My First Half Marathon

On October 10th, my friend, Blair, and I ran a half marathon. We trained for six weeks, scheduling our runs between nursings (we had babies two weeks apart). ;-) Blair has been running for several years and has done the Half before. I, on the other hand, hadn't done any significant distance running since I was in junior high. I did some running in high school.....and then picked up running again after births three and four to help get back into shape; but even that wasn't any more than a mile or two at a time. So this was pretty much biting off more than I could chew. So, with losing baby weight as my motivation......I accepted the challenge.

Here we are before the run. Blair's hubby, Brandon, also ran. It was a chilly morning, which proved to be the perfect running weather.


Here, we're coming down the final stretch. We DID it! For me, it was quite miraculous. Honestly, I didn't think I would make the whole 13.1 miles without having to walk. Blair was such an encouragement....couldn't have done it without her.


With jello legs, aching feet, and very sore hips, we pose with our medals (and Jonathan). Our finish time was 2:38:32. We maintained a 5 mile per hour pace.


Our wonderful cheering section.......it was such a blessing to see them at the finish line.


I've enjoyed running so much that I plan to keep it up. Blair and I have already signed up for another run scheduled for this Saturday. It's an 8 mile Fall Fest run. Even my older girls have jumped on board and will be running with us this weekend, along with two other friends from church. We'll be sure and get more pics....it should be fun!

Sophia's 7th Birthday

Happy Birthday, Beauty

Today, our spunky Sophia turned seven. She is an incredible young lady who brings much joy and laughter to our famliy. Here she is showing off one of her birthday gifts. She's a huge reader and I can always count on her to read the younger ones a story. She's also quite athletic and can run like the wind. She enjoys puzzles, coloring, and playing dress up.

Happy Birthday, sweet girl......we praise God for seven wonderful years with you. We love you!

Ethan's Shiner

Ethan's First Shiner


It never fails.......whenever the kids are having a blast playing together.....someone ends up getting hurt. On this day, it was Ethan and Genevieve. All the kids were running around playing Follow the Leader when the two of them collided. Though they were both hurt, Ethan's the one who walked away with the visible proof. ;-)

He took it like a man and is quite proud of his black eye....which looks MUCH worse now than it does in this picture (I'll have to get another pic). Don't ask me about the bruise on his forehead.....who knows where that came from. He's a boy, after all!

Sour Cream Bacon Chicken

For Bacon Lovers........

This is one of our favorite meals......definitely a fall/winter comfort food. I say fall/winter because this dish bakes for two hours....and who wants their ovens on for two hours during the summer?

We always serve this with chicken flavored rice (like Rice-a-Roni) and either green beans or a salad. And because of the rich, creamy sauce the dish creates......the rice really compliments the savory flavor, especially when they mix together. OH SO SCRUMPTIOUS! Give it a try.


Sour Cream Bacon Chicken

6-8 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
24 oz. container of sour cream (3 cups)
2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
1 package of bacon

Cut each breast in half. Boil them for about 15 mins. You want them mostly cooked, but not all the way through. While chicken is boiling, mix together soup and sour cream in medium bowl.

Remove chicken from water. Add a little salt and pepper to chicken. Wrap a piece of uncooked bacon tightly around each breast half.

In a 9 X 13 dish (or larger), place a small amount of soup mixture on bottom. Place wrapped chicken halves in dish. Cover chicken with remaining soup mixture.

Cover with foil tightly. Bake @ 350* for 2 hours. Let cool about 15 minutes so sauce can thicken. When serving, be sure to spoon that sauce all over your chicken.....and even some over your rice. ;-)

BTW, this dish feeds our family of 10 and we always have leftovers. It can be easily halved if needed.

Chey's 17th Birthday

Happy 17th Cheyenne

Today we celebrate 17 wonderful years with our sweet Cheyenne. She has blessed our lives more than words can express. The oldest of eight children, she never ceases to amaze us with her sweet spirit, her hard work, and the love she has for her family and friends.

Childhood.........

She made us parents........

She always makes us laugh........

She was the first to balance on Daddy's hand........

Cheyenne, we love you and wish you a Happy Birthday. We look forward to seeing where God leads you this year as you experience new adventures. Happy Birthday, baby girl!