Happy 2nd Birthday Whit!

I can't believe Whit is TWO! Time has flown by and it is hard to believe that he is no longer a baby but a toddler. He is much more verbal then Kate was at two years old, saying many words and repeating almost anything you ask him too. He is very independent and will disappear in seconds off wherever he wants. He loves his daddy. He eats everything. And he is clever enough to get figure out how to get what he wants. He is very snuggly when he wakes up and loves his blanket and paci.

It is a real joy to watch him and Kate play together. Whit LOVES his sister and wants to do everything she does.

Happy Birthday little man! We love you so much!!

Nashville Country Music MARATHON

We did it!! My friend, Nichole, and I ran a MARATHON! Nichole (a good friend I have known for forever) and I traveled up to Nashville Friday afternoon. We basically tried to pump ourselves up for what would be the hardest thing we have ever done. First goal however, was to get to the Convention Center to pick up our race packets which was an easy enough task. When we pulled into downtown Nashville it was complete mayhem. I have never seen so many people in my life in one area much less the line around the building of people trying to get their race packets too. After getting our race packets we walked through the expo where we overheard a man say "biggest mistake of my life was not having sun glasses last year when I ran this race." Needless to say we headed straight towards a vendor selling sun glasses and bought some very stylish running glasses...I think they made us look more like professional runners!! :) Nashville does a wave start so that 20,000+ people don't trample each other to death when the race starts. We were in coralle 20. There were 37. This picture is looking towards the start line which you can't even see because we are so far back. I have never been a part of any event this big in my life...it was insane to see all these people.

A before race picture. When it was time for our coralle to start I was almost in denial of what we were about to do. We had trained for months and prepared all week with drinking LOTS of water, eating TONS of carbs so we felt like we were ready. Nashville is known for its hills. I have never been one to complain about running hills but Nashville was relentless. It wasn't that we couldn't run the hills it was that once you got up one there was another, and another, and another. However, we felt great about ourselves because we were passing people left and right that were having to walk up these little monsters.

Jason, my parents and my in-laws came up to support us. I gave Jason a little baggy of goodies with crackers, extra waters, bananas and more for us to be able to use if we needed to...we needed to. Ideal running weather for me is in the 40's. It was 65 degrees and when we finished it was 80 degrees. Nichole and I made sure to rehydrate every water station...we drank so much water it should have made us have to go to the bathroom a million times but instead our bodies were using every ounce of water we took in and after 20 miles we realized we had never even stopped once to use the bathroom yet.

It was a neat experience to see all ages, all body types out trying to accomplish a goal. We tried to encourage those we saw struggling and especially at the half way mark we were trying to rally those around us...really just trying to sike ourselves up for another 13.1 miles!

I would have never done this alone. I am thankful for Nichole and what a sweet friend she is. This was such an amazing experience and I am glad we accomplished it together.

When we crossed that finish line we hugged and teared up and then I looked at Nichole and said, "we don't have to run anymore!" We had pushed ourselves for close to 5 hours and then to know we had finished felt AMAZING! And besides the fact that my legs felt they could have fallen off my body at that moment they were so exhausted I really felt great otherwise especially considering the heat we had just run in.

I loved every second of this journey...it was so hard at times but worth every second!! And a BIG THANK YOU to my husband who never complained once when he had to keep the kids for me to go out for hours to run and train for this. I love you.

KD Shamrock Run and Pics of Kids

I only have a story to tell on this first picture and the rest of for your viewing pleasure. I got a letter in the mail about my sorority having their annual 5K Shamrock Run. I couldn't think of anything better then running in Auburn in support of my sorority from college. Except that running alone didn't sound fun so I got in touch with one of my pledge sisters, Mallory. The race was the weekend that all those big storms were suposed to be coming through Birmingham. Needless to say we were in no threat of a tornado but it ended up being cold and rainy. Mallory was a trooper and got out there with me to run despite the weather. Now you have to understand we are 30 years old. Most people who run this race are college students or parents coming down to support their child, so I knew that their was going to be this small chance that we could win our age group because our age group would be a smaller group. Well, Mallory and I ended running a great 5K in under 27 minuntes and the rain was even a little fun to run in. Mallory and I went back to the chapter room to hear the door prizes and winners. When they announced that the winners of the age group 30-34 and said, Laura Brantley and Mallory Wilson, we were thrilled. It was so fun to win and walk away with a prize! Of course shortly after we realized we were the only people in our age group...but hey, a win is a win, right?

