Fire Station Field Trip

Kresee's class went to the Fire Station on Wednesday....I was glad I was able to swing by and walk over with them....I think all the kids were very excited:)

They even had their own escort while walking across the street since you have to go a few blocks:)

She wanted over by the fire truck but wasn't sure about getting all the way in!...But at least she stood there

Easter Sunday

Easter was a good one this year...We laid around and had our usual Sunday morning cinnamon rolls...Got ready for church since it doesn't start till 10:30....Here are the kids waiting on daddy to finish getting ready....
After church we headed over to the Maroney's where we got to celebrate Papa's 87th birthday as a family along with Easter...Our attempt at a family picture:)

Some attempts of the kids...No such luck....

Kay is always their favorite...She had sacks full of eggs with money and jelly beans in them

All the cousins waiting to open Maw and Papa's Easter gifts...

Then it was hunting eggs time...Kresee was super serious about finding eggs this year....

Their buckets were definitely full....

We hung out the rest of the afternoon letting the kiddos play before heading to my grandparents around 5...Papa had bought Kohen this golf cart that he fixed up...He's been waiting to give it to him once he got out of the hospital...I think he was more excited about it then Kohen...It means a lot to me because he got me, my sister, and my cousins one when we were little...We have so many great memories going out there to ride around on that golf cart, climb gravel piles, ride four-wheelers, play in the huge dirt mounds, etc...So it was fun seeing Kohen doing the same thing...

Even Kresee and I got a turn to ride on it:)

Daddy and Grammie joined in on the fun....

Had to get some pictures of sweet Sketch...the best dog....

Papa had this made...A big picture to hang where he buried Bubba, his beloved dog...I know he and Nana miss him terribly...It's been almost 2 months since he died....

Then the kids always have to climb the gravel....

We are celebrating Easter with my side of the family this weekend when Bryan gets into town...The kids will get to hunt some more eggs then:)

And the lightening strikes....

Well last week (early Tuesday morning of the 3rd), we were rudely awaken by lightening hitting our house....It was 4 am and there were some nasty, loud storms but the big boom made Kerry and I both sit up straight in bed....It's hard to even explain it other than our whole room lit up and it sounded like a bomb went off in our house...You just knew immediately you had just gotten struck by lightening...Our first instinct was to run and grab the kids...He got Kohen who was still dead asleep...I ran and got Kresee who was screaming and crying complaining it was so loud, the thunder is so loud...We took the kids back to the living room and that's when we immediately smelled the smoke and knew our roof was indeed on fire...I ran and grabbed my cell phone and my glasses...Kerry got dressed...We put the kids and the dogs in the car....And I called 911...We pulled out of the gargage and into the cul-de-sace to get away from the house...Luckily, and this I know is what saved our house, it was pouring rain...Hard rain where you can barely see out the windshield of the cary....Kerry went back into the house...The plan was to get his car...I stayed with the dogs and kids in my car....But he went and actually was able to get some of the lights to come back on and he waited for the firemen....About 6 firetrucks were at our house at 4:15am....They checked everything out and could also smell the smoke but knew that the fire was put out...After 30 mins, we returned inside and attempted to get the kids calmed down enough to go back to sleep...We had work and school in a few hours...Kohen wasn't too difficult, but Kresee was pretty wound up....She finally went back to sleep after an hour or so....Kerry told me there were shingles in both the front and back yard but since it was dark and pouring rain, there was no way to really tell where the lightening hit...Justin is a night police officer, my cousin's husband, so he came over around 5am and used his big spotlight but still never saw anything....

Kerry ended up going to work...I let the kids sleep till 7:30 and we got to school right at 8:30...I know the poor kids were exhausted because I sure was....

But as I was leaving the house I noticed where the shingles were laying down and looked frayed...So I snapped a picture with my cell phone and texted to Kerry that this is where it hit most likely...(this picture is after the roofer came and fixed it a little bit)....We had originally thought it had to have hit above our room b/c it was soooooo loud but it was on this peak of the house above the kids bedrooms....

When I got home at lunch I went straight to the attic and saw the damage....It did indeed catch on fire and I really felt even more thankful for the rain after seeing this....It charred some other areas too....

But again, so thankful that we actually have a house that's still standing....We were able to get the a/c back on and most of the electrical stuff working again...We do know that we have a blown TV, no internet since it fried the router and modem, the dish dvr boxes are toast, the sprinkler system is not working, we have some nice black stuff coming through our faucets since the lightening went through all our copper plumbing pipes, and of course the hole in our roof....

So it will be fun dealing with insurance and getting all this sorted out....Luckily, we have the roof temporarliy fixed since it will involve some extensive repairs...Kerry went and bought all the stuff to get the internet back up and running....We will have to purchase a new tv and patiently wait for Dish network to come out, and then get the sprinkler guy out here as well....

It was super scary and sadly we've had another storm since and I dont' think either of us slept...Felt like kids scared of the thunder and lightening...

