Can they get any cuter?

When I got home, I sat down to play with Tye...

After a few minutes, we all start getting hungry so I ask "what do you want for dinner?"...disappears Katelin...

Katelin comes back just moments later after going to the kitchen, opening the freezer and pulling out this steak. "Skeak for dinner?" she says "but it's COLD!"

Can they get any cuter?!?

cute pics

Pumpkin and Princess

This was the extent of our Halloween for this year. Galveston was little too scary to walk around, but I could not pass up the opportunity to show y'all how cute our little pumpkin and princess were! Katelin loves her princess dress and wears it frequently. She thought it was so funny to have Tye in a pumpkin. You can see how excited Tye was about the whole thing.

MCM Pics

Arrival Time: ~6:30am...much too early...I guess you would call it a rookie mistake.

Pre-race jitters...I think the jitters were because it was 47 degrees outside and we didn't want to take our last bit of clothing off!

And...We're off. The race started at 8am, but it took us about 5 minutes to make it to the starting line after the gun went off.

On the trail:

Meg..."There's Katie"

This was our one 5 second stop for a great photo-op. Meg is pretty cute when she's HOT:)

At the Smithsonian Castle.

Finish photos:

The race finished at the Iwo Jima Memorial...if you look close you can see the Washington Monument and US Capitol in the background. Pretty cool place to finish, yet not so cool because the last 200 yards were a steep UP-hill...ugh!!

I felt MUCH better after my post-race nap on the lawn :)

The line for the Metro was crazy...try standing in line after 4 hours of running.

Post race meal...Pizza at California Pizza Kitchen...best pizza ever?

Best of all was returning home to these two sweet kids!

The results:

Meg 4:10:54

Pace 9:34

Overall 5,369th

Gender 1,306th

Division 234th

Kev 4:10:53 (I beat meg by one second!!)

Pace 9:34

Overall 5,368th

Gender 4,003rd

Division 649th

4:11

We finished in 4 hours 11 minutes. Over 35,000 runners, all just insane enough to run 26.2 miles. What a great way to end a great trip. We were thinking as we were running that we should have run earlier in the week to scope out all of the sites (but I don't think our legs would let us right now). DC is a beautiful place!!

Meg did great...she smoked her previous PR (personal record).

I did great, 100%...until mile 22 when my knee started killing me. I had to limp every 10 steps, but I did cross the finish line with Meg (At least that's what she tells me...I think I blocked that out of my memory. All I was thinking about was laying down and taking a nap...which I did on the lawn of the Marine memorial...best nap ever?)

Maybe half marathons from here on out?

Thanks to all of our friends and family that supported us through this crazy idea. Numerous babysitters for long runs, encouragers, and running partners...Thanks.

My mom was a great spectator and cheerer. She deserves a "Navigating the Metro with 60,000 other spectators" medal. Thanks mom :)

Pics to follow next week...hopefully.

DC

Meg and I are here in Washington DC and enjoying the fall weather (60's and beautiful!!). We went to the Holocaust museum yesterday and the National Museum of American art today. My mom is flying in tomorrow. She has never been here and I think she will be amazed. We are going to see the National Archives and possible the National Gallery of Art. Meg has an interview at Children's National tomorrow, so we are going to meet up with her at Union Station afterward to have dinner.

We are filling up on plenty of good food this week to prepare us for the marathon on Sunday. I can't believe it is so close!! Meg and I ran from our hotel, past the Air Force Memorial, up to the Pentagon and Pentagon Memorial, and beside Arlington Cemetery...and that was less than three miles! I cannot imagine all of the sites and memorials we will pass in 26.2 miles. We will be sure to post some pics when we get back.

Pancakes and Potato

Life has been rather CRAZY post-IKE, but one thing remains the same...I still have two adorable kids!!

Meg had an interview with Vanderbelt in Nashville and left at 6 this am. I left for work this morning at 5:30 and didn't get home until 7:00 (Dina the nanny has been great to be so accommodating), so Katelin was very happy to see me. While I was getting Tye ready for bed, I had Katelin go upstairs. She was getting a little impatient, so I had her make me some "pancakes and a chocolate shake"... I sat back down and heard her yell down to me "you want a potato?!?" I said "yes please." Well, I got Tye down after his bottle, and as I walked up stairs she said "It's ready daddy!" Sure enough waiting at the top of the stairs was Katelin all dressed up (with one shoe and one orange Halloween sock), ready for a party. We had the pancake, chocolate shake, and potato I ordered. She even added a cookie for dessert. What a thoughtful, adorable daughter.

Tye is adorable without having to say a word!! He is sitting up on his own, eating all kinds of baby food (blessing that we have two GREAT eaters), and has the best laugh and cutest dimples. He has started wrinkling his nose, squinting his eyes and sniffing on command...pretty cute. I will get a pic if I can catch it.

Zane is 6!!

We went to Round Rock for the weekend and watched Zane turn six...right before our eyes!!

Transformers birthday cake.

Silly string fight!!

Zane showing off his presents.

His favorite was the sock monkey?!?

Katelin LOVED the cake...BOTH pieces (thanks aunt Jenny!!).

Tye loves parties, too!!

He got to meet his aunt Kathy.

Meghan's mom had a concert that evening.

They even sang "happy birthday" to Zane.

Happy Birthday Zane!!

Ike pics

Click the link for some more pretty cool Ike pics.

Ike pics

Pray for Galveston and its residents tomorrow as the Island opens back up. I am sure there will be many devastated families.

Dirty Jobs and IKE pics

It was a dirty job, but somebody had to do it: Cleaning the refrigerator.

Power washing fun:

Street full of soggy basment stuff

Newly power-washed, bleached, consolidated and organized basement!!

Our street was full of tree stuff and garbage. Our sidewalk had someone's gate on it.

Cleaned and power-washed...I think the fence is whiter than when we painted it!!

Mosquito Cafe'

Broadway had quite a bit of damaged buildings and century old oaks fallen. Most of the palms are still standing. The remaining oaks didn't like the salt water too much and are turning brown.

Star Furniture still had "50% off everything" signs in the window. I bet you could get this pile of "new" furniture much cheaper now.

The Strand businesses had about 10 feet of water in them. There was tons of garbage in the streets and lots of clean-up crews working hard.

The Seawall definitely took on the most damage:

The Flagship in the distance, is the only standing pier on the East end.

Hooters (formerly Ocean Grill)

Murdoch's and the Mermaid Pier souvenir shops...destroyed.

The Balanise Room

One of the most amazing things to see driving on the Island were the 100's of boats...everywhere!!

This boat is not a decoration in front of Willie G's

These boats are on the I-45 access road by Teichman road.

I had to drive around this boat that was docked on the road.

I think this boat owner hit the throttle a little too hard.