Happy Birthday, America!

As is the case with most important conversations, the following conversation with Molly occurred as we were in the car. We were driving around and started talking about the 4th of July. Personally, it is one of my favorite holidays. It is steeped in tradition for me personally, so I hope to be able to pass along some of the love for the holiday to the girls. 


I was telling Molly about the plans for the day. (The girl loves to know in advance what we are going to do every day from here to eternity!) I told her we were going to run in the 4th of July race, then go watch the parade with our friends. Molly wanted to know why the 4th of July was a holiday. What came next, I can only apologize for in advance to her future geography teacher. I'm sorry, Mrs. Future Geography Teacher. I tried, I really did. 


And, cue another of my infamously bad explanations. (See previous charity example.)

Me: Well, it's a holiday because we are celebrating the birth of our country. It's kind of like a birthday for America.
Molly: Who's America?
Me: America is the country we live in.
Molly: I thought we lived in Olathe.
Me: We do live in Olathe. Olathe is our city, and our city is in America, the country.
Molly: I thought Olathe was in Kansas.
Me: Yes, Olathe is in Kansas. But, Kansas is our state. And, really, our country is called the United States of America. So, America is really made up of everybody's states. Kansas, Texas, Minnesota, Florida - these are all states that are part of America.
Molly: Silence. So, are we going to wave 4th of July flags at the parade?
Me: Well, technically, it's called an American flag, because it's the flag of America. Our country. Remember? But, yes, we will wave them at the parade.
Molly: Oh. I like eating blueberry muffins at the parade.

Hmmmm ... not really sure I got through to her on that one. Although, to be fair, I do like eating blueberry muffins, too. I did buy her a placemat with a map of the country on it, in hopes of improving on this understanding. Let's hope she gets it down before we go to kindergarten next month. Or, my kid's going to be the only one saying the Pledge of Allegiance to the "4th of July flag!"

Molly did get to wave her "4th of July" flag at the parade.

But, despite this lack of understanding (aka. Mom's failure to explain), we had a great 4th of July. It started at the Lenexa Freedom Run. Cory ran the 5K, and I ran the 10K. It was miserably hot, and they ran out of water at one of the aid stations, which was not cool. But, I managed to squeak in just under 50 minutes (49:48), which was good enough for 4th place in my age group. And, as you all know, I do it for the medals!

Running into Danie after the race. I actually ran into quite a few more people, but our camera  memory card was out of the camera, so we had to make do with the iPhone camera.

Posing after something like our 13th Lenexa Freedom Day Run together. It's our tradition!

Yay! I got 4th place in my age group. If I'm counting correctly, I've gotten 5th place 3 times, and this is my 2nd time with 4th. Not trying to brag, just trying to illustrate how much I love that they give medals up to 5th place instead of 3rd like most races!

Next up: it was time for the parade. We were really crunched for time because I made Cory stick around for the awards ceremony to get my medal. We drove back home, showered and were back at the parade in 40 minutes. A new record. (Though, I did not get my annual 4th of July Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit from McDonalds. It's the only day of the year I get it. The medal was worth it, though.)

Before the parade began. Talking with Megan and Anne while Charlotte chowed down on some donuts.

Walking for MS

Last Saturday morning, we packed up both girls and headed out to join Chrissy's Angels for our annual participation in the MS Walk. I've been running so many races lately, it was a nice break to get out there for a leisurely morning stroll on a gorgeous morning.

Ok, does that sound good? It sounds nice and pleasant and not at all competitive, right? Yup, that's my official take on the walk.

Unofficially, it kind of drove this girl crazy to walk slowly along the sidewalk stopping every five minutes to let someone in or out of the stroller. Or up on or down off Cory's shoulders. Or, to get a drink. Or, to walk "by myself." Or, to complain that I'd forgotten their sunglasses.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm totally on board and totally willing to walk for the cause. I love to help out with causes that are dear to our or our friends' hearts. But, it was the actual walking with kids that was a bit annoying. It reminded me why I enjoy my solo runs in the morning so much. I love my girls, but it's about 3,000 times easier to run seven miles by myself in the morning than walk three miles in a crowd with both girls. Trust me on this point.

Keep in mind, we started at the very front of the the group. Chrissy cut the ribbon for the walk, so her whole team was at the very front. Where did we finish? Um, pretty much at the end. Ok, maybe it was like the last half. But, we were nowhere close to the front by the time we crossed the finish line. That is what happens when you constantly pull over onto the grass to readjust seating arrangements and snack containers for a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old. We're talking about slowly creeping along at about the pace of a sloth. It took us over an hour and 15 minutes to walk three miles. This is also why it amazes me when people are able to push kids in strollers during races. Side note: I really hate when those people pass me. 

Molly and Avery posing before the start of the walk.

Christmas Buzz

Santa Claus is coming to town, Santa Claus is coming to town ...

