Bolder Boulder 2010k!

Monday, Memorial Day, marked my 10th Anniversary running the Bolder Boulder 10k. I thought it was appropriate that I hit my 10th year mark in the year 2010 and got to run it with my Beanie Weenies.

What does 10 years of the Bolder Boulder look like? Well, for me, it has included the birth of two daughters, numerous running buddies, a couple of runs with the hubby both participating and spectating, two years running solo, and finish times all over the map.

2001: 1:06:27
2002: 56:18
2003: 58:08
2004: 55:38 (3 months after birth of Emma)
2005: 56:59
2006: 54:56 (4 months after birth of Camryn)
2007: 48:53 (10k PR)
2008: 50:59
2009: 55:50
2010: 58:12

New first for this year's race, I actually missed my wave start. I was in wave 'E' but started with wave 'GB'. The bag check line was crazy long and the fun run bus took longer than it ever has in the past. I guess with 53,700 runners, it's bound to be a little congested.

Two Beanies PR'd at the race, so that's always a reason for celebration! I am proud of the progress my running buds have made.

And yes, we do all have on matching "team" shirts and matching pink shorts. What can I say, we like to dress alike. Our shirts say "Fueled by Chia" on the front, since we all love some chia seed before we run and the backs have our last name and team name "Beanie Weenies". Cute, huh?

Will there be a Bolder Boulder #11 for me? That's still up in the air. If we absolutely have nothing going on next Memorial Day, I may run it again but I certainly don't feel like I need to keep the streak going at this point. I'd love to run it again once Emma and Camryn are a little older and can participate. Emma asked me Monday when I got home if she could run it with me when she gets older. Of course I said, Absolutely!

The rest of Memorial Day was spent hanging out at the pool with family and friends and cooking out with Grammy and Papa Mike. Beautiful day!

Friday, where are you?

It's been a week folks. Friday just can't get here fast enough. It all started on Sunday evening when our phone started ringing. Brian's colleagues calling to see if we had heard the news. For those of you that keep up with business news, you know what I'm talking about. If you don't - well, I'm sure you've caught wind of it by now. I'll give you a few clues. Brian's company, you know the one that has been around since the Depression era, is getting bought by a large bank. Seems the mortgage lending crisis finally did them in, as it is doing to several other large institutes.

My poor hubby hasn't slept much this week. From everything he's been told, they are not planning on letting the producers go, which is good news of courses. However, the stress over dealing with client reaction has been the worst part of it. Some will want to stay and others may decide to go. We hope it is more of the former. The market has been up and down all week, mostly down - ouch to the retirement accounts!

Stay tuned for how this all progresses for us. As most of our family and close friends know by now, we are planning to make a change next year in me leaving my current position to allow me to be at home more with the girls. I know, I know - *gasp*, Julie is going to give the SAHM thing another go-round. We have a couple of things to accomplish between now and then, and so far we are on target. I'm praying that this is just a little bump in the road.

In the meantime, my way of dealing with stress is trying my darnedest to stay focused on the positive. We had a fun weekend with friends. Friday night, since we didn't get to play couple's golf (weather), we gathered for a friend's birthday. Saturday, was a fun GT game-watching party with our local Tech friends - see picture below. Cam wasn't feeling well on Sunday, so after I got back from my early morning trail run (thanks Sabrina!), the girls and I cuddled on the couch in PJs and watched movies all day. We are looking forward to our Thanksgiving trip to Nanna and Pappa's in Las Vegas and working on plans for our Disney trip early next year, as well as our couple's trip to Las Vegas in January. My buddy, Jen, gets into town tomorrow and we'll be heading to Buena Vista early Saturday morning for the Autumn Colors run. Brian and I get a date night on Friday night since Grammy is keeping the girls overnight. See? So much to look forward to, be thankful for and excited about. Now if I could just find a way to drown out all of the political banter - man, it sucks me in!

For the Cure

Sunday morning found me and the ladies from my book club in Garden of the Gods for the Colorado Springs Race for the Cure. It was a great way to start the day. We had beautiful weather, stunning scenery and the best of company. I've participated in Race for the Cure in three cities: Atlanta, Denver and Colorado Springs, and what I have found most interesting is that big or small, city or spacious park, each and every Race has something unique to offer and the atmosphere is fabulous no matter. What it boils down to is the spirit behind the event. I race for my Aunt Rosanna and Brian's Aunt Denise. Who will you race for?

Girls just wanna have fun

And that's exactly what we did! Girls Beach Trip '08 was F.U.N. Yes, that's a boy you see below. That's our token 9th member of the posse. Dale has always wanted to be one of the girls and managed to find his way down to Myrtle to hang out with us a bit!

Highlights of GBT '08:

• Dueling piano bar at Broadway. Sandi danced on stage, they served jello shooters in huge plastic syringes and 80's music!


• Official beach trip shirts (worn above) that Leigh Ann monogrammed for us. Fabulous!


• Weather, it was beautiful every day. The beach was hopping.


• VIP treatment at Senor Frogs. Not sure how we swung that one, possibly Nichole's rack (she's the tall blonde)? We were hanging out at Fat Tuesday's and some guy invited us all, which meant no line to stand in, no cover charge, reserved area seating and free drinks all night. We were the only group in VIP, rock on!


• Speeding ticket on the way home, ouch! The state patrol just wasn't willing to cut 8 women some slack.


• Most of all - Wonderful friends!!