Happy 87th

Kerry's Papa or the kids Big 'Ole Papa turned 87 on Tuesday (April 3rd)....As far as he knows, he's the only Maroney that has made it to his age....After our crazy night/day, it was nice to just go and enjoy Meme and Papa for a little bit...We were all soooo tired though that evening that we were in bed by 8:30!....Happy Birthday John!!

Rock N Roll Dallas 1/2 Marathon

1/2 Marathon #5 completed in 1 year!!!....Still can't believe I was ever able to run 1 and now I've done 5....I really wanted to go back to Rock N Roll since this was my 1st one last year...I think I will try to run it again:)

We left town Saturday at 1:00...Checked into the hotel and headed over to the expo to get our bib numbers and swag bag...Very disappointed in that....But we walked around for a little while and sampled some energy bars and drinks...Randi, Me, Jennifer and Shea

We went back to the hotel to meet up with Kara and Monica so we could go eat dinner at a yummy Italian place...The same spot Mom, Mike and I ate before White Rock in December...

We got to bed at a decent hour but 5:15 am wake up call was not very fun....Last year there was soooo much traffic and congestion to park that we barely made the buses...We got on right at 7am and just got to the starting line in time...So we were prepared to not go through that again....We were amazed that there was no traffic...We got over to Fair Park in a breeze...Got parked and right on a bus...In fact, we were at the starting line downtown by 6:45...Still dark so the picture is blurry:)

We were even the first ones to use the port-a-potties---haha....They were all nice and clean and non-stinky:)....We got a better picture once it was light out...The great thing is that last year was freezing...This year I was worried about the heat since it was in the 60's before the race even started...

Got a better picture when it was light outside:)....

So to the not so fun part---the actual race....Let me say the Thursday and Friday before this Sunday race, I had some tummy issues...Not very fun...Spent a lot of time in the restroom...But Saturday I felt fine and really was excited and ready to run!!

But it obviously wasn't meant to be...I went to the restroom twice before we began...By mile 2, I knew I was in for it...I've never stopped to go pee during a run much less the restroom...

So Mile 1 was fine--we ran a 9:37mile...Mile 2 I wanted to slow down and we were at 10:15...I was dying and felt bad but I told Jennifer I had to find a restroom---I knew this couldn't be good...So I thought after stopping I would feel better...But not so much...Mile 3 was 10:20...Mile 4 was 10:03...

Mile 5-Mile 9 were up hill so I felt we were doing well enough that if we had to slow down some, it would be fine...Mile 5 was 10:36, Mile 6 was 10:48....Then I started feeling pretty awful....I was super jealous of the relay people seeing the 1st leg was finishing...I so wish I was done...It was warm, I was cramping like crazy and I wasn't having fun anymore...My legs felt drained...I just couldn't push through it..

Mile 7 was 11:25...I don't think I've ever ran a mile at an 11 minute pace...But I was struggling bad....I told Jennifer that I would lag behind but to keep going...I knew I was going to slow her down...Her knee was bothering her from all the hills but I wanted her to go on....Mile 8 was 10:49 and I KNEW I had to go to the bathroom again or I might have an accident--haha...Found some porta potties and Mile 9 was an 11:08....This was when I texted Kerry and said I think I'm done...He said you quit?...I said no but I'm done and I don't think I can finish this...He said you have 4 miles to go!...And then he sent me this....They had both ipads out so that could see the race course and then compare to where I was by using the iphone locator app...It helped a little...Seeing her sweet face so excited to watch me...Too cute!So I managed to go at a snail's pace...Minus walking through the water stations like I normally do, I didn't walk...I might as well have been probably if you saw me b/c I was going so slow--haha...I was never so jealous of all the walkers...But I just wouldn't do it...

Mile 10 was 13:45 and Mile 11 was 12:33...I texted again saying finally at Mile 11!!...Mile 12 was 13:30...I told him I didn't have 1 more mile in me...He told me sure I did...The kids and him both know I can do it...Mile 13 was 13:21....The last bit I was at 11:01 pace....So I finished...I took one more bathroom stop in there somewhere but can't really remember...It took me 2:32 minutes to finish that stinking run, but I did it...I still got my medal:)...And I'm still proud of myself...Here we are all hot and sweaty afterwards....Man, it was warm...Love getting to do things like this with other mommies...We had shirts made just like last year that said 1/2 marathon mommas on the back and 13.1 on the front....

Runs like that sure do something to you mentally though...Make you feel like crap...Make you feel like you pretty much suck....Still had tummy issues the entire next week, but am better now...I have since run a few 3 milers, a 5 miler, and a 6 miler....So trying to get back to knowing I can do it....Signed up for a 10K in 2 weeks...Hoping I do well on that so I can get over my Rock n Roll funk:)

And I'm sooooo excited that Kerry signed up for the 5K...It will be his first race since May of last year...And first one since tearing his patella tendon back in September...Hope he does well and has no pain!!