on the 13th Day of Christmas....
Dec 13, 2012

....my True LU gave to me.....
.....13 LUs under 13...
Are you ready for this????
Let's begin with little, little LU poster girl -- AILA MOYLAN. AILA is the sweet little first born of proud mom and dad JAYME and KELAN MOYLAN aka LU Charter Members 33 and 34. AILA is now proud and helpful big sis to twin brothers who, Grampa Moylan says, are the future Doubles Wimbledon Champs. AILA already has her first Title -- for inspiring the most "awwww's" at any given showing of this pic!
OWEN PAUL -- this is a kid who is just going to DO stuff. Growing fast and furious at 2 years old, OWEN is packed full of energy. LU sources report that he is quite the dare devil. They say HE HAS NO FEAR. He recently broke his foot while taking commands from older sister PAYTON to leap off the stairs. OWEN is obsessed with riding his bike and, during the winter, rides his stationary bike in the basement (we wonder where he got this idea -- from Super Dad and Pro Triathlete JEFF PAUL maybe???) or goes for a spin in the garage. Let's see -- tough, determined, absolutely fearless of any challenge -- remind you of anyone?? The Crew thinks OWEN is maybe a little chip off the JEFF block?? Becoming his own OWEN block. OWEN loves trucks, cars and watching yo gabba gabba! Oh, and one more note - we're told he kinda digs dogs too!
MAYA WHEELER -- besides being one of those children who when you see them, you almost can't believe a kid can be that beautiful, MAYA's beauty radiates from the inside out. LU sources tell the Crew that MAYA possesses the kind of pleasant, giving demeanor that just makes you smile. MAYA recently became a big sis to BROKLYN and sources say she is she is an outstanding bedtime storyteller - specializing in Christmas stories! With mom and dad (fellow LUs JANE and KENNY WHEELER) teachers, and coaching Girls Track at Pleasant Valley School, and also the Long Blue Line, aka, PVGXC, aka LU Charter Team #1, aka Pleasant Valley Girls Cross Country, aka 2012 Iowa Girls Cross Country State Champs, MAYA has role models bountiful!
PAYTON PAUL - this little LU cutie is the big sister who dared little bro OWEN to jump off the stairs, landing OWEN with a broken foot! PAYTON is 4 1/2 years old and in preschool. She loves learning, Barbies and coloring/crafts. This past year, PAYTON has started to enjoy running and often wants to lace up for a lap around the block. She ran 10:40 in the mile at the recent Turkey Trot (whoa that is FLYING for a little 4 1/2 year old!!!). She is very proud of the medals she has earned and is trying to coach her little brother into trying a race. Um...have you seen this little girl run?? We have. PAYTON is ALL IN when it comes to race time. The LU Camera Crew witnessed her run the entire LIVE UNCOMMON TORCHLIGHT PARADE -- 4 MILES -- in little pink flip flops!! Like she RAN the entire way! PAYTON has focus and determination. And talent. The crazy-fast, crazy-intelligent, crazy-nice JEN PAUL is PAYTON's proud mom and we would say PAYTON is a JEN "mini-me", but PAYTON is definitely her own girl, carving her own, Uncommon path.

LANDON and TAYLOR MIGAWA -- veterans already to the road race, these two UNCOMMONers represent in the 1 MILE distance events all over the the region. LU Crew recently spotted LANDON with mom at a race in Iowa at midday, before heading to Illinois for an afternoon race event. Nice! LANDON and TAYLOR are two who are LIVING UNCOMMON at home, in school, on the race course, and volunteering with mom and dad (LUs STEPHANIE and TROY MIGAWA). And no wonder -- dad and mom LIVE UNCOMMON too, and mom just happens to be one of LUs esteemed Race Teamers, aka Heroes of the Movement. LIVE UNCOMMON tips its hat to LANDON and TAYLOR (and mom and dad too, of course)!
SARAH PAUL -- is a girl already excelling in Balance! She has to - she is one busy girl! SARAH is 6 and is --- Daisy Scout, Soccer girl, Swimmer (with LU Charter Swim Team - BPVA), Runner (loves to run with running-buddy PAYTON PAUL), IRONKID Triathlete. Wow! And that is all on top of being an outstanding daughter, sister, student, and all-around super nice, helpful girl! We did mention that she's only 6, right?? Well, again, this a is a lucky girl with a Super Mom -- AMY PAUL is -- among many other things -- teacher, runner, LU Race Teamer, aka Hero of the Movement. So, SARAH sees how it's done. And then does her thing. Uncommon style. Right on, SARAH!
MAGGIE KILBURG -- is an super active, super versatile 7 year old. A busy 1st Grader starting basketball season this very week! MAGGIE takes after mom (and fellow LU) MARY -- talented in Tap, Jazz and Ballet Dance. Have you ever tried Dance steps?? It is NOT easy, and it IS a workout! MAGGIE is also in Gymnastics where she is being promoted to 'Super Star' level. Hey, we already knew that MAGGIE is a Super Star!!
