Fun Run in Washington, D.C. for Research Down Syndrome

You all know that I love to run.  So when I heard about Research Down Syndrome (RDS) starting a new runners program, I was thrilled that I could combine two passions--helping people with Down syndrome and running my guts out.

I emailed the lovely Kate from Trial Run, who I knew would love the Down syndrome/running combination as much as I did, and she took it a step further and convinced RDS and the National Down Syndrome Congress(NDSC) to host a 1-mile fun run during the NDSC national convention in Washington D.C. in July.

How awesome is that?!?

RDS is trying to figure out the level of interest for the fun run, so PLEASE email them at rdsrunners@researchds.org and let them know you think it is an amazing idea and you would like to come join us and get in a little exercise the morning of July 21st in Washington D.C.  The full details are still being worked out, but the more of you that let them know you will be there, the better the run will be.

You don't even have to be a runner to join in the fun--just come walk and hang out and eat some muffins and wear the cool shirt.  The more the merrier!!

All proceeds go to help people with Down syndrome--it's a win-win all around!!

So go ahead, email rdsrunners@researchds.org and let them know you are in!

P.S. If you want to blog about this or share the info on facebook, twitter, message boards, etc; that would be fabulous--let's get the word out!!

My Favorite Spot Is Down At The Park.

Miss B loves to watch SigningTime!  One of her favorite episodes is "My Neighborhood"...she knows all of the signs and her hands go a mile a minute when I tell her about the errands we have to run.

But when the song "Down At the Park" comes on...Miss B runs and grabs her shoes and signs "swing" and "slide" over and over again.

And then when we head to the park, the lyrics are constantly running through my head:

 (song from SigningTime! with Rachel Coleman)

My favorite spot

Is down at the park

So down to the park we go

Skate with a friend

Picnic with them

There's so much to do

Down at the park

My favorite spot

Is down at the park

So down to the park we go

Fly a new kite

Practice your bike

There's so much to do

Down at the park

Swing high, swing low

Slide fast, slide slow

Climb up, climb down

The park's my favorite place to run around

My favorite spot

Is down at the park

So down to the park we go

Play catch with a ball

Collect leaves that fall

There's so much to do

Down at the park

Swing high, swing low

Slide fast, slide slow

Climb up, climb down

The park's my favorite place to run around

My favorite spot

Is down at the park

So down to the park we go

Dig deep in the sand

Shake off your hands

There's so much to do

There's so much to see

There's so much to hear

There's so much to be

There's so much to play

Every day

There's so much for me

Down at the park

Down at the park

Down at the park

Down at the park!

Blog Hop And A Pile of Leaves.

I have officially failed at the 31 for 21 challenge, now that I've missed posting for two days.  I really do have good reasons for not posting...1) The internet in our hotel was down on Wednesday.  and 2) Dr. C and I were driving the 12 hours back to reality all day yesterday.  I'll try my best to finish out the rest of the month.  To make up for it though, I'm participating in a Down Syndrome Awareness BlogHop today. 

Today we were trying to tame the millions of leaves that have been having a wild party on our lawn for the past week while we were away.  So while you blog-hop, enjoy some of our leaf-hopping.

Just for Fun.

The Village has zero shopping opportunities (unless you count Wal-Mart, which I do not). 

To make up for all the times that I don't get to go shopping at home, today I ventured out into San Antonio to go shopping for as long as I wanted...no one begging me for a snack, no one needing to use the potty, no one asking me if we were finished yet. 

It was heavenly.

I picked up some cute new scarves...so I thought this video was appropriate.

Enjoy!

Fall Travel Journal: The First Day

Dr. C and I are currently enjoying our vacation (for me) and vacation conference (for him).

Our first night, we left The Village at 9:30PM and didn't get to our hotel until 2:30AM.  When Dr. C was reserving our hotel for the midway-point of our drive, I told him my only requirement was that it needed to be nice enough that I could relax and sleep in it.

No such luck.

The non-smoking room smelled like it had been housing a chain-smoker for years.

The bathroom light/fan sounded like they had a hamster up there, running (and squeaking) it's guts out to make the blades go round.

The shower water smelled disgusting...I literally gagged a few times.  And then, randomly, it started smelling like a perm.  Not much of an improvement.

The toilet made the noise I would imagine a duck being strangled and drowned would sound like.

And let's just say I refused to walk around without my flip-flops on.

I'm beginning to think that the people that write online hotel reviews have a fundamentally different set of standards than I do.

We were too tired when we got in to find something else...and knowing we'd only be there for a few hours, we crashed, woke up 5 hours later, and got the heck outta Dodge.

After another 5 hours of driving (plus a detour in Houston--a city where you can apparently see where you want to go, but there is no way to get there without driving in circles on a zillion one-way streets first.), we arrived at Sea World in San Antonio.

Maybe it's because I'm a beach person, or maybe it's some lingering tween girl thing where you love everything dolphins (or horses or butterflies or whatever-girly-type-animal-you-can-think-of) but I absolutely loved Sea World.

Loved it so much, that I told Dr. C I need to add "marine biologist" to the list of degrees that I need to get.  "Marine Animal Trainer" is currently at the top of my Coolest-Jobs-On-The-Planet list.





