Run for Ryan - Memorial Day Race

On your mark, get set, BOOM!

Okay, those of you who know me know that I am not a competitive person, and that I am not a runner! But when an opporunity like this one comes around I had to jump at the chance. One of my cutest students at Kids Village lost her dad in a dirt bike accident at the end of March. This run was to help support his cute wife and 3 darling daughters. Myself and two other teachers decided to take on the challenge, knowing full well we were only doing this to help the family.

Race day comes (Memorial Day), we meet up and travel to the race registration together. Just getting out of the car we quickly realized that we were so out of our league...most people there were in it to win it! We are talking avid runners! NOT US! We got a great laugh while registering, when we were handed a chip! What the heck was that for. They told us if we needed help to go under the tent and they would help us with our chip. Come to find out this is how time was kept. Amazing what they think of. After getting our chip securely placed on our shoes we had some time to kill before the gun shot start. We wandered around in the pouring down rain. (Luckily I listened to Craig, cause he talked me into wearing my winter coat shell which is water proof.) There again another sign that I am not an avid runner! I had on about 4 layers, and a hat, it was so cold and wet! The real runners had little flappy shorts and tank tops, a spandex something or other on. I was also ashamed when I had to have my chip placed on my dirty old cross trainers, runners wear running shoes! Just FYI.

Well start time was upon us and I must say that I was beginning to feel better because I noticed that more families had come and lots of kids and strollers. More my kind of group. We of course only ran the mile, and that was long enough. I haven't ran a race since 9th grade. Cut me some slack. The gun shot went off and we took off. I stayed back with one friend and the other one took off. We ran a ways and we walked a bit, but ran more than we had planned to...the deal was we were going to walk it. I guess the competition got to us. We ran whenever there were people cheering us on. It was crazy. I know I could have ran much more but I didn't want to leave this friend behind, because we had decided to walk it originally. We came to the finish line and our chip beeped! Our time was clocked. After a drink of water and some fruit we noticed that the standings were posted. Wow technology sometimes amaze me. It was within minutes...we checked it out and I placed 6th in my bracket. I must say I was proud of myself...having come from being in a workout slump and not ran forever! It felt good! I was pumped. I am thinking about running the mile race at Strawberry Days and maybe even the Freedom Festival. I know who would have thought! Me a runner!!! Crazy! I felt good about it! Mostly because I was able to help this cute family, but secretly I want to do better in the next race!

When I walked in the house Liberty caught me off gaurd and took this photo of me. I know, not the best and check out my "running clothes" I know it is halarious! If you are a runner, I am new at this give a girl a break! I will be more prepared next time. I will admit by 4:00 this afternoon my body was hurting. That gives you an idea of how out of shape...but it will only get better!

Not to worry...I will never wear the flappy running shorts!! But something better next time!

It really was very cold and wet this morning!

Graduation Week!!!

This week has once again been very busy!

Surprise, Surprise!

We had two graduations this week, Liberty's was held on Monday afternoon, she graduated from Kindergarten. They had a darling program with some of the cutest songs ever. She looked so cute in her cap and gown.

Here we are getting Libby ready for her graduation.

Liberty getting excited. The whole class was antsy!

Here is Liberty and her class just before they walked out to graduate! So cute. Note: check out the kitchen in the background...that is what I get to work in everyday! Nice huh!


On Friday morning we had Caleb's Sixth Grade Graduation. He woke up and got dressed and I honestly had a hard time looking at him, he looked so grown up. This graduation was very simple and nice. Caleb and all the graduates looked very nice and I can remember most of them from Kindergarten and all other grades while helping in the classes. They had to wear these dorky hats, no offense to the one who planned it because the hats fit the theme of the graduation. But check them out! Half of them didn't even fit the kids heads. The theme was "Around the World in 1,246 days" from Kindergarten to Sixth grade. They had all kinds of travel things around the gym and all the sixth graders just completed a country report and they had all the posters from the oral reports hanging up. It was cute. But the hats had to go!

Grammy & Papa were able to come to support Caleb.

Caleb standing next to his country report...which he got a 100% plus on it. Nice Job!

Here he is getting his diploma...notice the cute hat!

Here we are...look how tall our boy is getting. Yikes!

Next week is the last week of school. I can't beleive how fast this year went. I look forward to summer. I know my kids are too. Lots of fun things planned!

Congratulations Graduates!!!

Mother's Day Fun!

Okay I have been very busy this week. I am in the process of finishing up all the final plans for Kids Village Summer Camps. Which has really taken every extra moment for a few weeks now. I think I have everything planned and now I have to get things ordered and all ready. Fun for me! But I must say that things may be busy but life still goes on and I have lots to tell.

Mother's Day was awesome! I was very surprised by my family. Saturday afternoon Craig took the kids for a while. When they got home one at a time each child walked into my office with a huge Costco boquet of roses. Hello I ended up with like 6 dozen roses. All different colors. The kids were so cute each one said the exact same thing like it had been rehearsed...

"Happy Mother's Day, here's some roses"

I know very poetic! But it was so thoughtful. Caleb made a comment like the big surprise is coming. I really didn't think much about it. Later in the evening I was busy making the final preparations for my mom's gift, not really paying attention to what was going on around me. I was in search for a piece of sand paper. After not being able to find any I went looking for Craig to help me. I rounded the corner and stepped down into the family room and Craig's older brother, and his parents were standing there. The french doors were opened and Craig's truck was pulled around to the back deck. I was so oblivious to everything...but this was the big surprise. Craig had made me a new coffee table. It is beautiful. He needed everyone's help cause it is one heavy thing. The end tables aren't finished yet but they will complete the set. It is goregous and I love it. And yes I was surprised to say the least. Look at how pretty this looks.

