Tis the Season



our first family christmas card. please note, only eleanor is featured.

So this is our first year with the papoose. I might add it has been a fun 8 months. By fun i mean, challenging, sleep deprived, confused, and all the other stuff that goes along with being a first time parent. Lots of "out of my control" these days. 

 



eleanor and santa



Robby took Eleanor to see Santa at our local Walgreen's. I was a little unsure of how this was going to go, all I heard was how horrible kids do on Santa's lap. She's too young I guess to be afraid of anything, she did pretty good.

I was reading an article about "baby's first christmas." Some of the points I got out of the article.

1. Don't introduce your baby to too many strangers - FAILED: Already started with Santa
2. Too many toys can be overwhelming. - FAILED: Tree is overflowing with gifts mostly for Eleanor
3. Dont spend a lot of money on gifts because they won't remember any of it :-) they would rather play with the wrapping paper. - FAILED: Credit cards scream ELEANOR, gifts galore.

our christmas tree. photo taken by amy

With all that being said and established, "tis the season" of friends, food, and family. Robby, Eleanor and myself have been truely blessed by all the aforementioned. Family comes in all shapes, colors, and gender. We have established "family members," who are truly a part of our lives. From bringing dinner, coming over in the early mornings, staying late night, or just coming over and allowing adult talk.

Merry Christmas



Lucky 7

Well, it official I am a finisher of marathon number 7. Yes, my name is Brandi and I am crazy. We went down to West Palm Beach, Fl to partake in my 7th marathon. West Palm is beautiful, perfect temperature and flat. All keys to a successful race. If you can handle the heat and humidity....and being overweight too.

We rented a house to make sure we had plenty of room to stretch out. The house was so pretty and in a GREAT area. Again, all things which should lead you to have a successful race....if you can handle the heat, humidity, and.......being overweight.

We went and played golf and the crew had caddies, it was the first time for them to have caddies. Now we can see why Tiger does so well. The caddies are so knowledgeable about the course and the layout and what club to use. The PGA National was well kept and beautiful. I want to go back and play the course.

Race day started early at 6:15am. I drove myself to the course to make sure my mind was clear. I have never started a race that early, but now I understand why they do. HOT, HOT, HOT. Temps started off in the 40's, by the time I crossed the finish line (5 long hours later) it was 67 degrees!

I think I am doing good during the race....until mile 17. My legs stopped! would not move. I happened to be over a draw bridge and was hoping that it would magically drop down and help me out a little, but no such luck. I got my swag back and then it happened, what is it.......A blind man passed me. Really, I can't make this stuff up people. He passed me with two guides on his side. At this point I wanted to go and play in traffic, but I was already in the middle of the road. I thought, "Come on B, you got this last 6 miles." Well, just because I thought it didn't mean my legs wanted to do it. Again, they stopped. AAAAHHHHHH, pick it up honey. So I said a small prayer and trotted on.

I ended up pacing myself with an older gentleman of the ripe of age of 80. He shuffled so I shuffled. He tried to pass me but I fought through it until mile 26. I was just so tired and questioning, why me. Why did I sign up for this race, 7 months after giving birth. Then out of the crowd jumps my mama, that woman hasn't missed a full marathon yet. Just the face I needed to see, cause I was DONE!!!! DONE running, DONE thinking, just DONE. I asked her where the finish line was, she was trying to tell me, but I could see it so my legs STOPPED again. Out of the crowd jumped another lady from Trinidad (that's what her shirt said). She told me to keep going, don't stop honey, I am too close to stop. She trotted with me for a bit saying nothing but encouraging words. I listened and then my mama said, "you got it girl" So the jet packs came on and focused on the finish line. THANK YOU MAMA and lady from TRINIDAD. I started to haul (perception is everything). The tired eyes landed on the finish line. WHOA, then on baby Eleanor. There she was squinting and looking around.



I knew then I had to finish to prove to her, you make no excuses in life. You make a commitment and you stick to it no matter how hard it might be to complete it. I crossed the finish line right about 5:00 hours. I was

slightly behind the older, shuffling, gentleman. I had done it, I had finished marathon number 7. Not in a record time but finished all the same.

Lesson from this race, so with the excuses and just make it happen. The blind man, the older, shuffling gentleman, and yes, the man pushing his "challenged" daughter in a jog stroller. All of these people have reason why they can fall back on and say "they can't," instead they find it in them to say:

"YES I CAN!"



Eleanor's 1st Thanksgiving

Eleanor's first Thanksgiving was spent in Russellville and Little Rock, AR. We made the 6 hour drive down to Arkansas to spend the next 5 days at home with my side of the family. Now, a bit of brief history about how we do holidays.

We travel up and down the interstate to visit family and friends. We have done this my whole life so this was normal to me. You sometimes only have the chance to see some relatives once or twice a year so make the most of the holiday. This year was no expection. However, Robby is still new to this travel schedule. So he needs a schedule of events as he calls it.

We always see both my grandmas and any cousins who might be at their houses. We are lucky because my grandma's only live 30 minutes from each other!!!



