My First Real Race!

It's kind of funny that I trained all last summer to run a 5K, but I never entered an actual race.  Then, this year, I enter one at the beginning of the summer after hardly running at all.  Anyway, I entered the racing world with a bang, as I picked one of the biggest races in the city:  the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure.  It was pretty crazy, with over 10,000 racers and 30,000 participants altogether.  It was kind of fun and emotive to do it with a few ladies from the Mom's Club, especially since one of our own was recently diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer.  So many people were there in behalf of or celebrating a loved one.  It certainly wasn't ideal for posting a great time, as  there was a lot of dodging through massive groups of people while trying not to take out the bands and cheerleaders lining both sides of the route.  But, it was really, really exciting.  It was especially fun for me that Clay and the kids came to cheer me on.  Clayton loves running a lot more than I do, and he has been my number one fan over the past two years as I've tried to become somewhat of a runner.  The pictures we got are terrible, but I'm glad to say that I've done a 5K, and it won't be my last.  I'm sure I can beat 28:52 next time!  Oh boy, it's kind of embarrassing that I just put my time.

Wow, don't I look great right after finishing! Haha.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day was nice and relaxed.  We had a great time planting flowers, veggies, and herbs in our small flower beds, and I'm determined to keep them looking nice for the duration of the summer.  Luke even picked out his own flowers to grow (marigolds) and has been taking good care of them.  We all got hopelessly dirty, especially Luke with his dirt-stache.  The day ended with a barbecue with friends and a little bit of chilly swimming in the evening.  I hope the rest of the summer ends up being as nice as this.

Big Change

I wasn't sure I wanted to put this picture up, but my mom really wanted to see my new do.  Yep, I cut 9 inches off, and I was SO READY.  It's been a little bit of a shock, but I really do like it.  It will be fun and cool for the summer, and I can say goodbye to ponytail headaches.  Clayton says the picture doesn't do it justice, and he thinks it looks great.  I just love that man; he would probably say I looked great if I weighed 500 pounds and colored my hair purple.  To quell any lingering doubts as to whether this was a good move or not (I know... drama, drama.  At least we know where Audrey gets her dramatic nature), I donated the hair to the local chapter of Wigs For Kids.  

More Animal Fun

The kids and I recently went with some good friends to Greenfield Village, which is part of the Henry Ford Museum grounds.  The girls and I had a good time taking our kids on train, carousel, and Model-T rides while we commiserated with each other about being the wives of second-year Anesthesiology residents.  I love hanging out with these wonderful women who inspire me to be a better mother and wife.  They are amazing, and they always listen to my tales of woe with love and understanding.  I always mean to get a picture of us together, but never do.  Next time.  We also went to the farm area to see the brand-new lambs.  Audrey tried really hard to pet the chickens, but they were having none of it.  Thanks for a really good time, girls!

A Favorite Game

Audrey started it all, but Luke loves to join in.  It's, apparently, just as fun to put on as many of your regular clothes as you can at one time, as putting on dress-up clothes.

Grosse Pointe Hunt Club

We do lots of neat outings with the Grosse Pointe Mom's Club, and this is one of our favorites.  For the second year in a row, we've gotten to tour the stables and meet and feed the horses and ponies at a local hunt club.  Luke took a little while to warm up (I had to include the picture!), but he got the hang of it.  Both kids had a great time, and it makes me wish we lived closer to Grandma Hall and her horses.  Take a good look at my long hair, because you won't see much of it anymore!

Beautiful Spring

After joking around about smog and car exhaust, I had to bite my tongue.  We came back from our trip to Missouri to the most beautiful Michigan spring weather!  The trees and tulips were in full bloom, and everything seemed green and fragrant.  Clayton was amazed, as I think he missed it all last year at work or something.  We miss the Allphin family, but it is nice to be home to Clayton, friends, and our warm-weather routine of parks and playing.  

