My Minutia

1,176 Miles

That's how far he has run since the first of this year.  Cross country runners are some kind of machine, aren't they? Day after day they run ... mile after mile.

 

He started training for this season at the beginning of Summer, 2 or 3 weeks after track season. So basically, he's been running six days a week for the past 10 months with only those couple of weeks off.

This is the pay off. Right here:

Running at the State Meet. There he is approaching the finish line! I was way far away and way up high with my momma honkin lens getting that shot of him and the state banner. On a small cliff with a few other big timey photographers.

 

Here is a shot of him after the Districts Meet a couple weeks ago. Look at those legs. Incredible. Takes after his Momma. Oh ha ha ha, okay let's all stop laughing now!

 

 

He said his legs even more defined after track season, but I can't even imagine now much more defined they can get, can you?

Anyway, we are sooooo proud of him!! He's gone to state all 3 years he has run XC. Quite a dedicated kid he is.

Can't believe he just finished the season, senior year is going by quickly. That puts a big huge lump in my throat. Slow down. Just slow down.

 

Finding Fall

We road tripped this weekend, to our daughter's cross country meet. It was her school's home meet. The landscapes are beginning to dance with color here. Fall is my most favorite time of the year. I always enjoy Fall road trips...love the view.

 

Beautiful weather for the race.

 

Their team sported pink for Breast Cancer Awareness. Aren't they cute in their pink knee highs?!

 

Poor thing...she was sickly all last week, nasty cold. She ran anyway...so determined.

A few sun streaked photos...it was so pretty watching the sun set across this pretty park...

 

 

 

Hello, June

I love June...not too hot, not too cold. All of our flowers bloom...or explode I should say. Our peonies just started blooming!!

Too bad my Mother in Law missed out on seeing them. She's been visiting for 10 days and just left. They bloomed a day later. Isn't that how it goes?

 

Our roses are blooming all over the place, too. I cut these this morning. They've my fav. Not sure what they are called.

 

I keep meaning to tell you about Designer, Illustrator; Tabitha Emma. The first day of every month she shares the pretties desktop calendars she makes. I always get them. Just when you start to get tired of the desktop wallpaper, it's time to change it again to the new month. :) Check out June's calendar here.

Lastly, our daughter ran at The Boystown Memorial Run and she won her division!

She was 13th out of about 450-500 runners. We loved watching and being a part of the Memorial Day fun. Boystown is such a pretty place, especially in the Spring and Fall.

Proud Daddio and daughter right after the race...

 

I just gotta show you this one photo.

Our runner of a son made it to state in cross country, and we ventured to Kearney last Friday for the big event. It was really good weather, luckily! Didn't get a lot of pix, but the ones I did are keepers. Here is his team pumpin' up before the gun fires.

 

 

And they're off! Our guy is the cute one in the middle, hee hee.

 

 

Wait, here he is about a mile into the race. Now you see him?

 

Now, here's the one I really wanted to show you. Okay,it's really two photos I really wanted to show you. This is right before the finish line. Look at his thighs. He's #81.

 

 

Sorta cool, sorta creepy aren't they? Wow. I was impressed at the tone! He did a great job and so did his team! And so did everyone else running at state. They placed 11th in their division. 

Oh, a couple shots of some of his biggest fans:

 

After the race I caught these shots of our two boys together on the course.

 

Such a great day.

 

This was a good day

Our son heads off to XC Districts today. So nervous for his team! Glad the season is coming to a close. I can't take the stress of those meets I tell you! The Metro meet last week was intense.

These two guys times fell recently so it was critical that they improved at this meet. If their times weren't good enough they wouldn't go on to Districts. They kept pace with each other throughout the meet...the pressure was ON! Look at how close he was at the end of this 5K:

 

 

Drake passed his team mate within hundredths of a second. They both qualified for Districts, thankfully! It was soo exciting to watch!

 

Healthy competition is good! I know Drake ran his fastest time ever that day.

 

That meant I got a few shots of smiles...

 

We got a bonus smile that day, too. He won an All Conference Academic Award! There were about 15 guys out of 500 or so that won that hard to get award.

 

I won't be able to go to today's meet, but hubby is. I packed a treat bag for him though. Lots of protein bars and almonds and trail mix! Go bulldogs!

My Boys of Fall

The Boys of Fall, is a popular song by Kenny Chesney right now, and I think about every weekend. Love it! Our boys of Fall keep us busy with their games and meets. It's fun to watch, weather permitting that is!

Here's our #28:

 

This is his 3rd year of football. He's grown immensely since that first Summer of practice. He used to be afraid of the hits (rightfully so) but now he welcomes them and he gives them right back. He's a running back mostly this year.

 

 

This is Drake's 3rd year of Cross Country...it's just starting to hit me that he is a junior this year! He made varsity and is doing really well. He improves every meet. State in his future?!

Look, I caught a smile he sent my way. Lucky me! This is one of those time he looks so much like my Dad...can't get over the similarities.

 

 

 

Here's to the boys of Fall! Have a great weekend!

 

just keep stitching, just keep stitching...

The Spring Sampler for my current Free Style Embroidery E-Zine is coming along nicely! I had a big surge of inspiration Saturday...love that.

 

 

The Saturday morning stitching extended long into the afternoon, as we sat watching my daughter's GPAC Indoor Track Conference meet. I stitched in between her runs...right there on the bleachers in front of God and everybody. Hubby says several gals peeked at my stitching while they walked by with a smile. Some had a look on their face like, "Why didn't I bring something fun to work on, too?"

It's great watching her team run. Such a big difference between High School and College meets. Still getting used to that.

She ran a great 800. So proud of her. Hope you had a good weekend, too!

Those Ladies in Red

Saw them again this weekend. This time she knocked a couple seconds off her time from last week! Here was her last minute presto chango relay 4x4 team.

 

And the swish...

 

She loves this race! One girl on her relay team had an injury (prior to the race), so the girls found a replacement for her at the last minute. It either that or they'd have to withdraw their school from the race. So glad it worked out because it gave her practice and more confidence for next time! She was all smiles afterward, though you couldn't tell in this photo.

We won't be able to go again for a few weeks...lots of far away meets, but I just had to post these. They make me happy. :)

More than 700 miles later

and the cross country season's come to a close. She finished her freshman year! Pretty hard to believe.

 

Another beautiful day for a meet. This was a funny looking photo. She was jumping, but it looks like she's in mid-air or something.

I always love the looks on their faces right before the gun goes off...

Congrats girls, on a great year!

Just keepin it real

We went to my daughter's XC meet this past weekend. Six hour drive through the Fall countryside. Nice. Love this shot of the girls on the starting line. I was on my knees when I took it!

Here she is finishing up the 5K.

Now, waiting her turn in the shoot after the race. Not a "pretty" shot, but ya know what?

 

It's good to see young women being strong. Oh, she loves her lipgloss and glittered headbands... don't get me wrong there. But I'm a firm believer that strength is very beautiful. So is she.