We're Off to the Races and UGA and...

It has been a memorable week in the Dodd house that is for sure!!  On Sunday Rich ran the half marathon in Birmingham and took some time off his personal best!!  It was freezing cold (24 degrees and I've no idea the wind chill factor)...no...that doesn't even come close to describing how cold it was!! It was cold enough that Rich actually wore 3 layers of pants and 4 layers of shirts, etc. He wore three pairs of gloves and this ski mask looking thing.  He wore two pairs of socks something he never does...(feet, socks, and shoes...must be a perfect fit else you suffer from blisters)!  He even wrapped a scarf around his face to keep warm (that was the first thing to go missing and barely made it to the starting line)!

Meanwhile, Nicole and I debated over very important stuff too! turtleneck?...UnderArmour?...scarves?...hats?...earmuffs?...boots?...when can we stop for Starbucks?...can we find places to cheer Rich on in which he will be able to see us while we will be in the warmth of the car?...

It was a grand morning and other than the incident with the policeman who wanted to give us (us??? totally Nicole as she was driving) a ticket for our disregard of a barricade, and we had zero time to stop at Starbucks in Five Points and grab that Venti Non-fat NoWhip Cinnamon Dolce Latte...we managed to see Rich 3 times during the race and we were at the finish line with cameras!!

After his walk about, clothes change, massage, and a beer (I don't understand this concept...I have only done 2 half marathons BUT I have never thought "FINISHED...now where's my beer?" We went back to 5 Points and ahhhhh got that coffee :) With donut in hand Rich was out on the side of the road encouraging those brave souls who were running the full marathon!!  Next up for him the Music City Half Marathon in Nashville...lucky for Kate it should be warmer and he will dress...well without the hood and the Bama sweatshirt for sure...he will have to sport something Vandy!!

Monday we got some wonderful news from Chelsea...she got accepted into UGA's School of Pharmacy!!!  Okay, since this is my blog can I brag a bit????  Chelsea was invited to the first round of interviews which took place during the month of January.  She was among 90+/- applicants who were being interviewed early.  From this group of interviews 20 students would be offered admission to the school!!  If she hadn't been chosen in the first 20 she would still be in the running for admission (well...unless she got a thanks but no thanks letter in the mail) she would just have to wait until the next round of interviews were completed and then another group would receive letters at the first of March...15th of March...1st of April...15th of April... Needless to say, she (and all of us who love her and live with her) are thrilled that this is the outcome!!  She got into her first (truth be known ONLY) choice, and now she can enjoy this last semester at Auburn...if that is possible with these five classes...Genomic Biology, Comparative Anatomy, Bio-Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, and Immunology!!! YIKES...WHAT IS A GENOMIC ANYWAY????

On the way to Athens...Chelsea goes over her very detailed interview

 notes while texting with Stephen!

We're here :)

After a quick change at the hotel (The Georgia Center) we

walked around the corner and there it was...

With three whole hours to kill Rich and I decided to enjoy the beautiful day

 and we walked the entire campus...praying all the while!

We made it back to the hotel about 30 minutes before Chelsea...

after a detailed debriefing she wanted to get out of the "grown-up clothes" and talk to bud Ali (who had just gotten accepted to UF's Pharmacy School...YAY ALI :)

That night we went to dinner and then Rich decided to go out on the street and try to find tickets to the Georgia/Kentucky basketball game. After some savvy wheeling and dealing he scored tickets...in the nosebleed section!!  But we had fun anyway...and for a few brief minutes Georgia gave Kentucky a workout!!

Even though she doesn't need an undergrad degree for pharmacy school, she has decided that she wants to be an Auburn Alum and will graduate from Auburn in August after she takes one last class online this summer. Thank you to the dean who approved this and even helped her find the class so she could come home to Panama City this summer and not spend 10 weeks in Auburn taking a Physics class!! It is hard to believe that three years have gone by already!!!  But onward to UGA and four years of more chemistry than any one person should ever need to know ;)  She loves this stuff and will be such an asset wherever the future takes her...so more power to her!! Oh, and University of Georgia...you are one lucky DAWG for getting Chelsea Dodd (...have to practice saying DAWG  ;)

Last...yesterday was Valentine's Day! I hope yours was sweet!  Rich and I cooked dinner together using my new WOK(not a Valentine's gift)...it's the simple things! 

Gotta get going...stay tuned though cause this afternoon Gabby and I have our first appointment with the trainer!!!  I am sure there will be a story there!!

Do you ever warm up when running a half marathon in below 30 degree weather?

It's half marathon weekend for Rich.  This afternoon we are heading up to Birmingham...home of CLAIRE...and her fabulous parents!

Tomorrow we will go to the race registration/expo, drive the course, have lunch and do a little shopping in Homewood.  We are babysitting CLAIRE tomorrow night so Nicole and David can go on a date...it's tough being pop and gigi ;)

On Sunday morning we will get up at the FREEZING crack of dawn and after dropping Rich off at the start line (possibly dressed like Randy, the little brother in A Christmas Story) Nicole and I will head to Starbucks in Five Points where we will load up on coffee and cheer him on as he speeds by (and possibly collect a couple layers of clothing if he hasn't already thrown them on the side of the road)!

  It is just our luck that it has been spring for the last several weeks and NOW it decides to turn winter on us :(  But Rich is upbeat about it...maybe he will switch his goal from running a certain time, to surviving a brutal below freezing run on the hills of Birmingham!  Nicole and I have changed our goal from a leisurely morning of being team support and discussing all kinds of stuff we never have time to talk about, to can we time our roadside stops and enthusiastic cheering on to under 5 minutes (cause we will only be running from the car to the designated cheering on spot and will be shedding no clothes along the way)!!  Even though we have done no training she and I feel confident we can do our part...I'll let you know...

On another note it's Five For Friday time...this week some new favorite things!

I love this glass jar with the sweet bird stopper.  I found it in Seaside a couple weeks ago and now it holds bubble bath...ahhh!

I wrote about the black bensimon lace ups last summer.  I logged many miles in London and Paris with them.  I found the navy blue slip-ons in Rosemary Beach recently and have enjoyed them during our recent spring weather.  A note about these shoes, they are European and while they have US sizes in them...it's best to try them on!

Ironing board cover from www.potterybarn.com ...makes me want to...iron!

Pillows are an inexpensive way to change up a room...

Avenue Sea in downtown Panama City always has beautiful pillows for every season and room!

And finally...the metal blue  bird that I found at my favorite poke about shop on the west end of the beach...The Beach House Market

 Hope you have a grand weekend...it's gonna be cold...so make some soup, build a fire, and read a good book!!