Color Run: Pink Ranger Style!

Earlier this summer my cousin set up a group to do a "color run" together.  She named the group the "Pink Rangers" and asked me as well as many others (18 to be exact) to do it with her.  My mom, Abby, and I trained together some during the summer, and a little after school started to make sure we were ready.  

Finally the day dawned bright and clear (and hot!) and we were all off at 6:30AM to meet and carpool to our destination. . . Mom, Abby, and I rode together up there and had a blast talking about anything and everything!  The boys (except Mark who was gone to a bachelor party weekend for his twin brother) were bringing my babies and meeting us there.  After about an hour of waiting and standing in line we were finally at the start line ready to go!  There were SSSOOO many people there to run, they were sending them off in waves of 500 every 10 minutes!  Totally awesome!  

Pink Rangers all together that morning

Before the Race started 

The line of people in front.  The start was under the bridge.

The line of people (and me talking to abby) behind.

Mom and her group of friends that call themselves the "Redneck Princesses"

Me and Kyndall, my cousin who got everything organized!

Me, Mom, and Abby all clean before the race

Every one ran at their own pace, with the younger high school and jr high girls out in the lead!!!  Me and my Aunt Lori Ivey, my mom's brother's wife (not to be confused with my Aunt Lori, my mom's sister!  Except it is confusing lol!) ended running about the same pace and had the best time talking to one another as we ran along.  I was able to run the whole 3.2 miles, something I wasn't sure I would do because we just went along talking until the end.  I definitely wouldn't have done that had she not been there.  In case you haven't done a color run, it is a non-timed event (great for a first 5k) where you run down a course and along the way there are "color stations".  These color stations have people on the side throwing dyed corn starch at you as you run through them!  It is so much fun, I highly recommend it!

The picture I sent to Mark afterwards

Lastly, one of our really good friends had promised to buy every one cupcakes to eat at the finish line from a wonderful local cupcake store!  The Pink Rangers decided we wouldn't cross the finish line until we waited for everyone to get together at the end.  Finally once our group was all together we walked the last 200 yards cheering about being a Pink Ranger and eating cupcakes!  Hands down one of the most fun events!

All the "Ivey girls": Kyndall, Me, Mom, Sister Lori, Abby, Lori I

Me and Lori, so glad she was there!

Easter 2013

I know I am terribly behind on blogging, but I blame having no internet at our house as the culprit.  So to do these posts we have to lug our iMac desktop down to my parents since that is what we are downloading the pictures on.

Thanks to my great grandmother, the boys had an awesome easter basket and outfits

Their after church outfit that they were supposed to have matching, but Penny's didn't get Owen's shorts in on time like they said they would.

We are all about baseball and these dollar store bases were a find!

We actually didn't end up going to church, a huge storm blew through and knocked a tree down blocking out way out. So I just put him in the outfit and went to my grandmother's.

The shirts came from my good friend who has an etsy shop! Click here to go to it!

Brotherly love.

Because of the storm, all lights went out in Harleton.  My poor grandmother had planned this big elaborate meal and we had to eat only the stuff that didn't have to be warmed!  It was still so good.  The lights didn't come back on until 1 AM!!!  It was still a great Easter, one where Reid was finally able to start understanding the reason we celebrate.  

Going to the Zoo

While Mark was on spring break from his schooling, and I was still on maternity leave we went to Tyler for a little visit and R&R.  While there Mark's mom, or "Nina", graciously took us to the Caldwell Zoo.  It is the biggest zoo in east Texas and has a really neat history.  Basically it started in the backyard of this very rich older couple who had no children, but loved kids and wanted them to enjoy animals.  It quickly became a bigger zoo and up until the wife died a few years ago (and the zoo went to the city) it was free admission, so anyone could come!  The Caldwell's  never wanted there to be a charge on admission to get in, and oh how I wish it were the same. We did end up having a great day!

Seeing the Penguins 

Some type of monkey looking right at us

Proof that Owen was there 

And that I was there too

Want to have some fun? Make a 2 year old try to say rhinoceros. 

My camera would only focus on the fence but this capybara was nursing like 8 little guys.  I told her I felt her pain 

This truck used to be a the Caldwell playschool (a virtually free preschool back in the day) where Mark and his brothers went.  

Showin' Owen: 3 Months Old & Feeding Goats

I can't believe it is that time again, time to update because my little boy is 3 months old!  Time sure is flying this go around that is for sure!  He is getting so big, it makes me sad!

 He is still waking up around 3:30 to eat every morning and then again at 6:30.  I am waiting for the day when he will be sleeping all the way through the night, but knowing that as soon as that comes, teething, so the reprieve would be brief.

He has been staying with "Nana" or our Mrs. Cheryl, the lady who kept me until I went to kindergarten with his brother and doing well.  We love that we have someone we can trust while I finish out this school year.  She gives both boys so much love and attention as well as keeps them busy (she has a horse, chickens, plenty of land, and all sorts of things to occupy a little guy) which makes me feel better.  At the last daycare I am pretty sure Reid was stuck in one small room with 4 other kids all day.

He is still eating 5 oz every feeding with Nana.  He is a champion pooter, and a drooler monkey right now.  He still can't lay flat right after you feed him or he will spew.  He is very good at the "baby pushups" and is working on becoming a consistent roller, though I don't think I put him down enough during the day to really see this skill in action lol.

He is my cuddle bunny and sleeps better when he is on someone or right up against them (like at night when I am too tired to put him back in his bed and he accidentally ends up by me for another 2 hours lol).  I know I am about to have to start not doing that, but he is still pretty good about sleeping whereever so I'll let it slide.  

He is still a pretty serious kid.  He will smile at you and try to giggle, but you gotta work for it a little.  It's not that he isn't happy, he is just somber.  Blake said it's because he has to work so hard to move those giant cheeks outta the way lol.

He is growing like a weed and I can't wait to watch him as he gets bigger.  It has been difficult having 2 kids and working full time, but I am so glad he is a part of our family.  He fits in perfectly.

The day we took Owen's 3 month pictures we also got invited over to the house of one of my grandparent's friends to help feed some orphan baby goats they took in.  The mama had triplets, but only took to one of them, so this family offered to take care of them and let their granddaughter help!  This really is a testament to how much Reid has been learning at "Nana's" house because he is usually very cautious around animals he doesn't know, but here he was all about them.  He loved holding it, and kept saying "I pet him.  He lick me.  He likes me.  He's soft."   We then walked around to the back and fed chickens and the big goats.  Reid wanted to go in the fence and pet the big goats too!  I was so impressed with my little man.  He is growing up so much, and changing into a little boy right before our eyes.

Feeding one of the baby goats. 

Looking at the big goats and chickens

He even asked to go inside the fence and pet the big goats.  I was so proud.