5K in pictures… Aitkin’s Fit City Run/Walk/Stoll

My first ever 5K competitive walk, not my last either. We had a blast, worked hard, played hard and enjoy every single second. Didn’t come in first, didn’t come in last. Did exactly what we wanted to do, complete the race. So without anymore words, our day!!

 

First thing getting there and our numbers. Wilbur couldn’t compete with us in the competitive walk but we could walk in the fitness walk so he went with Kory, one of my Venture Scouts.

 

The route.

 

Wilbur and Kory

Walking, about 1/2 point.

We did it. We finished in 48 minutes.

 

Can you say proud. We did it, we did something we set out to do.

Wilbur and his Aitkin Fit City, First Annual ribbon

 

Mike came and cheered us on, took pictures and was there from minute one to the end. He was our personal support and he was wonderful. Thank you Mike for all your support!!

 

In front of us, behind us and around us..

 

   

The finish line. Yucky picture but we are finishing. And Wilbur’s too.

   

Opening Ceremonies and the crowd.

   

Brenda won $10.00 in Aitkin bucks just for being there. Mike and Brenda.

 

Last but not least, 99 year old Ester, the oldest competitor.

So what do you think? I think it couldn’t of been a better day to get out and be part of something so wonderful and so fulfilling.

Now it’s onward and upwards to the next competition. It will be 3 mile Cross Country Skiing sometime this winter. Mike and I will be doing this one together. You know how much we love Cross Country Skiing. YEAH!!! Something else to train for and keep going. Getting fit and learning all kinds of new things has defiantly been my challenge this year but I’m learning and working at it. To bad I waited until I was almost 50 but better now then later or to late.

Take care and have a blessed Sunday. Jim and I are heading out for the morning, Mike is going pumpkin shooting in the afternoon. The rest of the day will be up in the air but it’s suppose to be beautiful so I’ll take it and enjoy.

Wordless Wednesday….

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!!!

Take care and God Bless!!

Fire Safety week

So before I tell you about our day with the kindergartners I want you to promise me that you’ve checked your smoke alarms, you have a fire plan and you have at least practiced it a few times. If you haven’t then you know what’s on your agenda this week don’t ya!!??!!

 

Today the weather was perfect. We had 65*, sunny and the kids were just wound up tighter then a slinky in a box. We got there just a few minutes early so I was able to take a couple of pictures of the trucks and then also go to Rachel and Abby’s rooms and get them to help.

  

Wilbur is now getting much better at not being so afraid to ride and sat right up front and enjoyed the day.

 

We took about 80 kindergartners for their rides.

Each time we picked up another class we’d get three riders up front to blow the sirens. It’s like the most greatest thing in the world for them to be able to make as much noise as they possible can and the smiles. Oh the smiles….

 

                 

As we were leaving, Smokey Bear was also leaving the school and he came over to say hi to Justin and Hannah. Hannah was scared to death of Smokey so hid behind me but Justin stood beside him. He wouldn’t shake his hand but he enjoyed seeing him.

So it was a great day today. It was our 14th year (we started giving the kids rides back when Mike was a kindergartner) and when they call next year and ask us, we’ll be there again with lights blinking and sirens blaring.

I hope you all had a great day today. Tomorrow is even going to be better. Take care and God Bless!!

Mike built…

Mike needed a bike stand. No, not the kick stand he made last week. A bike stand. It’s used for working on a bike. He found one in a magazine for about $60.00, it looked like this….

                                           

Well funds are low (like for everyone) so yesterday while Mike was off he built this.

   

    

I love this touch, he used the wire feed welder to put his name on it.

 

              

                  

Watching Mike build this was amazing. He didn’t really plan much, just the size and went from there. All the materials were in the scrap pile so it didn’t cost him a dime. That green paint has finished at least 3 projects and I love the color, can’t miss it. If you’re school offers shop, have your children take it. Doesn’t matter boy or girl. Mike has used all his shop classes in some form from making me my cabinet to the last couple. Him and his dad built the boat trailer and Mike did all the welding from shop class. All this is helping Mike decide just what it is he wants to do with his life. I know some kids know right away, others it takes a bit. Mike knows now it will be something with fabrication. Brenda called yesterday and read in the Brainerd paper about a 48 hour welding class being offered at the CLC. So we have to go and check that out, SOON since it starts the end of this month.

Anyways, the proud mama has to share.

Also another sharing, life is calmer now that we had our say. In fact while Mike was at scouts last night Jim went on my nightly walk with me. Not as far as Brenda and I go but still a great walk. We got the fire trucks ready to roll today. Tomorrow I’ll share some great pictures with you and thank goodness it will be a warm and sunny day today. In the 14 years of doing this we’ve had all kinds of weather but mostly we’ve had sunshine. It is such a wonderful, exciting thing to do with 80+ kindergartners. I think today is 4 rides with 4 different classes but with two trucks it works so great.

