang and a package was for HIM! special delivery from paty and bonny...chocolate covered fruit to make him feel better!! so thoughtful!

broken

2010-05-29T20:56:00.000-04:00

well, i have always dreaded it happening, but the day has come. hopefully NOT a first of many. owen broke his radius and ulna bones in his forearm of his writing hand. culprit: soccer ball! he cannot wait to have his friends sign his cast! not too happy here though!

celebration of wyatt's learning-4th grade

2010-05-29T14:35:00.001-04:00

celebration of owen's learning-1st grade

2010-05-28T14:30:00.001-04:00

owen's wheelies

2010-05-27T02:18:00.000-04:00

simon's favorite spot

2010-05-26T02:16:00.002-04:00

slime time

2010-05-25T14:30:00.000-04:00

for a fundraiser at school, students that raised $20 for the american heart association got a great chance to slime coach jared...here is how it played out:

easter day

2010-05-25T14:16:00.000-04:00

egg dying

2010-05-25T14:06:00.000-04:00

easter is full of tradition...dying and hunting for eggs and of course throwing one off the second story balcony to see a big SPLAT!

boat and island day

2010-04-16T16:33:00.000-04:00

fresh & healthy

2010-04-14T18:35:00.000-04:00

visit galina's blog at www.capturedbygalina.com/blog. good luck!

golf classic

2010-04-08T06:21:00.000-04:00

colonial williamsburg

2010-04-07T06:12:00.000-04:00

dc...presidential family!

2010-04-06T06:53:00.000-04:00

dc--flag ceremony, memorials, and family fun!

2010-04-05T06:34:00.000-04:00

dc spring break trip...day 1...cherry blossoms and kite festival

2010-04-04T07:40:00.000-04:00

wyatt's XTREME 10th birthday!

2010-04-03T07:32:00.000-04:00

happy birthday sweet maggie june!

2010-04-02T19:32:00.000-04:00

great shampoo for free

2010-03-23T07:00:00.000-04:00

this is the shampoo i use for the kids...organic and smells GREAT! right now at publix there is a coupon attached to the bottle to try for FREE!! check it out in the shampoo isle!

Stella & Dot Launch Party

2010-03-22T06:20:00.000-04:00

thanks to all my sweet friends for coming over for Stellatinis and jewelry fun! thanks too to my mom, dad, sister, kids, and todd for being supportive and making the evening go smoothly. here are some pics of the event:

renaissance festival

2010-03-15T10:49:00.001-04:00

every since i was a little girl, i have always loved going to the renaissance festival. not sure if it has something to do with the fact that it is always right before my birthday, the spring weather, or just the querkiness of it all, but i have always enjoyed it. todd gets a little creeped out which i can understand, but i always like a nice day with the kids. the highlight this year was by far the heckling tomato toss...wyatt actually hit him a few times...todd and owen not so much :) grace made a fairy wand with mother nature and got to go on a royal horse ride. food was not as good as i remembered, but the dedication of the local costumes sure was impressive (even a little scary!!).

date night find

2010-03-10T14:45:00.000-05:00

it seems very fitting that todd and i found this on our date night last weekend...i just love it...it definitely sums up my life and all the wonderful things i have in it! hugs and kisses to my sweet hubby who makes everything possible in my life!

marching forward

2010-03-06T07:09:00.000-05:00

i wish i was able to walk in indiana with my sweet friend tracey in the march of dimes. she is walking (8 months pregnant no less) in honor of her niece emma, our precious anna, and for all all babies this upcoming april. please support her and the cause by visiting her tiny sprouts fundraiser webpage. also, this year she will be offering a matching tiny sprouts gift certificate for any donation made. if you donate $25, she will send you a $25 gift certificate to tiny sprouts. you have a year to use the gift certificate from the date of donation and you must pay by credit card or paypal in order to receive the gift certificate.

tracey has been so supportive in my time of need, so please support her amazing effort! she is a wonderful friend!

