Flashback Friday

Well, well, well... I think I should not have mentioned my made up blog contest until I had time to catch up...  It appears that I'm not the only competitive one in the bunch & certain people (ahem, Ginmommy...) think they can beat me with their newly established 'Flashback Fridays'.  Touche', touche'.  You may have thought you caught me off guard, but oh no - even though I'm not home to scour through pictures - I've got Facebook, baby.   (But be ready for next week...I'm coming for ya...)

It's on like Donkey Kong.

I decided to talk about myself today since I had NO notice that Ginmommy was throwing down.  Shocking...  I've told you 8,432 times how I was shy when I was young.  Which begs the question as to just WHY my mother kept making me do things which required people seeing me?!

I did ballet...

 I was destined to be Heidi Klum...if only my hair would cooperate...

  I remember that I LOVED this outfit!  Oh my word.  I LOVED that damn tutu.  I loved tutu's before tutu's were cool.  It had sparkles all over the edges.  

She also forced encouraged me to play piano.  Hated it.  I was good at it...like really good at it...(When I got to be about 15 my teacher told mom she had taught me everything she could... so I had to go to another teacher...) My dad would always want me to play for people that came to the house.  

Can you say mortifying?!  And recitals?  In front of strangers?  Shudder...

 I was also in marching band.  Which I LOVED (hello-not an individualized activity!).  I really, really did.  We worked really hard & I was skinny from sweating my a** off.  We had the BEST time together.  And looking back - we just had good, clean fun.  Yea-that makes me sound old.  But we didn't drink, we didn't do drugs, we just hung out & laughed!

And no post is complete without hilarious pics from when we were young.  I think this is 1981.  

 And of course, Butterfly & me as little ones... so cute, so innocent...

have turned into this.  Wow... our poor mother...

In which I bore you about my hair

Ah, women & their hair.  It's the stuff horror stories are made of.  And I am no exception.  My hair is wavy, thin & fine & I hate it.  I want straight hair...but no one cares what I want.   Boo.

My hair as always been very fine, but when I was young - it was straight as a board & super blonde!  Ah, the good ole' days.  Butterfly had SUPER curly, kinky hair (which he hated.  Especially when old women would tell him how cute his hair was.  He would fume!)  Mom thought it would be an excellent idea to curl her daughters straight hair to match her sons curly hair.  I'm not sure why she didn't try this the other way around, but here's what she got: 

  (Seriously - how cute were we?!  We almost look like twins.  We're only 16 months apart...yea, I'm older...)

As I got older, my hair started to get some wave to it & turned a bit more 'dishwater' color.  And there's no rhyme or reason to the wave.  Bleh.   I'm not really able have it longer than my shoulders because it's so fine that it weighs itself down & looks limp.  I am SO lucky.  

In 8th grade (so I was around 13-14?), my friend convinced me to get a perm.  People, that was the hottest mess you've ever seen.  Mom had a friends daughter (who was in school for cosmetology) perm it.  And she fried the shit out of it.  They had to cut.my.hair.off.  

It was awful.  I cried & cried.  I did NOT want to go to school.  Being painfully shy didn't help matters at ALL.  My friend that convinced me to get the perm had her mom help me fix it so it looked half way decent so I could go to school because my mom was mean & wouldn't let me quit.  

After the perm fiasco there was NO WAY I was ever doing THAT again.  It was the early 90's & big was in!  Of course, I hair sprayed the crap outta it to tame it some.  You can really see the wave here.

I also started rocking the side part....

In recent years, I've left it pretty much the same style.  I blow-dry it straight & then use a straightener on it.   (Hello - I told you I want STRAIGHT hair.)

I'm still rocking the side part...but always tuck it behind my ears.

 (Yea, I hate JLL...hair so pretty...& so straight...)

Recently I decided I wanted a change.  Nothing drastic for God's sake...just something different.  Before I went to Texas I tried to just leave it all down (no tucking) to see how I liked it.  

It was torture to make myself NOT tuck it behind my ears.  I got some compliments on how it looked, but to me it still looked a little limp & stringy.  

