Run, Run as Fast as You Can!

Our little man (if I can still call him that), has been a running fool!  And, we are having so much fun watching him grow and mature in his skill.

On Memorial Weekend, he ran the Med City Kids' Marathon.  The intent was for the kids to run 1 mile 25 times during the month leading up to the race, then run the remaining 1.2 miles the day of the race.  We didn't quite get the 25 miles run before the race due to soccer practices and rainy weather, but he did a great job on his 1.2 mile run on Memorial Weekend!

Last week, we attended the first All Comers Track Meet for the summer.  These events are SO fun!  And, I think the rest of Rochester agrees, since the event has been going on for 44 years:)  It was a beautiful night and Luke ran the 50m, 100m, and 200m.  He and one other 8 year old boy were neck and neck in each of the races, but Luke ended up with second place in all three.  You should have seen the determination on his face.  He was SO intent on winning at least one of the races, but now he has extra fuel for future weeks at the All Comer Track Meets:)

On Saturday, Brent and I ran the Go for the Gold 5K and Luke ran the kids' sprint races.  This is also a fun event that Luke and I ran last year.  This was Brent's first run of the spring/summer due to some knee issues he's been dealing with, but he did well and made it through without issue.  I was glad to beat my goal by nearly a minute!  Luke ran the 50m, 100m, and 200m again.  In the 50m, he ran against 8-9 year old girls because there were no boys in his age group.  He got first place (and told us after that he would have been embarrassed to lose to girls;)).  So, in the 100m, we told him he could run with the 10-12 year old boys.  He did a great job, other than getting tripped up on the turn (the race was 50m out and 50m back and he turned the wrong way into the other runners).  But, he still finished second!  Finally, in the 200m, he was on the ball with his turn (they ran 100m out and 100m back) and won handily over the 10-12 year old boys!  He was so excited:)

200m Race

It has been SO much fun watching him run:)  He's really enjoying it and had a lot of fun running with friends (different ages and sex so never in the same races) as well.

Father's Day Tribute

We were blessed to spend Father's Day with both of our dads:)

We shared lunch with Brent's parents and his brother, Troy, and kids.  Brent got some snuggles with the kids and we even got a pic with Kerry, Brent's dad (that's not a very common occurrence:)).  

She's not missing out on this action!

Love

They were sitting sweetly together,
then I took the camera out...

Photo creds to Luke

Need an angle with the entire outfit;)

Daddy & Daughter

This is really how it goes when
I attempt staged pics

Papa, Daddy, and Kiddos

 For dinner, we had my family over to grill.  The afternoon/evening turned out beautiful so we played outside, walked to the park, and ate lots of good food!  I tried this recipe which went over very well:)  Unfortunately I was too busy enjoying the company and weather and forgot to get any pics.

Luke had a lot of fun making gifts for Brent this year.  He went to a Father's Day Craft Community Ed Class on Friday and made everything below except for the brown bag with the tie, which he made a Sunday School today.

Brent also got a book about Dads, a couple polo shirts, and a year of dates from Momma:)

I think you get the idea that we had a very enjoyable Father's Day, but I also don't want to miss this opportunity to recognize Brent and my dad.

Brent: You are the perfect complement to me as a parent.  You are patient, consistent, level-headed, and fun-loving.  Our children are blessed by your influential presence, your example, and your willingness and ability to give them your undivided attention.  I look forward to seeing your relationship with Luke and Nora grow as they do.

My Dad: Not everyone can say, as an adult, that they see their dad nearly everyday, or that he willingly drives them to work when the weather is iffy, or that he would retire a few months early so he could start "Papa Daycare" for his infant granddaughter and first grade grandson.  But this describes my dad:  giving, hard working, loving, and dedicated to his family.

Today I am grateful for these:)

So Long Second Grade

Our son is official half way through elementary school. Yikes!

Didn't I just post about second grade starting???

Here we are again, closing out another school year.

We have witnessed Luke change so much during this school year...

• He started to really enjoy art class.  Last year it caused him some anxiety because he didn't feel like he was "good at it" and he has some perfectionist tendencies.  This year, however, he was happy to tell us about art and what they were working on.  
• He increased two reading levels since the year started.  His school started on a new reading level system (IRLA) this year and he's staying right on track for his age.  He loves reading non fiction books about animals (especially National Geographic Kids Books) and chapter books with an element of history, geography, or adventure.  He also likes reading out loud to Nora and has very good pace and inflection to keep her entertained:)
• He loves math!  He whipped through worksheets like no body's business and regularly mastered his unit tests.  
• He was a busy boy with sports throughout the year (football, basketball, soccer) and also loved running the half mile race in gym that was timed once in the fall and once in the spring.  In the fall he had the fastest time in his class and in the spring he got second.  Interestingly enough, a few of his friends were among the first finishers both times too.  I told him they might make a good relay team in high school:)
• We've also seen him grow personally in his self-confidence, responsibility, and independence.  He was proactive in the mornings getting dressed, having breakfast, and packing his lunch and backpack by himself daily.  He also took responsibility for getting his planner signed, completing his worksheets, and recording his reading. I can also tell his self-confidence is increasing by things he's willing to try at school both with already established friendships and new ones.  This spring he started walking to and from school with his cousin, Ethan, and they seem to enjoy the newly granted independence:)

Now I'm feeling sentimental...

Let the summer fun begin!!!

