Some Dates for Your 2009 Calendar

2009 is going to be an exciting year!

First of all, does anyone want to run the Shamrock Shuffle on March 29th with my neighbor and I? The Shamrock Shuffle is, correct me if I'm wrong, the world's largest 8k race and they cap the race at 32,500 participants. That may sound like a lot, and surely it is while you're running elbow-to-elbow with 32,499 other people down the street, but the race fills up fast and I want to make sure that everyone knows that registration starts on January 1st. I love this race and I've participated in the last 6 out of 7 years, missing only last year because I was too cheap to pay the entry fee. But I did go to the gym that day and run the full 8k. There were just a lot less people there and no one gave me a t-shirt. Needless to say, it wasn't the same and I'm gonna be there this year! C'mon Kari ... whadda ya think!?

I feel as though it's kosher for me to discuss an event that will somehow be incorporated into next year's goals because I ACTUALLY FINISHED ONE OF MY GOALS FOR 2008!!!! As of Saturday, December 13th, I officially finished my 500th mile for 2008. Currently, I'm 18.5 miles over budget, but there are still 5 days left to the year - who knows what I might do. Maybe I should focus on my other goal, a sub-7:30 minute mile. Hmmmm ... I don't know about that one. The people at the gym probably don't want to see me puke.

Another important date for 2009 is the next Chicago installment of the Great Urban Race taking place on August 1st. Registration is already open and if you register before January 1st you'll save at least $5 per person (I should be getting a kick-back for my promos). The race is going to be limited to 500 teams, so I just want to make sure that no one misses out on this awesome experience.

I hope that everyone had a great Christmas and that 2008 was good to you. If it wasn't, then 2009 is just around the corner and new days are a comin'. I'll post more about Christmas just as soon as I figure out how our new camera works. I haven't even unpacked the USB cable yet.

Let's All Sing Together Now

The video quality may not be there, but the musical abilities are shining through! Taken on Brian's cell phone so please excuse the fuzziness.

Baby Jesus, It's Cold Outside

People who know me know that I'm not a religious person. And for the benefit of those of you that don't know me .... I'm not a religious person. However, having grown up in a Catholic household I still have a fascination with religion, specifically the Christian faiths, and it is because of this fascination that I have collected religious mementos, books and other trinkets over the years. Take the Wall of Faith for example:

Located just outside of our bathroom, the Wall of Faith is made up of crosses from all over the world, and I think each one is beautiful. In fact, I love crosses so much I would actually like to get one tattooed on my back. Unfortunately the pain of the last one is still very fresh in my mind, so it may be a few years before I forget. But, if you're ever on vacation and can't think of what to bring back for me, then how about a nice cross? I only ask that you make sure there's no one on it. Too morbid for me.

I also have a special place in my heart for Pope John Paul II, which I believe is adequately conveyed through my pope candles, snow globes and most importantly:

My Pope-On-A-Rope
(handmade by my dear friend, Kari)

The current pope, Benedict something (?), is on the other side of the soap, but let's face it, we're all just waiting to see who the next one's gonna be, so I don't count him.

There are many other items in my collection - my Mother Mary night night (which I don't use because it kind of creeps me out), my Last Supper lunch box, and I even have a Last Supper serving plate (thanks, Kim). Then there's Christmas ....

Every year my favorite part of unwrapping and putting out the Christmas decorations is finding all of my nativity sets. I only have a few, but each one has it's own story and comes from a special place. This year I added my grandmother's nativity set that she handmade back in '82. It goes without saying that it's my most special nativity set.

But the most EXCITING ONE was added this year and I got it FOR FREE on Freecycle. I don't know which part is more exciting - the fact that it was free or the fact that it LIGHTS UP and is currently in front of my house, nestled in a 5'x3' wooden stable.

If you were to ask Brian he would probably say that the fact that it's in front of our house is not that exciting. But if you asked Charlotte she would say to you, "Baby Jeshush .... Outside .... Cold .... Blanket". Yes, the little baby Jesus now sports a small blanket because Charlotte was worried that he was cold in the snow. That's all she talks about now, from the moment she wakes up until she goes to bed.

Now I may not be a religious person (my miscellaneous collections aside), but I do have to thank baby Jesus for helping teach my daughter an important lesson ... Compassion. I knew there was a reason I put those nativity sets out.

Drunk on Vegemite

Can you get drunk on too much yeast extract??!! Look at this poor child. She can't even hold it up the right way! I think it's time for an intervention.

He Sees You When You're Sleeping (isn't that kind of creepy?)

This weekend marked Charlotte's first experiences with Santa Claus. Yes, Santa -the man that all children fear. Yet, somehow, they don't seem to mind the whole toy thing. Yesterday we went over to a local park expecting to see Santa arrive in a helicopter and greet all the good little boys and girls. But, alas, the weather was not cooperating and Santa's reindeer must have been resting up for the big night, so instead of a grand, wind-sweeping entrance Santa arrived via antique firetruck.I was a bit anxious to see how Char would respond to the man in the red suit. We talked about him for the whole week prior, looked at pictures and even played with little Santa figurines. All in the hopes that maybe she wouldn't be like every other kid and she wouldn't cry when he came near her. And for their first meeting she did pretty good! No tears, just that typical toddler look of, "and WHO are YOU??!!"

For Char's 2nd meeting with the big guy we attended her first big Christmas party with Easter Seals today. It was a nice event (except for the fact that it started at 8am) held at Neiman Marcus before the crowds were officially let in to buy their overpriced non-necessities. Char was introduced to a "princess" when she got to meet Miss Illinois. But, honestly, Brian and I were both a little upset when she decided to show some little girl how the crown was held to top of her head with a crazy hodge-podge of bobby pins and tape. C'mon!! She just killed the allure of the perfect beauty queen for me. I thought it was held up by magic and the lack of cellulite. Luckily Charlotte didn't see that. Phew!

And then it was time for SANTA ......

And, it turns out that she is in fact just like every other kid. Char didn't want to have a quaint visit with Santa. BUT she was happy to take the baby doll that he was handing out. Typical. Thanks Easter Seals for a great first Xmas party and thanks for the baby doll Santa!

And now I, like I'm sure a lot of other parents out there, wonder how long it will take until I get a nice pic of my daughter on Santa's lap. It took 18 years for my mother to get one of me. And even then I was still a little afraid of him.