Truths

Truths For Mature Humans


1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.


2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.


3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.


4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.


5. How in the world are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?


6. Was learning cursive really necessary?


7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.


8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.


9. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.


10. Bad decisions make good stories.


11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.


12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.


13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.


14. I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.


15. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.


16. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night that more kisses begin with Miller Lite than with Kay.


17. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.


18. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.


19. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?


20. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!


21. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.


22. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.


23. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey…but I'd bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!


24. The first testicular guard, the "Cup," was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974. That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important.

GATE RIVER RUN

Pre race




The kids came down with us (and Baba) because they did the Jr. River Run (1 mile)



The run was fun and amazing as always. I had a nice little 10 minute mile pace going until I hit mile 7 when my back began to throb (I hurt it a couple weeks ago) and had to slow waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down.

My chip time: 01:48:40


Greg, the rockstar of the Stratton Clan, killed it this year. 01:09:54
He made it in the top ten percent and got the awesome hat!

Matthew before his race.


Rebecca waiting for her race.


My boys.


My little baby Becca. (Baba ran the one mile a couple steps behind her). The first thing she said when I got up to her was "Mommy, I ran just like you! I didn't even stop one time!" Check out my girls time!


Jordan and Dante also ran in their age division.


The Stratton Clan.



I am so insanely proud of all of us.

Luchy

Matthew

Donovan Darius is the famous Jaguars football player that signed a one day contract with the Jaguars so he could retire from the NFL from his beloved team. He now runs an amazing foundation where he holds football clinics in the Jacksonville area.

Saturday morning he held a mini camp for the YMCA that Greg (as a YMCA coach and volunteer) and Matthew both participated in.

They did some stretching as a group and then split the kids up into groups to do drills.




Donovan Darius ran the camp with grace and excitement. He encouraged the kids, spoke to them one on one, and bellowed out 'words of wisdom' the entire time.






Lots of water breaks. I forgot to slather him with sunscreen and the poor kid has the beginnings of an awesome farmers tan.








Thank you Donovan!

Soccer

It's finally here.

Soccer season.

And I have an awesome photographer on the team too, so we are set for the season picture wise!





Luchy

Rebecca's Friday

Friday at preschool, Rebecca's P.E (jump n learn) had an "exercise for your heart" day.

Basically parents come and participate in a typical jump n learn class.

There is dancing


Marching and dancing


More dancing


And the parachute




And then a heart healthy snack.


After school Rebecca tried on her uniform I had bought her the day before, which she will wear next year.


Oh, sweet baby Jesus... my heart can't take it.  How is it that she is almost five???

Then Friday night she played the whole basketball game since we only had five players show up.  She did awesome.



:)

Picture update

Matthew and Greg running last Saturday.




And this.

It made me smile.  :)



Hopefully I'll be seeing this movie this weekend.

Me

running cat echo

Thursday Matthew had run/walk.

We told him to take it easy, so he only did 4 miles.


Friday was the Annunciation Catholic School Jog-A-Thon.


Matthew did 28 laps in one hour.

That's 7 miles!!!!


Good job buddy!


Annunciation had a half day, so after the jog-a-thon we picked up our friends Eli and Maddy, then swung by and picked up Becca from preschool and we headed to the zoo.






Once we finally made it home and the twins were picked up we headed to Matthew's basketball game.  They were missing some players and he ended up playing almost the whole game.  Sigh.  The kid didn't even act tired!

Matthew had a special friend with him this weekend.  Cool Cat.


Matthew has to take him places and write about it in a journal.

Saturday morning we headed out to a free 5K and fun run.  It was sooo hot, and sooo crowded, and sooo unorganized.  Sigh.  I'm so spoiled.  It sucked.

Matthew had his best 5K time ever (23:37) while I had my worst (37:49).

But I have a good excuse.


I was pushing 45 lbs of Becca plus 15lbs of stroller among 2500 people that don't know how to run 5ks.

Sigh.

