"X" Ceptional Run

"X" is always a tough one for me at Ms. Jenny's but because a mother needs to lsiten more closer when her youngest son speaks I have to share the most "X" citing news for Nick! He is going to run at Nationals! All that hard work is paying off! I am so happy for him! He is an "X"cellent runner and of course, the coaching staff and his team mates help in the effort to run your best race! I love these ten commandments for the runner. Nick was quite a junk food junkie and late night kinda guy and he learned in order to succeed you have to give up things that drag you down and pay attention to the things that pull you up! I am "X"cited that he will finish this XC season on a high note.

Nick has always been grateful for the talent he has. He knows it is God given and only works when he does what he needs to do to try his best to beat his last personal run! He has been consistent and I smile when I think how far he has come. He has been blessed with amazing and "X"cellent role models in the many coaches he has worked with! If we had never met Coach O'Shea  and he had not mentored Nick in high school, I doubt that Nick would have stuck it out. The coach has "been there and done that" as they say! So all the young teens learned from someone who had been exactly where they were. In track and field, Mr. and Mrs. Hammerschmidt were also a great team and worked hard with each individual to pull that specific talent from them. In college there have been three amazing coaches to mentor Nick. Coach Baily who coaches the Kansas Wesleyans and is one amazing man of God helped mentor Nick and find his spot on the Cowley College team. Coach Phillips (Track and field) and Coach McDougal) XC  have worked hard to see that Nick maintains his grades and keeps his schedule  for running on track! Both men are "X"cellent role models and having gone to Nationals with XC last year the "X"citement of it all is overwhelming and yet a terrific memory maker for a young man or woman!

Before I close let me share a few Halloween memories with you.

Here is Hannah's Graveyard Pudding! I whipped this up for her last night. She is very sad if she does not get her Halloween treat! We didn't have gummy worms so we improvised with deadly Scorpions! But they are not real so no will get hurt as long as they don't try to eat these plastic insects!

 This image of witch hat cookies is a little better than mine! I forgot to put my witch hats on my organe dinner plates so....

My blue plate doesn't make them stand out like the orange plates do! I made these in dark and milk chocolate treats!

This is a Minion! My co workers little brother was sporting this hand made costume. His folks did a terrific job fashioning this out of a trash can! He looked so sweet that even the doctor we work for took his photo!

Pre said it best when he said "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift." He was the greatest runner of my era.

My final share today Nick with his hero Bernard Lagat at the Nike SouthWest Invitational 2011 in Arizona. Nick won the open boys run in his senior year of high school and now he is writing the latest chapter of his running career so I would appreciate your prayers and good wishes as they head to Nationals in Fort Dodge, Iowa November 9th. Teammate Eli and Nick both earned all conference honors in the 8k run  last week end. Nick would appreciate any kindness you can send their way as he and Eli prepare for their final XC run with Cowley College.