Saturday, September 28, 2013

Landor Fall Party

21 Months, Week 4


This was our office’s 3rd annual Fall Party. Our second year at Neltner Farm in Camp Springs, KY. I used to work with Keith Neltner at Landor until he left in 2006 and we’ve kept in touch ever since. His entire family are wonderful people and his wife loves to run like I do. They graciously host our office party on their [working] family farm. 

Last year Nora was only 9 months and couldn’t even walk. This year - we couldn’t get her out of the animal barn! 

There were drinks for adults & kids, a corn maze, crafts, s’mores, an amazing catered dinner, a bluegrass band... Nora wanted to ride the ponies, but 3X I tried to put her on the tiny one and each time she said “OFF!” We also rode the hay ride which went surprisingly well - she actually sat still the entire time. 

Before we left we also made purchases at the farm store; homemade pickles & jam!

We hope we can go again next year - what a great tradition!

Not entirely sure about the BIG horses.

Nora hugged this goat later on!

Trying out the horses again

My past Director, Greta and her daughter, Peri who is 2 mo older than Nora.

Nice face, Nora.




Found my pumpkins!
Nora attempting to ride the pony then deciding “OFF!”

Halloween 2013?

21 Months, Week 4

Tim gets a magazine that is a bit... crunchy. Hippie-ish. In the back there was an ad for dancing bear costumes - for those who don’t know, the dancing bears [or skeletons] are a visual that the Grateful Dead use. 

We would never spend $220 for family costumes, but man, it’d be awesome.


For the Batty Sisters...

21 Months, Week 4

Stephanie & Katherine; Nora put her pants on her head this week and reminded me of when we played “long hair” with our pants on our heads. You know, because we always had pageboy/bowl cuts : D


Mini-Me

21 Months, Week 4

Thursday morning I watched Nora climb up the stool to play with the lights... It’s so bizarre to look at our photos because they show her older than what we see. Seeing these particular photos blew us away - she looks 4!





Party Week... Part 4?

Mommy & Daddy’s week of partying continued last Sunday as Tim & I went to the Bengals/Packers game - our first Bengals game in EIGHT YEARS. 

We went with William & Emma and tailgated with our friends the Sauers. 

The game was actually awesome - we were worried for a while; Bengals were up, then down by 16, then came back to win! Totally got our money’s worth. 

I was pretty amazed at how many Packers fans were there as well - good representation. They are actually my #2 team behind the Bengals. 

I will say, I’m not sure if it’s my age or that I’m the mother of a toddler, but I was ready to go to bed after the game... but that’s not allowed; Mommy duty called! 






Under the bridge downtoowwnnn...

Love yet rivals




Heather & I










Saturday, September 21, 2013

Hudy 14K 2013

21 Months, Week 3

We enjoyed the Hudy 14K so much last year, it’s probably going to be an annual event for us. 14K/9 miles is the perfect distance - far enough, but isn’t pushing as far as a half marathon. 

I woke up at 4am to use the bathroom. I never fell back asleep. Sigh. I was just listening to the rain thinking, “Crap, not only do I have to run in the rain, but Tim had to make sure Nora was comfortable,“ etc, etc. 

I got up at 5:45am, Nora woke at 6am, we left before 7am. We had a personal fiasco with parking due to large bills and lots that ate our money without letting us in. Don’t ask. 

Highlight: the rain stopped as everyone walked to the starting line. The race was great - I ran into 3 different friends along the way which makes it fun. Along the course, sandwich boards call out all the locations of past breweries in Cincinnati through OTR - I could probably count them on 2 hands - very neat! 

I didn’t finish great [1:30:17 / 10+ mile], but it’s a fun race. The after party is insane; line after line for coneys, beers and our free pint glasses! A refillable trophy! 

Nora & Ava weren’t in the best moods afterwards so that the parents could enjoy our post-race beers. Specifically Nora who is a wanderer. Now I understand why some parents use actual leashes. Tim or I have to be hands-free at all times to chase her. 

We agreed to jump to Moerlein House for lunch which was so satisfying. The girls behaved very well and my fish & chips hit the spot. 

We headed home by 12:15 and Nora was asleep in the stroller before we even got to the car - ! That hasn’t happened since last 14K! Girly slept all the way home then magically woke up as we pulled in the garage - Tim and I nearly cried from exhaustion. 

Thankfully the rest of our day was quiet with only a trip to the grocery store. 

*Hip update: I’m doing well, onto “home program” and now just seeing physical therapist every OTHER week. He thought he felt a fatty cyst, my doctor did not, she said “No way.” So I guess I just keep up my stretches, strengthening and icing!



Anne & I two years in a row!


Nora’s second Hudy race!

Dance party!

I was happy because I thought Nora would sleep more than 30 mins - wah-wahhhhh.

Bonkers Week

21 Months, Week 3

Tuesday was our only “quiet” day this week. Wednesday I hosted my bookclub - only 4 of us this week, and was quite fun. Everyone left at 10:40pm... which is 40 mins past my bedtime. Zzzz. 

Thursday evening after work I ran 3 miles downtown - my only sliver of time I managed to get a short run in before the 14K on Saturday morning. After “freshening” up, there was a huge benefit at Arnold’s downtown for a coworker/friend whose husband is still battling cancer [age the young age of 32] - it was a successful night and was glad I made it home before Nora went to bed. 

Thursday PM I received a text from my sitter that her little boy had a high fever. Crud. She contacted me again Friday AM that he still had the high fever. Thankfully my workload was light that day, so I took off to spend the day with Nora. We actually met up again with Anne & Ava at Highfield Discovery Garden in Glendale Gardens - Nora hadn’t been there since she was about 6 mos old! The girls loved it and had such a fun time!


Friday evening I had to first pick up our race packets in O’Bryonville, then headed to Crossroads Church for a prayer service for the above-mentioned friend’s husband. Half of the approximate people there were from my office [the service was organized by coworkers]. Even though we broke into small groups for prayer, I found it emotionally harder than I expected. I had to leave before it ended... I can’t quite pin down how I felt... overwhelmed? Or just more of a private prayer and I could’t handle being vulnerable in a public setting who weren’t family. Despite my personal challenge, it was still a wonderful energy that I believe will boost the family.

Checking out the big magician’s hat.

The real frog we saw - at least the size of my fist!

Not real frogs.




Ava & Nora watching “Thomas.” Not really Thomas.

Nora’s Cubby

21 Months, Week 3

Great.
*She indeed has a swim diaper over her pants.



Monday, September 16, 2013

Monday, Chill Day

21 Months, Week 2

Ahhh, staying home on a Monday workday. 

We met up with Anne & Ava at Sharonville Woods; we played hard on the playground [until some kindergarten class took over] and then enjoyed the creek for a bit! 

The girls are at the age where they still romp around on their own, yet enjoy throwing rocks in the creek together : ) 

Anne was nice [and smart] enough to ask to take our family photo - which we never seem to take! 


Krons!

Big Kid!

This would have been a really cute photo despite Nora’s plumber crack. Sigh.

Tossing rocks into the creek!

Checking out the creek bed. 



And a Monday Night Bengals shot for good luck.