Run, Run, Run

The end of the year always brings running events.  We had the elementary school fundraiser, Race for Education.  The middle school also has Track and Field Day.  It's very fun for me to always watch, run, and cheer like a maniac.

It's almost like I love to be the loudest, craziest, cheerer just to embarrass my kids.  Somehow it bonds me to them even more.  They may be embarrassed, but I have convinced myself they secretly love it!

We'll never know for sure.  Well maybe we will, but it won't be for another 30 years, in the midst of their midlife crisis, I'll get to hear about all the ways I failed them as a parent. Probably not, but I'm mentally preparing myself just in case.

Teach Them Young

I have learned that service is one of the highest and noblest ways to show love to God and to our fellow man.  It's become a major tenet of my life.  I find peace in serving even when things feel crazy, hectic, and overscheduled.  It also shows me how great my kids and husband are.

And even though it's usually me overextending myself, my husband and kids will step in 100 out of 100 times to help me.  So whether you teach your kids to serve their own family members, their friends, their community, schools, or church, teach them to serve.

The dividends are countless.

Run Forest Run

We are a family of runners.  It's official.  I love it.  It makes me happy.  It's the one habit I've picked up in my adult life that has served me well.  In my observations, the people who learned to run and love it youngest in life (i.e. high school) are the most successful in a ton of areas not just running.

So, it makes my heart happy that Isa picked it up easily and loves Cross Country and Track.  Wyatt although not a eager runner is still decent in a sprint.  Issac loves the distances runs, and Kody is known on his baseball team for being the fastest base runner, especially considering he is the shortest.  Each time he rounds the bases, we'd hear murmurs in the crowd of look how fast that kid is.

Nothing showcases running more than the end of year jazz like Race for Education - our school's one fundraiser - and Track and Field Day at the middle school.  Issac tied for the most laps run on RACE day along with another boy and one little girl in the whole elementary school running 3.5 miles in about 30ish minutes.  They ran for 40 total, but had a Rita's Italian ice break. 

Likewise on track and field day, the students can pick their events.  Wyatt, the not eager runner, will pick the shortest events the 50M, 75M, 100M races.  Well his teacher helped relocate him to pick up the 200M as well - the first year we did these.  And then each class has an A relay team and a B relay team.  The first four fastest run as the A team, the next four as the B team.  Well Wyatt's class had a no show and so lucky for him (insert his eye roll here) his teacher asked him to run on both relay teams.  He did great.  Plus with the start of his soccer career this fall, I'm hoping he becomes ever more of a runner.  Fingers crossed.

Run, Run As Fast As You Can

Running wasn't my thing.  I swear it wasn't.  But it did drop the pounds every time I did it. Then it became an outlet, a constant steadying ritual of my day.  Then it became addictive.  Then it became a lifestyle choice; one that I happily am passing down to my kids.

So I bring you Marathon Clubs, Rock N' Glow 5K's, Race for Education and other assorted running events that some or all of my kids have been participating in this past month.  I'm happy it's something we do together.  I'm happy they love the thing I love.

Race For Education

Our elementary school does one fundraiser every 18 months.  It's called Race for Education.  They run for money basically.  Thank you to all of our family and friends who donated.  The boys did amazing.  They raced to see how much mileage they could do in 30 minutes, 3 laps equaled one mile.  I ran with the kids off and on throughout the day while helping and taking pictures.  I put in just over 5 miles.  The boys accumulated total was a little over 8 miles.

Wyatt was a reluctant runner.  He thought it was too hard to run the whole time, but found out it was all in his head when I showed him my jogging pace, that I set for him, was the same speed as his run/walk pace. 

Issac was my most enthusiastic runner and because of that I don't have pictures of him actually running.  Boo.  He did almost 3 miles in 30 minutes. 

Kody was very excited.  His friends and him had been trash talking and you can see him on the start line.  But he got plowed by the kids behind him and then refused to run for the first 15 minutes.  Eventually he got in a better mood, with the help of Ethan, and they ran together. 

They did 1.5 miles. 

October to Christmas in the Blink of an Eye

October is done.  I don't have many memories of it.  Life is cruising by me but in the most blissfully happy way mostly, so I can't complain.  I have to look at my camera to remember what I have done.  Good thing I am a picture junkie.

In retrospect...

 halloween party with friends - theme reality tv stars (Bret Michael and superfulous ho)

 school halloween parties with wyatt (above) and kody (below)

 surprising Issac's teacher for her birthday (The Big 4-0)

Farm Show

 School field trip to Farm Show

Wood Carver lighting the bench on fire to get fur coloring

 Our once a year Fundraiser - Race for Education

 A visit to Dutch Wonderland with the family

 Fun Run - all schools in the district compete to boast highest number of runners participating

 OMEGA field trip with Bella

 

Downtown Lancaster dates with the two younger boys

while Wyatt is in Karate and Bella at Fulton for acting class