Update

How about an update on what we’ve been doing lately.  If you remember what our backyard looked like a few months ago, you know it wasn’t pretty.

April:

In June we rented two giant dumpsters and a jackhammer to get rid of all the concrete:

We hired someone to pour new stamped concrete and build a wall around the area where we will be laying sod.  We will bring in dirt so that the grass will be even with the top of the wall:

And the front of the wall:

We still have a lot more work to do but I can finally envision how everything will turn out.  I can’t wait to get some color back there.

When we’re not working in the yard we are going to soccer games:

Playing at the beach:

And taking silly pictures:

Wear Blue: Run To Remember

This weekend was all about “Wear Blue: Run To Remember.”  It’s a group my sister, Lisa, started when her husband died while serving in Afghanistan in 2009.  Friday night was a golf tournament to raise money for her group.  We had a great time trying to win the raffle and auction prizes, listening to her talk about Wear Blue and seeing the kids running around having fun.



Saturday we headed to San Francisco to get ready for the SF Marathon.  We had our pre-race dinner at the hotel.



After dinner I went up to my room to get some sleep before my half marathon while Lisa headed out to San Bruno to start her ultra marathon, 52. 4 miles.  Her and four other runners from Wear Blue: Run To Remember and Team Red White and Blue started at midnight and ran the first 26.2 miles to the start of the San Francisco Marathon.

Before they started they called out the name of the fallen soldier they were running for.

(photo by Joe Dannels)

They took turns carrying the flag throughout the entire race.


(photo by Joe Dannels)

2:18 a.m.  Running past the Cliff House in San Francisco.


(photo by Joe Dannels)

They got to our hotel around 4:30 and met up with all the other runners.



We walked to the start line and waited for the race to start.



We ran over the Golden Gate Bridge and up some brutal hills.



We were all relaxing, drinking our coffee when Lisa and the rest of the ultra runners crossed the finish line.  I don’t know how they did it, but it was amazing watching them step across the finish line holding the flag.



My favorite picture of the entire weekend.  Lisa (on the right) has the craziest happy face I’ve ever seen.  I just love it and laugh every time I look at it.

Julie (on the left) signed up to run the half marathon and then decided she couldn’t leave Lisa at a particularly difficult point in the race and decided to just finish with her.  Who does that?  She signs up for 13 miles, which is hard enough, and then just runs a full 26.  Crazy.



It was a great weekend, and I can’t wait until next year when we do it all again.