Ok, I know that it is still November, and that it hasn't passed Thanksgiving yet, but I am in the Christmas spirit. Sue me. Judge me. Ridicule me. Do whatever you want, but I'm not giving up that Christmas buzz. You know the one. The buzz that makes you tap your toes and hum along with Christmas music. The buzz that makes your eyes shine as you stare at lights strung on trees and houses. The buzz that makes you snuggle close with your loved ones while the wind whips outside your home and you watch Christmas movies. It's here. And, I've got it.

Now, I used to be one of those people who insisted that you shouldn't even start seeing anything Christmas-related until after Thanksgiving. My birthday is always right around Thanksgiving (sometimes on the actual day), and I think my distaste for pre-Thanksgiving holiday cheer stemmed from my birthday getting lost in the shuffle. However, as I've grown older, I've changed my tune.

Remember when you were a little kid counting down the days until Santa came? I used to open one tiny door on my advent calendar each morning and couldn't possibly imagine that the 25th would ever arrive. Now, being older and having children of my own, I feel like the entire month of December flies by in a blink of an eye. In fact, you can toss November in there, too, because it's over pretty much right after Halloween. Entire holiday seasons would be over before I really had enjoyed them. In light of this apparent fast-forwarding of time, I've decided that I'm going to get over my previously stringent rule on pre-Thanksgiving Christmas cheer. I will welcome that Christmas buzz when it floats my way, even if we are a week before Turkey day.

Tonight, a full five days before the 4th Thursday in November, we fully embraced the Christmas cheer. We bundled up the girls and went to see the Legends Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. Now, different cities have different lighting ceremonies. You've got Rockefeller Tree Ceremony in New York with Al Roker hosting and Justin Bieber singing. Here in Kansas City, the big lighting ceremony is the Plaza Lighting Ceremony on Thanksgiving night, hosted this year by meteorologist Gary Lezak and the awesome Eric Stonestreet (a KC native aka Cam on Modern Family). The one time I remember going to the Plaza Lighting Ceremony was on my 16th birthday. It was cold, ridiculously crowded, and we didn't get anywhere close enough to see anything happening on stage. It's not worth braving the crowds to see that again, as amazing as I think Eric Stonestreet is. So, we went with the low-key, closer-to-home Legends, hosted by meteorologist Brett Anthony and Santa Claus.


On a side note: Seriously, what is with weather guys hosting lighting ceremonies? Is there some kind of correlation between TV weathermen and Christmas? An unwritten rule of which I was not aware? It's just baffling to me.

Kiss me, I'm ... Norwegian?

Look at me. Now, look at Cory. Now, look at me. Of the two of us, I'm fairly certain most people would agree that I am the one bringing the Irish genes to the table. I've got green eyes, fair skin, freckles and red hair. Cory has dark hair, and he actually tans. Only that assumption would be all wrong. A little known fact about Cory - his first name is actually Patrick. Patrick Lafferty. Patrick O'Lafferty if you trust the family lore about the origins of the last name. He's got Irish coming out of his pores. Me, on the other hand, I'm pretty much a melting pot of Northern Europe. According to the genealogy research done by my family, I've got English, Scottish, and even Norwegian roots. Heck, both my mom and I were born in Germany (on Army bases, but still ... ) However, not so much of the Irish.*

So, with me having red hair and Cory's Irish heritage, you'd think there would've been hope for some little redheaded babies. Nope. Apparently the whole of Cory's dark-haired side of the family way overpowered my little redhead genes. In family pictures, I look like the odd man out. Nobody ever says my girls look like me like they do about my cousin and her daughter. One time, some woman even asked me where Molly got her curls. Really?!?! That's the one thing I feel I can claim on the child!

Despite all this, I really enjoy St. Patrick's Day. Not so much the crazy wild drinking, but I enjoy the dressing up in green and celebrating all things Irish. It may have something to do with being a photo-op for the girls (they have really cute St. Patty's Day scrapbooking kits, afterall), or maybe that it signals the beginning of spring, but we all have to dress up and document it. I may not have redheaded girls, but I will force my little brownish-blondish-haired girls to dress in green and pose with me on St. Patrick's Day. And, if we keep Cory out of the picture, maybe I don't look like such an outsider.

So, here we go with the 2011 St. Patrick's Day photos:

I gotta credit my friend Megan with getting all of us looking and smiling. A true St. Patrick's Day miracle, if you ask me.

Charlotte: No one can find any resemblance to me in her.

Molly and her friend Avery. We got asked about 4 times that day if they were twins. So, apparently Molly looks more like her completely unrelated friend than she does like me.

I may not have gotten the little redheaded baby girls I once dreamed I would have, but I guess that means that they at least won't have to deal with the cruel teasing and nicknames given to all of us redheads. One less thing to worry about, I suppose. And, I can always hope for some redheaded grandchildren. Afterall, my Grandma Henry, a beautiful redhead, was 0-3 for kids with red hair, but was 4-7 with grandkids. There is hope!

Kiss me, I'm at least somewhat Irish!

*Correct me if I'm wrong with any of that genealogy stuff. (I'm looking at you, Mom.)