Happy 10th Birthday Gabe!!

I can't believe it but our big guy is officially 10 years old!! It's so exciting for us (and overwhelming) seems like just yesterday when his was just a tiny little "wiggler" fighting for his life, and today... well- he's kicking butt and taking names!!!

Quick picture with his birthday hat they gave him at school. (This is the first time ever Gabe has had school on his birthday... we had a strike in our district and while most people were upset about the long school year- Jeremy and I were glad the teachers stood up for what was right; and Gabe was ecstatic to have a birthday party at school!!!)Gabe and Daddy at birthday dinner.Gabe yelling "CHEESE" in his picture with mommy!!Yay!! Happy Birthday "ME!"

Daddy, Mommy, and Me!!

Gabe posing with is birthday sundae!! Big boy putting his own seat back in the van!! Being goofy after he got his seat back in the van!!
I love this one, he can always make me smile!!! We love you so much Gabe!! Thank you for everything you do to inspire us, and make us better, happier and really just so PROUD to be your parents- LOVE ALWAYS!!! Mommy & Daddy :)

Cute pic of my guys-

I found this on my phone, it's a pic from one evening this past spring when it was still a bit chilly around dusk- they are such cuties... thought I would share!

"Gabe's Gang" @ the Easter Seals "Walk with Me" 5k

Getting out of the van in morning it was still a bit chilly.... but it warmed up fast!Gabe was ready to go and was very consistent in telling us so!! (haha!)Gabe's Gang!!

Ed, Nicole, Jeremy, Dan (you can only see the top of his hat!) Shannon, Shawn, Bernie, and Adam, and of course the team captains Kari & Gabe!

Dan took 1st place in his age category (Adam took second) and Jeremy got 3rd!!!

It was a great day and an inspiring event, we beat our fundraising goal- check out our Team Page!

After the race there was food, music, and a little fair at the end and.... Gabe got a tattoo!!

He didn't even last 5 minutes in the van when we headed home!! It was a fun and tiring day!!

Gabe, knocked out on the way home, sporting his Elmo "tattoo"

Race Today!!

We are so excited about the run today, Thanks so much to everyone who donated or joined our team!! We raised just over $300 for Easter Seals, which is awesome since our goal was $250!! Gabe is always so proud when he gets to "turn in" his donations and get his T-shirt.

Looks like we're going to get good weather and Gabe is super excited for the run and the little "carnival" by the Art Museum steps.

Thanks again everyone for all your support!!! We'll be sure to post pictures!!

GABE'S GANG: Easter Seals "Walk with Me" 5k

We are running the Easter Seals "Walk With Me" 5k again!! This year Gabe has his own team!

If you are in the area and want to join our team, PLEASE DO!! It is going to be a great race and a really fun day down by the Art museum in Philadelphia.

If you can't join, maybe take a moment and see if you can support our team with a small donation. Every dollar counts, we're about halfway to our goal and we appreciate every single donation- literally every single dollar goes to a great and worthy cause.

To learn more about Easter Seals, to join or team or to make a donation to Gabe's Gang just follow this link.

No pressure- we know how tough times are right now, that's why we're stressing that we don't want big donations, we're just trying to get enough small donations to reach our goal.

Thanks so much for stopping in and supporting us!!

Go Team Gabe's Gang!!

We're running the Rock-n-Roll Half!!

I'm super excited. Running 10 miles was a challenge, and with the heat even more so. I'm putting my all into training for this and I'm excited to run the ING Rock-n-Roll half marathon in September here in Philadelphia. It's funny how I never thought I would run 10 miles, and now I'm registered for 13.1!! Jeremy is registered for this one too~ I'm excited to do it together. He hurt his foot during the training for Broad St which really set him back, plus it was difficult to train while he was in Michigan for work-then we didn't have anyone to watch Gabriel on race day so he bowed out and let me run it.

This one we have a bunch of friends registered for it too, so hopefully we'll get to run it in a big group to make it even more fun. There are bands playing at every mile marker and it's just an overall Rock-n-Roll atmosphere~ I'm super excited!!

Well, back to training, I'm hoping to really increase my endurance over this training program and hopefully the weather will cooperate for this race! I'll update every so often on how our training goes, and of course there will be tons of pic's from race day!!

IBC Broad St 10 miler.... I did it!!

Well, I trained for it, and I DID IT!!

It's a famous race out here, very popular with first timers. It's straight and pretty much flat and for that reason people come from all over to run the Independence Blue Cross Broad St 10 miler. It was something I thought would be challenging but I had no idea what it was really going to be like because I've never ran 10 miles before. (even in training I never ran more than 6 miles at a time) But I never could have anticipated how hard the weather would make it.

It was in the high eighties by the time the race started. (in the low to mid 90's by the time I finished) I was in the last corral (I wasn't sure how long it was going to take me, so I chose a 15 min. mile time to keep me towards the very back- just in case) But this actually made it so I had to stand there and wait in the baking sun while all the other corrals started the race. For 30 minutes- ugh! People were falling down and passing out along the way- it was a trip!! There were a couple times where I was thinking what the H*LL did I get myself into?!?

Anyway, I told everyone my goal was to finish... but personally I really wanted to beat that ridiculous 15 minute per mile time that I told them I would need to finish. Considering the heat I'm surprised that I did- but I did!! Don't get me wrong- I wasn't fast by any means and I did walk parts of the race, especially the water stations and through the fire hydrants that sprayed us with water to cool off.

But I finished in 2:20, basically 14 minute miles.

Not great - but I met both my goals... I finished and I got less than the 15 minute miles.

Watch out Broad St- I'll do much better next year!!!

Citizen of the Month (Walton Farm Elementary)

We are so very proud of our young man Gabriel.

He was chosen as citizen of the month for his elementary school. We received a postcard in the mail, he was given the special pencil (see below) and he will have is picture in the local paper "The Reporter"

(I will post an update when we find out it's in the paper)

Anderson Family,
We are proud to announce that Gabe has been selected as the Walton Farm Citizen of the month. His constant display of kindness, respect, and cooperation make him a wonderful role model for our caring community. Way to go Gabe!!! The Walton Farm Staff.

*My Principal is Proud of Me*

Mommy and Daddy are so very proud of you too kiddo!!
Great job Gabe!!!

Some cute pic's of our little man:

These are just a few snapshots of kiddo, hanging around and being a cutie pie!!

He is always a few seconds away from cracking up!He was being sneaky...Then he was playing shy!

This one is my favorite, when I think of Gabe, this is what I think of: that happy smile just lights up my world!

We LOVE company!!

It was so great having everyone out to visit, I'm bummed I didn't get more pictures. Gary, Laura and the kids (Jordan & Cassie) came out as well as Shaunda, Chris and Alexcis!! It was awesome having a house full of family!! Thanks so much for coming we can't wait until you can visit again! Gabriel with Papa & Uncle (or as Gabe says "Ankle") HA!
Gabe's little cousin Alexcis

Gabe with Uncle Jordan

Trip to Tampa to see Grandpa Hunt

It was an impromptu visit, I hope to make a longer visit that way soon, just wanted to share some of the pic's with Grandpa and family while we were down there to visit: Grandpa outside the legion hall where he goes to dance
Here comes a bunch of Grandpa with his ladies getting his groove on!!Our visit at Uncle Bill & Aunt Cathy's

This was right outside Grandpa's Apartment in New Port Richey.

I wish this would have been in focus- Love it because they are laughing!!

Jen, Grandpa & Aunt Dort