OOHRAH Rahzi OOHRAH!!!!!

Today we went to see my college roommate "Rahzi" run the Marine Corps Marathon.  It was truly an amazing experience and we were only there watching.  She runs with Team in Training to raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Tyler was spending the night at his friends house so we OVERSLEPT and missed pretty much the whole run.   We had to rush to make it to the finish.  When we got there I was completely overwhelmed by how many people were there.  I was positive that we would never see her or find her family and we would just be wandering around for hours. Luckily they had this set up to get online and track the runners (Ciara figured out it gave an estimated finish time - when I sent her back after thirty or forty minutes to make sure) so we found that we hadn't missed her finish.  We found a spot that had a great view and we watched and waited.  It was truly AMAZING listening to all of the stories and watching all of the people cross the line.   Some of them were holding hands, some were being supported on either side to make it across, some of them had blisters so bad they had taken off their shoes, we saw one who had carried the american flag all TWENTY SIX (and point two) miles, another one was being pushed across the finish in a wheel chair.  I kept being scared that we had missed her but we finally did get to see her come up the hill (pretty mean to put a hill in the final stretch of a marathon if you ask me) and round the corner for the finish.

After the finish when we were walking to try to find her both Ciara and I were crying.  We couldn't really explain why but it was just such a moving experience, especially to know someone who actually completed it.

With some complete dumb luck we were able to find Rahz and her family and get some pics!!!

At mile 25 (correct me if I'm wrong Rahz) her husband Ryan even joined her and ran with her almost up to the finish.

Now that we've been to one we know what to expect so for the Marathon in Pittsburgh we're going to be ready and have signs and be able to track her and actually get to see more than just the finish.  (We'll go to sleep extra early)

So CONGRATULATIONS Rahzi you ROCK!!!!!

MHC in NYC

We had a WONDERFUL time while we were in NYC.  It was so great to see everyone and we had a lot of fun!!!  I do have to say I don't know how mom's there do it.  With the two of us after the four days we were there we were getting better getting around with the baby and the stroller and all of our stuff but man was it tricky!!!  I can't imagine having to try to do it by myself - so a serious high five to big city mammas!!

Here we are the first day in Central Park.

Tyler his uncle and his uncle's girlfriend hanging out in the crib.  Uncle Brenton had a pretty serious set up what with all the movies, computers, game systems, etc.

The second day we went to Coney Island which was a first for me.  We had a lot of fun, rode bumper cars, played games, ate cotton candy, funnel cakes, and hot dogs (from Nathan's).  Tyler LOVED it and kept asking to go back (mostly because he wanted to go to the arcade).

Yesterday we went to the Statue of Liberty because Tyler wanted to go see it and Ciara had never seen it before.  It was a long day but fun and worth it.  We had wanted to go up but you now need a reservation (made at least two weeks in advance) to be able to.  We learned a lot for next time:)

Like I said it was a long and tiring day!!

HAPPY (Belated) BIRTHDAY Uncle Brenton

My brother came down from NYC to celebrate his birthday with his friends this weekend.  He came over for birthday cake and to see his niece and nephew.  Tyler absolutely ADORES him and they had fun playing the Wii games that were Ty's birthday present "from his cool uncle".  Check out the cake...my new hobby has been trying to recreate the C.ake Love cakes and
 cupcakes.  I made both the cake and the icing from scratch using the C.ake Love recipes.  If I can figure out how to pack them I'm going to take one up our newly named MHC in NYC reunion weekend on Saturday.  A group of my college buddies are meeting up because its been too long since we've seen each other and we're out of weddings to go to - well maybe one more coming up (wink wink Dev ).