May Stuff

This month has flown by and we have had so much going on lately.  I can't even believe it will be June 1st tomorrow!  

Lauren had skate night with her school.  Although she is not a good skater she really wanted to go to see her friends.  However, not too many from her class showed up.  We stayed for a while, I helped her skate, she cried a lot but insisted on staying...go figure?  

Amelia had a rainbow ice cream sundae party.  3 girls from Lauren's class were at the party.  The girls had so much fun.  

Isn't this a great art project?

I picked up some flowers to brighten up the house for a weekend.  They were awesome to have around.  

Library night at Lauren's school.  Lauren got to pick out 20 books to have a home for the summer.  The girl loves to read and has read several of them already.  

This one has been a real bear to get to bed this month.  I know it will pass but she has been up to no good for too long.  This is what she needs at night:  

Keep her light on until Daddy comes in to give her a kiss

She does not go potty before bed.  She does not need to.  After the lights are off and she is tucked in she gets up once twice to go potty.  Every night.  2 minutes after she is in bed.  

She needs a drink of water, after she goes potty.  

She needs a Kleenex, to wipe her tears.  Tears because she has been yelling for Mommy and Daddy for the last 20 minutes and we are to the point where we are ignoring her.  The Kleenex are in our bathroom.  

Mark told her that is takes us a while to get into her room so she need to wait a few seconds before yelling again.  She started yelling "Mommy" and then we hear her counting...1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,14,16,17, 18, 20...etc...then she yells again "Mommy" and starts counting again.  She is good up to 12...then she misses the same numbers every single time.  Hilarious.  

One night she was a zombie.  I was upstairs getting laundry put away and I saw  her in the hallway.  I asked her what she was doing and she said "I am a zombie."  So I said, "OK zombie, what do you need?" "I need to go potty."  "OK, zombie, go potty" And off she went, walking like a zombie into the bathroom.  Hilarious. 

One night, at 2 in the morning she was in the bathroom yelling for us.  She had gotten up, needed a drink, and could not get the water on.

We have had several parties at 2 in the morning.  Addison says "I not tired"  And she is not...she is wide awake at 2 in the morning...not fun.  

I picked Lauren up from school on the last day.  It seems so long ago and it has not even been 2 weeks yet. Time just flies!  

We went to Orange Leaf for our afternoon snack.  Lots of families had the same idea.  There were tons of kids there.  

OMG she is the cutest thing ever.  We were waiting for Daddy to arrive to soccer practice.  Addison thinks she is not stuff when she gets to sit in the middle where there is not car seat.  And Lauren likes to sit in Addison's car seat.  I really have no idea why!  

We got new summer jammies.  

We enjoyed ice cream at Deana Rose and had to take a picture to show Daddy, who was off golfing.  

After the Amy Thompson run on Monday we went out to the Legends to do some shopping.  Only for Mark.  He needed some new summer clothes before vacation.  He found some great stuff at the Polo Outlet.  He is completely spoiled.  The girls had fun playing in the fountain while Mark shopped.  

We had lunch at Five Guys Burgers and Fries.  It was SO GOOD.  

The Girls Run

Mark and the girls have cheered me on for several races.  I don't think they have missed one yet.  I love it for several reasons, but one on the main reasons it to be an example for the girls.  Lauren asked to do a race with me, so this weekend I signed her and Addison up for the Kiddie race. 

Lauren's shirt says "I don't need your Attitude, I've got my own."  Unfortunately for her, that is perfect right now.  Once I signed the girls up for the kiddie race I knew they needed running clothes.  Isn't the Nike stuff just adorable :)  

Little ms. uncooperative would not let me snap a picture of her in her running outfit...so this is all I got.  It is still cute.  

After my race ended we headed over to the grassy area near the Pavilion and waited for the kids race.  There was free cotton candy for the kids and they loved it!  

KC Wolf and Slugger were everywhere.  Lauren kept chasing them around, playing with them, waving to them and letting me take as many pictures as I wanted.  Addison was way to scared to go any where near them this year.  

Addison was very content in Mark's arms.  

Addison was a little scared of her race too.  She did not want to run by herself.  I think mainly because KC Wolf and Slugger were right there.  So, Mark ran with her and held her hand.  It was so sweet.  

Then is was Lauren's turn, the 5 and 6 year old kids.  Lauren smoked almost everyone at this race.  

