Filed at 1:15 am under Posted by Johno and Rambling and Redneckery by Johno
Well I was coming on home from town and I got a phone call from my good ole uncle Jeff telling me that there was something that had just rolled into Baird AMERICA that I need to see and would probably not believe it . He went on to tell me about the redneck circus set up in the rodeo grounds across from his shop. Now you may ask yourself, redneck circus, no way would they call it that and you would be right, but I did not care to ask them what the name of their outfit was and concluded that if a circus was in Baird it would have to be a redneck one. When I arrived at his shop with wife and young son in tow we sat and were amazed at the turn out a not so big top could muster. We laughed and laughed at the lop sided tent, about the size of an allsups, and the free two goat petting zoo out front.
My son was captivated and could not understand why we would not let him go in.(one of many emotional scars I am sure) After all kids were free, and adults only ten bucks. (Note to carnies, do not bring a redneck circus with only two goats and charge ten bucks to get in to Baird and expect to make any money) That was when I heard the chain saws, I was captivated and could not understand why my wife would not let me and Austino go in. (emotional scars bla bla emotional scars) Then we found out that the sound was not chainsaws but generators that powered their shitty little boom box playing carny music.(very disturbing) At this time Jeff’s phone ring and it is Walt who payed the ten spot to get in only to step out side and smoke, saw us across the street and called to tell us about the death defying stunts from within. One clown throwing potato’s and another clown catching them with a small fork, all while Ricky Martin blasts from the boom box, WOW. Just when we thought we had had enough the funnest thing happened, a llama comes running out of the tent on the loose, with a carny close behind. That is right, no lions, no tigers, no wild beasts, just a jacked up llama scared to death by some of Bairds finest citizens. When the llama is caught a second carny brings a yellow volkswagon bug around and they tie this wild llama to one of the side mirrors. I SHIT YOU NOT! Then a truck comes in whit two more goat’s, one more and it would be a party. We had to leave after that and let me tell you it was hard to get to sleep that night. It just goes to show you how exciting Baird AMERICA can be.
Filed at 9:03 pm under Family and Running by christy
Hello to all. We completed our 2nd 5k of the year this morning at the McKinney Historical 5k in, where else, McKinney TX. As you all know, we plan on running one 5k a month with our current diet plan and this marks #2 for the Burke Family. So, we are supposed to be there at 7:30….we set the alarm for 5:30…..and by luck, just happen to wake up 5mins to 6….yeah, 30 mins late. So we get dressed, grab the baby, some bottles and load up the trusty ole Pilot. Off we go down 121 to McKinney. And anybody who has driven down 121 to McKinney knows the frustration of which I speak….not only were we late….we caught every freaking light on the highway. I have a bit of a road rage problem….I am trying to get help…but it was not making for a good morning. Finally we get to McKinney and still have not eaten any breakfast, we park the car and head to the check-in station, hoping they have some nourishment available. I grab our timing chips and t-shirts(which are pretty cool) but no breakfast. So we are about to run a 5-freaking-k on nothing but last night’s thin crust pizza and some water…..great idea. We honestly have time to latch the timing chip to our ankle, line up and they blow the whistle….did I mention we were running late? Last time we ran in The Colony, there were about 500 runners easy…..not so much at this race….150 tops. Ramey looks at me….yeah, we might be last today babe. Only 2 other jogging strollers visible….I am wondering where my people are….you know, the other jogging strollers and old lady joggers…..or some fat dude with enormous calves. Anywhoo….like I said, the horn blew and we were off. So I finally get a good look at the course….um yeah….the race people kinda left out the fact that the entire course are hills and valleys. Seriously…we almost did not get through the first friggin mile….it takes all our strength to muscle up those hills and we are getting winded quickly. Despair sets in…..I think fondly of how we almost missed the race and could have been snoozing the hours away in my comfy bed. Another hill quickly brings me back to the present. So….up we go, down we go…..repeat and repeat. Finally some water….I drink mine to fast and almost choke….perfect. The streets are quiet….apparently the folks in McKinney have better things to do than sit outside their historic homes and cheer on a couple hundred fools with nothing better to do on a hot summer morning than jog up and down the hills surrounding the town. Then something catches my eye…..someone has stretched red tape across the road and has written 2 miles. I think in my head….2 miles down or 2 to go….I am afriad to ask…I might cry if it is 2 to go. Ramey quickly confirms, that is 2 miles down….only 1.1 to go. Our unwilling partner this morning was a bulky black dude dressed in baby blue(dubbed in my mind as Big Boy Blue)….with very feminine smelling cologne on. Every time I get a whiff it pisses me off….don’t ask why. I think we are getting on his nerves, and in his way. Finally Ramey tells me that we only have .6 to go….so we start joggin again….I can see the finish….only 2 more turns and we are there. Finally, on the last turn, one of the race staffers is cheering us on like mad…..it makes me feel good…..and keep jogging. And then we see the race clock…..since the race was so effing HILLY, we just knew our time would be shot….but the clock only reads 39.40…..we are going to make it in under 40 mins….2 mins faster than last time….we are shocked…..and very happy. From out of no where Big Boy Blue speeds past….guess he did not want to get beat by the jogging stroller people. And we cross just shy of 40 mins. Once we turn in our timing chips we head over to the check in station….and finally, they have some food. So we grab a bite to eat and drink….stand around for a little, get some freebies and decide to head to the truck. Once we get to the truck I am going about trying to change Lilly’s diaper….and Ramey is doing the farmer hanky thing while blowing his nose. And then gets some on his shoe…..love that man. Anywho…we load up….head towards Whataburger for some real breakfast. Mmmm, breakfast burritos. In closing….McKinney has some lovely homes, you should take a look; But take the car because the hills are a bitch.
