Clean white to colorful bright

I was so excited when I found out The Color Run, aka the happiest 5k on the planet, was coming to St. Louis! Hubs and I signed up within the first week that registration was open.

The Color Run is more of an event, not so much a run. At least we felt like more of the 15,000 participants were walking than running, but we planned on that and so it was fun.

A lot of people had fun with it and dressed in white, but had accenting wigs, tutus, socks, etc. We saw one girl even running in her wedding dress.

In our white - nice and clean. 

So, you start out in clean white and the whole point is to get covered in color by the end. We lined up at the start at 8:00 am. And waited. And waited some more. Finally, 50 minutes later, we crossed the start line.

Each kilometer was a different color. So, at 1K we got red, 2K blue, etc. Since we were at the back of the group, there were actually lines at the kilometer color marks. And we even saw people rolling on the ground trying to get as much color as possible. I wonder if it started out as a legitimate run but has turned into more of an event. At any rate, we stood in line to get covered with the powdery color.

Immediately following the race.

At the end, they have a huge party with fun music and everyone throws packets of color up into the air at the same time. It was a lot of fun and I would totally recommend doing it for something different.

We found more color packets and threw them at each other.

I'm a mess.

The after party - about ready to release the color!

Color explosion. So fun.

Lost in color.

I'm not sure the St. Louis Metro Transit system really appreciated the color run. It was full with people on our way home and the color probably made a mess, but it was really a cool thing. And the color comes off relatively easy...you have to scrub.

Look for the color run to come near you. Sign up and have fun - the money goes towards a local charity!

Long's Peak: An Adventure Never to Forget

The alarm went off at 12:40 a.m. and we both got up. I hadn't slept well at all, but I was wide awake for now. We got ready and left, reaching the trailhead at 1:30 a.m. We started the hike at 1:45 a.m. Richard recorded our start in the log book they keep at the trailhead. It was official! We were hiking to the Long's Peak Summit.

Within 100 feet I was breathing heavy. And I realized this was going to be a long, slow hike. We hadn't even been in Colorado for 24 hours and our lungs were obviously working overtime at the higher altitude.

So excited to be hiking at 1:45am!

The darkness around us was still. At one point we stopped and turned our headlights off. The  forest enclosed around us in silent darkness and it was both eerie and calming at the same time. Looking up, the stars were bright and there were so many! Never had I seen the sky like that.

Throughout the first two miles we hiked steadily but took more breaks than we were used to. I ended up taking off my fleece layer and I felt constantly thirsty.

After two miles, we crossed over a log bridge and entered the "alpine tundra." (There was a sign that told us so.) Without the trees, the air was cooler and I put the fleece back on, as well as the hat I borrowed from our cottage hosts. The hike hadn't been easy, but now we started going up steps - rocky steps - and my body was tired from the lack of sleep. We stopped and I took Advil - my head hurt bad. Hubs constantly checked in with me to see how I was doing. I wasn't having fun, but it wasn't horrible.

We were hiking on and on, switching back as we went up the mountain. Of course, we had no idea what the terrain looked like but as we looked up and down we could see lights - other hikers at different places on the path. I liked that we weren't alone. It was apparent that we were taking more breaks than most, but we got used to people passing us.

After 4.5 hours of hiking in the dark, I was thrilled to see the sun!

As the sun came up, I began to fade. It was helpful to take our head lights off and look around. We saw the silhouette of Long's - it was still far off. I ate some dried fruit snacks for the sugar, which helped, but I was tired and very cold. I started moving slower and my eyes were drooping.

Obviously not feeling well here and a long way to go.

So happy to see the sun!

As we approached the boulder field, the sun was up. I could see where we would reach the sunlight which meant warmth. I was starting to feel nauseous but kept pushing through to get to that sunlight. It was getting harder and I stopped frequently through the boulders. Hubs was wiling to turn around if I needed, but I wasn't ready. It got to the point that I felt awful and I was over any desire to reach the summit. But I also knew it would be so disappointing the next day if we hadn't reached the summit - the whole purpose of the trip. So we kept on, even slower than before and taking more breaks. My body and mind were tired, my hands were cold. Hubs kept lightening my pack and traded glove with me - whatever he could do to keep me going. I stopped eating & drinking - the boulder field was taking forever. My thoughts were jumbled and my words were unclear. Not surprisingly I lost my balance and Hubs caught me before I fell.

