Run, soccer, airshow

It's been a typically busy day around here.

William's running club had their big finish today with their final 1.2 mile run*. It is officially a Big Deal and he has worked very hard this year. Last year, he had some trouble with this longish run, so this year he and I have done many training runs in our subdivision to help prepare him. Pacing ones self and motivating oneself to continue running when you'd rather be laying on the ground are hard for a 7 year old. So we trained together and ended up really enjoying our short run times together. We chat, we encourage each other and tell jokes. It's. WONDERFUL. It is amazing to have William be old enough to willingly participate in one of my own favorite hobbies. I think I'll continue to invite him to run with me, although I will be very surprised if he takes me up on the offer when there isn't the Big Race to motivate him.

After the run, we changed clothes and garage sale-ed our way to Amelia's soccer game. It is a huge weekend for garage sales here.

Amelia's soccer game was next. She is really becoming more confident with the rules/expectations of the game. She works hard and she had some excellent plays today on the field. I'm so proud of how hard she works!

We stopped for lunch out before the next event - an airshow. This is the first airshow for the kids- we haven't been to an airshow since William was a baby? Or before? Anyway, it has been a long time. This topic may be better handled by John. Especially if you want the rosy pictures of happy times. It was warm and extremely crowded with some interesting people (ie: the guy who started telling William about how "that plane was the reason we killed Hitler and beat the J--s". I couldn't quite get away quick enough from that one). Gemma and William weren't interested in staying with us and both were prone to wander away if you took your eyes off them for even a moment. Although the planes were loud, we couldn't hear any of the announcers so the kids didn't understand what was going on. Neither did I, to be honest. The Blue Angels were there and did angelly things. The wait for a portapotty bathroom was at least 30 minutes, a bottle of hot water cost $3 plus tax, and we sat in traffic for close to 2 hours to get out of the world's most disorganized parking lot.

Over pizza, we chatted about our favorite parts of the airshow.

William: I likes sitting in the digger and National Guard truck (they also had a vehicle display).

Amelia: I liked when you got me some sprite. Also, when you played a game with me.

Gemma: plane. Loud (adorably pronounced y-oud). Broom!

Mama: I liked when I ran into some friends in the parking lot! It was
fun to see them.

John: I liked when the stunt guy did this maneuver......( you'll have to ask him for the details).

Sorry, dear. It was fun to spend a day together....maybe we need to wait a few more years for this event to be enjoyable?


*throughout the year, students in the running club complete running 26 miles, read 26 books, and do 26 good deeds. The last 1.2 miles they run together and it is a fun time.




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Conversations, v.2383

Amelia (to William): hold very still while I am measuring you. Pretend you are a lion watching his prey.

(Where did that come from?)



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Gemma: bowl! (She offers me her dripping cereal bowl half full of uneaten cereal)

Mama: thank you

Gemma: ahh done!

Mama: are you all done? What a mess you have there! Who made that mess on your high chair?

Gemma (with glee): DADDY! (Dissolves into giggles)


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A day at the park

These girls are so fun together right now. Most of the time they truly enjoy each other's company. I know this won't always be the case.

Monkies

Amelia now can do the monkey bars as you can see in the video. As you can also see, Gemma is a little monkey and finds troublesome things to do every time my eye wanders for even a moment.

While the kids are away...

The toys will play. Or at least, the trains will play Pokemon cards.

Gemma on Easter Morning

Here is Gemma discovering the wonder of Easter eggs with a few jelly beans inside.

Honesty is the best policy

Amelia and I went to a birthday party for one of her classmates a few weekends ago. As part of the treat, there was cake and a variety of flavors of individual ice cream cups.
Trying to be helpful, I handed out the ice cream cups while the mother cut cake for the excited crowd.

The littlest party guest told me she wanted chocolate ice cream*. Chocolate? Yes, she nodded. I grabbed one from the bag and handed it to her before moving on the next child.

Then I noticed the girl's face. She appeared horrified. She had her hands up in the air as if there was a big spider in front of her instead of a cup of ice cream. When I asked her what was wrong, she replied that she had requested STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM! THIS IS CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM!

I apologized and switched out the ice creams. As I handed her the strawberry ice cream I off handed my said, "I'm sorry- sometimes it's hard for me to remember things. I'm getting old."

Upon hearing this, Amelia's head popped up and she bellowed, "You're not SO old mom! YOU'RE ONLY..."

Which is when I clapped my hand over her mouth.

She pulled the hand away from my mouth and practically screamed in her excitement, "BUT YOU'RE ONLY 35 MOMMY! THAT ISNT VERY, VERY OLD!"

Thank you dear girl for announcing my age to a whole crowd to verify that I am only a little old. Not very, very old.

*I swear she said chocolate and I confirmed it before handing it to her. I think she changed her mind after her friend chose strawberry....

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