Grandma Alice (Really great grandma alice to eleanor)

This year was a little more special since we had one more thing to be thankful for......Eleanor Allyn.
My brother's mother-in-law invited us to her house for Thanksgiving Day, she lives about an hour from my parents house.

We had a great couple of hours with family while at Mrs. Hamiliton's house. Kennedy and Olivia got to play with their baby cousin Eleanor. 

Eleanor also got to experience Saturday Razorback football. Those of you who know me well, understand my passion for college football especially those Razorbacks.

We had a great time at the game and of course the HOGS won!!! The won the boot fair and square by beating LSU.

Gregory Allen Parks

Wow, I am off my own designated timeline of updating my blog weekly. I hope I didn't keep too many of you in suspense. It has been a busy two weeks. I will update twice this week.....or so I hope. However, here is one of two updates.


Gregory Allen Parks

 My big brother, Gregory Allen Parks, recently celebrated his 40th birthday on Sunday, 14.November. We all celebrated the party in spirit, because Greg is in heaven. Thirteen years ago he lost his battle with paranoid schizophrenia and depression.


Greg, me, my uncle Gary, and brother Rodney

 I have two big brothers, one Rodney and one Greg. I am the youngest and the only girl. I was raised just as one of the boys, much to my mother's disliking. I was also the first girl on my father's side. So all of my cousin's were boys...for a while. Why won't my daughter play with dolls, why won't she wear dresses. Duh, because the boys didn't so why should I? The boys played with GI Joe and I did too, the boys played football and I did too, the boys aren't wearing a dress so I don't have to wear one either. Pretty much anything the boys could do I could do better. Which leads us to modern day, 2010. I still get referred too as a "guys girl," I still want to beat the boys around me in anything, I believe Saturdays are meant for long distance running and college football. I still don't wanna play with dolls or play dress up for that fact. However, I can dress up when the occasion arrives. My first sleepover for with a boy named Brandon. We had just moved to Russellville, and I had few friends. A neighbor of ours was my BFF and I asked if he could sleepover. Sure, why not. There was no gender lines, Brandon was my friend, who happened to be a boy. Brandon was my first friend I made in Russellville, and Greg was my big brother who always pushed me.

Greg, was an athlete, cook, comedian, and under all the tough guy exterior, he was a nurturer. Greg played football and baseball growing up. Many of days, nights and weekends were gone, traveling with "the boys" to watch tournaments. I might add I had to sit in the middle each car ride because "the boys needs room." In the summers my parents were working and we are at home, Greg cooked our lunches or at least made sure I had something to eat, when I got old enough Greg taught me how to cook for myself. Greg was a comedian, he could make friends with a tree and make the tree shake with laughter. He brought smiles to faces, he gave the chuckle after a corny joke, so you didn't feel dumb. He was a funny human. The most important part of Greg that I miss the most is his nurturing side.

Greg took care of people, he wanted to make sure that everyone was ok. No, he wasn't gonna come into the room and give hugs, but if you looked as if you were down he would gently talk to you about nothing, but make sure you knew he was concerned about you.

Since this is my blog, I can ramble for as long as I want and there are just a few more things I want to share about Greg. And those that know me, know that just when you are trying to say bye, I find something to tell you or ask you to keep you around.

Even through his sickness he never lost his nurturing side. I had a Eddie Bauer Ford Explorer in college. It was my mother's and she gave it to me. The car had a tape deck, and I must have worn out the tape deck, because one day it ate my tape. I had no radio and this was before ipod's. I did have a boom box that sat in the passenger's seat with me. I was driving back from Russellville to Fayetteville. Greg was at my parents house. I will never forget, that Greg looked at me and said, you sure you are ok. I said yea I was good. Later on I found out that asked my mother the same thing..."you think Brandi is ok driving back." Always concerned about his little sister even though he was the one who was fighting a battle.

No, that was not my last time I saw my brother, it was at a baseball game of course. We were walking around talking to each other and he had good points and low points. That day was a little bit of a low point, and I remember telling him, that I was gonna save some money up and we would go shopping for him some new gear. That shopping day never came, Greg lost his fight.

That doesn't stop me from always knowing that Greg, is still the strongest person I know. He battled voices and depression. He is not having to fight any longer, he is safe and he has no medicine, no doctors. He is back to enjoying his life. I do believe that he looks down on us, and is happy to know that Eleanor shares his middle name.



rodney and greg in 1990



my parents with winner

Not only will Eleanor share his middle name, but at our hometown college (Arkansas Tech University in Ruseelville, AR) we established a scholarship in his name. Thus how I began running marathons, in 2004 I ran my first full marathon and asked people to donate money for me running to fund Greg's scholarship. I have been running ever since and the scholarship lives on. Just as Greg will live one through us. He was our guardian, as now he is our guardian angel.



my family

Our Little Pumpkin

This was Eleanor's first Halloween! We had many costumes to select from and it came right down to a DUCK. I think she was the cutest little duck in the world, but I might be one sided.

