The Half-Marathon

Here I am, after hours of non-stop running. I did it. I ran a half-marathon. The time isn't important. Let's just say that I started slow so I have room for improvement for the next one. HA!

 I ran the race with 2 great friends. Jean and Stacy. They finished before me.. and we did another finish line photo together. It was sooo great to be able to do it with them. They really motivated me and kept me going!

 It was SO wonderful to be done. I wasn't so proud of myself that I had actually done it, but more that I took the time for myself to train and prepare myself to run. The prep work is the hardest part in my opinion. I'm also proud of myself that I ran the whole time, which was my main goal. There were times where I was another foot away from walking but I kept going. Just keep swimming..just keep swimming.. It was hard to be passed by just about everyone.. especially shirtless hairy old men, but I finished. That's what matters.

Friends! What an amazing experience. Have I run since? No.. but I will get back to it.

Still life - rare moments

 No one crying? Indeed rare.. they play well together..oh 75% of the time but Sarah has trouble mintaining her gentleness. Oh, and she likes to sit on top of him like a horse. He doesn't like it much.

Don't mind the naked toddler.. Sarah likes to take off her clothes lately. Potty-training is.. inconsistent at best.

 Scott LOVES the bathroom. He makes a beeline for it whenever it is open. Of course he loves the toilet paper. This picture is probably when he was around 6 months. He was quick to find it!

 7 months.. he is so cute! I just can't get over it. And a male replica of Sarah with those chubby cheecks and sqinty eyes

Taking a picture of Sarah is rare.. she always wants to see the LCD screen which is very annoying when I'm trying dilligently to take pictures of them!

My new car!!

My new rental car.

When Kurtis' family was here we rented a van to accommodate the masses. Oh how I wish it was for keeps. I drove out of the parking lot with it and decided I wanted one immediately. I've noticed it's quite a popular van as I've been driving around since... someday Chrysler Town & Country..someday

The butter-by

One thing I have loved about living in Minnesota is the fact that Monarch butterflies are abundant here! I am also glad to have taught because I am now an expert on Monarchs. Part of the 7th grade cirriculum is to raise and release a Monarch. How cool is that! So every summer I have been able to find a caterpillar (or egg) on some milkweed and we watched it grow as a family. My sad ode to the dog we never had continues...

 This little guy (or girl as it turned out to be) was raised from an egg. This was her home! Sarah LOVED watching it crawl along, eating the leaf.

When Sarah's cousin, Lucia was here, she proudly showed off her pet

 Then the blessed day came when we had to say goodbye! Sarah is finally starting to say more words and butter-by is one of her favorites! She says it with that break inbetween - "butter - by." I wish she was more articulate because she loves telling about how the butter-by walked around on Daddy and then flew on Scott's head...

And then flew away! 'Bye bye butter-by!'

'Til next summer when we find one of your descendents to raise.

Gillman Family Reunion 2011..Lombardo's 80th Birthday

At the end of June we traveled to Boston to my sister's house to celebrate my Grandparent's 80th birthday this year. We were sad to not have my brother Mark who was still in Afghanistan at the time.. but we were glad to see his family, my other brother's family, my parents and my mother's brother and his son. We all stayed at my sister's house.. all 26 of us.. can you say circus? It was actually really fun and everyone had a great time. I'm limited on my pictures but I've got a few here.. We went to an amory museum which was really cool, but we mostly just played, ate, wrestled, jumped on the trampoline and helped my sister pack because she was moving at the time too!

My grandpa..he and Sarah became best buds!

My mom, with Scott, my Grandpa with my niece Janelle

 My grandma with Scott

 The amory museum had a great kids floor with these awsome building blocks

We all ran a 5k while we were there. My first official race!

 My uncle with his song, Nicholas

 My sister-in-law Jana (Mark's wife) and their son Grant

 Every chance they got the kids all begged Uncle Kurtis to 'jump' them on the trampoline.. look close and see that most of them are in the air.

My niece Kate with Scott. She LOVED Scott and was so sweet with him.