The tears rushed out while Hubs held me and prayed. I felt so sick but we were almost to the keyhole. I had to keep trying but everything inside wanted to quit. I ate 3 bites of a cliff bar and took 3 gulps of water. We were going to make the keyhole and then reassess.

The keyhole was our first goal.

I took about 5-6 steps, then rested. I concentrated on taking deep, long breaths of air in and pushing it out. This was helping. Even though I was still out of breath, I was starting to feel better. We were in the sun now and I started warming up. Finally, we reached the keyhole. I sat down and knew that we were going to make it.

The Ledges (the bull's eyes mark the preferred path).

Before Hubs could ask, I said, "Let's go. Before I change my mind." So we started on the Ledges. Although the ledges might be more precarious of a spot, they were less work. We even went downhill at times and it was a break from the constant uphill climbing. Richard started to feel the effects of the altitude though. We stopped and had a Powerade and the rest of my cliff bar. We finished the ledges without complaint. Sure, we were slow, but we were feeling better...and my nauseousness was gone!

Looking pretty happy after making it through the ledges.

The Trough made the boulder field look like a walk in the park.

When we reached the Trough, the boulder field looked like a cake walk in comparison. We slowly tacked this section, climbing up for what seemed like forever. "Smart steps," was Hubs' constant reminder. One stupid step could be your last. I was happy if I could take 4 steps/climbs and rest 30 seconds. It seemed like we weren't making progress, but we reached the top and moved on to the narrows.

Making our way across The Narrows.

As its name describes, the Narrows are narrow and you instinctively lean into the mountain as you go along. Again, this happened to be one of my favorite sections because it was easier and surprisingly the height and sudden drop to death did not bother me as I expected it would.

And this....is the Homestretch.

Almost there! I swear my little legs had to reach and work much harder than taller people!

Still very tired and working hard at breathing, we reached the Homestretch. This was it! It was very steep and more smooth stone than the trough. This was a challenge in skill, but also with the altitude. As we reached and passed the 14,000 foot mark, we both started getting dizzy. Not the right place to get dizzy or faint. Deeper breaths & even slower pace until finally we both were standing on the summit of this giant mountain.

So happy to make it to the top!

Hubs.

Side note: I was decked out in Athleta gear - headband, two shirts & pants. Love it all!

It was worth the pain. We had conquered through adversity which made the view and the accomplishment much sweeter. At the summit we snapped photos, at, drank, logged our arrival and enjoyed the view of God's creation. A lone marmot joined us, waiting for our leftovers.

The fearless marmot that inhabits Long's Peak.

After an hour, we decided to head down. I could have taken a nap instead, but we still had a long way to go to get back to our car. Although I could go on about the journey down, it is enough to say that it took a long time to go back the 8 miles we had come. It was easier though. The further down we hiked, the better we felt. Headaches disappeared and spirits were lifted. It was like hiking a brand new trail since we hadn't been able to see it in the early morning darkness.

Were we really at the top of that 2 hours ago?

We still have 3 miles until we are back at our car!

While hiking, I never thought I would climb that mountain again. It was my nemesis. After a few days, it doesn't seem as bad and I would consider doing it again. I highly recommend a few days of acclimation to the altitude before attempting it. Since we didn't have that, I am very happy with our accomplishment of 16 miles & 4,854 feet in 14 hours. And most of all, it was so fun to do this with Hubs!

So glad we made it to the top!

SIX.

Hubs and I are celebrating SIX years of being hubs and wife!

Hubs and I have had a busy weekend and have a busy week ahead so it just wasn't practical to go anywhere special. We went to an early breakfast at Ihop before church and discussed how much differently we would have done our wedding. Both of us would have changed so much, but both of us are overjoyed that we won't have to do that again. We also talked about how much has changed in six years. One of my brothers had just graduated from high school - now he is married and going to be a father in just a few short weeks! The other brother was about to start high school - so young. But, we were so young, too. It's fun to see how much we have changed in the years together.