We did things we never thought we would do this Halloween, just to make sure our little duck enjoyed her first Halloween. The biggest thing we did was attend an event in El Dorado, called "Trick or Treat down the street." This event brings out the best of the best. Parents and kids a like dress up and then wait in line for one piece of candy. 

I don't go to State Fair's. I repeat, I don't go to State Fair's. I have been to Disney a couple of times, but that was under duress. I worked in sports, college and pros. Lots of crowds, but I never was a part of the crowd. I do not go to State Fair's, because......Pelican Brief. Have you seen it before? Remember the man in the red hat. I repeat, I do not go to state Fair's. The trick or treat down the street was the closet I have been to a state fair in a long time. It was OVERWHELMING!

A good event, just too much for me to take in. Pelican Brief.

The main point is that Eleanor had a great time and to see the look on her face watching all the big kids was worth it. I am sure that at some point I will change my tone, and end up going to a state fair. But as far as this blog is concerned.....I do not go to State Fair's.

5 states

What do you get when you have a 6 month old and one parent on a plane? Eleanor and Brandi!

Eleanor and I took our first plane ride alone last weekend. We flew to Mississippi to visit some old friends. It was a great trip, so good to see my friend Julie, Paul and baby Annie Grace. I had never been to Jackson, and was really impressed with how it was laided out. Now, I am not smarter than a 5th grader though.
As we were landing, I was engaged in conversation with a lady sitting next to me who was flying home, Jackson, that is. I asked, "what is the capital of Mississippi." She looked at me crazyly as if I didn't know how to even read. She replied "Jackson, sweetheart, where have you been (please re-read with a Southern accent). There was nothing I could do but laugh at myself.

Eleanor is 6 months old as of October 15th. She has been on two plane rides and 5 states. Arkansas, Kansas, Illinois, Mississippi, and Texas. I will say that she is a lot of fun. She loves to smile and drool, talk, and roll over. She will get up on her back legs and rock, as if ready to start crawling. It's only a matter of time I know. We are starting to baby proof the house now.

On top of taking our first trip solo, she also started eating rice. I will say this rice thing new for us, and so is putting the spoon in her mouth. The first feeding was comical, but everyday it gets better and she is getting use to it, but still loves her bottle.

As you can see from the video, she was very sleepy, it was like Thanksgiving for Eleanor. 



why ask why

This might be my most random blog to date. I failed to update last week, but let me bring it to you in a nut shell.

Some might not know, but I coach a running group in El Dorado. I have done this group training for the last three years, the group has grown every year by leaps and bounds. I am so proud of my group. It is such an awesome feeling to take people from "I can't do _ miles" to " Oh, it's only _ miles." I am lucky that the group trust me to get them across the finish line.

These same participants all completed their race! Most with smiles, all with friends/family waiting for them as they crossed the finish line. It was dynamic to witness the transformations over the last 12 weeks.

Which leads me to....why ask why.

I was running 16 miles last Friday morning, which left me with a lot of time on my hands, I had a thought cross my mind during the long 2 and half hours. Why do people ask the healthy people, "why are you eating that tofu, or just have one bite, it won't kill you." Well it just might. I rarely see the healthy people asking, " why are you eating that deep fried item or why don't you park farther away from the door and walk." I was one of those, "why are you running."

I was 193 pounds at one point of my adult life. I had many excuses to why I was OVERWEIGHT, none which were my fault of course. The clothing is made different in Minnesota. It must be muscle. I "really" don't eat that bad. etc.

All the reasons still lead to me be 5'2 and 193 pounds. Walking to the mailbox was a struggle. I so understand what a majority of the population suffers from. EXCUSES, I was once there too.

My friend Megan Murphy, was training for the Twin Cities Marathon. She invited me to come and watch. Really, how do you watch a Marathon? I told her, I would drive her the 26.2 miles so she didn't have to do that foolish running. She convinced me to come out and watch. I saw her along two point during the race, one of which was about the 24 mile marker. This moment was life changing for me. I witnessed people larger than me, some smaller than me, and some with physical limitations, regardless they were all running, run walking and even just shuffling. Megan finished, we laughed, hugged and cried as she completed her first marathon. What a great way to spend a Sunday, watching and cheering for your friend complete a race, that most people won't even try.

It was life changing because I decided to change my life for the better. I joined Weight Watchers and lost 65 pounds over a matter of a year and 5 months. Then I moved to Dallas, I decided to go big!!! and train for my first marathon. I have been running ever since. So now I challenge all my blog readers, why ask why.

Why ask those around you who are trying to eat healthy, why, join them. Why ask those around you, why do you exercise, join them. Why ask why, just do the right thing and stop the excuses. Instead of telling people what you can't do, tell them what you can do. I know lifestyles can be improved, one step at a time.

I run because I never thought I would be able to, I run for my patients of St. Jude who lost their battle with cancer, I run because I can.....why do you run? I run because I know I have a cheerleader in heaven, wanting me to give life my best and my all.  I run for my brother Greg who will never be able to run the streets as we see them. I do believe my big brother is in heaven being the captain of the football team, and looking down on me saying, "um, that's my little sister, go."