5k Color Run/Walk

This morning I did something I never thought I would do.  I participated in my very first 5k run/walk here in Jackson.  I only signed up because of peer pressure from my girlfriends and also because I knew that Kyndall would love it since it was a color run and she's all about rainbows these days! 

 

Let me preface this entire blog by saying I am the most unathletic individual you will EVER meet.  I don't run, I don't work out, I don't even sweat if I can help it.  In fact, if you ever see me running chances are you should be running too because it means someone is trying to KILL me and there are absolutely no other means of escape!  I've never participated in sports of any kind and the closest I ever came was serving as a bat girl for my high school baseball team.  I just do not "do" athletics.  Period.  So, that being said you can imagine how humorous this whole event was to my husband who thought I had lost my ever-loving mind when I told him what I signed myself up for.  I didn't even know how many miles a 5k was until I asked him on the way to the race this morning!  Yikes.

 

Thankfully I had several friends who also had kids that wanted to participate so we agreed to just walk it together and make a fun morning out of it.  No pressure, no competition, just a fun morning getting covered in paint!  =)

 

The race started at 8:00 a.m. so we had to leave the house a little before 7:00 this morning.  That in and of itself was a major accomplishment for me!  I can't remember the last time I was up that early on a Saturday morning.....much less to attend an ATHLETIC event!  Who am I??

 

Still sleepy but excited!

 

 

Baby Luke came too!

 

Julie and Cam, me and Kyndall, Stephanie and Luke and Tessa

The paint is actually chalk powder and they gave us each a small cup of it to throw on ourselves just prior to the race starting.....

 



 

We couldn't wait so we started decorating ourselves a little early

 

Waiting anxiously to make the "color cloud".......

My favorite pictures from the day!  On the count of 3 we all threw our cups full of chalk up in the air and this was the result.....

 



Ready to GO!

(Obviously Kyndall's trajectory was not very high and all of her chalk went right on top of her head!  We still have a purple scalp, even tonight after a long soak in the tub!)

 



While we waited Kyndall continued to paint herself but asked me over and over (in typical Kyndall fashion)...."Mommy, are you sure this is safe??"  My little mini-me.

 



 

There were a few more paint stations throughout the race where we were doused with even more color so by the time we finished we were quite the sight, especially Kyndall.

Race complete, coming up on the finish line.....

 

We didn't die.....wahoo!!

 



Meet my friend Jenny.  She is probably the most athletic friend I know.  She kind of makes me sick.  Unlike me, she actually ran the race and probably won it for all I know!  Love you, Jenny B!

 



 

Still pouring paint over herself......

 

Messy Kyndall---A very rare sight!

 

The juice lady from Pour Me Some Juice was handing out free (healthy) popsicles after the race so we treated ourselves

 \

Our crew---Just missing Drew and Stephanie who took off to Waffle House before we got a picture--Ha!

 



 

Getting ourselves into the car without getting paint on everything proved to be quite the challenge.  As soon as we got home Kyndall stripped down in the driveway and Matthew took the hose to her.....

As I said, we are still working on that purple scalp.....

 



 

We each received a t-shirt and an envelope of goodies for our participation

 

 

It was a fun morning and I'm glad my friends talked me into it!  Kyndall had a blast and I crossed the finish line without an ambulance---pretty good for the wimpy girl who currently holds the number one spot on the liver transplant list!  =)

 

There's a first time for everything, I suppose!  Thankful for new experiences, fun memories and great friends who spur me on and constantly encourage me to look beyond my circumstances!

First Day of School 2014

Today is Kyndall's very first day of school for the 2014/2015 school year and we have all been anxiously awaiting this day since the end of May when school was out for summer!  We've enjoyed having a laid back couple of months but our family thrives on routine so this day has been a long time coming.

Kyndall will be attending Parents' Day Out at our church again this year, which is two days a week from 9:00 until 2:30.  It's the perfect balance to give her enough social and intellectual stimulation that she doesn't get bored, but it's not so over the top that we're all worn out by the end of the week.  We've been very happy with it ever since we moved to Jackson so I'm sure we will stick with it until she starts Kindergarten. 

A few pictures from this morning.....

And of course a comparison from this time last year.....

This week we've enjoyed a few final days together before bidding farewell to summer.  We made a trip to the store for her to choose a new pony toy which seems to be the highlight of her life these days.  Her favorite thing to choose are the "pony surprises" as she calls them.  They're little foil envelopes with a mystery pony inside and you don't know which one you're getting until you've bought it.  It's a cheap thrill and I love how excited she gets over it.  Look at the anticipation on her face as she opens up her choice.......

 

So excited to finally get Pinkie Pie!

Her collection is growing.....

We also made one final trip to the park, complete with a "Chick-A-Fay" picnic.......

And one final stop to have Mommy's labs drawn by our friend Mr. Ron at Lab Corp.....

 

 

I am anxious to pick her up this afternoon and find out how her first day went.  She was excited to have Ms. Cindy as her teacher so I think it will be another great year!  Next week we start back up with dance class so we will finally be back to our full routine and this Mama is happy about that!

 

 UPDATE.......A video I took after picking her up from school just now.....