Taking Stock

I love following The Small Things Blog, and today Kate had a fun post I decided to replicate for a random update.  (I highly recommend Kate's blog for fun hair tutorials, beauty product reviews, and just fun life posts:)  Kate was featured in BuzzFeed recently and I totally wish she were one of my BFFs:))

Making:  More of an effort with healthy choices and seeing progress and results!

Cooking:  Not much lately...haven't been in the mood.  But, I did make Nutella Swirled Banana Bread this week that the kids loved:)

Drinking: Diet Coke, always Diet Coke

Reading:  Nothing, I've recently been addicted to Scrubs reruns during my relaxation times

Wanting:  Simplicity.  I get sick of stuff taking time and space in our lives.

Looking:  Forward to lots of fun plans this summer

Playing:  The shuffle game at home.  "If I move this to that room, then I'll move that from this room", etc, etc.

Wasting:  Time...I like Facebook a little too much

Sewing:  Nothing..I have NO skills in this area.

Wishing:  For more time home with my kiddos this summer

Enjoying:  Our chatty girl, Nora.  Just last night she was talking the ear off our friend's dad whom she just met.  So sweet:)

Waiting:  For the concrete to be poured and our shed to be built this summer.  The storage will be SO nice for outdoor gear!

Liking:  Unscheduled evenings this summer so there is more time for walks, runs, and time outside

Wondering:  When I can wear my hair straight again without it "waving" on me throughout the day

Loving:  The opportunity to bridge the gap of distance.  We've seen our friends from Baltimore three times already in 2014 and Skype has made it possible to still have "ladies' nights" with my friend in Arizona:)

Hoping:  For approval to have a day off next week so Brent, Nora, and I can head to family camp for a few days!

Needing:  Some time with my man...it's been a while since we've had a date

Smelling:  Rosemary from my flavored Triscuits

Wearing:  Curly hair...I'm sick of fighting the humidity.

Noticing:  Luke is becoming a young man before my eyes

Knowing:  This season of life with our kids young is passing quickly, even if some days or stages might seem long

Thinking:  It's hard to believe it's already been two years since I was pregnant with Nora.

Feeling:  Antsy, knowing it's Friday and the weekend is in sight!

Opening:  My mind to other perspectives


Happy Friday everyone!

I Caught the Organizing Bug

I have been looking for a piece of furniture to store toys for several months and I finally found one!  And, as I'm sure you'd expect, I'm excited that I got it on sale too (at Antiquity):)   

I'm horrible at taking before and after pics because I get too excited to get started on organizing to stop and take a before pic.  But, if you've been to my house, you probably remember the toy space downstairs.

The shelf formerly used as toy storage =
Too small and too open

Some post-organizing pics:

Everything but push toys fit!
(Drawer pulled out on bottom)

All closed up so toys can
"disappear" after play time:)
A TV Armoire originally from Pier 1

The balls in the corner will soon be finding a
new home on the patio too

Nora approves too:)

As usual, when organizing, it begins a "shuffle effect":  moving items from one room to another to find a good spot for them to live.  The white, cube shelf moved to the guest room to store books that were formerly in boxes, the toy kitchen moved upstairs to Nora's closet, and a big pile started for donation.

Book storage in guest room

Nora's kitchen moved to her closet

She still has plenty of space to play
and it's not an eye sore
(truly she's lucky this didn't end up in the
donation pile...I was on a roll purging:))

Donation pile

 The shuffle is done (for now) and now I just need to deliver my donations!  

Oh how I love organizing and finding the right organization "tools" (aka shelves, bins, etc) for the space.  

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!!!