Kick the Couch!

Last weekend we headed up to Mankato so I could participate in the "Kick the Couch 5K." The 5K was a fundraiser for LEEP, the organization that my sister-in-law Mandy works for. They were raising money for the Special Olympics and I was happy to help out.

We were a little nervous that it was going to be raining, but the weather held out and we didn't even get sprinkled on. Aaron and the kids, Justin, and my friend Scott were all their to cheer us on.


The three 5K-ers - Mandy, Jamie, and Lisa

The kids got a little chilly during the race.

I was so nervous to run because I hadn't been training like I should have (i.e. I was a bit of a slacker) and I ended up running all 3.1 miles! I was so excited and felt a great sense of accomplishment!

Me. Dying. Out of Breath. SOOOOO HAPPY to cross that finish line!

A family photo op after the race.

It made me so happy that they were all their showing their support. Jenna told me good job on "winning" and she wants to be my "running pal" someday. That just melted my mommy heart! :)

For more photos, head over to the Hunecke blog. Mandy also has some cute pics of the kids in this post of them at the playground.

The way I see it...

Fear of Failure, Part II

If you remember in my February 18th column I wrote about my fear of failure. I explained to you that I had a challenge and I wasn’t sure if I was going to do it or not. Basically, because I was scared of not being able to do it.

I guess I have to fess up and tell you the truth. My challenge was running an 8K (4.96 miles) in Newton, that happened to be last weekend. I didn’t do it. I was nowhere near ready and where I needed to be in preparing for it and being able to complete it.

Here’s a little background about myself and running. I have never been a runner. I did every sport in high school except track. My parents “encouraged” me to go out in seventh grade to just try it. That was my one and only season out for the sport. Not that I don’t like it, I just knew it wasn’t for me.

I come from a long line of non-runners. It’s kind of weird now that I think about it. We are sports-minded, competitive people, who just aren’t tracksters. Please don’t misunderstand me, I go to track meets and am in complete awe of runners.

Fast forward to last year’s Rose Festival. I got this hair-brained idea about this time last year that I was going to run the 5K (3.1 miles). I don’t know why, I think I had a mental lapse or something.

Anyway, I’m proud to say I did it! I didn’t break any speed records, but I did it and it gave me a great feeling of accomplishment (once I finally was able to catch my breath!).

I have a love-hate relationship with running. I drag my feet in actually going down to my treadmill, think bad thoughts in my mind while I’m doing it, but love working up a good sweat and the “runner’s high” I feel when I’m finished. But, the next day, I go through the same routine.

So, even though I didn’t run the 8K, I’m happy to tell you that I signed up for a 5K in Mankato this Saturday. Even better, the run will benefit the organization my sister-in-law works for - LEEP (Leisure Education for Exceptional People, which serves individuals with developmental disabilities).

Pre-race jitters have already started, but if I have to run and walk and walk and run, I will cross that finish line. For me, that’s the important thing, just that I finish, but that’s just the way I see it.

The way I see it...

Defensive Driving

Do you get nervous when you’re out on the road driving? I do. We were on the road again last weekend for a family wedding in Minnesota and I was completely freaked out about what I was seeing as I passed cars on I-35.

People were texting and driving. People were talking on the phone and smoking. People were trying to eat and talk on the phone. I wouldn’t have really noticed except we were coming up behind cars and you could see them going over the center line and than back the other way over the other line.

My husband would pass them and I was so nervous! I told him to go fast so we weren’t right beside him for a long period of time. I’m the type of person when I drive that is ready to slow down if I don’t think somebody’s going to stop at an intersection. I’m totally a nervous nelly.

These cell phones though. I’m guilty of driving and talking, but I do not text. Looking down and trying to text, taking your eyes off of the road, it’s just not a good situation.

Another thing with cell phones I wonder...what did we ever do without them? When I go on my next trip I’m going to count the number of people that aren’t on their phones. It seems we can’t drive and not talk to somebody.

Every other week I go to Iowa Falls to pick-up the paper and I have to admit I love my time alone. I crank up the radio or just enjoy the peace and quiet as I seldom get it. I guess we just need to use a little common sense when it comes to cell phones, but that’s just the way I see it.

Track Meet

Work has picked-up for me at the paper again with the spring sports in full swing. I had a track meet to go and take pics at on Monday, so Aaron and I both took cameras and the two kids and away we went.

The kids did really well. It's the first "real" track meet they've ever gone to and we were there about 3 hours. Here are a couple snapshots of how they spent their time.

Just chillin...They were just looking at the sky or something, I don't know, but they were so cute in the same pose.

Running like the big kids! I love the look of pure joy on Jenna's face!