So I made the decision I was going to get it cut differently.  Again-nothing drastic.  Just shaping up the sides a bit & maybe getting bangs?  Did you know I haven't had 'bangs' for almost half of my life?    

I scoured the internet for styles I liked.  (God Bless the Internet.)  I settled on a picture of who what I wanted to look like...

 UHM yea - I took that to my lady & said, 'Can you make me look like Heidi Klum?'  God love her, she didn't fall on the floor laughing - she just smiled at me.  

 This is what we came up with.  Sadly, I still do NOT look like Heidi Klum...

It may not seem like that big of a difference, but it is to me.  No more tucking behind my ears! Gah!  I can also still pull it into a pony tail which is a must.  I just have to pin the shorter strands back since it's not all the same length anymore.  I may lighten it up a bit too.  It gets darker the older I get.    
People can definitely tell a difference because they're always asking, "Did you get your hair cut?"  & that they like it.  Ya'll know I just love hate compliments....

Being a spectator is hard(er)

Listen, stalkers....this was my THIRD Ironman.  Every year I learn something new I use to take with me to the next year...if there IS a next year.  You just never know with these crazy people I have to deal with....

I am not lying to you when I say being a spectator is difficult.  It's exciting, exhausting, stressful, boring, painful (on your feet & legs) & mind boggling ALL at the same time.  Sure, there are people who are actually competing & doing the whole smash:  swimming, biking & running.  But hey, they signed up & actually PAID MONEY for the chance to attempt to kill themselves to do it.  They're expected to be exhausted & sore...

This year I wanted to give you a more in-depth view from the spectators vantage point.  And since I'm ALL about not making you endure such long posts & need numbers to win my made up contest I wanted to do a separate post about spectating...it's not for the weak at heart...

Most people come fully decorated in their Ironperson's garb.  Some have t-shirts...some have signs...some have noisemakers.  UGH, noisemakers...  

This little girl was so cute holding up a sign for her dad.  You can tell she wrote this side all on her own.  I thought it was cute & all ya'll with that maternal gene would go, 'AWWWWWW!'

 Noise makers.  I HATE THEM.  There were some chicks with those loud horns & it seemed everywhere we went to wait to see Rhonda those women with those damn horns were there.  But THIS woman right here with that cow bell hanging down?  Oh, well - I wanted to freaking kill her.  She rang that bell NON STOP.  Even when there was no one coming down the bike shoot.  Really?  Is that completely necessary?!  I mean , sure us spectators need to hear your cow bell to get all of us pumped up.  No thank you.

 Butterfly wanted us to go back to Rhonda's house while she was on the bike so we could rest (he was going to work out - boring...) & make us some lunch.  (I mean-what did you EXPECT us to do?  It's not like we could ride the bike FOR her.)  Rhonda is a Dachsund rescue person.  She has like 8 dogs in her home right now.  Some of them LOVE B-rad & as soon as he sat down, they jumped on him.  It's hard to tell because some of them are dark like the couch, but he had 4 dogs on him here.   (Tell me he doesn't love that attention....)

I am NOT going to lie to you.  I took like a 3 hour nap on Rhonda's couch in the basement.  It was cold & dark & perfect napping conditions.  When she sent me a copy of her bib to make for us to wear she thanked us for coming to watch her & that it meant a lot, blah, blah, blah & she was sorry if that was too sappy.  I said, "Hey, I'm gonna be taking a nap on your couch in a couple of days - be as sappy as you want..."

When I woke up from my nap it was time to go back downtown to catch Rhonda going out on her run, Butterfly took the tricycle she had used to train with while she was healing.  After a certain point during the day they let you go  back to the great lawn & pick up your athletes bicycle.  B-rad rode the tricycle & Butterfly rode...in that basket... (I'm just sad mom & I weren't there to get a pic...we were waiting for Rhonda to do the first loop of 4th street when they left on it...)

 I was happy this year that B-rad had someone to hang out with & talk to...

 Riveting conversation I'm quite sure...

 We hung out at Ri Ra on 4th street to watch everyone finish...look who found a cow bell?  Sigh...

I told you how some people wear t-shirts...well these chicks...I don't know WHAT they were wearing...

