This Mama Can Run

Last year's Palmer N8K   5 mile race I had to just be in the cheering section.   This year I got to run!     

For the past year, pretty much every run I go on I am carting James along in the jogging stroller.  This time Chad took the jogging stroller and let me go on my own.  Running by myself felt like a breeze!  

Can you see who is behind me?  That is right.  An athletic looking black guy and several other male suckers who are about to be beat by a girl :-)

Turns out I won 1st Place in my age division for the 5 mile race.  I was the 6th woman to cross the finish line and I even won a prize!

Chad happy to have married a winner :-)  James is looking happy to hear we are on our way to scout out a garage sale to look for a new rider toy.

We came home from the sale with not just one, but two new toys (the ones on the left).  We are hoping one of these toys in the line up will win the prize of teaching James to walk!

James, however, prefers more sophisticated toys, like the digital camera.  Here he is army crawling towards my camera, the little turkey. 

Maybe it's all of the running, or maybe it's just one of those magic photos when you actually look thinner in a picture than you really are.  Regardless, I decided it would be good to document this illusion of a flat stomach . . . before child #2 thinks it is time to come along and cohabitate.

2 Cakes, 2 Parties, 1 Cute Boy

My 1st grade students from last year wrote me a few letters asking when I would come visit with James I decided his 1st birthday would be a fun day for a visit, and that meant making 60 cupcakes to feed the entire 2nd grade!  I had the idea of making them in the shape of a giant cupcake.

Here is the finished product.  Yummy.

I decided to add sprinkles for the finishing touch.  I rolled little bits of frosting in my hands to make perfectly round sprinkles :-)

I thought I might get bulldozed over when the kids saw me arrive with the giant cake.

They were QUITE excited to see us :-)

They even made James a card.

60 kids drooling for cupcakes.

James opened up a blue ball to play with on the playground.  A few of the girls made a big circle around him to play with the ball.  Quite the ladies man :-)

And now for the next cake.  Drumroll please . . .  I decided to have a Littlest Petshop theme, and made the frog cake from the pattern on the party plates that I bought.  

I will now show multiple views of this elaborate cake with matching cupcake pets because I think it may have taken multiple years out of my life. If I never make another batch of colored frosting, it will be too soon!

The designs were made by tracing a coloring book image with frosting onto wax paper. You can get an amazing amount of detail, but as mentioned above, it may take years off of your life in patience!  Luckily one of my friends helped with a few of the cupcakes.

Ok.  Now for the party :-)  We invited some friends over for a picnic outside.

James was excited to have his friends come to the party :-)

Did you say, Cake???!!??

I was busy on the computer trying to get my parents, who are on a mission in Trinidad, on skype for the big event!

Presents were opened . . .

and pictures were taken.

James was pretty excited about all of his new toys!

I was happy to see he was enjoying himself :-)

He got WAY too many presents from friends and family.

But you only turn one-year-old once, right?!

Time for cake!  He was a little nervous about us putting a fire hazard right in front of his face.

Turns out I had to blow out the candle.  He was relieved.

One handsome one-year-old ready for some cake!

The big event was well documented.

Unfortunately, dark chocolate fudge must not have been his favorite. 

I had envisioned him smashing it all over his face, but it turns out one bite was more than enough.

Come on James . . . this is your big chance!!

Ummm . . . could I get a bottle please?

At least one of the kiddos was excited about eating cake!  Look at that grin :-)

Fathers and Sons

Happy Birthday James!