Race For The Cure

While I was in Texas I got to hang with Jess and her soccer team (and several thousand others)at the Race for the Cure. Can you believe none of the girls wanted to wear their Homecoming Mums? Talk about a missed opportunity. The crowd at the race was enormous and there were all kinds of great t-shirts and costumes. Jesse's moustache was the hit of the day, everyone we passed made a comment and wanted to know where to get their own. I thought the princess crown was plenty and opted out of the moustache. Apparently I missed the guy with the bedazzled bra - tragic. Our t-shirts are a little bland from the front, but thanks to TWG Insurance who sponsored our group and paid all of the registration fees. I don't know how we forgot to get a shot of the backs since it was the best part, they said:

BIG OR SMALL, SAVE THEM ALL

Maybe my new favorite t-shirt. We laughed all morning long. It was great to be able to have so much fun while supporting such an important cause. Many people ran with "in memory" tags and I realized how lucky I am to not have a lot of personal experience with the disease. My grandmother had breast cancer when she was quite old, and I have had some friends who have suffered, but so far those closest to me have been spared.

The Mums

Last weekend I went to Texas to hang with my family, more pics and stories to come. One of the best parts was that I was there for Homecoming weekend and could have a front row seat for the unveiling and wearing of the mums. What is a mum you ask, and what does it have to do with Homecoming. Clearly you must not be from Texas. They are pretty tough to describe, but Google found plenty of people who are oh so happy to clue us in on the celebration. So, what is a mum?


When it’s homecoming season across the nation, only in parts of Texas and Oklahoma is it also homecoming mum season. Some students take homecoming mums just as seriously as the homecoming football game itself.For the uninitiated, a homecoming mum is an oversize mum corsage decorated with three-foot long streamers in the school colors, bells, charms, banners, little plush animals done up in bows, sparkly letters, even Christmas tree lights. It is usually worn in the middle of the chest like a breastplate with the streamers flowing down the front of the body almost touching the ankles. It is, in short, a fashion statement.But homecoming mums are so much more than that. They are a sign that somebody loves you. They’re no longer given only by boyfriends. Mums can come from friends, your mom, dad, aunt, or even a booster boy (a boy-friend who is not your date).Anybody who's anybody wears one, or two. These days, a homecoming mum can cost more than $100 and weigh as much as 12 pounds!Homecoming mums have become a status symbol for many junior high and high school students. Designs change every year. The more original, the better.

Seriously, you can't make this stuff up. My niece had all her friends sleep over the night before so they could have proper pics before going to school.

Sydney, Kelly, Jessice (can you tell we are related), and Nikki Sydney's lights up, no worries if the power goes out. I think they would be more comfortable if worn as capes.
Julie, Jess, and me. Nothing like work out clothes and a pink boa.

So has anyone else had experience with a Homecoming mum? Please tell me that you have your own photos.

Promises

I pretty much love Dove Promises. Years ago when I lived in Ecuador, we found a bag of American Dove Promises in a grocery store. You would have thought it was manna from Heaven we were so excited. I try not to buy them too often because the bag always disappears way too quickly, But sometimes I justify the indulgence knowing they always come with a good message inside. I had some really great peanut butter promises this week, and the messages were fab so I thought I would share:

"Success is getting what you want, and happiness is wanting what you get". I think that is basically what Jami means when she says "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit", right?

"What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail" Very interesting. What would it be for you? The first two things that popped into my head were: complete an Ironman and go to nursing school. Random?

I've Got My Rock Moves

Miles turned a big 5 this year. For weeks he has told his mom that the only gift he wanted was a drum, and, he wanted a "rock star" birthday party. I love this kid and his originality. He had the official rock party with friends earlier in the day, but don't worry, the family still got to party like rock stars. We ate a guitar birthday cake, and listened to several amazing drum solos. Sorry the pictures are so bad, I had a dying I-phone and bad lighting, but at least you get the idea.

I didn't get the best shot of this, but he was working the rockstar tongue. Miles knew that any self respecting rock star would have a few tattoos so he had a bag full of choices and let everyone get inked. Miles may plan to be the rockstar, but Gavin, the two year old, clearly has a budding career as a tattoo artist. He made sure everyone had one, even grandpa ended up with a spider tattoo on his bicep.
Mine is pretty classy huh? What was not so classy was the next day when I showered at the gym and discovered that it doesn't wash off in the shower. Nice! I got more than a few strange looks at work and had to assure my boss that it was definitely temporary.

Just for Miles, I had to share my rockstar face.

Cat Scratch Fever

Everest an I went for a walk the other night. Harmless enough, right? I was walking along, thinking what a calm and quiet neighborhood we live in when we met up with "devil cat". It was the strangest thing. We were on the sidewalk, and I noticed Everest start to pull because there was a cat sitting on a neighbor's grass. No big deal, right? We pass cats all the time, usually they hiss and then run for the nearest tree. Not this one, he/she hissed, then lunged at Everest and started scratching and attacking him. I was still holding the leash and doing my best to pull Everest away from the chaos, but as soon as I would get some space, the crazy cat would lunge at Everest again. I was screaming and kicking at the cat and he/she still kept coming. Everest alternated between growling and yelping - I assume the cat's claws were pretty sharp. He couldn't fight back very well with me hanging onto his leash. After enough kicking, the cat finally backed away a few feet and kept hissing. Finally, after all of that, the porch light turned on and someone opened the door, but didn't come out. I wasn't about to go back and risk another attack so I just yelled out "Your cat is going to get eaten!" Real mature, I know, but I wasn't thinking my best. The whole thing kind of scared me. I was afraid that I was either going to get bit or scratched by the devil cat, or I would have to let go of the leash and that would be the end of the cat. Seriously, what kind of cat comes after an 85 pound wolf/dog? Forget pitbulls and german shepherds, beware of the cat!