For each age group they moved the rope back farther and farther for the older kids.  When her race was over the 7 and 8 year old kids were getting ready. Lauren said "I want to go again.  I want to go that far" pointing to where the ending line was for the older kids.  So she went to the starting line and ran again...She had a harder time keeping up with these kids.  But, she still loved it, and was actually disappointed that she ran in the grass.  She told me she wants a real race, like me.  So I think I am going to need to find like a one mile race to sign her up for.  

The girls got ribbons at the end that said first place.  Neither one of them would cooperate and take a picture  for me and show me their ribbons...until Courtney (our neighbor) came along and then they were great.  Don't you love how Addison is holding up her ribbon to show me...just like I asked her too!  

Thanks again Mark for dragging the girls down to the race.  Parking 1/2 mile away and still seeing me at the 1 mile mark and the finish line.  It is so great to have them there and so great to have them running as well.  

Oh at the end when we were walking back to the car the girls were complaining because the car was so far away.  Addison said "my legs hurt from my run.  There were lots of hills."  Hilarious...she totally heard me talking to Mark about the race and the large amount of hills.  She is too funny! 

Amy Thompson Run

Today I ran the Amy Thompson 8k (5 mile) Race at Loose Park.  This is the first time I have done this race and it really was a great race.  It was small and family friendly, but drew a good crowd.  It was NOT my best race, at all. Not by a long shot.  My overall time was 50:45, which is about a 10:10 minute pace. 

Mark and the girls were at the finish line waiting for me.  I love this picture that Mark took. 

The race started at 8:00.  We got there plenty early and went to the bathroom twice.  We walked around and scoped out the starting and finish line.  We noticed that the finish line was uphill, nice.  Oh, and the starting line was too.

At race time it was close to 80 degrees, a nice warm morning.  We started on time and I could tell RIGHT away that my legs were off.  I tried to shake it off, told my self to just let my legs get warmed up.  We started up hill as well, so I was hoping my legs just needed some time to wake up.  The first mile was around Loose Park.  It was not too crowded and I just stayed to the side and let others pass me.  Mile 1 was 9:49.  I was hoping to see Mark and the girls at a certain spot, but they were not there yet.  I was so bummed.  I knew they would be at the finish line though.

With my legs feeling off I had a lot of disappointment.  I remembered how good I felt at the Trolley run and knew I was nowhere close to that feeling or that running pace today.  I decided just to keep going and try to focus on something positive...like the fact that I WAS RUNNING and it was great exercise. 

About that time, just a little over one mile, I saw Mark and the girls.  They did make it down early to cheer me on during the race.  I picked up Addison and gave Lauren a high five and kept on going.  It was go great to see them.  They gave me a little burst of energy. 

Mile 2 was 10:17.  We ran through the neighborhoods south of the Plaza and Brookside.  The houses were gorgeous, but the hills were ridiculous.  They mentioned rolling hills...and there were SEVERAL.  More than rolling hills in my book. 

Mile 3 was 10:27.  I was hot and thirsty at this point.  As I was running I was trying to think of ways to improve my speed in the future.  I am not a fast runner and I know I will never be an 8 minute mile runner, but I would like to find a way to have a pace of 9:30.  Usually on race day I can do that but not this morning.  Maybe I need more speed work, maybe more cross training, more stretching???  I really am not sure since I am just an amateur runner, but I am sure going to do some research and see if I can pick up my pace just a little bit. 

Mile 4 was 10:09.  I got some water, heard the new Katy Perry song (I repeated it 3 times) and realized that the race was over half way done.  I knew the end was closer and I could push a little bit harder.  At this point I was running on Ward Parkway, which was nice a flat.  A nice change from the neighborhood hills.  One thing I am very proud of is that I ran the whole time.  No walking from me.  I know a lot of runners walk off and on throughout races and they is how they train, but for me if I stop and walk it is hard to get going again. 

Mile 5 was 10:02 and that gave me a negative split (I ran the second half faster than the first half.)  The second half was flatter, except the last mile.  Up and down a few more hills and the finish line was uphill as well.  Once I turned the corner I actually sprinted up the hill...as fast as I could sprint as least.  I was looking for Mark and the girls and they were at the end of the finish line.  It was great!  I heard my name announced as I came across the finish line and that was great too. 

My running buddies, Jenny and Casey (Casey and I went to high school together!)

My cheerleaders, getting ready for their race.  Which deserves a post of it's own.

So, not my best race at all.  My legs were not in it.  But given the heat and the hills I am happy with my time and my pace.  I am going to do one short run this week and then Hospital Hill on Saturday.  Hospital Hill is going to be a great race.  I have some goals in my head that I hope I can reach! 

Memorial Weekend

We have had a great weekend so far and it not even over yet!  Saturday afternoon we hit the pool and had a ton of fun. 

