Life's a Brie-ze!

Brie has had a pretty amazing past couple of weeks. Here's what busy kids on the move like Brie are up to these days!

For starters, she and her Girls on the Run team completed their Practice 5K. It was so exciting!

We did it! Ready for the real 5K!

The girls got so much encouragement and support from the entire elementary school. Go, Maple Dale's GOTR team!!

And here are the four runners from our neighborhood. Go, Storybook!

While training for the race, Brie often went into school an hour early for play practice. She got the part of Mrs. Vanderpants the principal in the 3rd grade play: Notebook of Doom, Rise of the Balloon Goons! Brie and I had a blast finding the pieces for her costume. Thanks to our two favorite thrift shops, we got her whole outfit for about $15 (she already owned the shoes)!!

Then it was 5K time! The girls had a delicious pasta team dinner... 

And watched a slideshow of the season.

What a sharp looking group of coaches!!

In the meanwhile, we survived an entire day with no power. Thanks so much, ice storm! Luckily, the grandparents were visiting, so we made do with our gas fireplace and board games in the basement!

Then it was time to run the actual Girls on the Run 5K in downtown Cincy. Since Tony's folks were visiting, they watched the boys and he came downtown to run with us! It was cold, but we were psyched!

 

It was thrilling for all of the girls!

Brie and her favorite coach paused during the run to snap a selfie in front of the U.S. Bank Arena. See you in May, NKOTB!!

 Brie and Tony heading for the finish line!

We did it!

Brie and Ellen stuck together for the whole race!

Because of the ice storm, Brie's play with postponed...by two weeks! Luckily, they scheduled a dress rehearsal for Monday, so Tony's folks still go to see Brie in the show.

And then finally it was showtime! Here are Grady, Lucy, Brenna and Brie...ready to perform!

Mrs. Vanderpants and Alexander (Lucy)!

Alexander (Lucy) and Rip (Sarp)!

Singing and dancing...

And playing music! The show was wonderful!

And, last but not least, it was our turn to host the neighborhood book club in November. The girls read Who was Harriet Beecher Stowe? by Dana Meachen Rau and then we all visited the Harriet Beecher Stowe House here in Cincinnati. Brie's friend Magnus is the House's very first youth docent (at the young age of 13)!

He gave a great tour and presentation!

You've been busy, Brie, and you make it look easy! And that deserves some ribs at Montgomery Inn!!