Homegirl Quel (kel) in Austin

My Son Refuses To Not Believe In Santa.

Call me a grinch, but I don't want my son to believe in Santa. It is a waste of time, and feels like a terrible, drawn out practical joke. One day, he will find out that it was all a lie and what good does the whole believing in Santa thing do anyway. 

A few weeks ago I saw the Mission Impossible meets Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer film Arthur Christmas with my almost 4 year-old. It is an awesome little movie about how Santa and his elves get gifts under children's trees on Christmas Eve. That is how my son learned about Santa. A few days before Christmas, he asked me if Santa was going to bring his gifts through our fireplace while he was sleeping. Our conversation went something like this:

Him: Mom, will Santa bring my presents and put them under the tree while I'm sleeping on Christmas Eve so when I wake up I will see them and be happy?

Me: Well. Actually, mom and dad buy your gifts, wrap them up and put them under the tree. Santa is just pretend. You know, like Batman and Little Bill? Just pretend. So, he can't bring your presents because he's not real. 

Him: But mo'om! I LOVE Santa! I want Santa to bring my presents! 

Me: But he's just pretend, remember? 

Him: No, mom, I WANT SANTA! 

Me: Mmmkaaaaay? Ok. 

Him: *pumps fist* Yes! 

I tried. I guess I could have continued to try to convince him, but he was so insistent and I am not a monster. So I gave up, and let him have his not-pretend Santa. Unbeknownst to me at the time, not-pretend Santa would come in handy during the days leading up to Christmas. 

This Post Sponsored by American Cancer Society

As many of you know, I ran my first 5k this year. It was with Austin Komen Race For The Cure. If you read my race report, you know that at one point during the race, I was almost overcome with emotion from seeing all the survivers who were running, using the bodies that Cancer tried to destroy to run and raise money to help others fight the disease. The signs people held and wore on their shirts baring the names and photos of friends and family members who had succumbed to the disease were almost too much. Only one member of my family has been diagnosed with cancer. She is a survivor. This post is dedicated to her.

 

Lights of Love 5k 2011-Ronald McDonald House

I ran my second 5k on December 2 at NIGHT! It was so much fun. Unlike my the course for my first 5k, this one was completely flat. I knew that going in and I was fully prepared to increase my time significantly in this race. Minus the hills and peeing BEFORE the race, this time I was going to see how fast I could run an easy 5k outside. Yes, I only train inside because...you know...dogs, mainly. Anyway, the route went through a super-charming neighborhood called Mueller. I have friends who live there and the route passed right down their street. So far, I'm two for two running 5k's with nobody I know there to cheer me on, so I was thrilled to know I'd see familiar faces smiling and cheering for me. 

I made it to the starting line about eight minutes before the race. I exchanged pleasantries with the people around me and then turned on my iPod. When the race began, Kanye West's "Workout Plan" was playing. What a fun song to start a run too. I was so into vibing off the song and starting strong that I forgot to start my Nike+ app right away. I have yet to record an accurate 5k time on my Nike+ app, but third time's a charm. So I turn on my app and not long after Dirk Navinsky congratulates me for starting another run for consecutive weeks, the app tells me that I have completed half a mile at a ten-minute per mile pace. I haven't run a ten-minute mile since I started running. I was still feeling great, so I kept the pace pretty easily until after 1.5 miles. According to the app, I had run a 10 minute mile and was on track to do it again, but I was beat. Pacing is something I hadn't read up on, but I was sure that I started this race way too fast.