What is it about the pool that makes you starving?  We packed lots of snacks...

Sunday morning we headed to Deana Rose Farmstead.  It is pretty far away from our house so we don't get there too often.  We met up with a friend of mine, Kelly, and her daughter Quinn. 

 

Addison was not too sure about feeding the baby goats...

She watched Lauren for the longest time, realized it was OK, and then gave it a shot.  She fed them for a little while and then decided to let Lauren finish her baby goat bottle.

We visited the barn and actually got to see the cow being milked.  The girls really enjoyed it and there was a lot of good things for them to learn...

A quick picture of the girls.  They had fun playing in the barn, going down the slides, watching the bunnies, pigs, buffalo, eagles, cows, roosters, geese, ducks, and butterflies....Addison spent a good amount of time chasing butterflies.  It was so sweet!

My beautiful little poser...

After lunch we hit the ice cream parlor.  Yummy...

We made one last stop in the old time school house and the Indian reservation.  Lauren took a field trip with the daycare last summer to Deana Rose.  She remembered SEVERAL thinks about the Indian reservation.  It was amazing what she retained and what she was telling me.  Her memory amazes me. 

A quick nap on the way home and they were awake and ready for more fun as soon as I pulled into the drive. 

Now...I am off to bed.  Race Day in the morning.  I have to be up in 7 hours! 

Let Summer Begin

Now that school is out Summer is officially here!  I totally stole this idea from Erin, at Sunny Side Up Blog, who lives in San Diego!  She has an Addison too and we joke about how our Addison's are very much alike! 

I sat down with the girls over the weekend and came up with lots of ideas for summer.  Of course, many things are related to our summer vacation...ride on an airplane, go to the beach, Disney land, Sea World, and the San Diego Zoo, but many of the things are right here at home.  Paradise Park is on there twice.  They really want to go to Paradise Park a lot.  

Most if the things are centered around the girls, but there are things for Mark and I as well.  Mark is doing a sprint triathlon this summer (if he can get the biking thing figured out!) and he hopes to golf a lot.  I hope to scrapbook, take a photography class and make lots of summertime bows.  And of course run.  I have two runs coming up next week!  The Amy Thompson 8k (5 miles) on Memorial Day and Hospital Hill 5k on Saturday June 2nd.  Yep, I signed up for Hospital Hill again.  I think I said last year that I would never do this race again..., but I changed my mind.  This year I am only doing the 5k however.  I have absolutely no desire to do the 10k right now!

We have lots of Memorial Day weekend plans as well.  Summer is going to be fun!

Wordless Wednesday

Kindergarten is Over....

I sit here in amazement that I just dropped Lauren off at school for the last day of Kindergarten.  I took the day off to pick her up, take her out for ice cream, and then do something fun.  Again, another memory I want my kids to have when they grow up and look back on their childhood years.  I hope to always take the first and the last day off of school.  I hope to have Christmas Break and most of Spring Break off as well.

This weekend we went though her journal that she kept over the year in school.  It looks like they wrote in their journal several times a week.  Friday night she sat down and read EVERY single journal entry.  It was awesome! 

"My cousins came over because their swim lessons were at Legacy Park.  We watched them.  They did good!  They live in Nebraska.  I had fun watching them.  They swim good!" 

 

When I asked her to give me some memories about Kindergarten, this is what she came up with: 

I like recess because you get to scream

I like lunch because you get to eat jello

I like Mrs. Fiedler because she gives us directions and "the substitute does not do that"

My friends are all the girls, and Gabriella is my best friend

I liked cookie day

I love read to self time and I can read for 20 minutes.  That is a long time

I like playing smart board games

I like writing

I love centers.  Board games, over head, math, fishing and the computer

Computer class is fun because you get to make a calendar

I love to paint in art class

Music is fun because we get to watch videos about singing

PE is my favorite because of games and racing

Lauren has excelled in more ways than Mark and I would have ever thought.  Kindergarten is so much more that numbers, colors, shapes and letters.  A lot of activities were sent home for summer to keep the kids on take and ready for the next year.  Mark and I have already come up with a summer plan for school work, and of course Lauren does not mind at all.  She loves school and the work that she can do to keep herself smart over the summer. 

Addison was very excited for the last day of school as well.  Addison is convinced that we are leaving for California tomorrow.  She knows that our summer vacation is after Lauren is out of school, however not the next day.  She is going to be so disappointed when I take her to Child Prodigy tomorrow and not to the airport to catch an airplane. 

Now, let summer begin!