Katie & Dave, Ocean City, an interesting night, a new jogging stroller, and 13.1 miles

Last weekend we had a visit from Travis's sister Katie and her husband Dave.

They had planned their visit several months ago around the Ocean City half marathon, figuring we could all drive out together and spend a leisurely weekend in Ocean City and we could run. ALL of us. Fortunately Travis & I were (secretly) aware of Baby #3 at the time and just registered me for the 5K (quite a relief because frankly I don't think I could do 13.1 miles. Ever.) I'd been running 3 miles on an almost daily basis so this would be a leisurely little jaunt for me. Right? Well I kind of miscalculated how pregnant I'd be by then - I was thinking like 3 months, but really it was 21 weeks. And if any of you have seen me lately you know that I just put on the majority of my total pregnancy girth within a 4-week period. It was interesting.

Anyway. Katie & Dave got in Thursday night and did a quick tour of DC Friday morning before we packed up the car and headed off to Ocean City. None of us had ever been to the Maryland coast before. Crazy huh? We've lived here 4 years! Our favorite part of the road trip was the Bay Bridge. (Copyright insertion: Thanks to Katie & Dave for giving us ALL your pictures of that weekend, because somehow we ended up with a total of 3 on our own camera. I don't know why.)We had to stop frequently for food (my fault) and during one stop for pretzels Brooklyn had a little choking/vomiting episode that should have been a foreshadowing for later that night... We checked into the hotel (we all piled into one room) and made a bed for Kate on the floor while Brooklyn slept between Travis and I.

(Brooklyn's faking.)

Sometime around midnight I was awakened by Brooklyn violently throwing up. Luckily Travis has cat-like reflexes and in one motion had scooped her up and rushed her to the bathroom, before either she or I were even fully conscious, I think. Unfortunately for him, he hadn't brought any pajamas and was sleeping in his running clothes for the next morning, so... yes he had to run in them for the race! Poor Brooklyn was a little out of sorts all weekend, including a fever on Sunday, but we attributed it to the vaccine she got at her check-up on Friday (which we hadn't even thought of until afterward). And I'm sure that was exactly how Travis wanted to spend the night before having to wake up at 5 a.m. to run 13 miles.

Us, before the race

So the next morning we were off to the races. Katie, Dave, and Travis were pretty energized and high-spirited, all things considered. I was just tired and hungry. Their race started 30 minutes before mine, so we were able to snap a couple pictures.Then the girls and I were off to the 5K starting line. I got some incredulous comments about running 3 miles with 3 kids on board (or 2.5 kids, at least), but as it turned out we weren't the only jogging-stroller participants. In fact, I wasn't even the only pregnant woman pushing a jogging stroller! This one was pretty impressive because this other girl was 10 weeks more pregnant than I was! Right as the race started, Brooklyn decided she wanted to be held and started to cry. And the screaming continued for the first 2 miles. (The third mile, she fell asleep.) But otherwise, it was really a nice little run, along the boardwalk as the sun was rising and before the crowds were out. I made my goal of running the full 3.1 miles, thanks to this AWESOME jogging stroller (also a bike trailer) which made pushing 2 kids feel completely effortless. I love it.

Afterwards, the girls & I loaded up in the car and drove to the half marathon finish line. The drive alone exhausted me, thinking about how FAR AWAY it really was! Travis & Dave had already finished by the time we got there, but we passed Katie on the way (and got to cheer for her from the car windows) and we got to see her cross the finish line! Way to go, you three!!! That is some serious stamina.And post-race
(Apparently they don't give medals to... people who didn't really run that far.)

We spent the rest of the day doing a little sight-seeing around Ocean City, since none of us had been there before. The girls LOVED the beach!

And for lunch, pizza!

Dave & I (the only foodies of the group - everyone else had to be coaxed to eat anything, at all, ever. Must be a Lundell thing) made sure that we stopped at the little ice cream shop we had seen on the way in. When we passed it on our way home, we even made Travis turn around so we could partake in this little bit of local Ocean City culture...

(Dave enjoys his shake in the background)
You know you've been married a while when you choose the same ice cream flavor. (And... dress alike.)

The next day (Sunday) after church, we toured Arlington National Cemetery. We paid a visit to my grandpa and saw the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We even stopped at the airplane park on the way home, but by then it had turned cold!

Thanks for the awesome weekend, Katie & Dave! We miss you already! Please visit again and maybe next time I'll run, uh, a 10K with you!