 I'm not even sure if they were supporting the Ironpeople or they just wanted attention?

When the athletes are out on the run, other people can run beside them to encourage them or whatever.  While we waited for Rhonda to never come, THIS dude walked by giving this gal words of wisdom... And his shorts were the shortest shorts I've EVER seen.  I know it's hard to see because they uhm, er, well - BLEND in with his skin tone, but trust me when I say it was disturbing...

I'm sure the Ironpeople have all kinds of stuff going on with their bodies now - blisters, sores, cramps, etc.  But spectators aren't immune to that stuff either.  I have 2 blisters on the back of my heels.  I didn't really sign on for all that.  I just wanted to go to watch & cheer.  Hmph.   
Tennis shoes are the devil....

Being an Ironman is hard

We were up at 5:00 AM to pick up mom & head over to Louisville to watch Rhonda jump in the water to start the Ironman.  Her swim took about 1 hour & 45 minutes.  

I'm disappointed we didn't get any good pics of her leaving on her bike.  She left in a pack of people & she was on the wrong side of the shoot from us.  I printed copies of her bib & we pinned them to us.  I made Butterfly one too...but he didn't wear it.  SHOCKING.

B-rad was the official photographer for the day.  While we were waiting for Rhonda to get off the bike to start her run (which goes over 2nd Street Bridge), the boys went over to get a beer.  See the arrow on the left?  That's me...sitting on the sidewalk...watching our stuff. (which means Buttefly's tricycle bike... more on that later...)  Mom's there on the right watching Rhonda going onto the bridge.

Then we switched & mom watched our stuff & I walked into the middle of the street to see Rhonda on her way back over the bridge.  She had told Butterfly she was 'dead' when they saw her before she went over the bridge so I knew she was having a hard time... But lets put this in perspective...she had just ridden her bike for 6 & 1/2 hours...& she had 25 miles left to run.  Gulp.

And I'm not the type to say, "It's ok, Rhonda...you can quit now...no one will judge you.  You've only trained for a year.  You even powered through the pain of a broken clavicle... and you still continued to train... but yea, you're right - now it's time to give up..."  Nope, nu uh...have you MET me?!

I told her she was doing great... (uhm, yea that's me pointing my finger at her.  I HAD to stress my point!)

And she told me, "I'm dead..."  

And I may or may not have said, "NO YOU'RE NOT!  You GOT this!"

And again she said, "Yes I am...I'm dead...."  

And I may or may not have said, "SUCK IT UP SISTER!  You can do it!"

And I'm not saying my words of encouragement were the only reason she fed... but I'm sure it helped... Tough love works, people.  Just look at that thumbs up...I think she got my message... 

Butterfly was absolutely NO help in any way about anything.  I couldn't remember what split it was between when they came around 4th Street the first time.  He had no clue either.  Really?  

The triathlon group they're in always rents out an area in one of the restaurants on 4th street & we're able to join in on that.  We headed down there after we saw the run to hang out & wait for her to make the first loop at 4th street.  I decided it was after the 13 mile split so mom & I walked down a couple of blocks to see her...well, uhm, my calculations were wrong & it was after the 8 mile split so we had missed her.  I did feel really bad about that too.  

(I mean, what if she needed my special words of encouragement as she made the first pass of 4th street & could SEE the finish line yet it was still HOURS from her grasp?  I let my Ironman down...)

You may not know this, but you can track your athletes online.  That's how you know how fast their pace is & kind of where they are during the competition & more importantly it allows you to do fancy math problems on your iPad to figure out about what time she may be finishing.

We knew around 8:15 that she would finish around 9:30 if she kept her pace consistent.  We kept tracking her & she was right on track.  At 9:15 I decided we needed to walk towards the finish lines to the barricades surrounded by people.  I have found that if you tell them your athlete is coming, they will gladly move aside to let you take pics.  I put B-rad before the finish line & Butterfly, mom & I went to right past it. I wanted to get video of her crossing.   

I LOVE this pic B-rad got of her. 

You can see the sheer JOY on her face.  She made it...she finished...& best of all - she's alive...  

(She finished her run in 5 hours & 45 minutes.)

