The Great Snowball Fight of 2009, er, 2010

We got about 6 inches of snow two days ago. School was cancelled, much to my boys' delight. One thing I hate when we get snow is that the snowplow piles up snow in front of our driveway, so that even though there may be 6 inches in the driveway, there is about 2 feet where the driveway meets the road. That always makes for some extra shoveling work.

Yesterday we went sledding, which was fun, and today-- it was all about the snowball fight. I helped my two boys build some forts (which were about 5 feet apart) and then they went at it. They had a blast, and so did I watching them.

Afterwards, I went for an easy three mile run. The streets were clear for the most part. I had a few places where I had to run over some ice patches or snow, but nothing too dangerous. It felt good to get out, and I actually enjoy running in this cold weather. The foot bothers me just enough that I feel like I still have to go slow, but not enough to keep me from running.

Stand By Me....

This video is from the award-winning documentary, "Playing For Change: Peace Through Music", comes the first of many "songs around the world" being released independently. Featured is a cover of the Ben E. King classic by musicians around the world adding their part to the song as it travelled the globe. See more at playingforchange.com.

I love how the world is coming together lately and standing by Haiti......

Playing For Change: Song Around the World "Stand By Me" from Playing For Change on Vimeo.

On Second Thought....

In my last post, I mentioned that I was going to lay off running for a bit....

Yeah, about that...

I ran yesterday, and again today....

Granted, both runs were at a very slow pace, really just barely above a fast walk pace....but, they were still runs....I ran for 30 minutes yesterday, and 60 minutes today....during the run today, I took several walk breaks, and I am really just trying to be smart with my training and not re-injur my foot....it still feels somewhat weak, not totally healed, and susceptible to injury....

I also bought some dumbbells and a medicine ball so that I can do some home exercises in order to build some strength and stability, both things I am severely lacking in....

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In non-running related news, I hope you are all doing something to help the country of Haiti. The earthquake and news footage in Haiti has been on many people's minds lately. I have been to Haiti and know first hand how great the need is there. I have donated cash and today served with my family to pack boxes of dried food for distribution to Haiti. Numana is trying to send 1 Million meals to Haiti this weekend. When I was there, they were up to 300,000 meals. It was amazing see thousands of volunteers coming out to help today. We waited in line for over an hour just to serve and pack food for an hour. We may go back tomorrow and help again. It was very well organized and a lot of fun. I hope you will help. The country of Haiti really needs our prayers and support.

Toto's Africa- Choir-ized

I had my first run in 3 weeks this past weekend. I took it very slow, and had mixed results with my foot. Last night I played a little basketball and definitely could feel some pain in my plantar fascia during quick starts and stops......I am going to continue to rest it and focus on other fitness activities, like the elliptical or yoga.

It stinks not having any running to blog about.

But at least K-State knocked off #1 Texas last night. And a lot of my TVshows have started back up---Biggest Loser, 24, Chuck, American Idol ("pants on the ground, pants on the ground"), etc...

And there is always some good 80's music to cheer you up. Like this version of Toto's "Africa" that I ran across.

This is kind of slow at the beginning, and I don't really like choirs, but if you give this video a chance, it's actually pretty cool...

The Best Game Ever

I love Improv Everywhere...if you haven't heard of them, they do some hilarious stuff...I know. I know, it's football/basketball season now, but here is one of my favorites:






Enjoy.

Is it cold enough for ya?

We have had -20 wind chill days the last 2-3 days. Ice is forming on the inside of my kids' bedroom windows. I get frost in my goatee just from walking outside. My car keeps refusing to start in protest of this miserable weather. A local school cancelled school because of the extreme cold. (my kids were just upset that it wasn't their school)

In fact it's so cold that our eye doctor's are giving away ice scrapers with every new pair of eyeglasses, and Starbucks is serving their coffee on a stick, and I chipped my tooth on my soup, and...

Okay those last three are just jokes, but it has been super cold here lately. I'm ready to move to Florida. Oh wait, they have a winter blast going on too. Maybe Arizona. Anyone with me?

The Oz Museum

Outside of the Oz Museum. Next door there was a restaurant called Toto's Tacoz Mexican Restaurant. Unfortunately, they were closed.

(Warning: Picture Heavy Post)

During the holiday break, I took the family to Manhattan to see my beloved and #12 ranked K-State basketball team play a home game. They won the game easily before a sell out crowd, and we had an absolute blast.

We had heard about a place called the Oz Museum nearby, so of course we had to visit. We drove about 15 minutes to Wamego, Kansas, in order to visit the Oz Museum, a tribute to the Wizard of Oz. Evidently, the museum is pretty well known, and we got to see some cool stuff.

After paying our admission, they told us to take all the pictures we wanted while inside. So, we did.

They had an area dedicated to each of the main characters: Dorothy, the Tinman, Scarecrow, and Lion, as well as for the Wicked Witch, Good Witch, and Wizard. I didn't see a Toto exhibit.

The Dorothy exhibit

The boys imitating the Scarecrow

Oiling the Tin Man

"Roar" said the Cowardly Lion, or my son...one of the two...

Oz items in other languages

I was amazed at the number of beers that are "Oz" themed:

Scarecrow, Flying Monkey, Emerald City, and Pete's Wicked Ale

This little theater room had the Wizard of Oz playing non-stop..

Here are some of the funny signs/shirts that I saw in the gift shop: