Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon Fundraising Pages

Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon Fundraising Pages

Dear Friends & Family,
I am getting ready for a challenge! On April 29, 2012, I will be participating in the 12th annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon – the Run to Remember! This year, I am Tied to the Mission by raising funds to support the privately owned and operated Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. I have set a personal fundraising goal of $200 and I need your help!
My participation this year will be in the marathon relay event. Jason is committed to the half-marathon for the third year.
Most of you are aware of my connection to the Memorial and Museum. I was an employee for nearly five years and working there provided me so many opportunities. My career development at the Museum enriched my life in various and numerous ways!
One of the greatest contributions of the Memorial is their mission of education, reaching students at a critical point in their lives, when peer pressure, growing responsibility and the need to belong are at their peak. A 13 year-old student visiting from Ohio said, “I feel as though this made people realize that life is precious and should not be taken for granted. It made the world see how one bad decision or one idea ignored could determine the fate of so many people. This bombing was a tragic event that has made so many people realize how important life is so I will end saying live your life to the fullest.”
I am not only participating in this race for the Memorial, but also in honor of the 168 innocent men, women and children who were killed, the hundreds of survivors and the heroic rescuers. Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to the Memorial each year from all 50 states and more than 70 foreign countries. They come 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. They walk away with the challenge to do their part to make this world a kinder and more peaceful place.
As I run, you will be with me in spirit, and your sponsorship will inspire me to run stronger and faster to the finish line. A donation of one dollar per mile is suggested, but whatever you can contribute makes a life-changing impact! With 100% of your donation going directly to support the Memorial, you truly can make a difference and help create a more peaceful world for this and future generations.
Please visit my website for more info, to donate online and for the latest news on my progress! (link above).
Thank you so much for your generous support of me and the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum!

Our Christmas celebrations!

our "snowman" breakfast. I tried... :)

We hosted Hall family Christmas this year! This first batch of pictures is from that event on the 23rd. We ended the night at LifeChurch's service.
My brother and sister-in-law

GG and Kyle in his new clothes!

Jason's new PS3 game - Golden Eye

Reid's toy - Ryan Activity Zebra

Grant with his new LeapPad - thrilled!!!!!!

Kyle with his new Jeff Gordon car - thrilled!!!!!!

On Christmas Eve, we celebrate with the entire Hefner family in OKC.

Here is Reid grabbing Aunt K's nose - and he wouldn't let go!

Granny has SIX great-grandsons. One was just a few days old so his parents didn't come this year. My boys and another cousin had "I Love Granny" shirts.

I think this picture turned out great!

My cousin, Will, who is about 2 months older than me. He is holding his son, Tripp, who is about 2 months older than Reid! It's his first, though.

Five of the six great grandbabies!

The boys took care of preparing food for Santa and the Reindeer all by themselves this year. And they were unique and thought it all out. They decided on celery for the Reindeer, and fruit for Santa since he gets so much junk food at other houses.... :) that made us smile!

SANTA VISITED US!!!!!

Kyle got a tool box and some real tools.

On Christmas Day, we visit the Walker family in Ada!

Here is the first group picture taken since 2002 when Jason and I were married!

About time to take one... Five grandsons in this house!

All of the grandsons!
Jason, his Dad, and uncle Wayne
Jason's parents and sister

Christmas Card

This greeting card created with Smilebox

Our family has had "the junk" and I am tired of it!!! Grant was sick the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Kyle gets sick the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and misses three days of school. I get sick yesterday. Reid wakes up today with an allergic reaction and is just simply a miserably, sad, fussy kid most of the day.

Yea, me!

But, on the thankful side, we have a home, full of love, and most of the Christmas presents are wrapped and ready below the tree! I am ready to have a non-busy family night with Christmas music, hot chocolate, and stories.

Posted on the OSU facebook page during the airplane tragedy a few weeks ago.

I love the words.

This was Reid's first time to sit up for more than 10 seconds at a time. He didn't even realize he was since he was playing so hard with the toy!
We have a thumb-sucker on our hands! This is how we find him quite frequently!

Good morning to me!!!!

heimlich maneuver

A word of advice: learn the heimlich maneuver.

It may have saved Kyle's life yesterday morning! He was goofing around before school, eating his Advent count-down hershey kiss, and it became lodged in his throat. After about 20 seconds of him being white and jumping up and down all while tears poured down his face, and no noise coming from his body, I attempted what I had learned in CPR class.

And out shot the hershey kiss. So, could he have coughed it up eventually by himself? Perhaps. But this Mommy was crying and didn't want to leave it to chance at that point. One of the scariest times yet!

Click here to learn how to do it.

