Penn State Chics Dig Nerds

We do this hard things for “fun” and challenge. Even though it ended (for me) quite badly and very disappointing, it was still a fun challenge. Brady has been wanting to complete a 50K trail race ever since we ran the Sharp Top 25K last year. Since this race doesn’t interfere with track and cross country season, we signed up for this years race— Brady in the 50K and me, Lindsay, “only” in the 25K. The night before, we camped in Masten, which is a logging ghost town in Loyalsock State Forest, an hour north of Williamsport. Excited before the race (All race photos are courtesy of Leslie Swartz— thank you!) The trail involved a detour over Pleasant Stream this year thanks to a road bridge being washed out in a flood. I was feeling good during this race and was enjoying the challenge. I was on a pace to PR and reach my time goal for the day. I may have even been the first woman to finish the 25K. However, it ended tragically about 10.75 miles into the race. I fell, completing a Superman mo...

 Both Amie and Brady were in their school’s jazz band this year. In the past 10 days, we’ve been to 4 music concerts. Jazz Band last night was #4. Tonight will be day 11 and concert #5, 6th grade band fest. Here is part of the Jazz Band concert. Between all of the music concerts, track and field, soccer, school end of year events and banquets, can you say Maycember?

 

 Three Saturday's in a row involved Brady running cross country.  First was the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference Championships in Portage at Maple Crest Golf Course.  This is our first year in the LHAC, which now had 22 schools running. I'm always prepared for any weather when I go to the Laurel Highlands.  When I left Huntingdon, it was 60 and sunny. I ended up pulling out nearly all of my gear for this one.  Rain coat, rain pants, hat, gloves, water proof shoes, blanket. It was 50 degrees, rainy, and windy!   I went to multiple places on the course to watch our two Huntingdon boys run.  I went to the finish line to wait for Brady to arrive.  I turned around, and he finished.  Surprise!  I almost missed it because he PR'd by more than a minute! I think Brady surprised himself as well. That was good enough for 8th place in the conference. Huntingdon's only other cross country runner, Tyler, finished 1st. Tyler and Brady Next up,...

 Easter egg hunt Litter clean up Memorial Day flag placement 

 We've been attending a lot of football games (marching band), band events, and two girls soccer games.

Brady made some neat modular origami After a snow delay, our girls junior high basketball team finally had our basketball banquet We were involved in a lot of tournaments this month.  First, Natalee competed with her basketball team at the March Madness Tournament in Lewisburg.  Of course, the day of the tournament, it had to snow and cause some bad road conditions!  With the blowing afterward, I was glad we were staying there for the night. The team in Lewisburg Brady had the day off school the day before his birthday.  He decided he wanted to try to replicate the cake Cousin J had in Colorado last summer (the Agnes Cake).  I warned him that it would be a lot of steps and it would involve cooking icing, making meringue, and cooking the ganache.  He was not deterred! This is an intricate process.   Ta da! Happy 13th birthday to Brady.  For some reason, nearly all of the birthday cards Brady received involved flatulence.  I have not idea why :...