eSpecially Ben

You’ll have to use your imagination for this football game. Too many kids in this video for me to post publicly. Scene: Ben and his class were invited to participate in a field day called, “Victory Day,” at another local high school. Ben was given a yellow shirt to wear for the day. Action: The teams are in formation to hike the ball. Ben gets the handoff. A teammate is ready to roll Ben down the field while his teammates block the opposing players. One player leaps at Ben but misses; Ben is rolling too fast down the field. Ben fumbles the ball but a teammate quickly retrieves it and puts it back in his hands. The announcer yells, “He’s in the end zone!” The players cheer! Note: Students' faces are blocked to protect privacy.

Why the Challenge? In my effort to turn 40 this year as a healthy, less stressed and fit woman, wife and mom, I challenged myself to run a race a month this year. I was inspired by another mom blogger who wrote about skipping her own doctor's appointments, gaining weight, eating poorly and then finally realizing that putting her own health in jeopardy was dangerous business for her entire family. I hope to spread this inspiration to other parents who may need to challenge themselves to take better care of their health. This can translate to mean more time with friends, reading a favorite book at the coffee shop alone, taking hikes or enrolling in a cooking class. The challenge for parents is to put themselves before their families once in awhile to enjoy something without feeling guilty, anxious or regretful. Race Update I finished my second race, a 5K at UNC Charlotte .  It was a tough one because of the hills. I expected them, but had not trained well for them. My trainer