My family room is starting to take shape! I love my couch and coffee table!
(Little note about the couch...Craig and I figured that after 13 years of marriage, it was time that we bought something new! All of our furniture up to this point has been hand-me-down. Not that I am against hand-me-downs at all...but we really needed a new couch. I finally got my leather sectional. I love it! )

Mother's Day morning, I woke up as usual, got the children up and then was told to go back to bed. I did as I was told and knew exactly what was going on. I could hear my children bustling around the kitchen. I was preparing myself for a nice bowl of Crunch Berries or something like that but I was once again surprised. I got every kids dream breakfast brought to me. I had to take a photo to document this. I laughed so hard when I saw it. It had Caleb & Zach's names written all over it. I think Libby had to talk them into using the tray. I know that every mom is absolutely jealous of my breakfast in bed. You know you secretly wanted 11 chocolate mini donuts, 3 kudos bars & to wash it all down a superman cup filled with water! Priceless! One I will never forget!

Like I said, this one will never be forgotten! I love the cup! It all makes me laugh!

I hope that all you Mother's had a wonderful day. I hope you were pampered and loved more than usual. I have an amazing mother! She means the world to me. She has taught me everything I know and I owe everything to her. I love you MOM! Thanks for everything!

Quick Post

Okay, I have so much to blog about but that will have to wait. Our cute photographer posted the rest of our photos. I must say that family photos really make you pick yourself apart. Be honest who do you look at first in a group photo. Well if you are me...it's ME of course. I will say that I love the photos of the kids, but it is hard for me to pick one of the family because of me. I just will have to examine them more before I come up with a winner. Check them out and see what you think. Just as a side note, this has nothing to do with the photographer, I am just being critical to myself. Let me know which you would pick.

www.aubreysgallery.blogspot.com

I will have to post later about Mother's Day and other fun events! Until then. Bye!

Gymnastics Recital

Liberty just before her big performance...she told me she was nervous!


Liberty had her Gymnastics Recital on Saturday morning. She looked so cute in her new gymnastics suit as she calls them. They did two cute little dance routines and then they each went around the gym and performed in each event. She did front rolls, cart wheels, the vault, the bars and the beam. She did a great job! Somehow she slipped off the bars and fell, she did cry but pulled it all together and went on with her performance. She loves gymnastics and I must say that little girl is getting quite the muscular body from doing it for 2 years already. Keep up the good work Liberty!

Liberty starting her cart wheel!

Liberty hanging out and waiting her turn!Liberty showing off her medal! So cute!

Liberty and her cute coaches!

We Love our Wii!

Okay, so we got a Wii a few weeks ago and we just got a great game for it. Craig thought Liberty would love it...which she does. But the funny thing is that the boys totally get into it also. So what game you ask....
You got it High School Musical Sing Along!!! I knew right off the bat Liberty would be hooked. She knows like every word to every song from both movies and so do the boys. She was the first to play and quickly the boys were begging to have a turn. Well, all of them loved playing. It was so funny! Craig and I were laughing so hard at how into it they all got. Check out the photos and you will get my drift. If you are ever in the mood for a great laugh you must come over and play/sing with us. By the way, I took a turn and got an A grade. (each person is graded on how well they sang the song) Liberty actually got an A plus. She totally stole my thunder!

Waiting for her song to start

You can even see the attitude from the back.

Zach totally got into it!

Look at all the feeling he is putting into it! I love it!

A little bit about the photographer

I highly recommend her! She was so cute! She books up really fast. If you are interested call soon. Tell her I sent you her way...she has this little deal for every referral you give her she rewards you with some free prints or something like that. But really all that aside, she is worth every penny. Loved her!!! Her business info is on her other blog...

aubreyboltonphotography.blogspot.com

Her phone number and other info is there. For pricing look at the archived posts from like January 08. My kids are still talking about her. She was great with them.

Just FYI!!! I am glad you like them...I can't wait to see them all. Thanks for looking.

Fun Family Photos

Okay, so we went on Saturday to have our family photos taken. It was a blast. The kids loved it and we all had a great time. We went to Wheeler Farm and met the cutest photographer ever! She was so awesome. I haven't gotten all the photos back yet, but you can get a glimpse of them on her blog...

oursweetbabies.blogspot.com

I love the ones she has posted there...I just hope they all turn out that great. I stressed about what to have the kids wear and after all was said and done I loved how they looked. Little note about Liberty's skirt. Well, when I found those shirts for the boys I wondered what I would have Liberty wear, I rounded the corner of Old Navy (where I was shopping and found the shirts) I saw this little girls shirt out of the same fabric. I knew it wouldn't fit her but bought it anyway. Got it home and tried it on her and sure enough it was hanging off her shoulders and it wasn't going to work. While taking it off of her I had pulled it up over her head and was holding the shirt upside down and had this crazy thought that I could make it into a skirt. Well after some advice from some friends and a ton of help from a great gal at work everything worked out and look at how cute the shirt/skirt turned out! I love it. You'll be able to see it better when we get the other photos posted. I have to get back to laundry and homework. AHHH! Life doesn't stop for a mom! But hey, I love it.