Post Race!

I'm addicted.

Easy as that- the high from running the race this morning was the coolest feeling I have experienced since like.. my wedding.

I seriously have the best gal friends in the world and the best husband. Chase supported from the side-lines and took photos, while Steph and I ran the first mile together (I slowed down my pace after that) and Kaci and her husband Micah flew!

What a great feeling to push yourself to the end, and finish with such umpf. It rocked. my. world.

For the last few months of training, I've heard of this "runners high," but until today, I had never experienced it. Well, about a mile out from the finish line, I saw the little light at the end of the tunnel, and got a surge of energy the size of Texas that really pushed me through to the end. My super awesome buddy Kaci came and sprinted the last .1 mile with me.

So cool!

After that, Chase and I went DIRECTLY to the Bentonville FBC rehearsal (where I was still too amped to play well) and now it's time for a hair appointment with the super fly Sarah @ Black Sheep.

The official time was 40:02- which is my best time out of all of my training runs! I didn't walk although there were a few times where my mind and I played the "who's more stubborn" game. Even though the pace was slow, I feel so accomplished and can't wait to have another go at it!

So here are the stats:

Distance: 5k (3.1 mi)
Duration: 40:02
Avg Pace: 12.54 min/mi
Calories Burned: 271

My goal was to be under a 13 min. mile (which is pretty darn slow) and I made it! (barely) Party on, Wayne!

Pre-Race

Also Pre-Race

Setting the watch!

My buddy and me!

The end.

Race day!

5k day is here.

:) I'll update ya later!

I had a bit of a foot pain/numbness last week, so I took time off and when I came back this week, the heat killed me, but I feel good today!

Today's schedule:

Race

Straight to Bentonville FBC Celebrate America rehearsal

Hair cut (sorry for the nasty/sweaty/salty hair, Sarah!)

Reagan Smash.

I wish I could say that life has been uneventful this week (because let's be honest- I prefer most events in my life to be somewhat planned); however, this week has thrown (literally) all sorts of fun things my way!

Monday morning on my way to work, I was driving on I-540 southbound in the left hand lane about five car lengths behind this random Ford 350 pulling a trailer full of wood/dow rods/lumber, etc and somehow a piece of their wood ended up in my windshield.

It took all the composure I could muster (as I was screaming in my mom's ear on my wireless phone ear piece obscenities that no mother should have to hear her daughter scream) to not go tumbling off of the road. The driver of the truck had no clue of what just happened, so I straightened out my wheel and caught up to them on the interstate and was waving frantically out of my window to pull over. The truck had two Hispanic men in it, and they LAUGHED as I pointed for them to pull over/pointed at my windshield and their truck trailer!!!!! (maybe they thought I was flirting with them???) so I got in front of them, put on my brakes and made them stop.

In hindsight, that might not have been the safest thing to do, but all I was thinking is that these dudes are going to pay.

I called the police first, and since I was only an exit away from work (and coincidentally an exit away from Chase) I called Chase and he came right away.  The State Trooper called my phone back and asked us to get off the interstate and go to the parking lot of a hotel so I tried to explain to the drivers of the other car what the Trooper had said to do. The dudes acted like they didn't speak English (which I found out later they did) so I spoke to them in Spanish. Finally (with me in front of them and Chase behind them) we got to the Trooper and tickets were issued (to them) and we exchanged information and we went on our merry (riiight) way.

So... later that day I file a claim with their insurance company (Alfa Vision = crappiest insurance EVER) and they DENIED the claim because they said the other driver was using his vehicle for business and they don't cover businesses.... *rolls eyes*

So, logically we try to contact the driver of the truck....

Fake phone number and address.
(or at least not really the real address of the driver and the phone number definitely did not work.)

 Which means his license was probably fake which means he was probably not a legal citizen. GREAT!

I call the trooper to ask for assistance in finding the driver's real phone number, and they say that cannot help due to privacy, etc... Really, guys?!

You can imagine that by this point I am in utter SHOCK that a driver can literally come close to killing another person on the highway because of negligence and ignorance and suffer no repercussions.

Finally, I give in and call my insurance company who has now taken over the matter. Basically, we have filed an 'uninsured motorist' claim under our insurance. State Farm is completely amazing and our agents are taking the best care of us. Tommy Reddick and Kelli Morris are now legit homies in my book.

However, it doesn't diminish the fact that out there somewhere, someone got off 100% free because they learned how to cheat the system...

/rant over

Camping this weekend should make everything better though.

Oh, and even cooler news- I wore a size 8 jean this week! *happy dance*

(excuse the bad quality/work bathroom)

Sunshine is delicious.

Dear Summer,

I have missed you. Thanks for hanging out today and not standing me up.We should meet more often.

Call me. ;)
Kalyn

Disclaimer: The sushi was the most delicious sushi I have ever eaten. It was filled with salmon/tuna/crab, arugula, cucumber, and carrots wrapped in rice paper. 100% awesomeness. 

The Great Cajun Crawfish Boil: Cavalier Style

For the third year running (and for my third year with them) , the Cavaliers celebrated Memorial Day with a kick butt crawfish boil.

Every year, without fail, is fabulous and this year was no exception. All of the Cajun bases were covered- we had crawfish, shrimp, new potatoes, sausage, corn, lemons.... and watermelon. Chase's dad's side of the family is from Southern Louisiana, and we take pride in the Cavalier name. My favorite part every year is watching the guys drain the big pot and carry it over to the table covered in a slicky table cloth... and pour them directly onto the table cloth!! From there, we all stand/sit around the edge of the table and peel and eat the little guys. It's so tasty and so much fun!

2008

2009 (missed the photo op this year)

2010

Unfortunately this year, while I was snapping away at the little guys, one snapped the spicy juice right into my eye. For about thirty seconds it felt like I was jabbing a thousand tiny little needles into my eye.

Cajun Crawfish juice + eye = really bad.

I don't suggest that you try it at home.

All of the our immediate family from the Cavalier side was there + one from the Butler clan. :) So that means: Chase's parents Angie and Roy, my father Grover, Chase and me, his brother Corey and his wife Beaura and their two girls Abby and Rose, and Chase's brother Chad and his wife Victoria and their sons Nick and Cody. We had a full house with lots of kids playing in the water... and of course we took B with us as well. (no trip is complete without our Super Awesome-Cute Pup).

13 1/2 total. The 1/2 is Bailey... don't get any funny ideas there about that 1/2. No baby bumps hiding around here!

At one point during the day on Monday, we feared it was going to rain like last year:

[2009 Crawfish Boil]

(...not like that stops us from eating our crawfish...)

But we survivied with only a few small rain drops!

Here's a photo re-cap of the event!

Preparations

Well isn't he just adorable? (and delicious)  /snort

Super cute pup, ftw!

Yum! So colorful, too.

Favorite part!!!!

Handsome Hubs caught pre-mid-smile/eat.

Sweet niece.

Me!

Sweet nephew!

Sweet other niece. :) Love this photo btw.

Sweet (sometimes) dad ;)

Cotton candy goodness! We made it ourselves. Beaura (sister-in-law) has a cotton candy machine. It's stellar neat!

Even though we don't get to see our family all that much, it is traditions like these that keep us close and connected. 

Loving them is surely easy... especially when they frantically run to get cold cloths to wipe the crawfish juice from your eyes because they know it hurt like a beast.

Now that's true love.