Filed at 9:18 pm under Lillypad and Rambling by christy
What a week! We have been very busy around the Burke Ranch lately. Mainly keeping up with Pumpkin Tater Head who is getting pretty fast on the crawling. She is a mover and a shaker, that is for sure. Work sucks as usual which is par for the course. But even more disturbing still, we lost our favorite teacher at Lilly’s daycare, Ms. Amy. After pouting for two good days I realized that everything happens for a reason and decided to look at the positive….this is a good change for Ms. Amy and we are happy for her. So congrats to Amy….any career change is scary…but you are going to be awesome. On the cloud-silver lining bit, now we have a reliable babysitter that Lilly loves….so we still get to hang out and visit with Ms. Amy. But…back to the title….as you might be wondering. My dear sweet husband was nice enough to fix Lilly’s crib height so the little dare devil could not tumble out since she is pulling up to stand. So we were all primed for her to actually spend Saturday night in her bed in the nursery(on the other end of the house)….instead of the portable crib in our bedroom. So she falls asleep in the crib(in the nursery at the OTHER END OF THE HOUSE) and we retire to our master suite for some shut eye….and my eyes just will not shut….and my gut clenches up….my mind starts imagining someone breaking in and stealing my baby from the nusery(did I mention it was at the other end of the house?)…..just not able to relax at all. So I risk waking up the little darling but end up fetching her and putting her back in our room to sleep….I am just not ready. And I might not be ready for a while….and even though everyone has their own opinion on what we should or should not be doing….this is my life and my baby. So needless to say….she is going to be in our bedroom for a little while longer. Which makes me happy….and you know what they say…when Momma is happy…everybody is HAPPY!!
Filed at 9:56 am under Family and Running and Uncategorized by christy
Friday was our first family 5k at the Fourth of July Liberty by the Lake Festival in our home town of The Colony. We have been training for about 2 months and woke up with anxious bellies that morning. Not that we were trying to win, just finish….and not finish last. We ate a good dinner, got to bed fairly early…things were looking good. WWWWAAAHHHHHH!!!!!! Huh?!? I wake with a start, Lilly is screaming her head off for no apparent reason, its 12:45 am before the big day. I lay her back down, fish a pacifier out of the crib and stick it in her mouth(which usually does the trick) and nothing….pinched face, runny nose, tired eyes and still screaming. At this point Daddy rolls out of bed to fetch a bottle….when nothing else works, stick a bottle in the water cause she’s probably hungry. 45 minutes and 7 ozs later, she calms down….but not enough to go back in her crib, so safely anchored between the mountain ranges of Daddy on the east and Mommy on the west, our little lamb drifts off to sleep….followed by her very weary parents.
Luckily no more drama that night and we wake up a little before 6 to eat a light breakfast and get ready. With much ado, we donned our racing gear, loaded up the jogging stroller, baby necessities, and baby of course and head out towards the lake for our check in time of 7:45. Once at the lake, we load up the stroller, pin our numbers on our shirts and our timing chips on our shoes(chips are given out by the race people so it records only your time from when you start and then go back across the line, since we were in the back, we started a good minute and a half after the horn blew, but still recorded an accurate time…due to the chips) So nervous and ready to go, but still had time to kill, we did some warm ups but ended up standing around with all the other joggers for 10 minutes waiting for the horn. Finally, some commotion at the start, with no warning a large blast from the air horn and we were OFF…..well not really….the people at the front were off…we had to wait for them to clear out…..then we were off. We started out strong…passing the walkers and slower joggers. One fellow jogging stroller contestant(who had 2 BIG kids in his stroller) took off like a rocket…seriously, we were stunned….but not discouraged…he was freaking huge! The race itself was long…and HOT…the front runners were gone, the middle of the pack was working at it and the walkers/slow joggers were bringing up the rear. I am proud to say we were in the middle of the pack….sadly with the old lady joggers and some fat dude with enormous calves….but hey, we were DOING IT MAN!! Finally the mid point….cool water and a sprinkler to jog through…Ramey is still strong, Lilly is snoozing….I’m about to die…..but just trying to keep one foot in front of the other. The people sit out in front of there homes cheering us on…it feels GREAT…keeps me going…that and Ramey at my side…he is encouraging me every step of the way…never pushing, but pushing me nevertheless.