Take care my friends and God Bless you all.

I love him, I love him, I love him……

But I hate the “God” attitude. I have to tell you this was not a great weekend. I am so glad this weekend is over with and he is sleeping in his chair. Oh we’ve been married 30+ years and there are lots of ups and downs and most of the time life is good. But this weekend, no thank you!! I am so hoping this week gets better. We have a busy week coming up. With fall here there’s so much to do to winterize and there’s also Fire Trucks to the school on Tuesday. I need to keep walking after work because this weekend is the 5K I’ve entered. He’s cutting back on smoking, down to a carton a week instead of two and though one carton is still plenty he is trying and I know this is a reason for crabbiness so I just need to have more patience, more love and we’ll make it through it all. I’ll pray for patience, for the insight to just zip my lip and just go with the flow. First a good night sleep.

I hope that you have a wonderful week. A new week, new challenges, new friendships and more. Take care my friends. God Bless!!!

AWARDS!!! YEAH!!!

I have gotten 4 awards this month. Well really September and I am now going to do all of them. I’m going to mix them up and answer some questions and pass them on. Probably not in the order they came and probably not the exact rules.

First I want to thank Susan for this award. I’ve got to tell you a little bit about Susan. Her and her hubby are very busy doing God’s work. They are houseparent's in a Children’s home. You have got to go and check out all that is happening at this lovely lady’s blog.

This award came from Margene. Margene and her hubby have lost 200 lbs this year. 200 lbs. You’ve got to go and see what their story is and how great a family they are. How they have pulled together to do this together. It is total amazing and oh so wonderful

Then this award came from Jill. This woman is such an inspiration. She has 2 beautiful daughters that she home schools and shares all of her blessing with us. She is has so much to teach us all. Stop by and visit.

My last award comes from Slipstitches. You want to know something, anything about sewing? You’ve got to stop and look. She has the most unique clothing she designs and makes. It’s all so beautiful.

The rules to these awards are to thank the person who sent them too you. Well thank you guys. I am so honored to except this. I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for you all. This blogging has been a life changing experience and I am so enjoying it.  Thank you everyone.

The next rules are to share 10 things about me you don’t know and 5 things I love. So here it goes:

1. I’m afraid of bats

2. I love watching Extreme Home Make Over

3. I hate my kitchen cabinets and wish I could just paint them

4. I so love my job

5. I hate the blankets on my bed. To small, need a new king quilt

6. I love summer. The heat doesn’t bother me at all

7. I hate being cold.

8. I love cross country skiing with Mike

9. I hate getting Mike up in the morning. Mr. Crabby Pants

10. I love fleece jackets. The softer the better

11. I hate crunch towels. The ones from the clothes line

12. I love the smell of fresh sheets from the clothes line

13. I hate washing dishes

14. I love my dishwasher

15. I love my life. There is nothing I would change about it. My marriage of 30 years, my being a mom for 18 years, my life of 48 years.

Now for the passing these awards on. That is the hard part for me. How can I just pick 10-15 blogs that I follow, that I love, that I respect, enjoy, can’t live without? Well I’m not going to do that. I want you each to pick one of these awards and share them with someone. You can pick the one you’d like to pass on. I’m sorry I didn’t follow this part of the rules but I so hate picking and choosing.

I hope that you all have the most blessed, wonderful, relaxing and enjoyable weekend. I’m walking with Brenda in the morning, helping my dad and son bring in the swimming raft and after that I’m not sure. Maybe a neep (remember the to long for a nap but to short for sleep word) and then time with Jim. Time to hold hands, follow him around and enjoy our time together.

God Bless you all!!!

See what we made today…

It was a rainy morning but between rain drops we went out and collected leaves and this is what we made with wax paper, crayons, an iron, construction paper, glue and yarn. I love them, they are so pretty and the kids had a blast. The best thing, because they knew we were having a new little boy coming to visit they made him one too. So here they are…

 

         

 

                          

And the left over leaves. They kids had a blast and then they also cut and glued tons of scraps everywhere.

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Another show and tell.

Mike made this…

for this…

 

It didn’t come with one and he wasn’t about to lean it up on the building so Monday afternoon he made this and it works like a charm. I love the florescent green, can’t lose it as easily this way.

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One more show and tell but nothing grand, just cute…

Shadows in my lamp shade. Martha Stewart had the idea, I just used it. I’m not a paper cutter but they didn’t turn out to bad and really easy too.

So there, that’s the rest of the week. Tonight is game night at mama’s with spaghetti and garlic bread for supper and homemade brownies. Then a few games and fun.

Oh do you want to know…..I did get the new little boy. He starts on Monday. He’s only here a couple days a week. He is a charmer and will fit right in with the others. Gonna love it!!!

Take care and have a blessed afternoon and a terrific, relaxing weekend.