1st Annual Stratford Heights "fun" Run 5K aka Trent's Cardiac Challenge

GUEST COMMENTARY BY TRENT:
So, this all started over a couple pitchers of beer at a local brewery (no not the Mormon, it wasn't that exciting of a party) when a couple guys started giving each other a hard time about who could run a 5K the fastest. The only woman participating in the discussion remained pretty quiet about it all, even up until the next day when we found ourselves at a muggy aired chalk-drawn starting line "warming up".

Here is our impromptu audience and the conspicuously quiet lady herself. Pam was probably visualizing what it would feel like to absolutely destroy some cocky boys on the course, while the girls were no doubt visualizing how great it would feel to see their dad tear through the makeshift finish line flags they made out of paper towels and food coloring.

And they're off! Trent gets out to an early lead, while Dave and John conserve for the road ahead. Notice that even though Trent is at top speed, Pam is right there, only breathing normally.

Our neighborhood is really one long hill that is about .5 miles long. So, here then is our own little version of the Boston Marathon's "Heartbreak" Hill or as Trent now calls it "The Heart Stopper" or "Where I lost the only lead of any race I ever ran".

Well, after a pretty quick almost 3 miles, here is our winner. I know that all the women in the neighborhood were so proud! They should all go on Oprah and talk about just how inspiring this all was.

And what about this guy? He was leading for a bit... What happened Big Guy? Back to the treadmill with you until Labor Day.

Dave finishes in a respectable time and third which is pretty good for a man of his - how shall I say, maturity? Just kidding. He has P90X to thank for all of his success.

Trent finished 4th which isn't quite as respectable, but good for a man of his, how shall I say, stature? Hey, at least it was better than last! Sorry John, had to rub it in until Labor Day when you will no doubt lay the hammer down on me. Olivia told me later that night that she wanted me to win and was disappointed in my finish, but I told her that I met my three goals: 1.) To finish, 2.) to finish without walking, and 3.) to finish without dying.

And so it ended, everyone stumbling around in a grog of delirium - some from drinking the sweet cup of victory, others just wandered around trying to remember why we did this in the first place. It kind of ended how it began I guess, only this time there wasn't any alcohol. (Well, that I know of. John is sneaky that way.) Pam was still quiet, but I saw more than one smile creep across her face and even she couldn't resist rubbing it in that her treadmill training paid off big time. There is a new sheriff in town... Until next Labor Day, that is.

Kathy's (Kathleen Mason) trip

As was mentioned in the previous post, Kathy, Trent's mom came to visit us and watch the girls while we were partying in San Diego. We had a great time. We took advantage of any slight amount of sun we saw.

Well, we tried too, but it was kind of painful as seen in the above picture. Sometimes the sun hurts, imagine being shut up in a dark damp closet all winter, and when you finally start to adjust to the terrible darkness a great big blinding light breaks down the door, but only for a moment and then it's gone. So you actually never do adjust to the light. That's my best analogy for describing Western PA.--btw not a posed picture

Oh it's so beautiful, so lush, so warm, so alive, we just had to get out and swing. My best at sarcasm.
Actually give the woods a few months and everything I just said will be a true accurate statement. There is beauty here, just not in the winter or early spring. (I can say that again)


New experience for us-this is the HofbrauhausIt's a huge German restaurant and there are only 2 others in the US the rest in Europe. They brew their own beer-9 huge distilleries. It was great. We had friend pickles, sauerkraut balls. And of of course Brats. If we drank beer I think this restaurant would be even greater to us. We did like it so much that we went twice in a weekend. This below is a picture of the girls playing outside the Hofbrauhaus, they have life sized chess and checker boards-it's quite a nice addition to the South Side.

A huge thank you to Kathy for coming out and helping us. We enjoyed it so much even though we know there were some hard things happening at home for her, we really apprciate her and hope she comes again soon.

San Diego

Beautiful San Diego! Trent had a Marketing Conference in San Diego a couple weeks ago. My sweet, sweet mother-in-law came out and watched our kids so that I could tag along with Trent and his co-workers.