I miss these ladies so much. Of course, their solution is for me and family to just move back to Georgia, but I just don't think that is going to happen. We love our life out west, so maybe I can convince all the ladies here - haha! Ah well, 'til next year.....we are talking about trying a new destination, possibly a 4 day Mexico cruise.

Tried to load a slideshow of my favorite pictures (we took over 500!) but it didn't quite work. Anyone know a nifty way to share slideshows? Put a new album up to the right, check it out!

Camryn the Comedian

Here she is folks, our little bucket head comedian. Camryn cracks us up on a daily basis but she really had a heyday entertaining the boys this weekend. Debbie says Caleb really wants a little sister, well - he got a taste of what it would be like, wonder if he still feels the same?

The kiddos has mucho fun playing in the sandbox, chasing each other around Garden of the Gods (see Joshua, er, I mean SuperMan, holding up Balanced Rock) and Ghosttown, as well as terrorizing the other patrons at Amanda's Fonda! We are truly blessed with wonderful friends and so happy they could make a visit to see us in CO.

Daddy made it home safely from Scotland late Sunday night. Although we didn't get to spend Father's Day with him, the girls were super thrilled to see him this morning. He was bummed that luggage was delayed from Atlanta and he didn't have the loot he brought back for them but, luckily, the bag arrived this afternoon. Brian had a great time overseas and played golf to his heart's content. Yay! I'm so happy to have my hubby back home!

Emma had two great swim lessons this weekend. She absolutely adores her instructor, Amanda, who is quite an athlete. I knew she was a triathlete from chatting with her when signing Emma up but we were talking more this weekend and I realized that our paths had crossed at the Garden training runs. Amanda's husband works for Carmichael Training Systems , who provided training workouts for the runs and he also coaches her in triathletes.

Emma also started her week of cheerleading camp this week. The Montessori school is offering golf and cheerleading camps this summer, in addition to the various field trips they have scheduled. You should have seen her flipping around the yard this evening practicing her cartwheels!

Before I sign off, I have to wish Happy Trails to Jennifer. Her and family are on their adventure back East to start the next chapter in their lives. Miss you already!

Good Times

I'm back!! Ladies beach trip was a LARGE time (in Sandi's words). We laughed, shopped, ate, drank, goofed off, danced and overall had the best time.

Off to Senor Frogs for some dinner and dancing. If I must say so myself, we aren't too hard on the ol' eyes.

You know you have a great group of friends when you can all eight get together after so many years and feel like you were just in high school together. It's been 14 years since our senior cruise and I could swear it was just yesterday. We've gone off and gotten degrees, husbands, children but when it comes to our friendships, we are the same now as we were back then!

Here we are getting a little jiggy with it at the dinner table. The DJ loved us - "Georgia in the house!

Photo takes on the beach

Shopping night followed by a little seafood dinner

Late Night Babble

Good news for me: I get to go to Myrtle Beach next month to hang with my girl friends for four days.

Even Better news for Brian: He gets to go to Scotland for a week to golf with his guy friends!

It's only fair, right? I have to be nice, since I promised him tonight that I wouldn't be bitter about him going. (psst, so I'll discreetly complain to Jennifer next time we run). But when are my lady friends going to plan a European trip?? (Bueller? Anyone?)

We just decided this week, with the trip a month away, that Brian would head to Scotland for the annual guy's golf gathering. They go somewhere every year - this is the first time overseas - and Brian has not attended the past several years. Originally, wives were going to attend and we didn't think we could swing both of us going right now and leaving the girls behind. But the wives bailed, so now that it is just down to the guys, we can manage.

And last before I head off to slumber, a picture of me and Amanda last week :)

You can take the girl out of the South

But you definitely can't take the South out of the girl! Nice visit in Atlanta this week. I had an opportunity to attend work meetings for a few days - and jumped at it. Brian was onto me though, he knew it was going to be more of a "vacation", since I would make time for visiting with old friends (oh, and a little shopping mixed in there too!). I miss spring time in the South. Everything is so green and lush. It's humid as heck - don't miss that - but it's warm and beautiful this time of the year. Don't be looking for us to be moving back any time soon, I love where we live now, but there will always be things I miss about the old stomping grounds.

Anyway, didn't start this post to ramble on about spring down South. Now that she's shared the news, I can post about it as well. While in Atlanta, I had a delicious dinner with my dear old friend Amanda. Her new home is lovely. Anyone that knows the architecture in the South knows what I'm talking about - crown molding, big sitting porch out back (rocking chair included), wainscoting, plantation shutters - it's beautiful! But.....the best part of the visit - finding out Amanda is joining me in the world of motherhood - yay! Very exciting news!!

Night before was spent having a late dinner with another friend in town - Dale. We've known each other since the 8th grade, when he used to coordinate his polo shirts and matching socks, oh- and don't forget the polo shoes to go with. I kid him about this all the time, so it's ok to say here - he can always throw the big hair back at me and make fun of me for confusing the words conjugating and congregating, I once said "haha, we are conjugating in the parking lot". I love Dale, he's a true friend that I'll always stay in touch with. Dinner was fabulous, we hit an old restaurant that Brian and I used to go to when we lived in the area, and I got to meet Dale's friend, Perry. I was hoping to have pictures from both visits but since I didn't have my camera, I'm dependent on folks sending them to me, so maybe they'll come later (hint, hint).

Check out the latest book list, I decided to add an "optional" read into my list since book club has a wider time gap in between meetings this time around. Picked up the latest in the airport and it's been a fun read so far! I need to go back and look up some of the references the author makes to other books/authors since she does this a lot.

That's all for now - hope everyone is having a fab week!