And "Swimming With Dolphins" has been added to my bucket list.

I would even settle for "Swimming With Whales", if the dolphin thing didn't work out.  Either way, I'd be a happy, happy lady.

There is just something so graceful and powerful about the dolphins and whales...I could sit there and watch them all day.

Shamu waving goodbye. 
Although as far as I could tell, they call ALL of the killer whales Shamu.  So this could really be Shamu the Third or Baby Shamu or really Shamu's cousin.
Your guess is as good as mine.

It was Fab-U-Lous.

And then, when we checked into our hotel for the rest of the week, we were met with valet parking, a newly renovated room with a giant flat-screen, balcony view of the San Antonio Riverwalk,  granite counter tops, and a big comfy bed with a zillion down pillows that I easily relaxed in. 

Quite the difference from the night before!

Traveling.

Another quick post.

We went to bed at 3AM this morning, got up at 8AM, drove until 3:30PM, then spent 7 hours at Sea World.  (Sorry, pictures aren't uploading right now).

Checked into our hotel at 11PM, ate dinner at midnight...and now I'm exhausted.

Longer post tomorrow and stay tuned for the newest item to be added to my bucket list.

10 Reasons.

If you haven't ever been to a Buddy Walk--you are seriously missing out.  The annual Buddy Walk is one of our favorite family days of the year.  They really are awesome.

Here are my 10 Reasons Buddy Walks are the best.

10.  The T-shirt.  While usually they are pretty cool and Dr. C and I wear them throughout the year with pride, this year, I think they were going more for the "get noticed" factor.  And they definitely got that right.  Dr. C and I decided that we will wear these shirts again when:

a) We decide to go for a nighttime run and all of our other clothes are missing

b) We become hunters and don't want to buy the orange vest

c) We find out someone is taking pictures from space and we want to make sure they can see us.

They did make us easy to find each other when we did a little post-Walk visit to Target.  And we easily spotted some other people that had been at the Walk too. 

9. There are plenty activities for everyone.  This year they did a carnival type thing.  The kids got to play the games as much as they wanted.  Heck, I could have played the games as much as I wanted.  Everyone is encouraged to participate however they want to.

8. All the money raised helps people with Down syndrome.  It funds scholarships for summer enrichment programs, educational seminars, family events, and more. 

 7. When a 20-something woman hops on the horse ride and yells YEEEE-HAAAWW at the top of her lungs in true wild-west style while moving at about .3 miles an hour...everyone thinks it's awesome. That cowgirl was living the moment to the fullest. 

Most of us could learn a lesson from her.

  

6. You could talk about Down syndrome the whole time...or you could not talk about it at all...and both options are completely acceptable and understood.  Our first year, I think we talked about it the whole time.  This year, I don't think it came up in conversation once.

5. When you speak in funky acronyms (AVSD, OT, ST, PT, IFSP, IEP, etc.) everyone knows what you are talking about.

4. No one is too cool, too old, or too self-conscious to have a good time. 

3. It's completely appropriate to hug everyone you meet.

2. The entertainers stay long past their original quitting time, just to make sure no one is disappointed.  

1. In a sea of 300+ individuals whose lives are somehow touched by Down syndrome, we all become "typical".  We bond together, support each other, and we celebrate the blessings that we have been given.

There are still Buddy Walks going on across the country.  To find one happening in your area, search here.

YEEE-HAAAAWWWW!!

A Lovely Day

Once again, I'm late posting.  This time, I fully blame my tardiness on Pinterest, which is my new favorite website.  It has all of my favorite things that I didn't even know I loved on there.  And, it shows me all of my friends' favorite things...and let me tell you my friends have good taste.  Every time I open it up it's like jumping into the deep end of a big pool of the loveliest things you can imagine.  One day all the craft/quote/style/food/decorating inspirations just might make my head explode. 

(P.S. If you're not on Pinterest yet, you should be.  Let me know if you need an invite and I'll send you one.)

Before the kiddos went to bed and I got sucked into the Pinterest overload of loveliness, I actually lived some loveliness while playing outside with the kiddos.  (How's that segue?)

We are currently experiencing some of the most fabulous weather possible.  Clear blue skies, light breeze, 70s and 80s during the day.  Lovely.  Simply lovely.  The fall weather here deserves its own Pinterest pin.

Miss B's favorite thing to do outside is to run as fast as her little legs will carry her to one of our neighbors' porches. 

One of her brothers' favorite things to do outside is to chase her down and bring her back.

Miss B's second favorite thing to do outside is getting rides on her brothers' scooters.  Or try to swipe a scooter for herself.  Fearless was not into sharing with her today.

Miss B's face when she doesn't get the aforementioned scooter ride.

T-Man insisted that I get this shot.  He rode up and down the driveway over and over again, stopping to critique my work until I got it just right.

Unfortunately, homework and piano practice and bedroom cleaning and chores and dinner making called us in long before we wanted them too.

Thankfully tomorrow is supposed to be another beautiful day...and who knows what new loveliness it will bring?

See you tomorrow.