Slow down, little girl, you are exceeding the speed limit!

Dave and I spent part of the 4th of July weekend in far Southern Illinois for a friend's wedding while the girls stayed with my parents. This morning, there was a Freedom Run that the girls ran in, and when we got home this evening they were so excited to tell us about it.

Rebekah ran in the Tot Trot which was essentially running from one side of the park, to a table of prizes on the opposite side. She came in 1st and was so happy with the water bottle and pinwheel prizes that she picked out. I had to laugh a little when she told me she won because she doesn't quite have the competitive drive that the older girls have. She is very content to be the baby and let her sisters work out all the competitive stuff. The lesson learned today: when a table of prizes is dangled in front of her, that's all the incentive she needs to run!

Emma ran her first race ever in the One Mile Fun Run. They blew the starting whistle and she, along with one of her friends shot off like a bullet. My parents were yelling out to her to slow down and pace herself. After seeing the race start, my mom tried to get over to the finish line as quickly as she could and she heard some people talking about a tiny kid who was following directly behind the police car that was monitoring the route, keeping it safe for all the runners. The tiny kid was Emma, and she won the race. Later my dad asked her if she led the whole way and she told him there was a boy who ran ahead of her briefly, but she explained, "I passed him then he ran right behind me for a little then he was waaaay behind me." My dad teased her the rest of the weekend that the police were going to issue her a speeding ticket. He was joking with all 3 girls that they were the fastest runners in Sandwich :-)



Alyssa ran in the 5K race. It was the second 5K she has ever run, and I probably said this very same thing about the first race she ever ran, but it was just something I wanted her to know she could finish. Maybe I'm just speaking from a point of my own weakness, but I think perseverance can be a tricky thing to teach a kid, and in a fun and safe environment like this, I knew it would be a great opportunity to show her she was strong enough to do something she may have had doubts about. She ended up finishing 2nd place in the 14 and under age group.

To explain the bottom photo ~ the girls are into taking silly pictures lately...whenever I ask them to pose for a pic, they will usually oblige (at least somewhat), then afterwards ask if they can take a silly one. I was so happy to hear the girl's excitement as they told us about the races, and know what a fun time they had while we were gone.