Of course we all ran to the end of the finish line shoot to see her.  Mom got this great pic of us right after.  

I told her I KNEW she could do it!  We hugged, she kissed me on the cheek...I kissed her on the cheek... It was like licking a salt block!  I said, "UHM, you are digusting!"  She said, "I know - I am sooo gross!"  Her suit was like soaking wet with sweat.  GAG.  (Hello - I'm nothing if not honest!)

She kept saying over & over again, "You guys stayed for me!  I can't believe you stayed for me!"  Then she started to cry... & then I started to cry. 

 I said, "OK-NO TEARS!  B-rad - take our picture do we don't cry!!!"

Jaime Mac musings - Ironpeople are crazy

If you are a true loyal stalker (or are my friend on Facebook), you know yesterday was the Ironman competition in Louisville.  Butterflies girlfriend, Rhonda, attempted to kill herself participated.  We were there from when she jumped into the water at 7:00am until she crossed the finish line at 9:30pm.  

(UHM, we did go back to her house to nap chill for a few hours while she was on the bike...but our thoughts were with her the whole.entire.time...) 

Of course, there will be a FULL & LENGTHY post to follow complete with pics & commentary like only I can give...  But in the meantime - I need another post to up my numbers wanted to give you some real insider since I'm a expert now information on the Ironman.

You MAY or may not know the deal so here it is:  It's a 2.4 mile swim in the yucky Ohio River.  Then you run outta the river & get on your bicycle (whilst being soaking wet with yucky Ohio Riverness on you, no nap, no rest, no nothin') to bike 112 miles.  THEN just when you think you're finished - you're not.  You gotta run a FULL marathon of 26.2 miles.  Again, with no nap... I mean, really?! 

 If you lost count, that's 140.6 miles.  140.6...   If you ever see someone with a tattoo or vehicle sticker that says 140.6 that means they've done a FULL Ironman.  If you see 70.3 - that means they've done a HALF Ironman.  Sometimes you see a 26.2 meaning they've done a marathon...& others have 13.1 that means they've done a mini-marathon.  Uh, yea - I have a purple flower sticker on my car... 

Butterfly was a spectator this year so we had to put up with him all day we were able to see the day through a past participants eye. You would think for a guy who did it TWICE he would know something about something.  However, I knew more about what was going on than he did.  It was nice for B-rad to have someone to talk to rather than just hanging out with me & mom all day.  

There is NO DOUBT that it is an amazing thing to finish.  Of all the Ironman competitions that are held around the world, Louisville is like the 5th or 6th most difficult.  Whoa.  And unless you've been there from beginning to end (Tracey - holla!), I cannot begin to describe to you the electricity in the air.  The excitement.  The nervousness.  The sheer sound of all the spectators watching & cheering.  

Now-with all the excitement - there is also boredom.  And being hot.  And more being bored.  And waiting. And watching your phone for split times.  And lots of walking...and finding a decent restroom...And being bored some more.  

But all the boredom...all the sweat running down your back...all the walking is kinda SO worth it when you see your Ironman cross the finish line.  (Please pay no attention to Butterfly getting in my shot OR the crazy chick screaming in the video...)

Jaime Mac musings - why does Celine hate me?

Since you stalkers just LOVE hearing from me & because I need to start high tailing into overdrive to win the blogging contest - I've decided to start a new series just for you not for me.  

I think it's safe to say that if you have read my blog for like 5 minutes - you know I have opinions...about everything.  And usually I have no problem stating what they are.  And since I you think I'm hilarious.... we're gonna give it a shot.

The name of the series is still up for discussion....I picked 'musings' because it starts with an 'm' like Mac.  Compelling...I know.  But if you have ideas for when my blood pressure starts to boil & I have to vent what to call my gems of knowledge, please - let me know.  I will totally tell you if it sucks.

First - let me talk again about our Vegas trip.  We're going to see an over-priced concert - you know this already.  However - did you ALSO know who ELSE is going to be performing...again...during the same time frame we're going back?

UH, yea.  She's gonna be there the same time Faith is.  Maybe Celine was feeling a little left out?  Maybe she needed to start selling her own over-priced tickets again?  Either way, this bitch is KILLING me....