After breakfast we went to church to listen to one of my new favorite preachers, Carey Hardy. Really great stuff. The rest of the day has been spent running errands, doing chores working, and catching a little of the British Open.

We are ending our anniversary with the kickoff to the young marrieds small group at our church. It's fun to think that SIX years ago, we were joining a small group as the newly married couple and now we are getting involved in a group where we have been married the longest.

I wasn't sure how I would feel about an anniversary without the fun that we normally have. However, it has been a wonderful day together, savoring the blessing of our marriage. I'm not saying it is the easiest or the most perfect marriage. I know we haven't figured it all out yet and I'm sure there will be challenges to come. It takes a lot of forgiveness and the desire in each of us to become more like Christ. Despite the hard times, I can't imagine life without my partner, my best friend, my godly leader, and the one I love.

Happy SIX to us.

St Louis Site: Fitz's Bottling Company

So, it's been a while. Again. I guess just get used to it. It's obvious I'm not going to ever blog as frequently as I once did.

We've been in St. Louis over one year and I have this to say. Summer is not my favorite. Last summer was HOT and everyone said it was unusually hot. This year, it is HOT. Ransom has take to this pose under the ceiling fan to keep cool:

In other news, we did a little project in the house that I will post about tomorrow. My mom came for a visit! And we sold our car. To celebrate, we took mom to Fitz's Bottling Company for root beer floats. After seeing the size of these floats, Hubs and I decided to split while mom decided on a root beer shake. The great thing about splitting was that they put them in two separate cuts for us. It was a good call to split, because although I know I could have definitely put down an entire float on my own, I definitely should not.

We hope to go there again sometime and try their food. We also just got ordinary root beer floats, but they have all sorts of different options. Afterwards, we walked around "The Loop," which is the area of town Fitz's is located in. A little different of an area - interesting shops and people, not necessarily my area of choice but fun for eating.

Come visit. If not to see us, to have a root beer float at Fitz's!

The Black Monster vs the Bunnies

Despite living in a large city we have spotted quite the wildlife. We saw a hawk, with a squirrel in its talons. We have plenty of bunnies and birds. And, of course there is Ransom.

A few weeks back, Hubs discovered a rabbit hole in our front yard filled with brand new baby bunnies. We left them alone and watched them grow. When it was time for Richard to mow, they had been there about 2 weeks and were now super cute. For some reason mini rabbits are waaaaay cuter than big rabbits that eat my hostas down to nothing.



We caught the babies and put them into a large Panera sack while Hubs mowed. I brought them inside with me and away from the black monster (aka. Ransom). Afterwards, we put them back into their hole and they were gone the next day.

The next rabbit-mom was not quite as smart. She did pick a spot completely in the shade, knowing the temperatures are going to be high this week. However, she chose the backyard. Within the invisible fence boundary = Ransom’s Territory.

This morning as I was in the bathroom getting ready for a normal day of work, I hear a loud, high-pitched, incessant squealing. When I finally put two and two together – that Ransom was outside and that the noise was not a bird, I quickly go and find a new baby rabbit on the patio with the black monster sniffing and nudging it with his nose. I did the worst thing possible. I panicked and said “Ransom!”

Which triggers the response of “take it and run.” So he puts the entire bunny in his mouth and moves to the other side of the lawn. I ask him if he wants to eat, but the squealing of the bunny distracts him so much he doesn’t even budge. Still panicking and not wanting a baby bunny to die on my watch, I yell for Richard.

The bunny stops squealing, assumedly dead, and Ransom loses enough interest that I ask him if he wants to eat again. Torn between the bunny and me, he comes to me – or so I thought. Instead, he goes running under the bushes for another bunny giving me a chance to pull on his tail until he turns around and I grab his collar and also giving us the location of the hole.

