We did it, we did it...

So I finished my first 1/2 marathon in 5 years and now I can't stop singing the little song they always sing at the end of Dora when they finish whatever mission they are on...we did it, we did it, we did it yeah!

At any rate my BFF from Richmond, April Stump Heitchue talked me into running the Tobacco Road 1/2 Marathon in Cary along with one of her BFFs from college, Amy Reynolds-Hatfied who lives near Fayetteville with her husband Tracy.

I got up at 4:45 a.m. to meet them and carpool over to the race.

Here we are a 6 a.m. just after arriving at the race.

Here we are 13.1 miles and over 2 hours later, still smiling but a little sweaty.

I'm showing off a killer blood blister on my right foot that you can thank me for not taking a close up picture of and posting here.

Wonderful Tres made the trek out to the course with V to cheer us on at mile 11ish and right before the finish line. Nothing could be cuter than those 2 cheering on Mama...and I needed it about that time. My feet and back were killing me.

It was a lot fun doing a big race again and I had forgotten just how nerdy runners are. Bad fashion, bad hair, disgusting port-a-potty manners. But I loved it. And I finished in 2:12:49 which, if I remember correctly, is faster than any of my previous 1/2 marathons. Life after 30 isn't so bad after all...

Princess Party

Almost as soon as her birthday party was over, V began requesting a princess party. I am sure this is because she really wanted to have a princess themed birthday party, but I talked her out of it because she had invited several boys to come and I just didn't think they'd enjoy the Cinderella experience.

V was very specific about her princess party. She wanted Bridget,

Scarlett,

and Nora to attend.

She wanted to dress up.

She wanted to make paper flowers.

I threw in a cardboard castle for the girls to decorate, and Bridget's younger brother Christopher (aka Crispy) took to it like a second home.

Add a little monkey bread, plenty of munchkin doughnut holes and a few pieces of fruit for good measure and the results were:

The only down side was that V had not slept well the night before, so about an hour into the party she started disapperaring only to be found hiding behind the curtains or trying to nap inside the castle.

(This is Bridget trying to talk V into getting out of the castle!)

By the time everyone left she was thoroughly princess-ed out and fell asleep on the couch before lunch was ready.

Does this get me into the running for the Mom of the Year award???

Ballet...sort of.

V has been begging us to buy her a "ballet shirt" for weeks. She has also been asking for ballet class over and over and over. I finally broke down and got her a super girly leotard this afternoon and while she has another year before she can sign up for a "real" ballet class in town, she is already practicing her skills.

Act I

Act II


And in case you needed some performance notes from the artist herself...


Anna Pavalova, watch your back!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Sunny Saturday

Virginia and I grabbed our friends Shae and Reagan and headed down to Meymandi Concert Hall for the Symphony's "Let's Dance" concert.

Before the concert, the girls were treated to some crafts (headdress making, but V refused to wear hers)

some violin lessons (it was so cute, I almost want to go out and buy one now)

and some running around outside to get their "ya yas" out.

We had a bird's eye view sitting in an upper box above the stage for african, ballet, tango, swing and clog dancin'.

Despite eating a snack on the way to the Hall and the fact that the concert started at 11, by 11:20 both girls were asking for lunch so as soon as the concert was over we walked up Fayetteville Street for a sighting of the St. Patrick Day's parade and some lunch.

The area that was an ice rink this winter is now a fake grass zone, so we settled in for a picnic.

Sitting still and eating lasted less than 5 minutes and the girls were off...running up and down the faux grass

playing ring around the rosie with another little girl enjoying the afternoon

and then heading over the new, interactive fountain. You cover up sensors to make the water jump in the air. Pretty cool to a 3 year old. And a 33 year old, actually.

We came home despite protests from Virginia that she wasn't tired and, well, as I type this she is 2 hours into a nap. Welcome Spring!

Sunshine

OK, I know I don't post here as often as I once did. But it is about QUALITY, not QUANTITY.

And this is about as good as it gets these days for me:

Yes, Virginia remains our sunshine. Although we use different words to describe her when she wakes us up in the middle of the night. Every night. No matter what we do.