The Houston Zoo

I've found a new running partner

but it won't be long before she leaves me behind. Samantha, Marshall and I did another 5K yesterday. It was such a great run. Here she is stretching out. It was pretty cold through the whole run, but it was a nice change from the blazing heat.

I held Samantha back at the start so she wouldn't take it out too fast. We stayed together for the whole race. She was really pushing it hard all the way through.

At the last Marshall told her to sprint for the finish.
I was a little more conservative but still managed a good push. I like this picture of us because we are so in sync.


Samantha's time was 26.38 and mine and Marshall's was a 26.44! I was so excited. That is a 4 minute drop for Samantha and a 1.15 min. drop for me for this year. Amy took the pics with Samantha's point and shoot. She didn't realize that it takes longer for the camera to actually take the picture, but she got some good ones I think.

Samantha's birthday pics

Amy's birthday

just a few pics from the party

Amy had a birthday

last week as well and is now 10 years old. She and Samantha had a joint party on Saturday. We did the same Halloween party that we did last year. It was a blast. I'll try to get some pics posted soon. On her actual birthday, the 11th, we had cheeseburgers and ice cream cake. I was actually going to make roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy, but i wasn't feeling well. instead we had it on Tuesday and it turned out great. I even made real gravy just for Amy because she loves gravy with her mashed potatoes, but it isn't my forte so i usually skip it (i'm a butter person myself). She got new bedding and loves it, plus some curtains. Very cute. And although she is now 10 years old, she will always be Little Mimi to us. Happy Birthday Mim!!

No one has been more excited

for their birthday than Samantha was to turn 13. And to top it off she had a great day. Friends at school gave her cards and candy and decorated her locker. I made homemade fettucine and topped it with the most amazing alfredo sauce ever. It was so good. We also had a small cheesecake and sang happy birthday. We got her new bedding and she was really excited about it. It looks great. she now wants to start getting accent pieces for her room, which will be something good for her to do with her money.

Over dinner we were telling her about the day she was born and other stories. The kids were all laughing so hard at some of the things she/they did. It is hard to believe that she is now 13. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

for some reason my computer will not load the pictures right now. I'll try again later.

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