Little Aaron

Brody is such a little Aaron! It kind of freaks me out sometimes. The way he looks and dresses is like a mini-Aaron. On Sunday he put his Hawkeye hat on (like Daddy) and put his sunglasses on his head (just like Daddy), came into the kitchen with his hand in his pocket. He was just so darn serious and cute!!

Fun Along I-90

Last Saturday morning we headed up to Fairmont for Aaron's cousin's wedding. It was a nice wedding and it was good to see Ed, Dana and family. Frank and Linda also came, so we got to see them and my dad went to Mandy's sister's wedding, so we got to see him too. Kind of crazy how it all worked out!

Anyway, on Sunday morning we went to Gomsrud Park in Fairmont to walk along the lake and let the kids burn off some energy at the playground before we headed home. I MISS LAKES! That is a major downer living in Central Iowa, so I always love when I get to hang out by one. I told Jenna we were going to a lake and she said, "What's a lake?" I almost had a heart attack! :)

The kiddos by the lake...so pretty!

We also told the kids we'd stop by the Green Giant in Blue Earth on our way home. They loved it! Jenna was the first one up there and then she said, "Mom, I can see his butt! What if he poops on me?" Oh my goodness! That's my girl!



A view, for those of you that don't know, just how big the Green Giant is. You can see him from the interstate.

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday we got up and went to church at the United Methodist Church in Armstrong. It was wonderful! I miss that place. We then headed back to the farm for the Easter meal and an Easter egg hunt. Here are some photos of our Sunday:

Jenna loving her new Easter dress.

One of Brody's gifts was this bat. You can see by his face he LOVED it.

Jenna on the hunt for an egg.

Brody digging for an egg.

My little posers with their baskets full of eggs.

FREAKY STORY: I was taking photos of the kids, turned around and saw this! A hole with all of these garter snakes in it. EW, EW, EW!! I called everybody else down to see it and there was only one person that was interested in the snakes...

...my cousin Brett! Brett is a crazy-outdoorsy kid, who caught some of the snakes! GROSS! He ended up throwing them in the burn bin.

Uncle Steve's Ribs

In texting my cousin Kasea at the end of last week, I learned that we were going to have RIBS on Saturday nite at my Grandpa's. I don't think I've ever told you how AMAZING my Uncle Steve's ribs are! Words can't do them justice, they are just YUM, YUM, YUM! He cooked them on the smoker (see below) and they were just delicious. We keep telling him he should enter some bbq contests or something, they are that good.

Steve has two new ribs fans in Jenna and Brody!

...and no, that's not Jenna's bud light!

I think Brody impressed Uncle Steve with the amount of gusto he ate the ribs with!

Saturday in Swea

Saturday morning we headed to Swea City to celebrate Easter at my Grandpa Beadle's. It was a happy and sad occasion. Happy because aunts, uncles, and cousins were there, but sad because this was our first major holiday without Grandma Beadle. I still expected her to be in the kitchen when I got there and of course she wasn't. We spent part of the day Saturday cleaning out her closet, which was not an easy thing to do.

On a happier note, we got to hang out with family. Family that we don't get to see nearly enough. In true Beadle form, we kicked back, relaxed and had a great time.

Here are some group snapshots from Saturday:

Jenna, Me, Jess and Cousin Kasea

Brody and Jenna with Cousin Taylor

Me with my favorite nephew Maddox - who is rockin' the camo bibs!

Jenna got tired at the end of the nite and cuddled with Daddy.

Carlos O'Kelly's

Aaron heard that Iowa was playing at Iowa State on Wednesday afternoon and so he "talked me into" leaving work early, getting the kids and going over to the game. The game started at 4, but we didn't get there until about 4:15 or so.

Apparently, everyone and their dog had the same idea! It was such a beautiful day, everybody decided to go to the game and by the time we got there, the bleacher that held 500 people were completely full. Not a big deal right? Just sit around in the outfield or down the lines. Nope. ISU's field has that black wind screen ALL THE WAY around the field. The field sat lower than this dirt road, so we could stand up there and see a partial view of the game (no batter), but it was still a fun atmosphere and I'm glad we went. On a side note, can you believe they don't charge anything to get in?!

So, following the game, I talked Aaron into supper at Carlos O'Kelly's. We love that place! Anyway, we got in right away, our waitress took our order and we waited for our food. The thing I like about it is we usually get our stuff right away. I had asked Aaron if it seemed to be taking awhile to get our food and he said, "not really." I figured it just seemed long because we had the kids.

The next thing you know, the manager comes over, introduces himself, starts apologizing non-stop about the delay on our food and explains they're training a new person and oh, by the way, you don't have to pay for your entire meal. WHAT?! Aaron and I were beyond stunned because we didn't complain (we're not really the type) and we weren't upset or anything.

Anyway, it was really nice to get the free meal (even though we both felt guilty about it!) and catch some college softball!