The Color Run

March 30, 2013

 

Jay, Max, and I recently ran The Color Run that came to Nashville.  It was my first official run since my heart surgery.  We had a blast!  I think it was the most fun run we have done.  We paired up with some of our best friends, The Cooper Family, and made a team called the EB Runners.  Max and I came up with the name from the movie "Hop" since we were running on Easter weekend.  The run consisted of 3 miles through the riverfront area of downtown.  We started at the Titans stadium and crossed the pedestrian bridge back over into downtown.  The run then ventured up 2nd Ave, across 3rd, through Printer's Alley, back across a Woodland Street bridge, around the Titans stadium, and ending back at the riverfront near the stadium.  It was a great path to run and Max did fabulous.  We were proud to have run it in just under 28 min.  It is amazing how well you can run when your heart is working appropriately.  It is named the Color Run because along the course people are set up at Color Stations.  These stations are designed to throw different hues of colored cornstarch powered on you as you pass.  Then by the finish line you look like a rainbow of color.  After the finish line is a stage with music and more color powder.  It was great to watch yourself transform into different combinations of color.  We had an absolute blast and can't wait to run again when it returns in October.  My parents met us at the finish line with Mary Kate.  She had decided that she wants to participate via the stroller.  So I guess the next Color Run with have pictures of all four of us.  Yay!

 

Lowe's Build Day

March 22, 2013

 

Jay loves to take to kids to Lowe's when they have their Build It Days. While there they receive a work apron and goggles to keep at home.  As they complete different builds are rewarded with patches for their aprons.  This weekend I got to go with them.  It was fun to see them both work together to make their toy.  Mary Kate is learning how to use a hammer.  Max has gotten really good at it.  He can almost complete the build by himself.  This weekend they made a character from the recent movie "The Croods."

 

 

Kelley March Birthdays

March 2013

The Kelley Family has several March birthdays.  We get to celebrate with multiple night of cake and dinners.  Cheri and I celebrated our birthdays together over Grandma's Lasagna.  It was scrumptious! Then we topped it off with cupcakes.

Later in March we got together again to celebrate.  This time it was for Pawpaw's and Jonathan's birthdays.  Mary Kate loved making the cupcakes.  She is really getting into helping in the kitchen.  She loves to mix and  taste all the foods.  She helped me fix dinner and mix up the cupcakes.  I think she especially enjoys the bowl and spoon after we are done.  Everyone talked about how good her cupcakes were that night.  She was super proud of herself.  We are so blessed to be able to share our birthdays with our family.

Princess Party

March 9, 2013

 

Mary Kate went to her first Princess Party this weekend.  Her friend, Madelyn, turned four and Cinderella came to celebrate with her and her friends.  Mary Kate was so excited to wear the Cinderella dress that Bebe gave her at Christmas.  The girls were adorable as they interacted with the Princess.  She painted their nails, gave them tattoos, and painted on their faces.  Then she gave the girls a lesson on princess waving and how to curtsy.  She read them a story on Princess manners and then sang with the girls in a circle.  It was priceless to see each of our little princess's faces as Cinderella talked and played with them.  They were all in love with her.  Mary Kate made her mind up after the party that she would have a Princess Party.  She wants the "princess with the purple dress" (her favorite color).  So now it is only March and she is going to talk about her "Punzel Party with a purple dress" for the next ten months.  Lol.  Too cute of a day!!  It is so special to spend time with my little princess.

 

Swim Class

March 2013

 

M&M are both still enjoying swim class on Thursdays.  Max's swim strokes have gotten much stronger.  He is learning how to coordinate his breathing on the side better.  His dives off the starting blocks are beginning to look like a real swimmer.  Jay and I are both excited to see what he decides to do with his new skill of swimming.  Mary Kate is also excelling.  She no longer cries during class.  She has mastered jumping off the side and getting to her teacher in the water.  She is slowing learning how to get her arms up to do "big reachers."  I love the fact that they both enjoy being in a pool.  It makes my heart leap when I see Max swim over from his class to Mary Kate.  He always checks on her and gives her kissed during her class.  Sweet kiddos.

 

Max's Ski Trip

March 3-6, 2013

Max got a special treat this winter when he got to go snow skiing with my Dad.  Big Daddy was in ski withdrawal and needed a fix on the slopes.  He needed to feel the corduroys under his skis from the fresh groomed snow and the wind in his hat while riding the chairlift.  He decided that he was going to take a trip and asked Max to travel with him.  Max was elated to get to go skiing again.  He loves the snow just as much as we do.  He has been asking about another ski trip since the plane landed in Nashville from our last trip.  As the plans were made my Mom decided to go along for a few days away.  One of Dad's best friends, Jim, also went along.  They left early on Sunday morning and headed to the hills of West Virginia.  They skied at WinterPlace on Sunday afternoon and then again on Monday and Tuesday.  Dad said that Max did awesome.  I think that he had trouble keeping up with him on a few runs.  Max likes to point his tips down the mountain and take off.  The faster the better for this six year old.  Big Daddy spent the days perfecting Max's style with his turns and stops.  Max loved every minute of it.  He also enjoyed having Bebe to snuggle with when they skied into the chalet for lunch and nighttime.  I am so glad they took him along on this little adventure.  These are the memories that life is made with!  I look forward to taking a big trip with the whole gang again soon.  Hopefully then we will introduce Mary Kate to the world of skiing.  

Days with mKate

 This winter I have enjoyed my days off with Mary Kate.  It has been an adjustment to not have Max with us, but we have learned to have girl time.  Jay takes Max to school each morning and then Mary Kate and I spend the day together.  On Wednesdays we spend the day running around town.  We go to gymnastics with our friends Gindy, Kerrigan, Amanda, and Sawyer.  Then we head out for a lunch date at Chick Fil A so the girls can play.  On other days we shop, visit with Holly and Charlotte, play at the park, eat lunch with Daddy in town, or just hang out at home.  It is such a neat experience to have Mary Kate as an only child for a few hours.  We have never had that and I enjoy the time to focus on her.  She is one vibrant little girl.  Even though we love our time together, we both get excited when it is time to pick up our Bubby.  Our family just isn't complete when he isn't around. 

 

 

 

 Mary Kate, Sawyer, Kerrigan, Charlotte