Kinda Scary!

Well our house is officially on the market!!! We met with our realtor today and the sign is in the yard. I think we are actually having an open house next weekend too!! YIKES!! We have a few things to "fix" up and we should be good to go. Definitely need advance notice to clean and pick up a little, but other than that, let the potential buyers right in!!
On the flip side, we have been looking at a few open houses here and there, and it's a lot harder than I thought. We find cute houses, no basement, or basement and lots of work to make them cute!! Hopefully we'll just get our place looked at enough that we get some offers b/c ultimately we can't move till ours is sold right!!!
So I'm excited but scared a little about this adventure. We are SOOO ready for the next step and a much needed, bigger house...but at the same time, we've never sold a house before, so it's kinda nerve racking already and we just put the sign in the yard today!! :)
Everything will work out for the best!
That's it for now. Can't wait for my brothers quick visit pretty soon to pick out tuxes and then their wedding is right around the corner!!! YEAH!!
Lastly, please keep my cousin Taylor in your prayers, as I feel every bit helps. As her baby grows, so does our love for him along with the pain for her and her family along with baby Nathan and his fight for his life! We love you all!!

That's done

So I ran my 1/2 marathon Sunday morning and I finished pretty good I think. I really hadn't trained specifically for it at all. After I stopped training for the Ironman I kinda just went back to normal working out, I threw in a couple long runs and that's about it. So I wasn't expecting much going into this race. I've run it 4 other times in the past and actually this year was the best time, different course, but best time so far. My hip did ok. About mile 8 it started hurting pretty bad, but kinda came and went throughout the rest of the 13.1 miles. I finished in 1 hr. 35 mins. I won my age group and I think someone told me I was the 5th woman overall. There were about 2,000 people running the race, and I think that's the most entrants ever so far for this race. It was pretty fun overall. Now it's time to back off a little per doctor's orders, in order for my hip to recover and start re-attaching my muscle to my bone. So just bike, elliptical, swim for me for a week or so, then back to running. I think I can do those 1/2's anytime....full marathon's.....well we'll see when that next one will be!!!
After the race Brett and I went around town to some open houses. We are randomly looking a little for a new house. We have to first get ours on the market, but its time to move on. We need more SPACE!!!! I LOVE our little house if we could only add on 2 rooms and a basement and make a bigger kitchen, not asking to much to a townhouse!!! So we are pretty excited about the change if it all works out. We are pretty much expecting to stay in Lawrence at least another year, per Coach Self's request and hopefully a nice compensation for Brett's salary. So as long as everything goes right, we'll be here, but hopefully in a bigger house!!(can't cram any more things in closets or garage or laundry room!!) So wish us luck and keep us in your thoughts for finding something great in our price range!!!

Un-Real

So I don't know how we are so lucky sometimes, but I guess it's the people you know....

Last night Brett and I got to go to the Jon Bon Jovi concert w/ Coach Self, Cindy, and a few administration people. They picked us up in a limo and we were off to the Sprint Center. We drove underneath the Sprint Center and parked where the bands buses were and they escorted us inside. They took us to this private room and there were a few people sitting around little tables, and there was food and an open bar there too. We were told Trisha Yearwood, country singer, was going to be there too, and we wondered why, but.....so we went in, sure enough, there she was in the corner drinking some hot tea and talking to someone. So I was like, wow, I'm in the same room, like 10 feet away from Garth Brooks wife!!! We sat down at the bar, had a drink and then coach and Cindy went and met her and I soooo wanted to take a picture with her, but thought I would play it cool and just sat and drank my drink. Eventually she came and sat down like 4 bar stools from me on the other side of Cindy Self and they started talking a little b/c Garth went to school w/ Cindy in Oklahoma. She was signing her cook books that were sitting on the bar too. So I went over, brave me, and just introduced myself, why miss this chance, and she was soooooooooo nice. Just an ordinary woman, hanging out with some girlfriends for the Bon Jovi concert. (we asked why she was there, and she said she was w/ her friends and they also have the same manager)(made a little more sense) So we chatted, and I was really collective about it, didn't act like a big dork I don't think. She gave and signed all of us a cookbook, so that was just the start!!! Very cool.

