That's what she said: A great weekend

The weekend couldn’t have gone better. A lot of fun things happened. I always feel good when we are busy doing things as a family. I feel most stressed and annoyed when we don’t have things planned. I love weekends for more than one reason.

Friday night I was back and forth about running this 5k in the morning. Jake was pressuring me to sleep in and just hang out but I felt as if I should do this run. My knees were still a little sore from the past weeks marathon but I felt prompted to do the run anyway. And I’m glad I did.

I got up at 6:30am (my only sleep in day) and put my running clothes on. I was eating my oatmeal at the table when the kids asked where I was going. I told them I would be running in another race but this time for a very special family who’s dada is very sick.

Cecily: “Did he take too much medicine like Michael Jackson?”

Alicia: "Ha… No sweetheart, his body is very sick inside and mama is going to run this race so that his family can have money to pay for medicine so he can get better."

Cecily: "Ooohhh, I want to run too and get a medal!" (Cecily went to her room and grabbed her shorts, a tank top, and her peep toe pink satin shoes and said she was ready to go.) Gotta love a girlie girl. I would have done the same.

Anyway, I thought I would write down our little conversation because it was adorable.

So, I headed to the trails to register for this 5k and saw some people from our ward, it was nice to see others had taken time out of their Saturday to do this too.

Will Steele was diagnosed with Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Cancer and there is No Cure for it. He is 33 years old and has three children. This overwhelming feeling of sickness came over my body thinking about this family. I am looking at that these little kids thinking that when that day comes, they won’t understand why their daddy is gone. I just kept thinking to myself, how awful it would be to know that any day could seriously be his last. Some of us really don’t realize how good we have it.

I have never met him or seen anyone from their family until today but I felt so good and pumped with energy to do this run for them. Since Saturday, I have just really been on a high. Jake and the kids came and watched me run and took pictures. As they would pass by in the car, the kids were yelling "Hi Mama" outside their windows, it was the cutest, most motivating thing ever. I kindof got emotional. I liked them seeing me do this for this needy family. I have never done something like this before and it was a neat experience to be there and to see Will and his family.

After the race it was Pierce’s end of the season Soccer Party. The coaches had it at their house and rented a bounce house for the kids, had pizza, cupcakes, and handed out their trophies. Pierce was freaking out about his little trophy. He LOVED it. We were there for a few hours and the kids were just playing, playing, and playing! It was cute seeing all the kids together once again. It really was a great soccer year. I think more so for me than Pierce. It was fun getting to know the parents of the children and everyone was so friendly. I'm going to miss these people, especially the coaches, they were awesome. I had a blast being a team mom too, defiantly worth doing again!

Once we got home the kids were exhausted. They went down for a 3 ½ hour nap and I did too. Ummmmm, It was Heaven might I say.

Around 5 we decided to head over to the Grapevine Mills Outlet Mall. This place is amazing, the coolest stores you can think of are there. Saks Fifth, Neiman’s, Gap, Nike, Rain Forest Café, the list could go on and on. This place had a full size (like car size) train ride that rode around the mall! I’m telling you, Texas has the BEST malls and shopping.

After walking around the mall, we took the kids to eat at Rain Forest Café. As soon as we sat down, Charlotte had a blowout, Pierce was pouting about wanting Silly Bandz (of course they put them right beside the hostess table for the kids to whine, cry, and fight about while waiting in line), and then throughtout dinner, took Pierce and Cecily potty. I think I spent more time in the Restrooms than at the table that night. Oh well. They loved it. Were all over it. Talked about it for days. It was so way over priced but well worth the looks on my kids face.

It was a great weekend.