Mom and Me Week

I decided that this week would be the official "Mom and Me" week. I told the kids that they could each pick something they would like to do with me. We started it all off with everyone going together to House of Bounce. They had a super time. But I think each of our "dates" were even bigger successes! I hope to continue this tradition! What a perfect time to have special moments with each child.

Everyone/House of Bounce!




Calvin and Ethan/Laser Tag!

Calvin and Ethan both wanted to play laser tag. I was all over that idea! We spent the afternoon at Shadowlands in Chantilly. I wish I had pictures of our cool laser guns and packs. The first game was the best! I ended up placing number one and Ethan 3rd. Calvin was a bit upset by that. The next game wasn't as fun due to the huge amount of extra players. I only placed ninth...but Calvin ended up doing much more laser killing and placed 5th. We hit the local 7-11 afterwards for yummy slurpees and chips.



Ashton/Library!

Ashton wanted to go to the library. He loves to do the myriad of puzzles they have in arms reach. It ended up being perfect timing after running into 4 friends that just happened to be there. He enjoyed seeing some of his buddies. We are going next week to participate in Alaska Day. They have a special guest that will be talking about our 49th state and doing a project. It will be perfect right before our trip there next month.


If only he had some M&M's to go with this book. He loves M&M's, so of course he loved this book!
Sommer/Pedicure

Sommer chose to get her nails done. I was in desperate need of this activity! Sommer loved the back massage chairs and the lovely foot rub! Our toes turned out perfect.

Tate/Putt-Putt Golf

Tate wanted to go miniature golfing. We went to Broad Run for a fun but very hot and humid golfing excursion. I tried to give Tate a few putt-putt tips but he refused my help. He was struggling a little bit due to the fact he is left handed. I wasn't sure if he needed to hold the club with his left of right hand. It seemed that either way he looked awkward. After a few attempts at giving my opinions, I quit and just took pictures.

He had many colors of clubs to chose from. He went with a blue club and green ball. I got an extra blue one "just in case." Luckily I did that since they both were lost in the strange blue waters...we eventually found a net and caught a "red one."
I think his favorite part was jumping over these troughs of blue water. It was so hot, we were both wishing we could cool off in one of them.
Tate loves ice-cream. He picked "Swirleys" as his choice of ice-cream stops. He insisted I tried his oreo ice-cream cause "it was the best ever." He was right. It was the bomb.
Give a kid some ice-cream and you get this: Smiles and Sweetness (or at least until they get hot and cranky).

I had such a great time with the kids this week! Thanks for the dates.

I Knew This Day Would Come...

It is official, my daughter is taller than I am. I knew this day would come but didn't think it would be when she was only 12. I am a mere 5'6'' and she was an inch shorter in March. I guess this means I will be the shortest member of my family in a few years. But for now, I will keep the number 3 position...

I Heart Anti-biotics

I have been sick for 2 weeks. I went to the doctor last Monday to see if I could get my hands on some good old anti-biotics. It was a failed attempt when I didn't pass the strep throat test and I couldn't pretend to be sick enough. She said to call back in a few days if things got worse.

Well, they didn't actually. She was right. Darn doctors...know everything. So for three days I felt great. Saturday, my throat started hurting again and chills came and went. Achy. You get the picture. I called her on Monday and SCORE, she called in a Z-pack without even making me throw away a good $20 on a co-pay.

I stood in line and downed my 2 first day pills cause I just couldn't wait another moment. I am sure I feel better already...but maybe it is just the fact I have my hands on those hard to get drugs.

Garth called from MN and feels icky too. I told him to try to call the doctor tomorrow and tell him in a very sick voice, "Well, my wife got some."

I heart anti-biotics.

Fun at the Olson's Place

We had a great Saturday evening in West Virginia with our dear friends, The Olsons and The Hansens. The kids had a super time playing in their huge backyard, on the water slide, trampoline and basketball court. The adults enjoyed catching up, eating and eating. Garth and I were loving snuggling up with both of their 2 month old babies. The boys loved their bird (I can't remember what kind but man it was beautiful) and even though Ethan kept trying to pet it with a fast large hand thus frightening the bird to resort to biting him, he insisted on holding it on his finger and putting it on his shoulder. Calvin couldn't get enough of the pool table that turned into a ping pong table and tried to take Cynthia's title of , "West VA Ping Pong
Champ). They had a myriad of board games that my little boys were absolutely loving (since ours all are missing pieces/batteries. We really did have a great time! We are so blessed with such wonderful friends!

The only damper on the evening was during the ride home when Tate started screaming bloody murder from the back seat. "Bug! Giant Bug! Help me," he cried. Calvin yelled, "Help him! It is huge." Garth just about swirved off the road trying to talk Calvin through the process of killing the large (and quite disgusting looking) beetle that had invaded our car. After killing it, everyone was worried about "other" bugs that might be lurking in the darkness of our car (it was very late). Ethan was wimpering quietly about it and Tate refused to relax. I didn't say anything, but I was quite freaked out too, feeling strange "Phantom Bugs" sensations on my legs.


The ladies: Kathi, Heather and Cynthia
Kathi doing the most amazing back flip.
Ethan and "the bird," moments after the bird gave him a warning bite to "take it easy."
Ashton and the bird.
Trying to be cool.

Swimmers

Our kids are loving swim team! They love it so much I didn't even have to force them to smile for the following pictures. You can see the joy beaming from their faces moments after we woke them up at 5:30 am to get to the meet on time.




Funny thing is I happened to catch their true feelings about the early morning wake-up in each of their faces before I "asked them to smile." Check out those faces!

They really do love swim team. Sommer is 2nd or 3rd fastest in her age group for her team and Tate is swimming fast enough to get ribbons now (you have to place at least top 20...he got 4th last week). Ethan is ranked in the top 50 swimmers for the whole league in all of his events with 25th for breast! And I will confess, both Sommer and Ethan are faster than me! Sommer can't figure out while I am swimming laps why I am so slow. She says, "Come on Mom, you are the slowest swimmer I have ever seen." True. But my form isn't so shabby.

My First 50 Miler...

...and not my last. I went out with some of my runner/biking pals on Saturday to The Plains for a 50 miler ride. The furthest I had attempted had been a 26 miler. I was a bit nervous (probably due to the fact that 3 of these people pictured below are doing an Ironman next week: 2 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 run) about jumping up in mileage so quickly, but I knew I was in kind hands and no one would leave me behind...at least not for too long or until we came to a fork in the road. It was a tough ride going over the rolling hills of Bull Run Mountain but tough in my book is good. I hope someday to be able to get my own bike, but for now, I will use that as my excuse...I need a few of those right now.


Look at our cool shirts! Frank, on left, put these together.
New mph record for me on a downhill...35.4 mph. Check out my cool helment and gloves.
The final few miles and the only time we were really all together. I was usually huffing and puffing it up the hills or too scared to go too fast down.
I can't wait to head up to Alaska for my master class on biking from my brother Matt and now "super biker chic that beats most men in the field" sis-n-law, Tiffanie. I have to do all I can to get myself at least in shape enough to keep them in site.

The Heel Saga Continues...

So after 12 weeks of no running, I gave it a try last week. It felt great during, not so great after. I went back to the doctor to figure out what my future might hold. He decided that putting me in a cast would be our next best attempt at getting me healed. He was going to cast my foot this week, but after I told him my Alaska plans (biking, hiking, fishing, etc) he decided to wait until I got back.

The last week of August I will be getting a cast put on for 3 weeks. Unfortunately it happens to be my right foot. Driving?!