B-rad got an email from Ticketmaster about pre-sales for this concert like the SAME DAY I dropped the price of a small country on Faith Hill tickets.  I nearly died.  To make matters worse, I spent most the evening trying to convince myself it's the SAME show we already saw while B-rad kept saying, "You know you want to see her again.  You KNOW you're gonna buy tickets."  Yea - I hate him.

I ended the conversation with, "NO I'M NOT!  It's the SAME show we already saw...that's what I'm telling myself so there!" & slammed the bedroom door.  

Very adult of me, I know...

Can't win if I don't blog

I'm not really sure how I'm going to win the blogging contest that I've created in my head where I am trying to blog more than my loyal stalkers even though they don't KNOW it's a contest if I don't actually blog?!  So here we go with useless knowledge...

Butterflies girlfriend, Rhonda, is participating in the Iron-man challenge for the second time on Sunday.  Can I just say that I find this EXTREMELY sexist?   I mean, they should re name it to IRONPERSON.  (When we were in Hawaii, Rhonda had on a Ironman visor & everyone just assumed because she was with Butterfly that HE was the one competing?  Rhonda's a LOT nicer than me because she never would correct them... I would've told them what.was.up.)   

B-rad, mom, Butterfly will be making a special appearance& myself are going to cheer her on.  Butterfly is not doing it this year.  He decided that he would rather do more tri-athalons throughout the year rather than train ALL year for this ONE race. We will also be going to Rhonda's to nap (being a spectatur is exhausting), grill out & soak up the a/c while she is out there trying to kill herself.  She broke her collarbone in early June (riding her bike...yea - those things are dangerous!) & didn't know if she would be able to compete Sunday.  

Wave 3 did a great article on her.  You can read it here.  Rhonda really is funny about this kinda thing.  She doesn't want to be the fastest.  She doesn't care if she wins.  She just wants to have a good time.  

UHM, yea - Butterfly & I are all about the competition...

You may have heard on the news here locally about the kids who were in the accident from North Harrison. They were both seniors.  The one that was killed is the grandson of a teacher I had in high school.  I also wondered if I may know their parents...since I am technically old enough to have a 17 year old.  GASP.  His dad was a few years older than me in school.  He was killed on the back road just behind school.  Most the people I work with graduated from North Harrison as well & it's interesting now how we're all older & know how treacherous that road can be, but when we were in high school & invincible we drove it like maniacs.  Funny how as you get older you get WAY more perspective....

I am UBER busy with my nice little jewelry business.  I have been doing 2 shows a week for a month & have 2 more a week scheduled through October.  WOW is all I can say.  Sure - I may get ladies who cancel on me but that happens.  I try not to get too upset about it because it will give me a free night to go egg their house...  That's gonna help this gal right here pay for Christmas... & of course a short, cheap trip to Vegas.  Sheesh.

I have seen on another fun blog I read what she does called 'uncomfortable truths' & I LOVE it.  I'm not as funny as she is, so I might come up with my own thing to do so I can add numbers to my blog posts.  I gotta win this.  I will probably make it about stuff that irritates me.  I could go on about that kinda stuff for days....

Quantity not quality

At the beginning of the year, Ginmommy did a post about how many times she blogged in 2011.  And then she mentioned something about it at the Adult blogger date.  For some reason I had it in the back of my mind that we were all going to see kinda like a competition but not really who blogged the most this year.  

Weird, I know...

In my quest NOT to die at work from boredom - I decided to see who has the most posts so far...

Ginmommy has done 146 posts.... Tracey's posted 89 times.  JLL - you've done 125.  Denise you're at a whopping 152.  And me?  Well, I'm at a measly 64.  64?  Really?    

And drum roll please - Alicia hyped up on energy & carrots McAfee has posted 350 (gulp) times.  OH.MY.WORD.

And I got to thinking about my posts.  I talk a lot.  I don't deny it.  But here's one of my problem:  My posts are LONG & DRAWN out.  It takes some of you days to read them.  

