Somerset Stampede

I did it! I ran (without crawling) the Somerset Stampede half marathon. It ended up being quite the good race. It was on an awesome course that was half paved, half dirt and ended on horse trails. (Well, that part wasn't fun. The horse trail was very sandy, and having run 12 miles, it's hard finishing that last mile in sand). It was perfect weather, and I would dare say almost cold when I started. I ended up running it in 2 hours and 11 minutes, which I think is okay. I finished third in my age category, but don't get too excited, there were a total of four women in it. I also had the best spectators too- Dave was such a good husband and I got to see him and the kids at about 5 different spots along the run. He 'raced' around the course in the Jeep to different mile points to offer me encouragement and the occasional bite of PowerBar. He's a good one. James helped me finish the race which made it all worthwhile! I am however just looking forward to running just to run, not running in preparation for a race.

Also, my kiddos were great for the entire day, walking up early and all. Thanks kids!


Getting on the road at 5 am


Arriving at the race, 6:30 am!


At the starting line...


Getting ready to go!


Mile 6 perhaps?


All done!



Here's the video of the finish. What a good racer my little buddy is!

Now I am just left with sore knees and bloody blisters on my toes. Nice, right?

Just keep runnin'

Tomorrow is my half marathon, eek!

I'm pretty excited. My one goal: finish. Even if I am crawling on the ground, I'll finish this sucker! I'll let ya'll know how it goes...for now, I have to go to bed. I have to wake up insanely early. That is the worst part of this whole ordeal- I don't mind the running 13 miles part, I hate the waking up at 4:45 part. Maybe 5. We'll see!

Packing up Again.

This Hocker Family has been very busy this summer.

So far,

-Dave's gone on a four day golfing trip somewhere up north. I never really grasped onto the detail where it actually was.

-We went out to Estes Park, CO for two weeks. It was such a beautiful place and such a wonderful vacation. I want to go back. Nay, I want to live there. Someone find my hubby a job there!

-And today we leave for the UP (Upper Peninsula for all my non-Michigander readers) for Dave's trail marathon. The marathon is actually on a island called Grand Island and he actually just runs around the island. Yep, get up and run around an island, that's what he's gonna do. Anyways, we are going through Mackinaw on our way...bring on the fudge! I've never been, so I am super excited.

And then in the later portion of this month I am going out to California for my brother's 30th (eek! old man!) birthday and to celebrate his hopefully passing the bar. I say hopefully because this week he is taking said test, and I don't know if he's past it yet. As I recall, it's a four day test. Gross. They make you work for it if you want to be a lawyer, I guess. But I know he'll pass. At least for my sister in law's sake I hope he does! She's been quite the little trooper and law school widow these past three years and I am sure probably glad they are at the end of the road. (The first day of the bar test was even on her birthday! ) Shout out to Karly!

So that's been our summer. For the few weeks that we've been home we've done a lot of grillin', going to the library, swimmin', and if I am honest, staying in side. It's been so frickin' hot!

Also, I am highly obsessed watching the Scrubs. How did I not watch this show earlier? Too bad Dave won't watch it with me. That means I have to sneak it in at nap times or when he's at football. But I love me some JD!

"They grow up so fast..."

It's true. I find myself saying that old adage quite frequently lately, especially in respects to my daughter, who is now four month old. Seriously, where did time go? Really? Really. She's four months old. Really. She can roll over. Really?!?! It's like I have a little Seth and Amy sitting on my shoulders saying "Really?!?!" every time I think of how old she is. I just can't believe that time has gone by that fast. Here we are in June. Really?!?

All "really's" aside, I did have her four month checkup today which went pretty well. She didn't like to lay on the crunchy white paper that they make you sit on when you are at the doctor's office, and I don't blame her. She's doing perfectly well and the doctor seemed pretty impressed that she can roll over both ways (that's my girl!). I thought up to this point she was pretty tiny, but it turns out she's just average. At three months she weighed 13.5 pounds. Today we got so more specific measurements:

Height: 24 3/4 in (67% percentile)
Weight: 14 lbs 10 oz. (71% percentile)
Head Circumference: 42 8/10 cm (90% percentile)

Apparently, Dave and I make big headed babies. That just means they are gonna be smart, right? Right?!?!

And for comparisons sake, James at this time weighed 16.7 lbs and was 25.5 inches long. So he's got his sister beat in both categories. But I want my boys to be bigger, so it works out. (Sidenote: his head was also measuring in the 98% percentile, so he had quite the noggin).

So she's doing great! And I couldn't have asked for a better baby girl. I love her so!

Sometimes you just need a change in A-tom-tunes.

Lately, when I ask James to do something, move, pick up toys, or anything such thing that he probably doesn't really want to do, I say, "James, you need to change your attitude or else you'll have to go into time out."

This morning, he was on the couch watching Sesame Street while I was making breakfast. Once I brought it out to him (okay, we eat breakfast watching TV, don't judge) I told him to come to his high chair and sit down. He kept on slinking and sulking all the way to the chair. So I said my little line, and as he turns around to sit down, he smiles and says,

"I turn in my a-tom-tune!"

He's so stinkin' funny sometimes. Right now he's yelling to me informing me that Clara cannot watch Sesame Street.