young love

2010-03-03T17:01:00.002-05:00

i was searching through some old papers and came across this picture of me and todd from highschool...i could not stop laughing. todd and i are thinking of framing it and displaying it in our house :)

stella & dot

2010-03-02T14:28:00.000-05:00

i am so excited to launch my new business! my sister and i are now independent consultants for stella & dot jewelry! check it out at http://www.stelladot.com/ and tell me what you think! tell me your favorite piece!

snack in style

2010-02-24T06:45:00.000-05:00

the other day grace came downstairs giggling and said "mommy, come see simon!" here is what i found when i went into her room...simon sitting down for a snack (what a tolerant little guy!)

lightning thief

2010-02-16T07:14:00.000-05:00

the excitement began months ago when wyatt and his friends learned that the first book in their favorite series "percy jackson and the olympians" was being made into a movie. when the day finally arrived last friday, the kids could not contain themselves! they had an afternoon of their favorites...gamestop, lunch, and friends finishing up with the movie! he was so tired after the 12 hour day (yes!) that he almost fell asleep on the ride home that evening. here is to hoping there is a sequel!

outwit outplay outlast---kenzie's 10th birthday

2010-02-15T05:47:00.000-05:00

superbowl sweeties

2010-02-14T07:09:00.002-05:00

cheerleader hair

2010-02-13T19:24:00.001-05:00

grace is not a huge fan of letting me do her hair, especially not liking me to put it up. the other night i blew it dry for her after getting out of the bath and asked her if i could put it up like a cheerleader? she looked at me, ran to get her outfit and pompoms, and came right back ready for her hair to put up. of course then she immediately had to go show daddy!

valentine's day skating party

2010-02-13T19:09:00.000-05:00

ice-ees, videogames, friends, and a bit of skating made for a great party for the boys. no couple skating for these guys though---in the words of owen "that is just wrong!"

bridesmaid bunco

2010-02-07T09:05:00.000-05:00

this month's theme...always a bridesmaid never a bride...lucky for me i have been both and had an assortment of dresses to choose from. the night was complete with seating assignments (bunco style), cake cutting (cake in face with caprice and kendra), first dance (luz and herself), and even a champagne toast! did you notice the three girls that bought 3 dresses to match! heather came last minute...in jeans...vegas wedding style!

sweet simon

2010-02-03T13:07:00.001-05:00

our little kitty is just SO tiny. he slept for the better part of the first few days we had him...just like a newborn baby does resting in any position he is in. now his is getting a bit bigger and is playful and curious. he is so sweet and tolerant :) we just love him.

playroom

2010-02-01T05:19:00.000-05:00

though our kitchen is not complete, i love to start thinking of ideas for the playroom...it is in desperate need of some TLC. i actually plan to put a larger chalkboard than this one in our kitchen, but you can never have enough chalkboards i say. sad thing is by the time we are able to focus on the playroom, the kids will be too old and we will be having to make it into a teen lounge.

new sparkle for her step

2010-01-31T06:36:00.002-05:00

new ribbon

2010-01-30T06:41:00.001-05:00

grace was SO surprised when she received a medal in gymnastics. at the end of each month, the teacher will award any student if they have completed all the requirements and are ready to move up to the next level. i watched grace hopeful as the teacher brought the award at the end of class. she was so anxious to see who it was for and was SO EXCITED when she realized it was for her! what a great surprise! off to the 5 year old class :( growing up fast!

two girls with bows

2010-01-29T06:38:00.001-05:00

newest addition

2010-01-28T06:36:00.000-05:00

owen is a lover of animals...any animal. lately, he has been ~~begging~~ asking for a new kitten. you see, the boys alternate nights of sleeping with marlo so that is leaving half of the week sleeping catless :) he was specific. he wanted a little boy and he wanted to name him snickers. i could do the boy...snickers not so much. the deal was made so mommy always gets to name the pets since i am such a name snob. name still being narrowed down, but here is our new little cutie. he is PRECIOUS!

newest addiction

2010-01-26T17:08:00.002-05:00

with the ability for multiple players to work together at a time on the new, exciting levels, the mario brothers have definitely invaded our home. as of today we are only on level 3...update soon!

monster jam!!!

