Dallas White Rock Marathon 2009

Sunday morning...low 40's...cloudy with a little fog.....great running weather! I completed my 2nd Half Marathon on Sunday! I am convinced and have always been convinced that my body is not meant to run long distances. However, I love setting goals for myself. The Half Marathon (13.1 miles) is challenging, yet attainable. It doesn't require near as much training as a full marathon, so it's something I can do without taking too much time from my roles as a wife, mother, real estate administrator, maid, landscaper...you get the idea. It's normally non-runners who ask me, "Don't you want to run 26.2 miles?" My response is, "Have you ever run 13.1 miles?" It's enough for me.
My super-supportive husband took time off of work to come out and cheer me on. He brought his bike and trailer for Landon. That way he could park his truck and ride to the race course to see me. They dropped me off at the starting line, then met me at the 5 mile marker and again at the 10 mile marker. As you can see from the pictures, Landon had a pretty comfortable ride! Getting to see them along the way was the best motivation I could get!

Happy Birthday Landon Cole!

Happy Birthday to our sweet little boy,
Our blue-eyed angel and pride & joy.

He's 3 years old on the 10th of December,
These 3 years were the best I can remember.

Landon's kind and loving and sweet as pie,
He has a caring heart and a twinkle in his eye.

Smart as a tack & curious, we teach him all we know,
Cars & trucks, books & puzzles, he's always on the go.

We love him dearly and so proud he's our son,
He brightens our world and makes life fun!

Happy Birthday Landon Cole!

Dear Santa....

I put our tree up and decorated the inside of our house on November 18th....early, I know! Landon was so curious about our Christmas tree this year; I just couldn't wait any longer. After all, it is the most wonderful time of year, and I'll do whatever I can to make it last just a little bit longer. We put the lights on our house this past weekend and Landon loves those too! As soon as it's dark, we turn them on and then have to run out to the street to turn back and look at them. I just love that he's so excited. Christmas morning will really be fun this year! He knows that Santa enters through the chimney. We burn a fire in our fireplace almost every night, and this morning he told me that we better not burn fires because Santa has to come down our chimney! Here are a few pictures of our hard work. Landon helped me lay the lights on the ground and test each strand. The nighttime photos just never turn out very good, but you get the idea.

Aggie Rings

My brother got his Aggie Ring! For those of you who aren't part of an Aggie family, this is a very special day. I received mine 10 years ago and very rarely do you see it missing from my right hand. I'm a girl who adores jewelry, so I slip on other rings every now and then. We Aggies have trained eyes; we can spot another Aggie ring across a crowded room or sections over at a football game. Aggies have a life-long connection and we have infinite pride in our school. I love Aggieland and still get goosebumps when I enter Kyle Field or hear the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band. There's just no place like it.
I'm forever part of the Aggie Class of 2000, and my brother is part of the Aggie Class of 2010. I'm so proud of him! I truly hope we've started a tradition. Maybe my Landon Cole will someday get his Aggie Ring. Gig 'Em!

Thanksgiving 2009

We've made a tradition of running the Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. This year drew over 37,000 runners! I first ran this race in 1995, but it's even better to run it with my little family! Here are just a few pictures from the race, and one picture of The Cross Family.

What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas!

Bo turned 30 on November 15th, and rather than planning a big surprise party for him, I decided a trip to Vegas would suffice. Bo's parents, one of his brothers, and a friend all joined in the celebration. Landon stayed with my mom and dad and for that we are forever grateful. It was the first time we've left Landon for an extended stay. Although it was extremely difficult to leave my son behind, we did have a most fabulous time in Las Vegas. We gambled, walked the strip, paraded through lots of beautiful hotels, and even saw a show. His birthday dinner was at Hard Rock Cafe. Bo and I have been to Vegas 5 times now, and it never gets old. My 3 favorite hotels are Bellagio, Wynn, and Encore. They were building a new hotel, so we have something else to look forward to next time we go. And, next time, we will definitely take Landon with us!