Since I'm the biggest loser right now I am sad.  I don't like to lose.  So, from now on - you will be getting shorter posts.  If I can censor myself & lets all be honest - we know I can't.  

It's allll about quantity, people.  If we're I'm gonna catch Alicia - I've gotta up my game... 

You better get ready for some riveting jewelry show posts.... some posts about our cat.... more posts about me dying at work... I'm sure B-rad will do something I can talk about.... I just gotta keep 'em short & keep 'em coming.  Aren't you lucky stalkers?

Desperate times

Well, stalkers - we haven't had much going on this week unless you count me wanting to kill myself because I'm soooo bored at work.  Sure, they pay me just to sit here all day to do nothing & just look pretty, but it gets really old, really fast...

I'm so bored, in fact, I am desperate to have interaction with anyone.  I'm on facebook 9,842 a day.  I look at Twitter 6,395 times.  I even check Instagram like 9 times a day.  Sigh.  I've EVEN taken to going to YOUR blogs & stalking people you stalk.  Like I said - desperate times, people...

Yesterday was so bad that I texted a friend of mine (& I use the term friend very loosely...) who shall rename nameless Brian Groves because I knew he was home all day...not working...doing nothing...  

At one point I had to actually say to him, "C'mon - TALK to me!  I'm booooored!"  He gave me some lame excuse that he was out doing something.  Mmmm hmmm what evs...I can take the hint...

I'm finally to Friday & I can feel 5:00.  It's sooo close.  And I am giddy.  We have a fun weekend planned.

In order to fill up the remaining hours of my day, I've been thinking of things to blog about.  I could tell you how we worked outside a little bit last night.  B-rad scalped trimmed the hedges & I worked on scalping cutting back my weeping cherry that looked more like a hedge itself.  Is it the wrong time of year to do that kinda thing?  Oh, yea - I don't care.  

Have I ever told you I HATE yard work?  I do.  It's hot, it's dirty, it's got snakes - no thanks.... 

The storm came in while we were outside so we didn't have a chance to pick up all the schrapnel in the yard from our trimmings.  It kinda looks like the storm did it all...that should buy us a day or 5 to get it cleaned up.

I really should just HIRE someone to take care of it for us.  The mulching, weeding, etc.  I mean-I would be helping the economy, after all.  Sad thing is I'd much rather spend my money on Faith Hill tickets than my yard.  Hmph.

My mom's birthday is coming up.  I'm a big advocate of asking people what they want: 

A) I hate thinking about it forever.

B) I want to buy something they want.

C) I am NOT creative when it comes to gifts.

Mom told me a couple of months ago that she knew what she wanted for her birthday?  Perfect, where do I swipe my plastic card?  

She says, "I want to spend time with my kids."  WHOA.  PUMP THE BRAKES.  "I don't care if we all do something together or individually, but that's what I want."  

I replied, "I let you make me lunch everyday...isn't that enough?"

Sigh.

Of course, I was born without the creativity gene as well as the mommy gene, so I don't get it.  I really, really don't understand WHY she wants to spend time with us.  We're 34 & 36.  We're brats.  But whatever...

And I don't really care to spend time with her other kid so I had to be creative (greaaaaat) & think of something for mom & I to do - together.  

And I found it.

We all know I LOVE me some Princess Diana.  An exhibit her brother has put together of her personal items (wedding dress, tiaras, etc) is coming to the Frazier History Museum in September.  I told mom I would take her for her birthday & buy her lunch & all that nonsense.  My plan is to take a day off work & go over so maybe it's not so crowded.  It's a win win.  I get to see Princess Diana stuff & mom gets to spend time with her favorite child.  I am super proud of myself. 

So, if you're keeping score - I am #1- crazy & #2 - selfish... 

(Still wondering now why I shouldn't have kids?!)

Learning a new activity

We ventured to the lake again last weekend for some fun in the sun.  However, more importantly to B-rad, he was taking ONE of his Mustangs to run it on the track.  (Isn't it crazy that he has so many Mustangs we've had to come up with names for them so we don't confuse the two.  Be sad for me....)