2010-01-25T01:55:00.002-05:00

barnyard beauty

2010-01-24T13:54:00.001-05:00

couch potatoes

2010-01-23T09:34:00.000-05:00

well now that wyatt received his best (early) birthday present ever, a new laptop from cappy bobby and gommy, this probably will be the scene for quite awhile...or at least for the better part of this morning. this week wyatt began his video game programming club at school. they utilize mit designed software that allows young designers to program using a building block online system similar to legos. we got up early this morning to get him his own email address so look to your inbox for an email soon!

baby bears

2010-01-22T13:24:00.002-05:00

http://www.wildearth.tv/static/wildearth/channels/we_bear_den.html

Lily gave birth this morning! Watch live here!

free enterprise (well for $16 per student)

2010-01-17T06:23:00.005-05:00

i am a huge believer in active and hands-on learning and enterprise village is probably the best example of this. for many weeks, the 4th and 5th grade students have been busy preparing for their day on the "job." wyatt learned to write a check, balance a checkbook, the process of business and free enterprise, and the importance of savings, charity, and responsibility. he was required to choose a career, fill out a job application, and complete a job interview. though he did not receive his first choice position of supply clerk at mcdonald's, the position of advertising agent at the newspaper was very fitting. we arrived at the village and went straight to work. the business manager needed to go to the bank of america to get a loan. upon returning from the bank (which was about 30 feet away across the "courtyard"), an employee went and purchased supplies and doors opened about 20 minutes later. after the first shift, the "bookkeeper" handed out paychecks which the students would take to the bank to deposit. they, then, could go shopping (for real) on their break at all the local shops (bic store, cvs, sweetbay to name a few), get a check up at the hospital, visit the dali museum, or view a movie. brighthouse networks visited each business and delivered a remote control. upon turning on the t.v., we found the students that worked at hsn selling products live on air. students could visit the printing store to get an i.d. badge and then could stop by the bucs shop. we could call on the phone that was hooked up to request a song at the radio station. the lawyers worked busily on several cases (mcdonalds was being sued since someone slipped on a pickle) and the mayor worked on his speech to deliver the results of the voting done during the day. the recycling company visited and the charity came by to deliver and then pick up the collection cans (i was so proud of wyatt---he donated 4 times!). as ad agent, wyatt visited every store manager and sold ads. he then delivered the ads back to the newspaper for editing and printing and he had to go back to collect payments. the best part for him (even with tired legs) was walking around selling papers at the end of the day. 25 cents gets you all the days news. it was a great position for him. i was assigned mcdonalds for the day. i was able to help the 4 students assigned there sell and distribute snacks and then lunch (mcnuggets, burgers, cookies, and milk). wyatt loved coming by and purchasing a fanta. it was like free enterprise disney world! it really was a great day! cannot wait to do it with owen! he too wants to work at mcdonalds. we will see in a few years!

back from WORK

2010-01-16T18:22:00.000-05:00

two weeks of substituting with 20 2-year olds and then coming home to a house full of kids and a hubby does not leave much time for blogging. so here i am, back! i loved all the sweet baby hugs and love i received each day and now am happy to be able to be back to hugging on my sweet little ones. thanks to my mom and dad for all their help with grace. here is some of owen's fantastic work that came home with him friday!