Nothing Better than Thawing in the Warmth of the Sun

I was beyond blessed to have today off work to enjoy this amazing, sunshiny, 70 degree day!  There is nothing better than thawing in the sun after a l-o-n-g Minnesota winter.  This week is especially beautiful because the cherry blossoms are blooming!  I was able to visit two of my favorite parks today to take in the scenery and enjoy the aroma:)

A walk through Soldiers Field this morning

Luke and Ethan playing baseball in the backyard

Nora and Luke watching Daddy mow the yard
while we set out our picnic dinner on the deck

After dinner, Brent, Nora, and I went for a walk at Silver Lake while Luke went to a movie with Gma.  We'd hadn't brought Nora since last summer, so she was super excited to see the geese and several different flocks of goslings.  We let her explore a little with one such group:)

Nora flailing with excitement over the
geese and goslings

I'm not convinced all of these goslings belonged to just
these two geese...were they babysitting???

If this pic were zoomed, you'd see the pure joy on Nora's face:)

 On the way home, Brent picked up Flapdoodles Ice Cream.  The picture below is the end of a fun-filled day for a toddler:  ice cream mustache and crazy post-pony-tail-mohawk:)

This amazing day was just what my soul needed.

Mother's Day Tribute

This is what Mother's Day is all about:

The one who gave me life

and the ones whose lives gave me the title of Mother

My Mom: Who has loved me through my unlovable moments and taught me patience and how to choose my battles.  I am continually blessed by her generous and selfless spirit.  My children are beyond blessed to call her Grandma and to be showered by her attention and love.

My Luke: Who first blessed me with the opportunity of a lifetime, to become a mom.  His caring, sensitive, introverted, sport-loving, game-loving personality blesses us daily.  He is more than we could have ever asked for as a big brother and loves his sister dearly.

My Nora: Our long awaited second child.  She has brought fullness, life, and laughter to our days in so many ways since her arrival.  Her love of music, reading, and stuffed animals is endearing and her smile, giggle, and energy are contagious.

I was blessed with a Mother's Day filled with family and several other lovely mothers.  For lunch, we were treated to a lovely meal by my father-in-law, Kerry, where we gathered and celebrated with Ruth, my mother-in-law, and Cally, my sister-in-law.

Then, we were treated to another meal for dinner at Jeff and Julie's new house (my uncle and aunt) where we gathered and celebrated with my mom, my sister (on her first mother's day as an expectant momma), my grandma, and Julie's mom and sister.

It was a day filled with great company, great food, and several generations.

My hubby and offspring also made Mother's Day very special for me.  Brent made a picture slide show set to music (Baby Blue by Dave Matthews Band) that they shared with me when I woke up and he bought me a watch I'd been wanting for a while:)  The slide show was so sweet that I cried and it was fun to watch with the kids and their excitement over the pictures too.  Luke also bought me a treat box at the Mother's Day Store at school last week and made me several projects at school.  I love his giving and thoughtful heart and how he loves giving gifts:)

After a full Mother's Day yesterday, my heart is overflowing:)

High Five for Friday!

This week's High Five is all about the little things.  They can certainly add up to a lot of good!

#1

Lots of time outside this week taking walks and runs, playing at the park and in the yard, and enjoying more sunshine!

#2

A cheap fix at Virgil's for my tire that kept slowly leaking air.  No one likes a surprise car repair, so I was super happy that the techs at Virgil's were able to find the screw in my tire and fix it up without having to replace the tire:)  Added bonus, Virgil's is a quick walk from work so it's easy to drop the car off on a work day.

#3

A trip to the dentist with Luke and healthy teeth all around!  Plus, Nora was a champ hanging in the exam room with me while I got my teeth cleaned.  The hygienist was very accommodating and Nora was a patient girl:)

#4

A relaxing weekend at home together with the chance to see a few friends too.  I may be horribly behind on house work, but I'm getting well caught up on relaxation:)

Enjoying Nutella for breakfast, just like Mommy

Trying on Daddy's shoes

Cutest butt in Levi's I've ever seen:)

Nora's first time watching Lion King

#5

I had the opportunity to take a field trip with Luke's class today to Mystery Cave and Historic Forestville.  I always love a chance to catch a glimpse into Luke's school life and to get to know more of the kids his age:)  First we went to Mystery Cave for a guided tour and to learn about the formation of the cave.  We even had some bat sightings:)  (They were very small and not flying around.)  We had a picnic lunch then went to Historic Forestville to explore a home, farm, and general store from the 1880s with actors portraying everyday activities.

Luke trying out a hand drill

Cutting wood

Feeding the chickens the corn the kids had just cracked

Mrs Parker and Mrs Squillace's Second Grade Classes

Ten Years

I'm usually the one in our relationship who remembers dates, but Brent mentioned recently that it's been ten years since he graduated from Crossroads College (formerly known as Minnesota Bible College) with his bachelor's degree.  Thinking about this made me think of several things...

• We're old.
• Brent never intended to attend Crossroads and even transferred out once but still ended up getting his degree from there. Funny how life works:)
• Brent's bachelor's degree is in Psychology, which at the time we thought he might use for a career or future schooling...turns out he's worked in banking for nearly nine years and now has his MBA.
• We made many new and grew many special relationships during our time at Crossroads (I attended the first two years after high school to get my AA).  Many of these friends are now "family friends" in that we have kids similar in age and our kids enjoy time together too.  Just this week, we've seen two of these couples and their families:)  

Our time at Crossroads was a stepping stone from childhood to adulthood and has blessed us in many ways since:)