Coach had a suite, so we were told we would be heading up there. First we had to go give Jon Bon Jovi a KU jersey w/ his name on the back. So they escort us over to the area and Coach Self met him and had their picture taken w/ the entire band and then just Bon Jovi. They kinda scooted the rest of us over, b/c they were "in the zone" and we didn't want to mess that up, that's what they told us. So we were like, cool, they they are arms length away and coach just got to meet him. Nice.

We went up to the suite, Chris Doughtry (American Idol contestant) opened for them and then after we had seen them downstairs they went on, so we got to see the start under the stage and then had a blast in the suite!!! It was really funny b/c it was a lot of middle aged women mostly and then we went to another suite and the area over there was some younger people, so they ranged all over of fans. I went in thinking, "yeah...this will be fun, why not go, Bon Jovi is cool....don't know any recent songs but his oldies are sweet"...............well I had a blast and knew a LOT more than I thought.

So towards the end of the concert, one of the last songs he put on a National Championship hat and the place erupted w/ cheers and said "how do you like being National Champs....I think I'll have a drink w/ Coach after this...." and we were like YEAHHHHHH, it was soooo cool.

So it ended and coach asked me, did you hear what "Jon" said and I said I did, I think you are having a drink w/ him. Sure enough, they took us downstairs and WE MET HIM!!!!! He was sooooooo nice, a little guy, about 5"9"", but soooo cute. He shook all our hands, talked to us, was VERY thoughtful and just cordial about everything. We were down with him for a good 20 mins or so. Richie Sambora came by too, so crazy. Bon Jovi had coach Self sign the jersey he gave him so he could give it to his son. So here it is...our picture with Bon Jovi.........

We met 2 famous people last night, hung out with them, had just had a blast. We partied a little more in KC after the concert and made it back to Lawrence pretty late...thanks Steph(she babysat)

Feeling it today, really tired that is, but it was worth it, who gets to ever do that!!!

It was really fun just "hanging out" with Coach Self too, b/c it's usually a different setting, so that was fun and we had fun conversations.

So there you go, thought I would share our night out. Great to be National Champions!!!

So Fun!!

So we had a blast yesterday during the parade downtown. There were some 100,000+ people estimated to be on Massachusetts street all the way down and back to the Field House. It was unbelievable and such a fun experience. Brett and I had a sweet old 1955 red car (not sure what it was, but it was sweet) And we rode right after the truck load of managers/support staff/etc. So it was funny we had our own car, and for me especially weird b/c everyone was probably going..."who is she", but every time Brett got a "That's Brett Ballard....I love you Brett....Brett Ballard", he would turn to me and say "yep, I still got it!!" What a dork, but it was a blast. We left Kaden with his parents and sister, who were along the side at a point during the parade and as soon as he saw us he started gleaming and it was sooo cute. I wished we would have taken him with us, but it was pretty chilly and if he would of gotten fussy, there wasn't' much we could have done.
I think I've sent the links out to most, but Kaden was pretty "famous" during this ride of the Final Four, he made the ljworld.com at the welcome home celebration at the football stadium...http://kuathletics.cstv.com/view.gal?id=26822 and while we were at the Championship game he also became famous with making sports illustrated.com (along w/ my brother and myself)....http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0804/campus.superfans.0409/content.7.html
We saw a lot of friends and people we knew along the way, so that was fun for me, otherwise I would just wave every once in a while and just sit in awe of how many people LOVE KU basketball. The dinner and banquet afterwards was really nice too, but it was a long day and I was ready to go get Kaden.
Now that the majority of events are all over, maybe things will settle down a little. Mainly for my sister and Brett, they have been just swamped and are ready for a little break. We are for sure looking forward to a vacation in August sometime. Summer camps start in June so after a week or so, Brett will be hitting hard core on all of those, so not to much break after becoming National Champs!!!
Coach Self is staying at KU, YEAH!! We have no clue what we are doing, hopefully in a few weeks we'll find out what is all going down in the office and what's the best situation for Brett and our family. So as of right now, we are still Jayhawks (well, we'll always be, but at least for our living circumstances)
On another note, my brother is getting married in 2 months!!! Wow, I really can't believe it, and as my Brett says..."they've been married for like 6 years already"... well they have dated about that long, but it's for real now, and I'm SOOO excited. I need to start that "wedding" diet, or at least getting bridesmaid dress ready, I cant wait.
I think I've posted before, but I'm not doing the Ironman in June anymore, but I am still doing the half marathon and it's actually next Sunday, so we'll see how that goes. I haven't at all trained "correctly" for it, but I'll just do it to do it and go from there. Just need my hip to get through it and then I'll take a couple days off.
Thats about it for now, hope everyone is doing great and we definitely can't wait for some warm weather here, love you all!!!

