This Saturday was the perfect day.  We didn't do anything extraordinary or special, but it was just completely wonderful.  Brady and I woke up early because we were signed up for a 5k.  On Friday night we were both less than excited for the 5k the following morning because it was early, it was cold, and we were lazy.  I struggled to get out of bed, but having Brady bring me my favorite breakfast (english muffin with peanut butter, honey, and banana slices) immediately put a smile on my face and was a great start to the day.

I have been running 4 days a week for the last 4 months.  Brady has not run one mile since I have known him.  I thought I would have pity on my husband and leave my running legs at home and walk the 3.2 miles with Brady.  When we toed the start line he said to me "Let's just run for a little bit until we get tired".  3.2 miles later we had run the whole way and I went way faster than I would have if I were running solo.  Brady was a great coach and he really got me to push my limit and increase my pace.  We finished the race in 32 minutes and both got 2nd place in our age group!  A wonderful couple from our church organized the 1st annual "5k to the Cross" and all the proceeds went to Samaritan's Purse and their Operation Christmas Child ministry.  Brady and I both had a blast at the race. 

We then went home and hung some shelves in our laundry room, thus finishing our impromptu laundry room redo.  Okay, when I said "we" hung shelves, I actually meant Brady hung shelves and I barked orders from the nearby master bathroom shower where I was rinsing off all my post-race grime.  Brady is such a great handyman!  I would share more about the laundry room but I'll save it for an upcoming post.

Then we took a little ride down to the library to get a couple movies. If you read this post then you will know how much I love the library and will understand why this made me so happy.  But seriously...Blockbusters are virtually no more, RedBoxes have a super limited selection and usually only have new movies.  The library has tons of movies, new and old, and best part...it is FREE!  Oh mother hell! 

The afternoon was spent watching college football and taking glorious naps!  Then for dinner I made Monica's fiesta chicken, it was delicious.  After dinner we read and discussed "The Story" together.  I am so blessed to have a husband who reads to me from God's word and teaches me so much about what it means to be a follower of Christ.  Then we had bloody marys, with tomato juice that we canned ourselves from Brady's garden.  Brady made a fire in the fireplace (first one of the year!) and we ate popcorn and watched a movie together. 

It was such a wonderful day and I hope we can have another just like it really soon!

I have horrible, horrible, HORRIBLE allergies.  The kind where I can't sleep, can't breathe, and can't see because my eyes get so goopy.  I pretty much eat Zyrtecs like they are candy and they usually don't even help me at all!  I was having an especially bad allergy day on Friday when I wandered into CVS and bought one of these bad boys...

That little teapot thing is called a Neti Pot, and it is basically a granola hippie way to clean out your head of all those mean allergens without taking any drugs.  You fill it with salt water, stick the blue penis part up your nose, then pour in the water...which travels up one nostril and swishes around all the deep recesses of your head and then comes out the other nostril.  It is really gross and really awesome all at the same time!   

Brady was the first one to try it and he didn't love it so much...maybe he felt weird sticking the mini weiner part up his nose?  I tried next and it worked great on me!  Brady even took this video with my handy dandy iPhone...enjoy! 

Please don't make fun of us because this is what we did on a Friday night! 

Brady and I had a very emotional weekend.  For our Saturday date night we went and saw "Bully", I recommend seeing this movie only if you are in the mood to be sad and pissed off...just kidding...kind of.  It's a documentary about the bullying problem in schools across America.  The film mainly follows 3 students who are bullied day in and day out at their schools.  The film also follows two cases of "Bullycide", which is when a child is bullied so much that is causes him or her to commit suicide.  This is a growing problem in America, especially today in our social media driven world.  Yes this movie was sad...but it was SO GOOD!  Everyone needs to see it!  I cried pretty much during the entire movie and most of the way home on our 45 minute drive from the theatre.  Yes...Brady cried also...because only real men cry (especially the really sexy ones).  I can't even watch the trailer without crying...see if you can!

So after our tear filled Saturday night we were having a delightful Sunday that started off with a wonder service at Rock Prairie.  We let the dogs out to play and after about 20 minutes when we called them to come back...Gus didn't come!  He didn't come home for about 2 hours.  During these two hours we walked through fields, drove the country roads, rode our 4-wheeler through the woods and Gus was no where to be found.  Of course Brady and I both sobbed because Gus is our baby and we really thought he was gone.  He wasn't wearing his collar...so we figured he was down the road, not around any houses and someone drove by and snatched him up thinking he was a stray.  After an hour and a half of looking for him I left Brady outside to do the searching and I rode the 4-wheeler back to the house to make some phone calls.  I called the sheriff and the Tipton County Humane Society.  Neither had any reports of anyone finding a dog.  So I sat at the computer and through tear filled eyes I made a "Lost Dog" poster.  Brady was on his way to the Sharpsville post office to post the sign when...Gus came walking out of the woods south of our house!!!!!  Brady said he just slowly meandered through the field up to his truck like nothing was wrong at all!  Now our whole family is back together and I am never letting Gus outside into the dangerous world again!  Just kidding...but I will always make sure he is wearing his collar from now on!  I mean how could you not be in love with this pup?!

We haven't cried for a couple days now which is good...my eyes needed a rest!

So we didn't go to prom...we went to after-prom, so that's not as creepy right?  Brady's cousin, Cole, is a junior at Tri-Central High School and it's the juniors every year who plan prom.  The juniors also plan the after-prom with help from their parents.  This is an alternative thing to do after the dance that provides a safe environment that is drug, alcohol, and sex free...unlike many other after-prom parties. 

Brady's Uncle Mike and Aunt Jenny are Cole's parents and they were very involved in planning the after-prom.  Aunt Jenny is always helping us out with projects on our house, watching our dogs, and saving coupons for me.  So when she told Brady that they might be short on parent help and could use a couple extra volunteers, he said yes right away.  I was kind of a baby about it because I was pissed that Brady would volunteer me for something without even asking me, especially when the thing he volunteered me for was on a Saturday night from 11:30 pm - 3:30 am.  But after much complaining I went along with him and it ended up being a super fun date night!

Brady and I helped out at the "Casino" where the kids could play blackjack or poker.  There were also areas where the kids could dance, do laser tag, go in a "cash cube", go inside giant hamster balls, there was a cartoonist, and a photo booth, and tons of food and drinks, and many other fun things that I am sure I am forgetting.  

I was really surprised by how many kids actually attended the after-prom.  When I was in high school hardly anyone went to the after-prom.  Everyone seemed to go to the person's house where the parents were out of town and the big brother bought beer.  I am sure kids here do that stuff also, but a lot of them really don't and it's cool to see that side of high school that I was never a part of.  It just makes me I feel like I have moved to Pleasantville or have gone back in time to the 50's because I live in such a morally upright Christian community. 

I know I make fun of Sharpsville a lot and I always tease Brady for being so sheltered because he grew up here.  But I really do love this little corner of the world, and I can't wait to raise our kids here.  This really is home and I couldn't imagine living anywhere else.

After being up till 3:30 in the morning, my prom date and I need a nap!
Thanks for reading!