Race Directing

 

Back in April, my sister-in-law approached me with an offer - would I like to be the Race Director for the KMCR?  Well, as a runner for over two decades, and the aunt to this young boy after whom the race is named, the answer certainly was an easy one.

 

K was my husband's nephew (and then mine, when we married) who was killed at the age of 7, in 2010, after being hit by a car.  The race was created by a close family friend who had headed it up for the last years, but needed to step down due to other obligations. 

 

Since we moved her only one year ago, I wasn't able to participate in the planning before.  The first year, I ran it 7 months pregnant.  Last year, I ran and got second in my age group.  So this year - going from never being on the committee to race director was quite a jump.

 

The planning had taken about 7-8 months, and the race kicked off this past Saturday.



 

 

 My in-laws (me and Matthew are on the end)

 

 My sister-in-law Jenny, brother-in-law Nat, and nephews Brody and Aiden

 K's mom and sister

 My father-in-law

 Starting the kids race!

 Go kiddos!!

 My men crossing the finish line

 Three generations!

 Me, giving the welcome and choking up.  Such a sap, I am.

My sister and nephew, hands on heart, respecting the National Anthem.  All the way from Chicago!

 My brother and niece, all the way from Tennessee!!

 



 My nephew hanging out on the stage.

 And they're off!!

My registration crew!

That's just a few of the tons of pictures from the weekend.  My sister and her family, as well as my mother, came in from Chicago.  My brother and his family came in from Tennessee.  A house full a laughter, kids running around squealing, my son taking 3-hour naps because he is so worn out from the fun, and just being surrounded by so much love and support - it was an amazing weekend!

As for the actual race directing: right now, it's hard to put into words.  It was one of the most emotional processes I have endured, yet one of the most rewarding.  There were definitely some ups and downs, but overall it was a truly incredible experience.  My mind is already looking towards next year, and how to keep up the momentum of the event!

Whuuuuuuut.

Yes, you saw that right.

It's been just over a year since my last post. 

In fact, it's been so long that I couldn't even remember what the username of my email account was to sign into this ol' thing.  It took, like, 10 minutes to figure it out.  Which in mommy time is like, super long.

So here we are.  I've managed to make it a whole year in Kansas.  And would you believe it - I've actually done quite well for myself.  Turns out this big city girl had a little bit of country girl in her bones because I can't imagine NOT living here.  In fact, I hope our next house is literally on a farm in the middle of the corn fields.  Because this girl wants to be a farmer.  For realz.

Before moving, I was this super introvert who much rather preferred to hide behind my computer screen and make funnies about my boring ass life than go to a party, have dinner with friends, or really anything else that forced me to go outside my comfort zone of sleeping, running, biking, racing, and eating.

But in the weeks before I moved, I made the decision - I am getting a second chance, and I'm gonna own this bitch.  I decided to say "yes" to everything I was asked to do, every opportunity that came my way, and every person that crossed my path. 

As it turns out, this was a fun way to live.  I made some new friends (this is earth shattering for me, and I mean that with zero sarcasm...also, it's sad that I have to clarify when sarcasm is absent), got in the best shape of my life and kicked some ass racing (hey guuurl, overall-wins-and-age-group-places-WHUUUUT?!?! but more on this later), got myself a J.O.B. (luuuuv it), and accepted the position of race director for my nephew's race.  And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Now, it hasn't been all puppies and sunshine over here.  I had my share of meltdowns - I mean, I was a stay-at-home mom for nine months, after all.  "Meltdowns" is the title of Chapter 3 in the book "Mommy Hell - What They Don't Tell You Before You Get Knocked Up."   

But enough about me living the country life - how's about we get to some cutie monkey man?


Love this face.  Nom, nom, nom.

Oh hey.  Just kickin' it with my blankey and pillow pet. Doin' me.

Missing daddy.  Or not-so-subtly telling me to turn the heat on.

Because the only way to end a day of mud pittin' is a popsicle.

 I'm innocent! They've got the wrong man! Nooooobody knows the trouble I've been through...

Taking batting practice with a tube of diaper rash cream.

 Kinda weird how many pics we have of this guy with buckets and baskets on his head.  Not sure about that....

Macky cheesys.  It's what for dinner.

Does this hat make me look serious?  I mean, as serious as one can be in a pink plastic car?

No funnies - just lovies.

There's nothing sadder than a toddler in a raincoat (he refuses to take off even though it's fleece lined and 95 degrees outside), discouraged that his pink mower won't work, and waiting for the rain to pass in his little pink car. 

First carnival.  Which is a coincidence, as he's looking like a carney in his camo bro tank and stoney eyes.  Well done, Carney-in-Training.

Nothing says summertime country living like a shirtless dirty kid eating an ear of corn in the middle of an overgrown scorched earth backyard. 

His actual morning hair.

Yummy belly. And yes, my kid is the one who runs up and down the streets in either his diaper or just buck naked.  And I love it.  Even if my neighbors don't.

Matthew vs. the Grasshopper (or as Matthew calls it "Hopper")

The view from above.

Pudding.  Or as mom refers to it, "a lesson well-learned on what NOT to serve for dessert."

Needless to say, there's a whole year's worth of pics that I won't bore you with - but seriously, what one earth am I going to with my 4000 pictures when Matthew get older?  And that's just in the last 12 months!

So that's a short brief look at what's been happening over here for the last year!