Christmas Eve 2012 (And Other Stuff)

I ran 6 wonderful miles yesterday morning, the longest distance I have run since October 13th!  I felt fine all day yesterday - no aches or pains whatsoever. Although today should have been a "rest" day (and I was probably tempting fate by not resting), it was so cool and dry this morning that I just had to get out and run again. We haven't seen cool(er) temps like this - 75 degrees and 57% humidity - since last winter and it certainly won't last more than a few days. I know I would have regretted not getting a run in. I ran four easy miles and enjoyed the beautiful weather while rocking out to Air Supply and Barry Manilow. I am probably one of the few people who can write that sentence and still hold my head high! 

The boys played amazing baseball for the first three innings of the 2012 Bangkok Christmas Classic championship game yesterday. Unfortunately for our team, there were six innings of baseball to be played and we just couldn't keep it together after the first three. When we played well, there were some great hits and we had excellent plays in the field. Our defense was really strong for the first three innings. I don't think we even made an error in the field and we were able to hold them scoreless until the fourth inning. Then the errors and poor fielding (on our part) and the great hitting (on the other team's part) began...

Our team photo (minus one player who left for vacation yesterday morning). Photo courtesy of Marybeth Smith - our coach's wife and the mom of one of Chris' teammates.

The pre-game handshake. Again, photo courtesy of Marybeth Smith.

Christopher played most of the game at 2nd base...

Christopher pitched (not so well) the last inning and a half until he reached his pitch count (135 pitches) for the tournament. At his first up-at-bat, he had a nice line drive to left field to get on first base. A few plays later, he scored a run (our only run of the game). 

 On first base.

On second base.

In the dug out after scoring. He just wants me to get the camera out of his face so he can drink his Gatorade in peace.

We ended up losing 10-1. Christopher was pretty disappointed but, by the time he got home, he moved on to thinking about bigger and better things. Like his birthday presents!

For his birthday, Christopher decided that he wanted to ask two friends to go to dinner with us to a Japanese restaurant. Sorry these pictures are worse than usual. I forgot my camera and had to use my phone. In addition to the funky lighting in the restaurant, I was taking these photos across the table and over the smokey barbecue grill.

The boys (Kevin included) ordered several plates of different kinds of meats that they then cooked over the grill. His friends both speak fluent Thai so we had no problems ordering and getting exactly what we wanted. I had sushi and Caitlynne had pork teriyaki with garlic fried rice. 

 

 

For dessert, we went to Dairy Queen for ice cream. For the last couple of weeks, Christopher has been pestering me the green dipped cone and wanted to have that for dessert rather than a cake. 

We did pick up an ice cream cake to have for dessert after our Christmas Day dinner. I am cooking - still don't know what - but  at least I know dessert is taken care of. 

This afternoon, we are heading downtown to pick up a few packages from the Embassy mail room, do some last minute shopping and then go to Mass and out to dinner. 

Have a wonderful Christmas Eve!