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!

What a ride!!! So, I know everyone wanted me to post and see how things went, and I've tried a few times to get on this and I couldn't ever sign on. So now I'm at work this morning and this is the first thing I'm doing so I won't get harassed, jk.
I'll start off with the chant that kept being done on our bus after Monday's game....(put the tune in your head) National...whoop whoop, Champions....whoop whoop, KKKKKK UUUUUU, whooo!

We had a BLAST in San Antonio. For obvious reasons, but regardless we had such a great time.
My brother got in to San Antonio on Friday afternoon, we went to open practice, amazed when we first walked in at the arena, then went back and started exploring everything around us.
We had a block party right outside our hotel where the street was blocked off and a stage, concession stands and TONS of people hung out everyday all day. We saw Kid Rock in person, and heard Taylor Swift, 3 Doors Down, The Roots, and a few more on that stage, it was soooo fun. We did a LOT of walking on the River Walk and shopping a few times at t-shirt stores and even found a little Final 4 tee for Kaden, so cute.
Brett's parents made it in and we started hanging out with them on Sat. morning. We did a lot of eating and I didn't do as much running as I thought I would, but when I did run, it was nice..shorts and sleeveless t's! They were excited to see Kaden and get to hang out with him too.
Brett T. and I went to this Hoops thing across the street from us to with Kaden later in the afternoon and it was like an interactive bball experience....lots of games/activities and t's for sale. We also got to see Danity Cane (sp?), which was the group of girls that P.Diddy put together on Making the Band 3&4, so that was fun b/c we watch that at home.
So the Carolina game was unreal and such a shock to a lot of people, myself included. Kaden slept through the entire game. Before he fell asleep though, he and I got on the huge jumbo tron in front of thousands of people, it was fun. It was kinda awkward starting the game and looking over at their bench and seeing all those coaches and wondering what they were thinking too, but oh well, we wanted the WIN!!! And we did, so we get home and partied up in a suite while Brett T. got to babysit, well just sit there, while Kaden slept. It was fun.
Next morning, did more of the same stuff on the River Walk, and then my best friend Meghan calls and says she's heading our way....her and Tyler got some tickets from some UCLA fans and were making the trip down too, I was soooo excited that they got to come.
So we hung out, ate alot again, walked the River Walk, and did all that stuff. I got to go out with them that night and just have fun w/out a child attached so that was fun too, thanks Brett for babysitting again!!!
We went to the Alamo w/ Brett's parents and walked around/through that, which was kinda cool, then also went to the Market Square a few blocks away on this trolley, and that was neat too. Just a lot of little shops and eating places, so it was fun.
In between some of this Kaden got REALLY fussy, wouldn't take naps, really squirmy, and just not himself, so we had the team doctor check him out and once again bad ear infections, so he wrote us a script for meds and we got that started, which seemed to help and now we've got to figure something out so we can stop all this sickness!!!
Monday night........wow!!! We walked into the the Alamo Dome again and again I was in awe of allllllll the people there and how loud this stadium got. It was unbelievable!!! What a game is all I have to say! I and many others, even some coaches thought we were done w/ those last 2 mins left, and somewhere, somehow we did it. We had some determined players, some luck on our side and a lot of determination!! WE WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!!!
Kaden slept through the first half and was awake the entire 2nd and overtime, bless his heart. We made the jumbo tron again too, so he was our little lucky charm. There was so much jumping, screaming and excitement by me that he probably couldn't even try to get back to sleep. He loved it though, he was really good. As soon as the game was over we got to go down on the court w/ Brett and Kaden was more in awe with the streamers and confetti, than he was that we just won, he'll appreciate it someday!!! Lots of fun and more partying when we got back, so our bed looked really good when 4:30AM rolled around.
We made it home Tues. afternoon and straight from the airport to Memorial Stadium we went. I had no warm clothes ready for Kaden and when we stepped out of the bus, it was FREEZING here, stunk!! So we go to the football locker room and get ready w/ all the players to go on the field and all I had was Brett's championship t-shirt, so we put that on Kaden and off we were to the field. As we walked out there were some 25,000 fans in the bleachers and it was soooo loud. As they were doing speeches, announcing players and stuff, Kaden was ready to run around, so w/ his big-t on he ran around on the field, wanted to see Big-Jay and Little-Jay, but got scared when he got to close. Here's the link though that one photographer caught of him on the field, my kid is sooo cute!!!...http://kuathletics.cstv.com/view.gal?id=26822, scroll through, you'll find him.
So we had a blast, I'm sure I'm forgetting some things, but overall......what an experience and what a ride.
ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!!!!