It was soo frustrating.

But on the plus side, I only ran over one person :)

The kids wanted to go play outside but I put my exhausted foot down.  When we got home (at 2pm) we took showers and just watched movies all afternoon.

Sunday morning we went to chuch.


And we've been cleaning and bumming around since.


New song I love.


Hello, hello
anybody out there?
'cause I don't hear a sound
alone, alone
I don't really know where the world is but I miss it now

Refrain:

I'm out on the edge and I'm screaming my name
like a fool at the top of my lungs
sometimes when I close my eyes I pretend I'm alright
but it's never enough
cause my echo, echo
is the only voice coming back
my shadow, shadow
is the only friend that I have


listen, listen
I would take a whisper if
that's all you have to give
but it isn't, isn't
you could come and save me
try to chase it crazy right out of my head

Refrain:

I'm out on the edge and I'm screaming my name
like a fool at the top of my lungs
sometimes when I close my eyes I pretend I'm alright
but it's never enough
cause my echo, echo
is the only voice coming back
my shadow, shadow
is the only friend that I have

Bridge:

I don't wanna be down and
I just wanna feel alive and
get to see your face again
I don't wanna be down and
I just wanna feel alive and
get to see your face again
but 'til then 


Just my echo, my shadow
youre my only friend

Refrain:

I'm out on the edge and I'm screaming my name
like a fool at the top of my lungs
sometimes when I close my eyes I pretend I'm alright
but it's never enough
cause my echo, echo
oh my shadow, shadow

Hello, hello
anybody out there? 

all that's dead and gone...

I wanted to post this song a couple days ago, but I've been letting it stir around in my soul and falling more and more in love with it.  There's not one line that doesn't spark an emotion, a memory, a yearning.  

"when all those shadows almost killed your light"

That one killed me.  So many images come forth to mind with it.

"hold on to this lullaby, even when the music's gone"


I have never had a way with words.  I cannot string a sentence together to stir any kind of passion in anyone.  But my passion is easily stirred and I fall in love with lyrics, words, passages in books, a few notes in a song...


The Hunger Games.  Anyone read it?  I have been desperately trying to find someone in my real life that has read it so I can gush and discuss it.  This song is going to be on the soundtrack and when I first heard it so much from the book came forward.  Tender moments with Rue, in the cave with Peeta.  


It's a teen fiction trilogy.  I read them one after the other in about four days.  It's dark and depressing and I cried for days afterwards.  DAYS.


I cannot wait for the first movie to come out.

I remember tears streaming down your face
When I said, I'll never let you go
When all those shadows almost killed your light
I remember you said, Don't leave me here alone
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight


Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound


Don't you dare look out your window darling
Everything's on fire
The war outside our door keeps raging on
Hold onto this lullaby
Even when the music's gone
Gone


Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound


Just close your eyes
You'll be alright
Come morning light,
You and I'll be safe and sound...

Resolution Run

Last weekend 3 Strattons ran a race (and the little Stratton watched movies in the van with Jordan because it was FREEZING out).

Greg and I ran the 10K.

Mr. Fast.


Mrs. Slow Poke




Matthew ran the 5K.  He placed 3rd in his age group, 10 and under.  The two boys that beat his time were both 10.  He was so excited, until we found out they were only giving our prizes to the top two!  DOH!  So close.  Next time Buddy!





And then we got Becca and Jordan out of the car and we all did the fun run and were able to raise almost $200 towards our Run/Walk club.

200

Miles.


This kid.


My personal McAwesome.

The End.

We spent a morning in Arcos.


Stopped to have lunch at a yummy chicken place.  Across the street was an old train station with hundreds of storks.


We collected shells on the beach.




Saw an awesome Three Kings parade.


And got a ton of candy.


Sunrise in Castilleja.


Sevilla airport.


Lunch in the Barcelona airport (a new airport added to our list).


And then the kids expelled some energy before we got on the longest flight we've even be on (almost 11 hours)


The end.