Just Keep Going

It's running time again!  Ben ran our Oakley 10K this last Saturday. It's his fourth time running the Goose Creek Run-Off and he beat his time by FIVE minutes. Wahoo! He clocked in at just over 53 minutes. He loves his new GPS running watch. We were all super proud of him.  He doesn't even look tired in this picture! Pretty amazing.

Water cups in hand and ready to go!  My favorite part of Ben's running is the example it is to our kids. They see their dad run every other night.  They were really excited to run the kids' one mile race. 

Jonathan ran ahead by himself.  He did a great job!  He told me that even though he was tired, he just kept on running. Because that's what daddy does. "That's what makes us stronger."

I ran with Zach again this year.  He didn't need pep talks to keep going. I just had to keep reminding him to watch where he was going. He likes to look behind himself and then he trips.  So with no falls, he had a great race. He was a really funny running buddy.  

This year was Nicole's first race. She wanted to run with Grandma and her cousin Sophie. Both little girls are three years old and they made it!  A mile is a lot of steps for their little legs!

 (My mom did this right after running her 10K. It was her 25th time running the race. Yes, she has run it every year since I was 5 years old. Wow.)

Grandma said that Nicole never stopped running and she smiled the whole way. I was relieved because I wasn't sure she would like it.  We were so proud!

Cute, cute, cute!  At the end of the race I tried to give Nicole a big hug and tell her how happy I was for her. She didn't want a hug. She just wanted her chocolate milk. All the kids got a "prize." And we were all very happy.

There's a breakfast at the park during and after the race. This is my newest neice Heidi. Isn't she adorable?  My sister was laughing hysterically as she rolled toward us at the park. She had accidentally dropped a pancake on the baby's head!  There was syrup dripping down her face and a pile of hash browns behind her head. And she was perfectly content.

(Yes, my sister was hurrying to get her cleaned. I was the mean aunt with the camera.)

Jonathan was SO excited to be in the parade this year. Until it started.  He said it was hot and boring.  At least I saved some candy for him.  It was our church float and the kids were supposed to dress for their favorite summer activity. He was a soccer player. But nobody knows it because he was hiding from the sun.  (He's the one sitting down low.) After it was over he made me SO proud when he said, "It's okay that it wasn't fun because they needed my help and nobody else would do it."  YES. He's ready for life.

The rest of us had a great time watching the parade. Oh and Ben got to judge the dutch oven contest this year. And we had a family reunion. And a family barbecue. And a birthday party. And the rodeo and fireworks. And...

It was an exhausting and memorable day.