wyatt's first you tube video

2010-01-02T15:30:00.000-05:00

ringing in 2010

2010-01-01T16:34:00.000-05:00

we ALWAYS love celebrating new year's eve at home. we always start with a gourmet, home cooked meal with all our favorites followed by some outside fun...fireworks in the driveway and then a neghborhood walk in the dark. this year we added mario kart on the wii, scrabble, sorry, operation, and strawberry shortcake memory to our list of to-do's. we finished up with an-almost-midnight snack and then around 11:30 they started to nod off to sleep. they came so close. todd and i carried them up to bed then watched the spot in times square where we had just been a few weeks before. the last decade started with a bang. the first 5 years gave us our precious children and the favorite years of my life thus far. the second part took our sweet anna leaving us devastated. hoping the next 10 years are magical and full of happiness. if hard times must come, may they be only ones we can endure without broken hearts. may our children experience days of wonder, smiles, love, and pure joy. here is to a happy new year and new decade!

santa does home visits

2009-12-26T06:45:00.002-05:00

santa comes by tractor

2009-12-25T05:42:00.000-05:00

sometimes all it takes is a friendly neighbor to make the holiday season merry. "come over for some carolling" we were told and we arrived with three bundled children to a tractor and a "santa" pulling a trailer full of hay to take us through the neighborhood. covered in blankets, we all sang merrily (and a little off key). happy holidays to our neighbors, friends, and beloved family!

polar express

2009-12-24T06:27:00.002-05:00

just the 5 of us we rode "solo" this year on the express train to the north pole. todd and all the kids were lulled to sleep on the ride back home. i hated to wake them, but we had to get back to "sunny florida" to times of holiday preparations!

holiday show

2009-12-23T05:09:00.000-05:00

festive schooling

2009-12-22T06:01:00.000-05:00

owen was very tolerant for the school field trip to see the "nutcracker." it definitely did not seem like a first choice for a first grade boy. he just seemed happy to be with his best buds! wyatt's 4th-8th grade group had a gingerbread house making contest followed by a catered lunch from olive garden (i am sure the highlight being soda at school). each of the groups creations were very different ranging from piles of sugared destruction to perfectly crafted traditional houses to horse drawn carriages. wyatt's eccentric group did "a view from above" taking a different approach where one would look at it from a top view down instead of looking at it face on. i think that some of the decorations were gradually being eaten by the students though...as time passed the houses started coming down!

girly reindeer magic

2009-12-21T09:51:00.004-05:00

did you know all santa's reindeer are girls? grace was very happy to hear that tid bit from her zoo class about reindeers and to spend the morning with her buddy alex! check out our lawn christmas eve to see ALL the reindeer magic we will be putting out--we are loaded up with tons of sparkly glitter to attract them!

generations in new york

2009-12-21T06:14:00.001-05:00

as our trip came to a close, the goodbyes filled my heart and were difficult, even though our paths all headed to the same destination and we would meet again within a few days or weeks. our vacation felt as if time stood still. we could enjoy each other and each moment. there was time for conversations and even moments of quiet and calmness. home feels so rushed as if we are in fast motion. i am trying to slow down, breathe in each breath, and take in each moment. thanks to my grandparents and parents for an unbelievable time together!

sunday morning in nyc

2009-12-20T06:09:00.001-05:00

straight to battery park to catch the ferry to liberty island to see the statue of liberty! it was a great time for our group. the kids ran on the grassy field below the statue and the weather was so cold. after our liberty tour, we visited ground zero (which words cannot even begin to express) and then to a long lunch in little italy! sad to say, trip is coming to a close :(

saturday night in nyc

2009-12-19T06:05:00.001-05:00

we came out of mary poppins to find SNOW! it was GREAT especially walking by all the shops and restaurants playing christmas music...it was a white christmas for us that evening. we walked times square and then to the HUGE toys r us store! we were SO cold walking home...owen and grace literally were FROZEN and blue, but it was worth it and memorable. stopped at our little friendly deli across from our hotel for pizza and then to a warm bath and bed. tomorrow...lady liberty!

supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

2009-12-18T05:58:00.000-05:00

please please please...adults and children...if you have the chance...see mary poppins! it was fantastic! absolutely amazing! not sure if i loved it so absolutely much because the girls were so excited to see it or if it truly was just my second favorite broadway show (nothing will EVER top cats for me). the stunts and music were GREAT and mary poppins was just fabulous! grace was SO excited she could not contain herself. i was shocked that she did not sing all the songs...i think she was just so stunned! it was so super-califragilisticexpialidocious!

saturday morning in nyc

2009-12-17T05:50:00.002-05:00

onto another highlight and wyatt's favorite event of the week...museum of natural history. wyatt's current love of dinosaurs could not have taken him to any better locale that here. we honestly could have spend a year full of days exploring our way through each of the exhibits. but, we eventually had to move on...next stop broadway!

tea at american girl cafe (still friday)

2009-12-16T05:08:00.002-05:00

tea on friday was an absolute highlight. from the hairband napkin ties (to take) to the chairs and tea service for the dolls to the delicious birthday dessert for hadley, it was all fantastic! the best part was spending the hour with 4 generations of family members! it was spectacular.

video from santa for kids!

2009-12-15T19:34:00.000-05:00

http://portablenorthpole.tv/watch/b53ed7308d7c70b5f8508d23d72736d1

friday's lunch

2009-12-15T04:47:00.002-05:00

on friday, my grandparents took our entire group of 18 to lunch at tavern on the green. the restaurant was beautiful and had the most amazing bisque...mmm mmm good! then off to walk to american girl for tea!

nyc day 2 morning

2009-12-14T04:41:00.000-05:00

we got up early friday morning to head down to the today show. had awesome bagels at dean and delluca and then hit the nintendo world store. saw some paparazzi and some stars on our walk to tavern on the green.

arriving in nyc

2009-12-13T16:34:00.003-05:00

after arriving at the hotel, we headed straight out. to lunch at mickey mantle's, walk in central park, took a $2 ride on the carousel, and then off to fao schwartz toy store for some playing. grace ended up getting a beautiful madame alexander dorothy doll. she decided to use all her souvenir money to get it. owen found a puppy lab to roll around with in the park. day 1 was a great success. we found a great little place across the street from our hotel which allowed us to grab pizza, drinks, and quick breakfasts easily...delicious food at great costs.

"blasting off"

2009-12-12T06:12:00.000-05:00

this was the kids real first plane trip (wyatt and owen have flown before, but not that they can remember). just before take off, grace asked if we were getting ready to "blast off?" then once we were up, she asked when we were going to do the loopty loops. they were all brave and excited. owen's ears hurt during descent, but overall they all did great. so all was well...until the airport. at the luggage turnstile, we waited and waited and waited for my last piece of luggage. so, when only one piece of luggage was left circling again and again, we finally realized that our luggage must have been mistakenly taken by someone else. a lengthy report followed and our luggage was returned about 12 hours later...rummaged through with several items missing (thankfully small). so after the airport it was off to the hotel to meet up with our waiting group! let the fun begin!

trip of a lifetime

2009-12-11T06:36:00.002-05:00

as most of you know, my grandparents took our (almost) entire family on an unbelievable vacation to my favorite city-NYC! get ready for DAYS of pictures...i think i have about 1000 stored at this point. none of us wanted to return home...it was a great escape...life stood still and we were able to just enjoy.

taking his turn

2009-12-02T11:45:00.002-05:00

every year we must rotate who places the topper on the tree. this year it was owen's long awaited turn (and yes we are all aware that next year it is grace's turn!!). we always have

done an angel, but owen has year after year asked us to use a star. so this year it was owen and it was a star!

a hot mess

2009-12-01T06:54:00.000-05:00

wyatt, over break, was able to do a volcano project for his science course. he already had learned that hot magma with low silica content moved quickly through the volcano, but little did we know that heating the vinegar would cause a HUGE volcanic explosion in our kitchen!! adding the silica (sand) was not as exciting...much slower...needed to repeat the heated vinegar because we were so shocked...2nd time though we stood back! it was too convenient that the wood scrap resembled an oceanic plate subducting under a continental plate...leave it to wyatt to recognize that!

which way to norway?

