Half Marathon 2012

Well, here it is, the day after my first half marathon. I am one sore puppy! I just took a very hot bath for my sore legs and lower back. It was an amazing experience! I was (a very lame) part of the RUN BAREFOOT team, not literally running barefoot, but running on behalf of Barefoot Republic Camp. There were many opportunities to train with the group of people on the team, with runs around town and dinners afterwards. I just could never make any of them with all of my other family and work obligations, so all of my training was basically on my own. On Saturday morning, Andrea drove me to the starting area and I met up with my friend Srini. He is the father of one of Maggie's best friends and an awesome runner. He showed me the ropes of how the start would go. It was amazing to be standing in the middle of West End Avenue with tens of thousands of other runners. The sun was coming up and it probably 65 degrees. The wave start was new to me. I had never done this before, so I was a little surprised to not be starting until 7:43am. But once we got started, the exhilaration was strong. Footsteps all around me, some slow, some very fast. We headed straight for the Batbuilding, down West End Avenue. We headed right down Broadway through "The District," then right toward Symphony Hall. Then right again on Demonbreun past the rising Music City Center. The hill up Demonbreun was where the exhilaration started to wear off and we got our second water station and the sweat started. There was a band in the middle of the Roundabout (or as we like to call it, The Roundabutt, because of the naked statues in the middle of the rotary) was playing "Love Shack," and the atmosphere was very party-like, which helped a lot. My list of rookie mistakes starts here: I went out too fast. The thrill.

Jesus for Revolutionaries: A Blog About Race, Social Justice, and Christianity: Segregation Today: An MLK Day Reflection

Jesus for Revolutionaries: A Blog About Race, Social Justice, and Christianity: Segregation Today: An MLK Day Reflection

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Originally uploaded by Miami University Alumni Association

The Pipes and Drums that led our Parade of the Classes

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Originally uploaded by Miami University Alumni Association

Alumni Parade at Miami with Andrea, Maggie and Aidan!

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Originally uploaded by Miami University Alumni Association

Jack!

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Originally uploaded by Miami University Alumni Association

Jack is in the parade!!! We are marching behind classmate Kim Bugg who serve on the Alumni Board.

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Originally uploaded by Miami University Alumni Association

Todd and Abby under the 1993 sign!

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Originally uploaded by Miami University Alumni Association

More parade -- and more Todd on far left :)

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Originally uploaded by Miami University Alumni Association

The Parade of Classes at Miami U's Alumni Weekend --- there's Andrea's brother Todd holding the 1993 sign (on the far left)!!! Fun weekend; great event...we were being led by a corps of bagpipers and drummers.

Lovin' Avalon Acres!

We have joined a CSA for the summer. That's Community Supported Agriculture, or a share of a farm for the season. We paid up front and for twenty weeks, we receive a box of produce from Avalon Acres Farm in Hohenwald, TN. We have loved being a part of this farm! It has been so much fun to see what we will have in our box when we pick it up each Sunday after church and bring it home. Here is a picture of Nora with our share for this week.

Trip to Hohenwald

Ellie's Run!

Ellie's Run for Africa

Took place this past Saturday at Edwin Warner Park. All four Sully kids and Andrea took part in this amazing event, started by a young girl a few years ago to bring relief to the African continent. Aidan toughed it out after twisting his ankle in a hidden hole in the grass. Fun times for all.

Alvin York - What a Stud

Aidan in the Band!

Here's our oldest doing his great trumpeting with the 5th grade concert band at Meigs. Amazing that these kids have only been together for a semester! Their director is really on the ball.

Kitchen Demo, Wii Boxing

Can't Stop Loving that Reindeer of Mine

Belated Photos of Our Annual "Leaf Day" - Early November 2007

School Starts!

So, three days down, 177 to go until next summer! Thankfully the heat wave broke for the start of school and the kids only had to brave 98 degrees rather than the now-seemingly-normal 103. Aidan is our big fourth grader, and is in Mrs. Green's class. Jack is our very-able second grader in Ms. Griffith's class. And excited Maggie is our kindergartner in Miss White's class. Eakin Elementary is now full of Sullys. We take the kids to school each mroning and the bus brings them home; the bus stop is only two houses down the street. We feel we've just entered a pretty special year, with all three of them in the same building. Nora starts three-day-a-week preschool right after Labor Day at a wonderful church preschool in town. Her demeanor in the picture is not indicative of anything really.

Hot Time Summer in the City

Yeah, We're Wet and We're BAD
Originally uploaded by thesullys

It has been awfully hot here for the past ten days. We are only nine days away from the start of school, so we have been trying to get "friend time" in with our kids' friends, whether they come over here to our house or we farm ours out to theirs. The boys had a great time with Aidan's classmate, JP (see pic) the other day.
Andrea's job continues to go well at Bristol Development. She is there approximately three full days a week. Starbucks is also going well. If you're in the area, please stop by the Green Hills Hillsboro Road location where I work --- I will get you either cooled off, caffeinated or both!

My Wacky Wife

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Originally uploaded by thesullys

It was so much fun to be in Ohio with my family...especially my wife. We've had quite a year, and it was good for all of us, esp. her, to be up in the home turf for a while (of course, too short. Here she is being goofy at her grandmother's 90th birthday party, alongside our sister-in-law, Sara, who lives with her family in Chicago.
Andrea often makes faces like this, its just not that often that I get them on film.