Jan and Feb 2012

Unfortunately it is easier to take pictures with my iPhone and upload our lives on facebook these days. But I finally downloaded a few pictures of what we have been up to recently and it includes...

enjoying outside...

believing that we are babies and can fit in the babydoll pack-n-play...

going to the circus...

marrying the boy down the street...

enjoying outside...


FIRST HAIRCUT...



believing everything is a jungle gym...

spending time with my husband and sweet friends at dinner...



hope to be back soon...

26.2 Miles

It has been official since I signed up after Christmas but announcing it on the blog makes it feel even more official and like I can't back out now!

I am running a Marathon in April! The Country Music Marathon in Nashville to be exact. I always said people who do this are crazy and now I am one of them. A good friend of mine, Nichole, started running with our little group this past fall and it was actually her idea to do the full 26.2 miles. I didn't need much convincing since I had always thought it was something I would like to say I did one day...and here we are running day in and day out and logging more miles then I could have ever imagined. I have never felt so consumed with something...if I am not running then I am thinking about what I should be eating to fuel my body for running, or how I need to be doing more Yoga to stretch better or that I need to be drinking more water so I don't become dehydrated or how I should be doing weights to strengthen my muscles to help with my running or making appointments with orthopedics and chiropractors for all the crazy things that happen to you while you are running! And the list could go on.

But, I have really enjoyed running. I am part of a fun running group on Saturdays that I actually look forward to seeing at 6am in the morning. It has been a great way to get some extra weight off. It has really been a great time to just be in front of the Lord...even though some days I have to be honest with Him and tell him that I don't want to be alone with my thoughts and prayers...I would rather drown out any thinking with some good ole rap music.

So forgive my absense from the blog but I can barely muster energy to take care of my kids some days, much less update the blog. But I do have some pictures from the last few weeks that I need to get on here...so maybe soon. Wish me luck...I am going to need it!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! We had a wonderful Christmas and a very non-eventful new year! I think I was in bed by 9:30 New Year's Eve...sad, I know.

Just a small recap of the holidays...

Kate and her cousin Hannah are thick as theives. It is sweet to see how much they love each other. We loved spending the whole week with them but were totally bummed when they had to head back to Texas.


We all were generously given to for Christmas. Kate was super excited to get a new bike! And the raincoat she got from Jason's aunt came in incredibly handy as Christmas day was quite rainy here.


Kate's only request for Christmas was two watches, a princess watch and a Dora watch. If you ask her why two...she responds that she needed one for each arm! The princess watch is also a radio with headphones and Kate was pumped that now she had an iPod like mommy to go running with!


Whit has enjoyed all his toys and was a lot more fun this year at Christmas.

My mom took Kate and Hannah to Build a Bear over the holidays. We had never been there before and it really was a cute place. I never really cared to go before and now I am looking forward to when we get to go back. Hardest part for me was allowing Kate to make her own decisions on her bear and its clothes.

And unfortunately over this holiday season Whit has become addicted to the TV. He only wants to watch two shows and if it gets to a commercial and you don't fast forward through them he grabs the remote and waves it in your face until you do. Seriously? A 20 month old who can't sit through a commercial...we have created a monster! But at least he's a cute monster!

And the Angel said to them...

FEAR NOT! For behold, I bring you good news of GREAT JOY that will be for ALL people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a SAVIOR that is CHRIST the LORD

Wishing you and your family a very merry Christmas!

love, the Brantleys

Randomness...

This is the future Mr. and Mrs. Whit Brantley...our dear friends had a little girl a few weeks before we had Whit and we could think of nothing better then if they would grow up and fall in love and get married!!


I love that all the cousins love each other so much! Bryce and Kate are a riot together and we always enjoy when we get to spend time with him.


Kate had her school Christmas program the other week. It was such a sweet thing to see all these little voices singing priases to our King! No better way to get in the spirit of Christmas.

Some Pics of the Family

We spent Thanksgiving in the North GA mountains this year with my brother and his family. My sister-n-law has always been a great photographer and now is doing it officially. So we took advantage of the "family discount" and got some pictures made! If you live in the Atlanta area or farther north up the GA 400 you should give her a call. Amy has a great eye and extremely affordable pricing. Check out her website
www.amywhitlarkphotography.blogspot.com

Happy Thanksgiving from this little Pilgrim!

...and just because he is so sweet...


I just love how much Whit adores his big sister. I just thought this picture was so sweet.


Hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday. I know we have a lot to be thankful for around here!