Crazylegs Classic

For the first time Tim, myself, and his parents decided to run the Crazylegs Classic, a 5 mile race throughout the Wisconsin campus. It is incredibly well known because of the number of people that participate each year. This year, the total number of participants was around 20,000!! There are so many people that run this race every year that they had to change the race structure, and allow people to start in waves rather than one big mass. The race is fun, you start down State Street, run up an infamously steep hill called Observatory Drive, run along through the campus, and then come back around and finish in the football stadium Camp Randall! It was so fun!

It was a cool, slightly rainy day, but the conditions ended up being PERFECT for a 5 mile run. the rain help off until the end of the race, but the little bit of rain that fell before the race kept the dust down and the temperature in the 60s, so it wasn't too hot or too cold. Since Tim and I had prepared for this race by NOT running at all (well, I'd been playing soccer, but Tim prepared by sitting on the couch), good weather could not have helped us out more.

All four of us started together, but Tim and I got a little ahead of John and Jennifer. We ended up finishing about 2 minutes ahead of them, with Tim and myself running the race in 56:00, and John and Jennifer at 58:42. With the rain starting to come down, we left very quicly, and didnt' even have time for a celebratory beer (customary at the end of this race)! But we had a nice warm lunch at Old Chicago, and calzones made us all warmer!

It was a great race, and I'm already planning on doing it again next year!

Brewers Game

Tim can't sit still waiting for opening day of baseball, especially the Brewers! In the first week of baseball, he attended not 1, but 3 games! Tim was fortunate enough to have connections to the opening day game (which are coveted tickets and difficult to get), as well as the next day and a game the following Sunday. I was actually invited to the Sunday game, so I got to document the day of grilling, drinking, and games on a beautiful spring day! Here are some pictures from the day:

We had yummy snacks and of course, Miller Lite

Bernie (the mascot) and his slide, and an action shot!

Group photo, and although this doesn't show it, the Brewers won (personally I find baseball really boring, and couldn't really remember if they had won until Tim reminded me)!

donating my hair!

For the third time, I have donated my hair to an organization that uses hair to make wigs for cancer patients. I only knew of one organization called Locks of Love, but when I went to Cost Cutters this time, they told me they donate to Wigs for Kids now, an organization that makes wigs specifically for children. I do not care where my hair goes, as long as it's not the trash, so I donated 10.5" to Wigs for Kids. I have donated 2 other times, both to Locks of Love, and I would encourage anyone to let their hair grow out and donate at least 10" to one of these organizations. It takes no effort for me to let my hair grow out, and I like to think that in some small way I'm helping someone else have a better day during a difficult time in their life :o) My haircut ended up being VERY short, shorter than I have ever cut it before, but it is already growing back in quickly! Here are some pictures from the day I cut it!


My camera is not the best, but here is a view of the front.


Another view of the front.


A view from the back.

I like my new haircut, but I can't wait until it grows in a bit so I can wear a normal ponytail again!

Marking Territory

Since I haven't posted in a while, here's an update on the life of Cooper. He has recently "learned" to mark territory. Yes, he learned how to do, it was not instinctive. He is a year and a half old now, and has never done this until this spring, when he watched other dogs do it at Doggie Playgroup (we take him to a dog playgroup saturday mornings at one of the local kennels where he gets to run around with 20 other dogs for an hour - LOVES it).

So why is this exciting, or hilarious? Because he doesn't quite understand how to mark territory. Instead of peeing on obvious things like signs and hydrants, he pees on non-stationary items, like clumps of dirt and twigs and leaves. He also frequently misses when he's aiming for a specific mark; he doesn't realize yet that he needs power. Cooper hasn't marked anything IN the house yet (and the day he does I'm sending him back), but he did try to mark our screen door (I was MAD). He also has peeing contests with the neighbors dog, Lily, who is a girl. I think during these times Cooper is actually pefecting his technique and learning from Lily.

I was told that when a dog was neutered early enough, they actually don't feel the urge to mark territory since their hormone levels have changed. Apparently, no one told me that this can also be a LEARNED behavior! Who knew? I'm a bit concerned when we do buy a house how this new habit will carry over, or when we get another dog how Cooper will handle accidents from the puppy! Our little trouble maker... goes to show that he's a pretty smart pup!

Belated Blog Birthdays

I am quite behind on the blog again, but while I remember I wanted to send an official blogger Happy Birthday to Tim and my mom! Tim is now 26, and my mom will never be a day over 50 ;o) For Tim's birthday we went to one of our favorite places in Madison, the Essen Haus! We had great German food, and drank boots of beer all night long (and by all night long, I mean we came home at midnight because we were all tired). Aside from being old and married and lame, Tim had a great time and that's all that mattered!

Happy Birthday Tim and Mom!