2011 Boston Marathon Expo

On Sunday, we went to the Marathon Expo to pick up my bib number and my packet. The expo has a bunch of running related vendors that give demonstrations and/or free samples as well as things for purchase. There were also some speakers and panels. I think the expos are pretty fun, actually. We spent quite a bit of time walking around there and Brian was my personal paparazzo during the event. :) We also were able to meet up with Steve, Jonelle, and their baby, Annabelle at the expo and then again later for a pre-race Italian dinner.

It was a little overwhelming walking into the expo. I had the "I can't believe I'm running the Boston Marathon tomorrow" feeling.

Here I am picking up my bib. ID is required!

Then, onto get my packet which had some samples and my marathon shirt.

2011 Boston Marathon! You can try on your shirt and then switch it out for a different size if you want. It's really great that they have that option.

Brian and my dad talked me into getting the official 2011 Boston Marathon jacket. I'm glad I did or else I would have felt really left out at the airport on Tuesday when all the other runners were wearing theirs!

My dad and I were listening to a lady talk about ionic bands or something like that.

Brian got his picture with Dick Hoyt who pushes his son in a wheelchair during races. There were a lot of running "celebrities" there including the editors of Runner's World Magazine and Danny Dreyer, the founder of Chi Running.

I'd been having problems with my right foot for a while, including while walking around the two days prior to - and during - the expo. Luckily, while I was at the expo I found a miracle cure. Seriously. I had the KT Tape guys tape my foot which helped (but ended up causing some blisters). But the real winner was the calf compression sleeves I tried. I tried three brands while at the expo and the 110% Play Harder brand was amazing. After only trying it for, literally, seven minutes, my foot didn't hurt anymore. I was sold! It was such a blessing, too, because I was pretty stressed about how I was going to make it through the race with my foot pain.

After we got home, I set out all of my things so I'd be ready to get out the door by 5:30am the next morning!

Sightseeing in Boston

My dad and I flew into Boston on the evening of Thursday, April 14th. On Friday morning, after sleeping in (yay!), we headed to the subway to go to see John Adams' house in Quincy, Massachusetts. However, after we made the trek out there, we found out that it didn't open for tours until April 19th. So we headed to the JFK Library and Museum.

After that, we went to Faneuil Hall to get something to eat. Then, we went to a movie (The Conspirator). It was SO cold and windy out that we just wanted to get inside and be warm!

This is the view from the JFK Library. I didn't take very many pictures on Friday.

Brian got in late Friday night (well, early Saturday morning thanks to some strong winds in Dallas) so we slept in again on Saturday (yay again!). Then we went on the Freedom Trail walking tour. It was interesting but it was really cold again. The wind was pretty brutal and reminded me of living in Chicago.

Our guide was a great a great history teacher!

One of the stops was at the Granary Burying Ground where some famous patriots are buried including Paul Revere.

John Hancock is also buried there.

You can see all of the headstones lined up even though there are thousands of bodies buried randomly all over the cemetery.

The stone says "Revere's Tomb." People put pennies and rocks to show respect for the dead in the cemetery.

My dad and me with our guide in the background.

This is where Samuel Adams is buried.

This is the Old State House right in front of the Boston Massacre site. That balcony is where they first read the Declaration of Independence (and still do every 4th of July).

After the walking tour, we went and got some Chowda at Faneuil Hall so we could get warm! It was a lot busier there on Saturday than it was on Friday as more runners (and families) started making their way into the city.

After we warmed up, we headed out to Harvard to see what was so special about the place. It was admitted student weekend, so part of the band was out playing. They were really good, actually! They happened to play the perfect song while Brian got his picture taken: "Where in the world is...Carmen San Diego?" Brian loves that song.

Brian and I walked over the bridge to check out the business school. I thought the wood was beautiful. Honestly though, I felt like Harvard was much the same as any other campus I've been to.

When we walked out of the b-school, we saw they were having an activity on the lawn. In about 5 seconds, Brian spotted his friend, Benn. Brian knows him from undergrad at BYU and he's now in the MBA program at Harvard. Random!

Pretty view crossing the bridge over the Charles River.

Wes' 4th Birthday!

Wes' birthday is April 16th, but since Brian, my dad, and I were going to be in Boston on his actual birthday, we celebrated on Wednesday, April 13th. We celebrated at my mom and dad's house since the kids were staying there with my mom during our trip and we were leaving Thursday morning.

There's so much anticipation about birthdays when you're young! Wes was glad his birthday was finally here!

His blue four birthday cake, as requested.

And it had to be a Darth Vader cake. It's hard to tell, but the light sabers are lit up, too.

Wes thought long and hard about his wish before he blew out the candles!

Onto the presents!

Wes was so nice to let Sydney take a couple of turns opening his presents. She even opened the one that was from her. It was pretty sweet of him!

She got him a blue Lightning McQueen...exactly what he wanted!

Grandpa and Grandma Hanks joined us via Gmail video chat so they could enjoy the party and see Wes receive the bike they got him for his birthday.

Opening more presents!

This was his big present from us: GeoTrax for two years running! I should have gotten a video when he first opened it because he said, "GeoTrax, just what I wanted!" He is great about being excited about presents.

Thank you hugs for Grandpa Swensen!

Wes was super lucky to have Great Grandma Smith in town for his birthday party.

My four-year-old! I love watching my kids grow up. It gets more and more fun and entertaining every year.

Wes is almost up to his dad's belt buckle!

Before bed, Brian read the kids a poem/story from Where the Sidewalk Ends (while Wes brushed his teeth), which Wes also got for his birthday.

And this picture has nothing to do with Wes or his birthday, it just happened to be the same day. I guess this is a four generation picture and Wes turned four, so there's the connection!