There's an 1/8 mile track called 'US 60 raceway' that's only 15 minutes away.  So B-rad gets the best of both worlds.  All lake...all weekend...on the houseboat...with his family...wake boarding...me napping... & now RACING!  

Now-I told you a week or 2 ago how he bought Butterflies Red 2000 Mustang that had been totally made into a racing car.  We B-rad has another Mustang that's a 1999 Maroon one we bought from Daniel probably 10 years ago?  I think it was the summer they got married?  Geez, thanks, Daniel...

The Red 2000 Mustang (we haven't settled on a name yet.  We call it 'your brothers car', 'the red one', 'the turbo one', 'the one in the basement', 'the one that's not ready yet'...We really need to settle on something soon.) is NOT race ready yet.  B-rad's been doing some work to it, but Brian (his brother) took his 1989 Mustang to the track when the other McAfee's came down to visit a couple of weekends ago.  Since then B-rad has been itching...itching I tell you to fulfill his need for speed.

Since the Red car isn't race ready yet- he took the good ole 1999 Maroon Mustang.  This is the car that B-rad says I can drive anytime I want but doesn't mean it.   The engine is basically stock, however B-rad has made some other modifications like exhaust, adding a roll cage & other stuff I can't remember.  C'mon, people - do you really think B-rad has anything he doesn't try to change...except me?!

The boys went over early & us gals stayed back & rode over later together so we had a way to get the hell outta there when we got bored...  The first run I saw B-rad do was when he let his dad ride shotgun.  Notice the camera hanging down from the mirror?  That's for video....

 We've all met me & know I'm competitive...& that goes for B-rad too.  I want him to WIN.  And when this little pick up truck beat him, I was NOT happy.  I scolded him to which he responded, "That little pickup has a helluva engine!"  Funny thing is when we watched the video playback - you can hear his dad yell, 'You let him beat your ass!'   See, I'm not the only one...

 

 Brian let Cole run with him a few times.  See him there in the passenger seat?  He LOVES it.  He gets soooo excited!

 Brian lost a tail light during one of the races.  I thought it was funny because they had to stop everything & send the old man on a golf cart down the track to get it.  So the next time Brian was up - he had to get the light from the old man.  Talk about a walk of shame...

 

Now that we're Mustang racers again - I have to learn all the rules of this game.  Brady was trying to explain everything to me because B-rad can't stop for 2 seconds to let me ask any questions & I just wasn't getting it.  I finally said, "Ya know what?  Forget it...just when I learn the rules of one sport - he changes to another!"

Before they get to the 'line' some of the vehicles do burn outs.  Some of them create lots of smoke when they burn out...  

  Since I don't know the rules, I figured it was just because they were trying to be cool.  

You know how guys are...gotta see whose penis is biggest...

And obviously this guy wins that contest.  

Not only are they proving they have big penises, but apparently the burning out has a purpose...it's to get their tires sticky... who knew, right?

 Brian let Brady take his car down a couple of times.  Brady is 15 years & 354 days old.  He has his learners permit but having a valid drivers license for the track is for sissies...

 It was an epic showdown.  Brady vs. Uncle B-rad...

 And if B-rad had lost against Brady I would've taken his Mustangs away.  I mean, really....

 But Brady didn't care he lost...he was super happy just to do it.

 Then it got REAL fun because B-rad & Brian were up against each other.  Now-if B-rad had lost to his brother, I would've taken all his Mustangs away & THEN divorced him.  

Shame would've been brought to our household....

 Lucky for B-rad he's a good driver & has a fast car so he was able to dodge that bullet...  

  I just think this pic is super cool.  Yea, whatever, I'm awesome...I know...

 I told B-rad he should let Brady drive his car.  It's not like Brady could do anything worse to it than B-rad does.   

 And Mr. Excited was needing some attention too...

 Too bad he can't drive yet...

  Like I said...attention... 

This recent trip to the track has re-fueled B-rad's fire to get the 'your brothers car', 'the one in the basement', 'the red one', 'the one that's not ready yet' ready.  I'm not sure what more he has to do to it I don't understand therefore I don't really listen.  It may have to wait a bit because soon he's going to have to get ready to harvest all the corn we don't have.  That shouldn't take too long...