We took a ferry taxi over to Coronado Island and were privileged enough to see this. It's a picture of the U.S. Navy training their dolphin. We had about a 10 minute dolphin training, quite neat and interesting.

Thats our hotel on the right and the San Diego conference center on the left. For those of you that know San Diego, we were in the prime location. I loved it!

Trent and I on Coronado island, in front the Coronado Hotel. I want to stay there some day.

The whole reason we went to San Diego, for Trent to pick up all theses awards. Seriously, I felt unworthy next to him. I had no idea he was so good at his job. I only cared about the pay check. I know, I'm a great wife, but this was great to see him recognized for his work. He got the competition's top prize for all entries and those champagne glasses are all awards also, in case you were wondering.


San Diego was too nice to me because I'm suffering a form of depression back here in cloudy western PA. I was able to sleep in every morning, woke up to an incredible view in an incredible hotel, and ate some of the greatest food I've ever had. I want to go back, I need to go back, no joke I think I'm drowning here.

So, so late Sophie's birthday

Oh Sophina, what to say about you. How do I explain the way you make me feel, about myself, our family and life. How did you come to be you?
Interesting facts: #1 YOU only gained 8 1/2 pounds your first year of life (this can happen when your born at a whopping 10 1/2 pounds!)
#2YOU have 2 completely different ears-one is your moms (flat against the head with a slight point at the top, we're part elf) other one is your dads-I feel sorry for that side of your head.
#3 You are a gatoraide-a-holic

You LOVE your sisters. The first time I caught your eyes tracking, it was to follow your sisters running around the room. They are your best friends, your comforters and your rivals all in the same moment. Feelings are confusing when you 12 months.

You are the perfect addition to this clan of girls. Everything about you belongs right here with us. We've all become one-you completed us.

Bye Bye Pacifiers

Better late than never. Madelyn finally kicked the bad habbit! We've been working on her for months and it finally paid off. We let her cut them off herself, so it hopefully would feel more like she chose to do this herself. Good job Maddie, now we just need to work on Barack's bad habbit!

Birthday Girl

So here is my special little birthday girl. She turned 6 last Friday. Everybody always talks about how time flies when they're referring to their children-it's very true. 6 years ago I gave birth to the most beautiful baby girl I had ever seen. She was perfect! Olivia has had a tough year and persevered and she is conquering all. I'm so proud of her. Here are many, many pictures of her day. Observe that I am using this also as a type of journal for my children's future reference, so there will be pictures you might not think are relevant or interesting, but I think someday Olivia would like to see them all.
The three amigas wearing their valentine clothes from Grandma Kathy

Olivia and Maddie made most of the decorations for the party. Here she is cutting out the hearts that will be taped to the kitchen cupboards.

This is the birthday cake. The theme of Liv's party was "pretend slumber party" I found this idea online and thought it was pretty cute. So thank you cake decorating tips and a big thanks to Fondant.

Here are the sock/slippers we made for all the girls at the party.

These are some of the party favors we made. It's a crayon holder that rolls up with ribbon. Olivia chose to make these, she really wanted to give these to all her friends.

These pictures are a little out of order-but here are all the girls crowding around watching Olivia open her presents. We had to break through the girls to even get this picture.

Here she is blowing out the six birthday candles

Decorating their journals-this is what girls do at real slumber parties, right?

This was hilarious! We played musical sleeping bags and the girls were so funny. They fought for those spots like we were giving away money.

Relaxing in the bags. It was such a fun party for Olivia. She told Trent and I several times that she felt like she was in a dream. That night she thanked me for her party and told me it was everything she could have ever hoped for. What a sweet thing for a six year old to say. Hey I get to brag at least once a year for each of my children. Today was your day Olivia. I love you!

Beautiful Pennsylvania

This is our backyard after a big ice storm came through. Even though the storms are very dangerous, I think the after affects of the ice are beautiful. That is all ice on the trees, it might look like snow-but it's definitely ice. When the wind blows it sounds like there are a bunch of wind chimes in the trees. I could quite be the only one calling this ice storm beautiful.