Big XII Title

Our Cowboys made history on Saturday night! For the first time in school history, the OSU football team claimed the Big XII title! It will also be our first trip to a BCS game when we go to the Fiesta bowl in a month! Way to go, Pokes!!! And not only did they win, they won BIG! Perfect way to cap off a great season and career for so many of our players. Jason went to the game with a friend, and then my cousin and her husband sat in the other two seats, which just added to Jason's enjoyement of the game! He had a blast and was part of this mob on the field. This photo was taken by our friend's that sit in the row behind our seats.

A few CLASSY things about the game:

The OU team attempting to block the entrance for our players to run on the field. Aren't they so awesome for doing that?!?! What on earth were they thinking! Guess it only helped to fuel the Cowboys as they SMOKED the Sooners.
Funny: this poor little kid. Wait - no. This guy sat right in front of Jason during the game. When he got home Saturday night, he told me about "Little Landry" in front of him, who ate and ate and ate the entire game and acted like a brat. Lo and behold - he made the Daily Oklahoman photos. :) Poor fella. He picked the wrong jersey to wear that day (but he can keep wearing it).

This is our friend, Wes, the equipment manager with Brandon Weedon and the trophy. Wes' wife and I grew up at church together in Edmond and now our kids go to school together! Small world!

Our week has consisted of Kyle having his first-ever stomach bug and missing school this week. Reid went in for his 6 month check-up, and he has a severe double ear infection. We have never had an ear infection with the other boys so it's new territory for us! He has been a complete fuss-face all week, too..... all accompanied by me attempting to get decorated, inside and outside, for Christmas (this is the latest ever!), and having completed FIFTEEN loads of laundry from Sunday night through last night (Thursday). That is a lot. I. Am. Tired.

Cute memory for me: the first night Kyle was sick, after about his third time to throw-up, he asked me if we could say a prayer for him. So we did, holding hands, on his bed. I went downstairs and Jason and I said a prayer for his recovery. About 2 hours later, and 2 more vomits, Kyle, through his tears of not understanding and being scared about his lack of control while throwing up, cries out "Mom, God answers prayers. Why isn't he listening to me now?" It just made me so sad and so proud all at the same time for him to think OF that concept, but also that he wished for Him to stop his sickness and was sad his prayers weren't answered. I did point out a few days later that God DID answer his prayers, but just in His time and not Kyle's time.

Fall Fotos!

My handsome boys (all four!) and I spent the entire day outside today. I managed to get a few photos of them, too, with a pumpkin this year to capture the fall! Love my hubster and kiddos!

We had friends this year who threw a big adults-only Halloween party. Here were our unique costumes.
Our precious Dalmation costume has been used three times! I was happy to have Reid be able to fit in it as he is 3 and 4 months younger than his brothers in these pictures!

Grant story

We went to watch the OU game on DVR at my parents' house after OSU's victory on Saturday. When we left at 11:30, they just said to let the big boys sleep there... she then sent me this email:
When we took the boys to go to the bathroom, Grant was more awake than normal. I told him they were spending the night with us. After he was in bed and we were working with Kyle, Grants softly yells "G!" "Yes, Honey" "Thank you for letting us spend the night with you." "Of course, my love. I love you so much...more than you can even imagine." "Well, I can't love you that much because I have to love God first." Then with his eyes still closed, he stretches out both arms and gives me the biggest hug. Bubba named him correctly - "Precious."
:) Jason and I just love him so much!

Life at 5 months

tick-tock. tick-tock. Someone please stop my baby's growth clock!
There are times when the past five months have just seemed so wearing and long, but most of the time, it has gone so fast! Life at five months:

• Reid thinks he can sit all by himself. He can't yet, but I have to give him an A+ for his efforts. Any time he is in a chair or laying down, he uses those tummy and neck muscles to pull up.
  


• He rolls over both directions every time he lays down. He still isn't loving being on his stomach, which has proven very tiring to me depending on how many times he rolls during the night. (yes, I know, Dr. Stephens, I should stop going in there but I don't pick him up - just roll him safely over).
  


• Guaranteed laughs include: pat-a-cake, peek-a-boo, eskimo kisses on the nose, any baby talk to him with my/whomever's undivided attention (more rare than I wish).
  


• Taking 5 - 6 oz. bottles/day. I am still pumping breastmilk daily for these. :)
  


• His reflux is better! He still wears bibs all the time, but a lot of that is now for the constant stream of drool from his mouth.
  


• Bedtime is at 8 pm - usually sleeps until 8:30 in the morning, with the few visits to his room for being on his tummy.
  


• Reid still loves to be swaddled at naptime (sleepsacks at night now).
  


• He has discovered his tongue and loves to play with it and make new faces with his mouth and tongue. He is also trying sooo hard to make different noises out of his mouth. Loves to babble back to me.
  