2009-11-30T06:50:00.002-05:00

though we will miss ancestor day in owen's class on friday since we will be in nyc, we had a great time doing his project. he chose to report on norway...liking that my mom's relatives owned a popcorn farm. after researching, i am ready to move there...wish i spoke the language. the

countryside is stunning...the food not so much.

we are confirmed!

2009-11-27T07:58:00.001-05:00

just in, our confirmation for tea NEXT friday! so, in one week we will be walking the streets of nyc heading to the american girl store! can't wait!

turkeys trotting

2009-11-27T07:46:00.003-05:00

lured by the thought that wyatt's class was going to race, we loaded up yesterday morning long before the sun was rising to participate in the turkey trot 5k thanksgiving race. to our surprise, we were the only group there representing the students...but, it was great...much better to race as a family. by the end, owen's little legs were growing tired, but he kept on. wyatt, on the other hand, could have probably easily done the 10k...no signs of fatigue for him. it almost put everything in perspective walking together in the cold. we are very thankful for all we have and each other. hoping all had a great thanksgiving!

it's a bowling party!

2009-11-24T07:54:00.000-05:00

owen's best buddy imran celebrated his birthday with his brother faisal at the bowling alley. we are so sad to see them move away next month, but we are glad we got to celebrate with them bowling style!

ahhh...finally!

2009-11-23T02:47:00.002-05:00

i awoke this morning to a stove placed back in my kitchen after 8 months! it felt SO good to make breakfast this morning (eggs from paty and bonny's farm) and toast buttered by grace...ahh to cook. then to the grocery store to buy ingredients for cookies, cakes, breads, muffins, fajitas, meatloaf, baked chicken, crescent rolls, garlic bread, baked ziti, and SO much more! SO HAPPY! anyone for a home cooked meal?

happy birthday averi!

2009-11-22T08:05:00.003-05:00

we had an awesome aquarium time at averi's 4th birthday! get this, the scuba diver in the show pulled out a treasure map from his wetsuit and it said happy birthday to averi! she got to give him a high five through the glass and we even got to pet an alligator (go gators)! thanks to skip and amanda for such a nice afternoon!

harvest feast

2009-11-22T05:32:00.001-05:00

for a thanksgiving celebration, the boys school does a harvest feast every year with a traditional thanksgiving meal for all the students and a pow wow presentation. it always end with pie and whipped cream (sometimes served from the school secretary directly into the kids mouths from the can--priceless!).

building the pyramids

2009-11-21T05:28:00.000-05:00

following studies of ancient egypt, wyatt's 4th and 5th grade group performed skits on the making of the pyramids. wyatt was vizier imhotep and architect factah. he was precious...leaving his seat with his friends between skits to come sit with his grandma...such a good kid.

family night

2009-11-20T17:25:00.002-05:00

well, we almost got the whole family home into town for dinner last night...though missing a few family members, it was a great evening. the kids did a show complete with gymnastics, tree climbing, singing, and a light show. have i mentioned that it is now less than 2 weeks until nyc? woo hoo!

percy jackson

2009-11-19T03:22:00.005-05:00

wyatt's absolute favorite literary series is the percy jackson books. they are stories of a current day boy that finds out his father is the greek god, poseidon, and tells of his journey through greek mythology. conveniently, the local library held a percy jackson event last week. wyatt absolutely loved it.

iron man

2009-11-18T12:20:00.002-05:00

where some in our neighborhood would disagree, we always are so excited when the weekend morning once every november comes around and the iron man racers run our streets. grace came in full princess dress complete with wand to wish them luck and the boys ran along the sidewalks. it was so great to see so many women running and we even saw two sets of tandem runners running, one leader with one blind racer. very inspiring! it was kind of nice to be blocked on for the day---it allowed us to slow down and forced us to relax. maybe we need a monthly race around here!