SOPHIA KILBURG -- is accomplished by any standard. Throw in she's 12 years old and this girl SOPHIA is nothing short of amazing and UNCOMMON! SOPHIA is in 6th Grade where she is an exceptional student, and in Band. She is an outstanding at piano and plays for Jazz Band, as well as "just" piano. SOPHIA is also a Ballet & Jazz Dancer. This fall she auditioned for, and made, the Holiday Pops Children's Choir. Sources tell us she loved performing at the iWireless Center with the QC Symphony. SOPHIA is now working hard to prepare for the upcoming piano competition season. Good luck, SOPHIA!!! Oh, one more tidbit about SOPHIA and MAGGIE KILBURG -- we have seen these two on the track, and, well, they are QUICK!! Just one more thing these two Uncommon girls can do well! Of course, their dad IS superfastie STEVE KILBURG. Nowadays STEVE confines his running to a meager 10 miles or so on the treadmill PER DAY! but when he was road race competing --- um, this guy could NOT be beaten. Like WAY fast. STEVE is co-propietor of esteemed running store - RUNNING WILD, from which all LU NIKE gear springs.
ADDIE FORD -- you may have seen young ADDIE in the news lately. ADDIE and mom SHANEY brought their significant forces to the Movement last summer. ADDIE got in some gear (of which she has long since outgrown) and she went about her way, doin her thing wearing the LU flag. We spotted her in the news a week or so ago and tracked her down. The Crew went out with notepads in hand to get the scoop on UNCOMMON ADDIE and got the low down from those who know her best. Our sources tell us that some very specific words that come to mind when they think about Addie -- fierce, determined, competitive and beautiful from the inside out. We're told that from the day Addie was born, she was determined -- she was born over a month before her due date and was only 5 pounds! but little ADDIE very quickly proved to be a very fierce bundle of joy who was, thankfully, healthy and happy. ADDIE has grown into a beautiful little girl. She loves all sports and is very competitive. ADDIE plays soccer and basketball for Dad's Club. Addie participated in the local Punt, Pass and Kick contest just on a whim. (This is the stuff that was in the news) ADDIE's Family happened to be at a local event for kids and ADDIE saw there was a contest and let her mom know she wanted to compete in it. She won at locals, sectionals, and recently won the Team Championship in Chicago for girls age 6 - 7. ADDIE has a drive in her that is a little Uncommon, she won't stop until she gets it right. We're told ADDIE always has a smile on her face and seems to exemplify everything for which Live Uncommon stands. When her mom heard about Live Uncommon last year, her mom says she was on the website and ADDIE asked her what she was doing. Her mom explained what Live Uncommon was and ADDIE said she wanted to be a part of Live Uncommon as well. The rest is history, and although she has long since outgrown her LU shirt, ADDIE still carries her string bag to every practice she has. Pretty cool, huh? Yup. ADDIE FORD is pretty cool in the LU book. We've got to get you some more gear, girl!! P.S. on this story -- ADDIE's mom SHANEY is one amazing role model -- she an another fellow LU volunteered in Haiti!! Right on, Team!!!
LOGAN PAUL -- okay so check out all this guy does -- Cub Scouts. Baseball. Tackle Football. Soccer. Running. Swim Team (swimming for LU Charter Swim Team - BPVA Piranhas). IRONKID Triathlete. Recent (and very impressive) achievements include: making the Bronze Team in Swimming, and running in his first 5K -- the Run With Carl (he LOVED it, by the way, and is planning on future 5Ks). In his second year as a Rising Knight, LOGAN was the starting Center for the Red Team of Rising Knights Football where his team went 6-0 and tied as League Champs! LOGAN was named to the All Star Team in baseball, where his favorite position is 1st Base, and also won the Sportsmanship Award. LU sources clue in the Crew, reporting that LOGAN would often congratulate opposing team players for nice hits, and once informed the opposing 1st base coach that his player's shoe was untied. Right on, LOGAN, we sooo dig this!! By the way, LOGAN has an incredible dad to look to as a truly Uncommon example - LU JUSTIN PAUL is one heck of a nice-do-the-right-thing kinda guy. We dig him too.
LAZARUS HENSCHEN -- this guy is wicked cool. LAZARUS is a Roller Derby kid and his derby name is Kitn 'O War. He's part of what they call the Orphan Brigade. This is a cool group of kids who skate roller derby and then do good stuff in the community (like volunteer at the animal shelter and whatnot). Oh and we went to a practice and Number One - it looked super fun....and Two - these kids were sweating something fierce -- it's obviously a good workout. So all these kids at this practice we went to were really, really cool kids. Like they were super polite and respectful and appreciative that we were there to talk with them. It was really pretty humbling, we must say. Okay, so that's the Orphan Brigade. But we're talking about LAZARUS. So this group was cool, right? Well, this kid in particular - LAZARUS - is really cool. He and his mom volunteered at the LU Adventure Race this June and at night took part in the LU Torchlght Pararde with their whole Family. But here's the thing -- lots of individuals from the LU Crew have had the pleasure of meeting this kid LAZARUS on different occasions here and there, and, well, he's just super cool. He's different, ya know? He is just "HIM". And, well, this sounds like a broken record, but, that's just pretty cool. To just BE YOU. Whoever YOU are. LAZARUS does that - he's just HIM. Who's "HIM"?? He's polite. He has the courage to speak up when a situation isn't congruent with the LU values. HIS values. His mom says LAZARUS has called her out for not LIVING UNCOMMON a time or two!! (and we know his mom - LU ELLONYIA YENNEY and she DOES in fact LIVE UNCOMMON). Let's just say he's not just wearing the gear, ya know? He's LIVING the Life. Pretty cool. Yup. We like LAZARUS.
