'Tis the Season Cross Country 5k Race #3, 2 piano recitals, and Chocolate Houses

This morning was a very cold morning.  But I bundled up because a free pair of shoes was on the line.  I love shoes and free ones are the best kind!  

We met down at Pioneer Park for the race start, after taking a glance at the water we were expected to run through (which was frozen over by the way) I was dreading the race and wishing I was wearing full length tights instead of carpi length.  

As the race started I wasn't feeling so great.  It was so cold my eyes were watering and my lungs were hurting.  I got passed by some people who haven't ever beat me in races before.  It was a little discouraging, but the thought of free shoes kept me running.  

The water was tough.  It was freezing cold and it hurt my shins.  It came up to about mid thigh on me and it was hard to go through.  The course was a loop so I had to go through the water twice and I got passed by people both times.  I think the guys had the advantage there, it didn't go as high on them and they had more muscle to push them through the water.  It stopped me in my tracks both times.  

I could hear Wade behind me as I was coming to the finishing line.  I was running as hard as I could but my wet/frozen shoes and legs weren't responding very well.  Luckily I had just enough to not be passed at the line.  

After I finished the race I looked down at my shins and realized why the ice hurt so much, I had a lot of cuts on my shins!  The cold numbed my legs so quickly I didn't even notice until I looked.  

It took about two hours, but after my legs thawed they really started to hurt!  I guess I won't be wearing a knee length skirt to church like usual!  

I ended up being the first woman overall again, although with the slowest time of all the races in the series, with 23:38.  I remember when running a 5k that fast on the road was unbelievable to me, much less a cross country race through frozen water and having stiff legs for most of the race (my feet didn't even feel like they were mine, it felt like I was running with bricks).

The race started at 9, and I had a piano recital to get to at 10, so I ran from the finish line straight to my car where I drove home, changed quickly (bonus of running in the winter, no sweating) and headed to the piano recital.  Amazingly enough I got there before it started.

My two students did a fantastic job!  It's so fun to see all the hard work they've put into a piece.  I am glad they both went up and played their songs, even though they are super shy and a little nervous.  They were wonderful.

Not too long after my student recital I had to head out to play in my recital.  Yes, I teach piano and take piano lessons, that may make you wonder how qualified I am to teach piano, the answer is I'm not very.  Anyway, although I perform all the time I get super nervous at recitals for some reason.  I played my piano piece 90% well, except for the one time when I made a mistake that no one would have noticed except for the giant aargh I made.

Yeah, I'm professional all the way.

The last violinist that performed at the recital was this cute petite 16 year old girl who played this incredibly amazing concert quality piece.  It was incredible.  I can't remember the name of the piece, but it happens to be one that Vaughn and I listen to all the time.  I just love the piece.  She was amazing.

After the recital I hurried home because we had a date with Jason and Terra to make chocolate houses again.  Terra and I love candy so much that we don't even bother with gingerbread for our houses, we make the whole thing chocolate.  By we I mean Terra because I am useless.

Yeah, I'm super awkward.  Don't you want to be my friend?

It was a super busy day, but filled with amazing activities.  

Life is great!