don't you worry about me over here....

Sometimes it amazes me how quickly time passes....

the past few days/week have been FREAKIN INSANE... so much happening... so much to do.

However... I have been committed to seeing the beauty in these days, these days that are not forever, but for now... and they have been INSANE, but beautiful...

Thursday night we had the MOST AMAZING SUNSET from the backyard.  It had been a long day with my mother... whom I love dearly.  We had one of our classic Carly and Carol adventures in the Saturn, where nothing happens as predicted and yet I still manage to consume large quantities of Diet Coke.

Oh.  and frappes.  Free ones thank you very much.

Saturday morning found me at camp for Challenge Day... where after I got done belaying all morning I harassed Heidi on her platform.  We took lovely shots of stepping on people's heads.  Here I stepped on John.  This made me laugh.  It did not make him laugh. 

This happens to me a lot.  I do things that make me laugh and no one else laughs.  For a minute or so I think maybe its me, but in the end... who cares... a good laugh is always good for the soul.

But when I stopped acting dumb and sat down on my platform to wait for kids to make it to me, I remembered how very very much I do love my days in the trees... and how truly blessed I am.

Don't worry about me over here... I'm just trying not to act my age!

On Sunday morning, I woke up at 4:45 AM.  That is ABSURD, just to clarify.  Dawn and I headed into downtown Cincinnati in the POURING RAIN and thunderstorms.  You know, because I love to exercise so much to start with.

At that point it was 5:45 AM, I was in a poncho, I was wearing borrowed socks... and let me tell you... I was just THRILLED to be awake, much less getting ready to propel my body 13.1 miles... THRILLED.

By the time the race started the power had flickered out a couple of times and my feet were SOAKING WET... but hey, runners are crazy people and they shot that gun off anyway.  Something like 13,000 folks headed out for the marathon and half marathon.

Me?  I am an official half marathoner.  I MIGHT do it again, its too early to tell.  I didn't run nearly as much of it as I had intended... but I did finish and never dropped below a 16 minute mile... even threw a couple high 13s in.  Not Olympic pace... but it was good for me, the non-exerciser of the family.

Dawn finished a couple minutes later. 

I can honestly say it was likely one of the greatest testaments to my will power EVER.  I wantes SO badly to quit... it was painful... it was LONG (seriously, do you KNOW how far 13 miles is?  FAR!!)...and it POURED down rain nearly the entire time.  HOwever, I didn't quit.  Jimmy Buffet and I finished strong.

Don't you worry about me over here... I'm just in a continual pattern of weirdness.

Monday morning brought the news that someone was going to be making an appearance about a week before schedule...

My sister had her second child, Abigayle Leeann on Monday.  Quite a cute one.  I have gotten to spend the week with Nickolas at his house... also quite the cute one... if you don't mind the weirdness and the fact that he kicks me in the head every night at 3 am.

Don't you worry about me over here... I'm remembering why I don't have children every morning! (well, maybe why I don't have children YET)

Wednesday, well, Wednesday Dad and I went back to Cinci so that we could watch the Mets lose to the Reds.  I say that with all sincerity.  I don't think the Mets have ever won when my dad has watched them live.  However, he says that's what its like to be a lifelong Mets fan... learning to live with disappointment!

This is #5 David Wright.  He hit a homer.  I can tell you that even though I am a marginal Mets fan and this was exciting... even I knew they wouldn't pull out a win... I mean... its the METS!

Don't worry... I'm not a baseball fan, but I do an enjoy an afternoon in the sun at the ballpark!

Just another week. I'm getting worn out...

perhaps another vacation is in order!