MADDIE CASE -- Maybe you've heard of MADDIE CASE? If you haven't, you will. If she's written about in the paper, they will probably write something like this: "Maddie Case is an up and coming cross country and track star...." That info will be accurate of course, but it will not tell the whole MADDIE CASE story. MADDIE IS an up and coming cross country and track super star. She's actually not so much "up and coming" as she just "IS". Right here, right now. MADDIE is the Iowa State Champion for 7th Grade Cross Country. Um...yeah. Do you know what that means exactly?? It means MADDIE is THE FASTEST 7th Grade girl in the entire State of Iowa. Pretty big deal. And she's winning a bunch of road races too now -- QC Marathon 5K, Lagomarcino's 5K, Red Cross 5K. Those are just to name a few. You get it - MADDIE is fast. But that is not ALL she is. No no. LU sources tell us she is this kind of girl -- does her homework on Friday night. Friends with everyone. Nice to everyone. Resposible big sister. Keeps her room clean (um.. we actually SAW this. It's true.) Appreciative. Wait, what? Appreciative. She has this amazing, supportive, loving Family all around her and she really appreciates them. Here's the thing. MADDIE runs fast. And MADDIE runs fast because......SHE CAN. What?? Here's the deal -- MADDIE's mom -- she had this form of bone cancer in her leg back when she was still in high school. The kind of cancer that gave odds MADDIE's mom wouldn't make it through. But.....she did. And fast-forward a bunch of years and MADDIE's mom married MADDIE's dad (high school sweethearts) and had three amazing girls (MADDIE is the oldest). Her mom cannot run anymore. MADDIE can. So MADDIE does. And she does it fast. And now she does it for the 2013 LIVE UNCOMMON Race Team. Which means she is running to raise awareness and dough for the Charity that means alot to her - MAKE A WISH. MADDIE CASE - she's wicked fast. But more than that, she's wicked Uncommon. And she, like the 12 other ONES on this page, and like YOU --- are going to CHANGE THE WORLD.
We're going to tell you more about the 2013 LIVE UNCOMMON Race Team, and MADDIE's role on the 2013 LIVE UNCOMMON Race Team, and the other Heroes on the 2013 LIVE UNCOMMON Race Team, and YOU potentially on the 2013 LIVE UNCOMMON Race Team, in a future Day of Christmas Uncommon.
But for now, know MADDIE CASE is on YOUR Team -- on Team LU. With AILA and OWEN and MAYA and PAYTON and LANDON and TAYLOR and SARAH and MAGGIE and SOPHIA and ADDIE and LOGAN and LAZARUS and YOU. And that is one heck of a Team.
One more word --- although we mentioned the proud parents of these 13 amazing and truly UNCOMMON LUs, we purposely did not include any of their pics in this release...because...these 13 UNCOMMONers are UNCOMMON in their own right. They are their own ONE. Know what we mean? That being said, LIVE UNCOMMON does firmly believe that young ONES are usually a shiny reflection of what they see around them -- YOU. Shiny apples from the tree. YOU are the tree. So today, on this 13th Day of Christmas Uncommon, we saLUte these 13 ONES. And we saLUte those of YOU who are leading, guiding, investing....
So we were planning to bring you a 13, 12, 11, 10, 9 Days of Christmas to get us all caught up with the verses of this nice, snappy little tune, but..... the thing is, who wants to share a page with these 13 UNCOMMONers?????
Seriously, do you really think anything else we could talk about would get its due attention when these 13 are on the same page??? Um....probably not.
So...for today, this 13th Day of Christmas, and for THIS version of this nice, snappy little tune, (this is LIVE UNCOMMON, right?? which means we get to do everything we do outside-the-box-follow-no-template-UNCOMMON-style, right??)
.....well then, this is how THIS version of the 31 Days of Christmas Uncommon is gonna go ----
.....on the 13th Day of Christmas my True LU gave to me.... ....13 LUs under 13 who are so amazing that there is no 12th, 11th, 10th, 9th Day.....
....8 LU Endorsed Foot Race Events in 2013...... ....7 LIVE UNCOMMMON Series Races in 2012...... ....6 vaLUes of LIVE UNCOMMON.... ....5 Dudes named NICK... ...4 Friends of FRANZEN.... ...3 LMTs..... ..2 ROBERT BEARDSLEYs..... ...and JEN and JEFF PAUL in RUSSELL CONSTRUCTION gear!!!

you know you can sing these again and again and again by clicking on the links attached to the verses above, right? you can also find them on the calendar on the HOME page too. Get busy singing along!