Richard has now come outside and gets the bunny. It is a new baby with his eyes still closed, barely any hair, and not strong enough to use his own feet. Ransom hadn’t tried to eat it or kill it and it has survived this extreme trauma, barely. We put it back into the hole. The hole is empty and I try not to think about what happened to the rest of the babies. Perhaps she had only had one of them when Ransom found it. Maybe the others escaped. The last possibility is one I’d rather not think about.

Ransom’s normal routine allows him to be outside all morning until we leave for the day. After we brought him inside and fed him, he stood by the door, followed me around, begging to be let back out. He never gets toys because he ruins them, so this was probably a big excitement for him – a toy that was soft, moved and even squeaked. Although I would love to cut down on the rabbit population in my yard, I don’t necessarily want it to be the brand new babies completely helpless against the giant black monster.

To the dad's in my life.

There are a lot of people that do not have the amazing relationships that I have with all the father's in my life. Rarely do I say anything personal about my family, but I am not spending the day with any of them and I want them to know they are loved.

My grandpa's are the best. It was so fun to grow up with my Pop-pop nearby. He took us along on his errands and taught us things as he worked in the garage. He was always fixing or doing something and we got to join in. And he never stopped teaching us. I remember learning about the center of gravity while stacking my blocks to make a tower. I looked forward to spending time with Grandpa. He was always making me laugh or trying to get a rise out of me, which worked. We would go out to eat and he would say [still does]: "I pay, you pray." I still go places and get introduced as "Rod's grandaughter" and I love it. He is matter-of-fact and no-nonsense. I don't get to see either of them as much I wish, but it is the best when I do. I'm so proud to have them both as my grandfathers.

My father-in-law is one of a kind. I see him through my Hubs. He taught him to work hard and to be honest and is always encouraging us in what we do. He is always so excited to see us and to spend time with us and it makes us know he loves us. His desire to grow and learn is something I admire and I'm so thankful for the relationship he has with Richard and I.

But I have to admit, the most special of all these dad's is my own. My dad is absolutely unwavering in his faith and he has never minced words over the truth in God's word. He is solid and strong and loves my mother to the utmost degree. He has the heart of a servant and is always there when you need him. He is always concerned with other more than himself and I've seen him work through pain I didn't even know or forgot he had.

Dad cooks the best scrambled eggs and he makes the best coffee. He is always willing to make a fire and s'mores for me when I come to visit, or to have Breyer's ice cream in the freezer. He taught me to change my tires and he taught me to read God's word. There will never be a time when I don't need him in my life. He is stubborn; so I am I. He has crooked pinky fingers; so do I. He doesn't like coconut; neither do I.

I always knew we had to talk about something serious when we were "going out for a coke." He forgave me for dropping (and breaking) his ipad. He's forgiven me for much, never deserved, but always freely given. He taught me to forgive in that way. Having him upset with me was always the worst. But he's always believed in me, even when I've made the wrong decision.

Not everyone can say that their relationship with their dad has pointed them to their relationship with their heavenly Father, but mine has. My dad would rather have me know Christ more than anything else and that is what he has shown me for the past 28+ years.

There will never be a time when I don't need my dad in my life, and although I rarely say it, I know you know it: I love you, Dad.

St. Louis Site: Uncle Bill's Pancake House

Before we went to the Botanical Gardens, we went out to breakfast. I love going out to breakfast and I really love First Watch, but we decided to try something local in the city. I saw Uncle Bill's the very first day we moved here, so that's were we went.

When you pull up, you can tell it's been there a while. And when you go inside, you can tell they haven't done any remodeling...ever. But I don't mind old as long as it is clean, and it was very clean. It had its own charm. In my mind, the waitress staff has worked there for years and know their regulars by name. The menus are printed on paper placematts with at least 3 typos. The feel was comfy and friendly.

We both ordered the 3 egg omelette, which also came with 3 pancakes. I'm not sure why I ordered an omelette. I prefer french toast and my eggs over-medium. It was way too much food for me, but I worked about 3/4 of the omelette and all the pancakes and then I had no need for lunch and wasn't even hungry for supper.

All in all the food was good and I enjoyed it, but I have to say that I would prefer to go to First Watch.