Color Me Rad 5K

I like to do 5K races.  I'm not exactly a runner...or even close to it.  But I walk them at a brisk pace and enjoy getting out and being active with other people.  Each summer I participate in several of them.  Usually starting in May and I finish in November on Thanksgiving day.  Usually I have the kids in the stroller but with Kelsey added into the mix the stroller is out of seats. 

I decided to do the Color Me Rad race this year and boy was I excited for it.  Basically at four checkpoints they douse you in colored corn starch and get you all good and messy.  I signed up with a couple of friends and we were all excited.  As the race got closer I started talking about it more and more.  Well my 5 year old, Zoe, decided that she wanted to do it with me.  I didn't want to take any of the strollers...just didn't want to get them messy.  So I told her that she would have to walk it with me.  She was game.  I was nervous that we would get about half way through and she would want me to carry her. 

The day of the race came and Zoe was still really excited.  I had purchased a few pouches of color so we could get people with them.  Zoe was pumped to get people messy with our colors.  We also got some bandanas to cover our mouth and nose, and sunglasses.  Just as the race was about to start we decided to get our colors out.  Zoe had so much fun throwing color on people.  She got me and my friends and plenty of strangers.  It was fun to watch her. 

The race started and she wanted to run...so we ran a bit.  Then as she got tired we slowed a bit.  The first color station they sprayed us with green water.  I was surprised because I thought it would all be powder.  The next station was an orange powder station...they got us good!!  We were toward the end of the group and when we hit the station we were mostly alone so they all focused on us!  I covered my mouth and nose...Zoe did not.  They dumped a ton of powder on her head..I can only imagine how much ended up in her little nose!  The next station was yellow Water being thrown on us..and finally a purple powder station.  At the purple powder station she covered her mouth and nose.  Guess she learned from experience.  At each station they were playing fun music and it was a good time to dance through them.  Zoe was a fun little partner cause she was happy to boogie with her Mommy.

We finished pretty close to the end..but I am so proud of my Zoe..she did a 5K with no stops and no stroller!  First time and absolutely not the last time. 

Check us out...filthy beasts!  funnily enough the pink and purple were the hardest to get out..I think I still have pink and purple in some spots!  So much fun!

Family pictures

We recently had family pictures taken.

 It was quite the process! 

The kids weren't exactly behaving and I found myself getting grumpier and grumpier as the shoot went on.  We started with Kelsey in her blessing dress and got some real cute shots.  Luckily she was pretty happy...at that moment. 

After that we did Zoe and Phoebe by themselves.  They looked so cute!  I got their hair done and they had cute little french braids.  Phoebe was being really shy and didn't want to participate.  Zoe was being goofy and kept wanting to mess with Kelsey.  She also kept grabbing a duster that they use to get kids attention.  I was trying to keep my cool and not get mad at her. 

During the solo shoots Kelsey started to get really fussy and was super ready for her nap.  I gave her the binky and it calmed her down..a little too calm..she fell asleep!  So for the family pictures the baby was tanked!  Poor Cory had a sore knee and they had him kneeling on the hard cement floor so he wasn't enjoying himself at all.  They always seem to find the most terrible positions to put people in for pictures.  I guess discomfort turns out well in pictures.

Then they did pictures of Cory and I alone.  We really don't have any pictures of just him and I since our time in Hawaii.  It was fun and I was excited to see how they would turn out.  They only did one pose which made me sad.  I thought we should have done a cheesy smooching shot. 

During that time Kelsey woke up and decided that her 15 minute snooze was plenty and she could be happy again.  So they took some pictures of the girls together.

I was seriously shocked to see that any of the pictures turned out well.  I didn't think Phoebe would smile at all.  But they are super cute and in the end I am happy with them.  I just think I'll do individual and family shots at different times in the future.  That way it won't feel so rushed and crazy.  Lesson learned.