The Dash

Sometimes Joe gets these crazy ideas, and try as I might, I can't talk him out of them.  Instead I'm simply forced to go along with them.  His most recent crazy idea was that we should take the girls up to the track at the nearby high school, and time them running the 100 yard dash.  His thought was that we'd do it each year and write down their times to see how they improve from year to year.   Please note that his original pitch did not include any mention of him or I running.

In theory, I liked his idea.  In practice, when he suggested we go to the track at almost dark, I balked at him, as I am often prone to do, even when it's not dark.  I went along with him, because he gives me no choice, and because usually these things turn out better than I anticipate. 

There were a few hitches as we arrived at the track, as there often are with us.  Xandra had to go potty really, really bad once we got to the track and I lost the writing utensil that was to record times on the way to the track from the car.  While I returned to the car to search for something to write with, Joe took Xandra to a dark corner to have her pee in the grass.  We're a classy lot, aren't we?  Unfortunately, she peed all over her skirt and leggings.  Even more unfortunate was that I didn't have a stitch of clothing with me to change her into.  After deciding that the leggings weren't that wet and she could get by with just them and listening to a nearly unbearable amount of whining, we recovered ourselves enough to get down to business.

When we got to the track, for the second time, Joe took the girls one by one to the other end

and I stayed behind with this guy clinging to my legs while I tried to balance the camera, flashlight and timer.

After a few minutes he found something far more interesting than my legs.

The girls who were left behind also entertained themselves in various ways.

Each girl was VERY proud

of herself,

and a little silly, after she came across the finish line.

Joe even made me run.  This is the proof, although not a great picture, that I ran the 100 yd. dash

21 weeks pregnant

as fast as I could in flip flops, which, by the way, is not very fast.

The times came out as follows:

Joe - 15.61 seconds

Trisha - 23 seconds

Xandra - 29.78 seconds

Theia - 34.58 seconds

Liyah - 1 minute 6 seconds

After the 100 yd. dash, Joe and the two older girls also completed a 1/4 mile.  Joey, Liyah and I got a bye this year since they're too little and I'm too big.

It was REALLY hard work for the girls,

but they did it.

The 1/4 mile times were as follows:

Joe - 1 minute 18 seconds

Xandra - 2 minutes 53 seconds

Theia - 3 minutes 38 seconds

It was a crazy idea, but it was also fun.  Don't tell him I said so or there will be more of these kinds of events in my future.  Never mind.  There will be more kinds of these events in my future, whether I like them or not and whether you tell him so or not.  Still, don't tell him.  I have a grumpy image to maintain.  There was an added bonus that he treated us to Little Caesar's pizza afterward, too.  I hope that part of the tradition continues, too.  I can always use a little bribery to get myself movin' a little faster and a little happier.