• He currently has his first cold. Snotty boogers, cough, low temp and all. Thanks, Kyle and Grant, for not leaving your dirty hands off of him when you were sick last week.
  


• No idea on his weight - which means we think he is doing great since we haven't weighed him since his doctor's visit last month!

In the above photos, there are two of Reid in the past day (so close to five months!), and then Halloween activities for the big boys. They painted pumpkins with my Mom, and then we made mummies out of 2x4's and torn white fabric.

G&K

Grant, Kyle, and I have been icky for a while (me - 4 weeks, them - a few days). This afternoon, our fall break started. Since it is so windy, we are playing inside. Currently this is what I am looking at:
one brother hitting another while he says "didn't hurt", then another smack, then "didn't hurt", then another smack, over and over. I should probably intervene but I am kind of laughing (and recording it) instead... I guess referee should be in my job description now, too!

The Mighty Macs

The Mighty Macs will be showing starting Friday at your local movie theater! I have heard it is a must-see!

The reason I really want to go see it?!? I always love sports movies, and a sports movie about girls is even better!

But the REAL reason? One of my best friends growing up, and my outside hitter from middle school through our Club Volleyball Junior Olympic team is one of the girls in the show! You can see her in the movie clip in the letter jacket in the library scene! She always had hopes of filming, and after heading to NYC after graduation, she has reached her dream of being on the big screen! Way to go, Kim!

My past-time is here again!

Volleyball: Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. Definition from wikipedia.

They make it sound so simple, right?

Let's just say that I was too chicken to join a league that I have been asked to join the past three seasons (two of which I was pregnant so they don't really count!). I, however, am playing now. The team is 6-2. The teammates are other moms from around town who really aren't "friends" off the court - except for Jennifer and me! She is a friend from our playgroup, and once when we took our boys (she has two the same age as G and K) to a gym to burn some energy, she served the volleyball over the net - and well! :) So, she is playing. We had a "team bonding" last Friday after our game, and met up with another of our teammates who is the soccer coach at OSU, and had a great time! We, ironically, have a lot in common among our group.

Have I mentioned how great it feels to get back on the court and be playing "real" volleyball after a solid decade away from playing? and how great it feels to serve 11 points in a row? and still somewhat be able to direct my serve? and set the ball up for a teammate to smack down?!?

It's good for my body to be playing.... and really good for my soul!

Teach Me How to Gundy

This is how our elementary celebrates the undefeated Cowboys during Friday morning assembly! We just love this school!
Grant was asked to be in the popular "flash mob" trend for assembly. By the time it gets to his turn, a majority of the students get up on their own and start jamming out! You can see him, in orange, getting ready to do his moves at 2:18 after the guy in gray starts (I didn't video this so it isn't focusing on him like his mom would have! ha), and then you can see Kyle in an orange striped shirt at the bottom of the screen (white hair) pop up as he thinks he is supposed to dance at 2:48. Go, Eagles (and Go, Mike Gundy!). And right after this you can glimpse Grant again doing his movies in the crowd in the middle of the screen.
Grant's pre-k girlfriend is at 1:50 and his lemonade stand buddy is around 2:00.

All of the above, based on our beloved coach!

Brooklyn Space Project

MUST watch! These people are awesome and probably spent millions less than NASA!

Homemade Spacecraft from Luke Geissbuhler on Vimeo.

WONDERtorium

The newest children's museum in our great state, the Oklahoma WONDERtorium, opens this week, with this weekend being a sneak peak for donors and members.

Mom took a few pictures of it. I think some of my Edmond friends need to come up for a visit!?!? yes?!?! :)

Yesterday was our first time for all five of us to go to a football game together! We had a super time at a friend's tailgate before the game started (they have a converted school bus with a grill, etc, on the back). Our friend, Brent Niles of BBJN Designs, was there and snagged this photo right before we left to go to the game. He is the photographer that took our family photos last fall, which we need to redo one of these days to include Reid!

And then normal photography from my phone.... at our seats.

Reid was awake for nearly 8 hours except for a brief five-minute snooze. He was excellent all day long until it was bedtime and the poor guy (and his folks) had a rough night!.
Snuggles in the backyard!

Superheroes are a common theme at our kids' ages for parties. Our buddies, Jack and Isaac, had a joint party. We, being the all-boy superhero-loving family that we are, had a blast! Even Reid was sporting his appropriate attire!

Their parents hired a face-painter and Kyle went full-out on his selection!

He was the only child dressed head to toe in a costume but he didn't mind at all!

4 Years!

Happy Anniversary, Halls! I am so glad you found each other. And, I also wanted to post pictures of Grant as the ring-bearer but can't find "the one" with him walking down the aisle (have it, Anne?!?).