San Antonio

So we made it to San Antonio!! Kaden had an ok flight, screamed the first 10-12 mins, but then was passed out the rest of the flight, felt sorry for those right around us, oops!!
We made it here last night. Got situated and Kaden and I took a little stroll on the river walk, I got some food to go and it was 9pm when we got back to the room, so got him bed ready, bottle, and off to sleep he went, I ate my luke warm dinner, yuck and off to bed I went. I think Brett got back in the room around 1-1:30, I think.
So this morning, I got to go run outside, yeah!! I started on the streets, but ended on the Riverwalk again and it goes on forever both ways, so back and forth and up and down stairs I went, it was nice though. So who do I run into....Coach Williams and Coach Holiday!! YEAH!! I was really excited to see them. I saw them walking as I was going towards them, and I thought to myself, surely they wont remember me, and I have no makeup on, sweaty, yucky....well if anyone knows Coach W., he remembers EVERYONE! So he immediately said....."Well, well, Kelly" and I said hey Coach. So we chatted and he gave me a hug like 3 or 4 times, asked about everyone, Coach Holiday was Coach Holiday, chatted as well and off I was until he yelled back and asked if Steph was here and I said no, so he came back and gave me another big hug and told me that was for her, soooo sweet, man I love those guys and as much grief as everyone gives him for leaving and all that, you can't take away what a GREAT person he is and how CARING he is for others. So that was fun and I told Brett and he said he wished he saw him, but maybe tonight.
So we have this banquet thing w/ all the teams and coaches and stuff I think, tonight, so he's hoping to see and talk to people there. We get to leave Kaden w/ all the other kids and Lauren and Taylor get to watch them, yipee!!!
The Riverwalk was already crowed and so fun today when Kaden and I strolled for an hour, then walked again later in the day for about 30mins. I hear that it'll get crazy packed starting tomorrow. There were soo many coaches, ESPN people, news/media people, soooo fun.
My brother gets to go to the game w/ me and Brett's mom and dad are coming down to for the game. My brother gets in tomorrow afternoon, so we'll get to hang out on the river walk and go and see things. We want to see the Alamo, and its like 2-3 blocks from our hotel so that'll be fun. I'm excited to see my brother and I know he's excited for this little trip and to see Kaden.
Brett's family gets in friday night, so we'll probably see them sat. morning and all hang out sat before the game, then its' game time at 7:45...AHHH, I'm already getting nervous. We can do it though, and I'm soo excited to be here.
Kaden is taking a nap right now, so thats why I'm posting, not sure when I'll get another chance, but I'll do as much as I can when I can.
Take care to you all and love you all.
ROCK CHALK JAYHAWKS!!!