Privatization

After careful consideration, I've decided to go private.  It takes some of the fun out of it for me, but I hope some of you will still take the extra time to come visit every now and then!  I'll still be here, blogging away.  If I haven't added you to my "carefully selected people" list, it is probably because I either didn't have your e-mail address or didn't know you cared!  E-mail me at aimee.hall7@gmail.com if you want to keep up with the madness.

Having a Sister is like having a Best Friend...

...You can't get rid of.

You've got to love their facial expressions in that one.  My mom and I took the kids to get their pictures taken for fun, and it ended up being a terrible little kiosk in the mall (we didn't know that beforehand).  The photographer was bad, but the kids are cute anyway.  So, just in case you haven't seen enough of the snazzy, purple Easter outfits, here you go...

The Best Mom

I love that my mom thought to fly the kids and I out for my dad's birthday.  I always have a good time hanging out with her, and we did WAY too much shopping while I was there.  My mom is the most generous person I know, especially with her kids and grandkids.  She is beautiful and fun, and I'm so lucky that she's my mom.  Luke and Audrey also think she's great, and it doesn't hurt that her goodie drawer keeps them (and in turn, the dog) well-fed, if not well-nourished.  

On this Mother's Day, I send my love to my mom.  I would also like to mention my mother-in-law, who is also the best.  (Can it be possible that I have two "best" moms in my life?)  I can't imagine anyone having a better mother-in-law, and I love her a lot, too.  Happy Mother's Day to everyone!

Fun With The Boys

One of my favorite things about this trip to Missouri was going outside and not seeing any neighbors or traffic.  Everything was in its full spring splendor of green, and it was a very nice respite from Detroit city-dwelling.  Unfortunately, my lungs are only used to smog and car-exhaust, so I suffered severe allergies (which I have never had before) and was hoarse most of the trip.  We joked the first couple of days that it was from our late-night Rock Band sessions (which were SO FUN!), but I never really recovered.  

The kids and I had a great time hanging out with my brothers (sans Steve, who comes home in August from Chile!).  Chris, Mitch, and Alex were good sports with the kids and did endless races and lego-building with Luke and swinging with Audrey.  They humored me on Rock Band when I couldn't do "Expert" with them (okay, I couldn't really do "Hard" either) and put up with the overall chaos two kids and a crazy sister bring to a house.  It was especially fun to hang out with Chris, who we haven't really spent much time with in years.  He is a mature, awesome guy.  But then, I think all my bros are awesome!  Can I just add that Alex is a drummer extraordinaire, Mitch is a rockin' guitarist, and Chris has some mad-hot vocals!

Here is a funny one of Chris trying to dunk over Luke.

An Almost Perfect Surprise

As a surprise for my dad's birthday, my mom flew the kids and I down to Missouri for the birthday party.  My brother Chris also came from school, and it was so fun to surprise my dad.   My brothers Mitchell and Alex skipped swim practice to secretly pick us up from the airport, and the kids and I ducked down in the car as we drove up the driveway.  Somebody said he was

coming, so we ran like crazy people into the house to hide with Chris, who had been waiting inside for us to get there.  It was hilarious when my dad came in the back door, upset, and saying, "Who in the world left the car running in the garage with the garage door down?"  In all the excitement, Mitch had left the car running!  We managed to muffle our laughter as he walked down the hall, and he was very surprised and excited to see us waiting for him.  It would have been completely perfect if Clayton could have come too, but he couldn't get the weekend off of work.  

My mom threw a nice party for him, and he and I even re-lived our award-winning lip-synch performance of "You Can Call Me Al."  I think the fun really happened after the party, though, as the kids got to spend some time with him in his beautiful yard that he loves to work hard to maintain.  They played horseshoes, jumped on the trampoline, went four-wheeling, took tours of the garden and fruit orchard, and spent a lot of time on the swings and slides.  Audrey couldn't get enough of "Ga-ga" pushing her on the swings. 

 

I love this picture, which is something my dad loves to do--gaze at his garden.  

We love you, Dad, and Happy 50th!