7QT: Happy (Almost) St. Patty's Day!

TGIF and linking up with Kelly...

1)

I can not believe the half-marathon is Sunday!!  I don't want to run it!  I watched this video of the race course, and it made me realize just how long 13.1 miles is!

I'm nervous about it, and deep down I want to finish under 2 hours but I'm also trying to take the pressure off myself by just saying "Let's have fun and just finish whenever!"  Phil is not nervous at all, and we are definitely more prepared in terms of training than ever, but all that training hasn't seemed to increase my speed or lower my weight, both things I wished would have happened before the race.  It's just so much easier to run at ten pounds lighter than what I'm at.  Oh well, I'm in the 40 year old category now, so maybe everyone will be a little slower too :)

2)

Check out my new kicks for the race!

They arrived on Wednesday, and I've been wearing them non-stop to make sure they will be fine for the race.  So far so good.

Andrew (on right) in his 1st year of CYO (age 9)

Andrew's last CYO game with his friend, Sarah

3)

After the race, they serve lots of food (most notably fish sandwiches and clam chowder) and we've never gone before, but want to try this time.  The past two times we've run the race, we've had young kids at home, and just needed to get back to them and relieve the babysitter, but this year we have the luxury of taking our time, eating some food, and walking around downtown, popping into places to celebrate St. Patty's Day.  It should be fun!

4)

I went to the mall last week, to return a dress at Old Navy, and picked up a cute blouse and blazer at JCPenney.  They were super on sale plus I found a 20% off coupon on my phone while I was waiting to check out.  Y'all do that, right?  I almost always find a coupon and if not, I just ask the cashier if (s)he has one.  Anyway, that store has some really great sales on clothes I can wear to work, and I kind of always just walked through it without looking.  Not anymore!

5)

Our CYO Basketball season is ending this week.  Andrew, grade 8, lost on Tuesday night and it was sad, considering he's played CYO basketball for 5 years, to end on that note.  He's a really great player though, and we look forward to watching him play in high school.

6)

Declan is taking swim lessons, and he is so excited!  

When I pick him up from school on Fridays, and tell him to hurry up because we have to go to the YMCA, he has to run back and tell his teachers that he's going to swimming lessons, and they get all excited for him.  It's so adorable.  I love preschool aged kids and sweet preschool teachers!

7)

How about some funny kid speak?

Upon seeing my new sneakers for Sunday's Half-Marathon, Declan exclaimed "I love your leprachaun shoes!"

Later on that night, he said, "Mom, what are those things called on your shoes?"

"Shamrocks", I replied a little quietly for him to hear.

"Oh right!  Cameras!  I like your camera shoes!"

~

Xander is making his First Holy Communion in May, and his class practiced receiving the unconsecrated host.  I asked him how it was, and he said "It tasted like cardboard.  Will it taste different when it's actually Jesus?"

~

We were watching our high school team play in the semifinal round of basketball (televised at the Boston Garden) and Andrew was telling Declan that there was a boy on the team named Declan.  My Declan said "Oh yeah!  I is he and He is me!"

And that my friends, is a Brendan wrap.  

Please pray for our race on Sunday...not that we PR but just that I can have some peace about it.  See ya with the full recap if I make it to the finish line!  Have a wonderful St. Patty's Day!!