After what feels like forever and the slightly embarrassing moment of another old lady passing us with the sly remark of “I’m picking strollers off one by one” HAHAha…very amusing….we reach the home stretch at the entrance back to the lake. So we turn on the speed…which I am very surprised and happy to find I still have and haul towards the big blue banner stretched over the finish line. The race promoters, families of racers and early finishers line the sides, still cheering for the rest of us…again it feels great, awesome….somewhere I hear Ramey humming the “Chariots of Fire” tune and I smile…just as I step across the finish. The rest is a blur, some dude snags the chip from my shoe, we grab some water…hug each other and take a picture….and we are done. We stand around for a minute, glad the race is over, but still wishing it wasn’t…unsure of what do to….then I remember my MOM duties and mention we should head home…Lilly needs to have breakfast. On the way home we have our carb treat, a slightly melted chocolate bar….and I’m here to tell you…victory was never so sweet.
Filed at 7:40 am under Running by ramey
Running Haiku
5 A.M. came quick
Knee and heel pain not too bad
Fat dude in my way
Filed at 7:10 am under Rambling by ramey
The end of last week the blog was running extremely slow and it pissed me off, so I changed hosting companies and now the site is fast again. I also changed the blog theme to something more appropriate. I hope you all enjoy the new found speed and start commenting like crazy, lazy bastards.
Peace out.
Filed at 10:24 am under Running by ramey
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Well today was the first day of my “Hey, I’m gonna be a morning runner!” program. I woke this morning to my alarm clock playing the soothing sounds of the Steve Harvey morning show
I set my alarm to this crap so I have to turn it off. Anyway I roll over to my supportive wife who promissed to “make” me get up if I faltered. Well as expected her response to me getting up was “what are ou doing?”. So much for support, LOL. After I got out on the road I realized why people run this early. It is cool, quiet and the sun is not burning me up. Awesome. I ran my normal 2.5 miles and came back to feed the Lilly stooge. The run was pretty good but the humidity was killing my lungs. Time will tell if running early will stick, but it seems 2008 is the year for making positive changes.Gotta go, someone found a mouse in the office and all the broads are screaming their heads off. |
Filed at 5:43 pm under Family and Lillypad and Rambling by christy
Greetings….we have sorely neglected our blog and need to do a little catching up. Miss Pumpkin Tater Head, aka Lilly, is just about 8 months old. She is crawling, standing, exploring and basically keeping us on our toes. Only one big fall off the bed, so far, but we have to keep our eyes on her at every second. She is so advanced, doing better than older babies in her class…she was the first to crawl…..we are so proud. She also likes to laugh, shriek, mumble, blather and generally make a big racket. If she has something in her hand, she is banging it on something else….really fun at feeding time. Speaking of feeding….we are already on biter biscuits and the 2nd foods for babies. We are drinking from a sippy cup and sometimes a straw….eating is our favourite thing to do…much like her parents. Of course I can go on forever about babygirl, but do want to mention the weekend jaunts we go on as a family. Ramey and I have decided to run a 5k on the 4th of July and have been training for a little over a month. We have also lost about 25lbs each….hello clean living!! Just trying to get healthy and feel better…..and look dead sexy, BOOYAH! We do cheat ever so often, can’t be a rabbit all the time…but we also get back out there and keep running, so it all evens out. We have also signed up for another race in September and Ramey plans on going to the Dr. Pepper 10-2-4 in Dublin next year….Hey, you have to have a goal. My goal is one pair of Gap shorts I have held onto since College….slowly but surely, those bad boys are going to fit someday. Lilly might get a little brother or sister sooner than she thinks! (Somewhere my Mom just cringed and my brother gagged.)(Note from editor: For the confused, Christy is not currently pregnant.)
So, lets see. Lilly is doing FANTASTIC, just check out her cutie pie face on our Flickr page. Ramey and I are doing great, going strong and getting stronger. Oh, and Bob and Chewy are good too…maybe a little neglected, but we make up for it with munchy bones and treats….which comes to mind, they are getting a little FAT. We can’t take them running with us because they FREAK OUT. I know what you are thinking, it can’t be that bad….trust me, they lose their ever loving MINDS. Okay, yeah, so we should have trained them better in the beginning, but you know…hindsight and all.
Every day I drive by the hospital where we had Lilly, six weeks too early. I still can’t believe that it has been 8 months…..and I thank GOD that she is so perfect. And I know that we don’t do it enough and despite that fact, He has blessed us anyways. For which we are forever thankful.
Love everybody and we promise to do more updates soon!
