How Can It Be?

First Day of Preschool 2009

First Day of Preschool 2013

Pelotonia 13

When Rick told me he wanted to ride Pelotonia this year, I thought, "Great! And I could probably train up a bit and even ride with you next year."  

Crazy.  

The first lesson cancer teaches is never wait; never put things off; never assume you have next year.  In more positive terms: every moment of every day is a gift.

I've been mulling over the words to express the experience, the sights, the sounds, the emotions of riding Pelotonia with Rick and our friend Vannessa.  Thank goodness pictures speak a thousand words.

An early start

Team Smiley in the USA (Vannessa rode in honor of military members past and present who are fighting the fight) before the start

Getting ready to cross the starting line (Yikes- the only moment I was truly nervous)

First rest area.  Yay! We made it!

Second rest area.  Could we really be half way?

Loved all the folks who cheered us along the way

And put up signs of support

I sort of wished one of us was named Will when we rode by this one.  How cool is this?

Third rest area.  Maybe we really can do this!

Other Survivors who came over to give hugs and high-fives and words of encouragement 

The beer truck lady waiting for us like an angel at the finish line

Team Smiley in the USA at the finish

My favorite picture of the day.  Rick, in his Survivor jersey, whistled Christmas Carols most of the way.  

Love this man!

Many many many many many many thanks to the organizers, the volunteers, the police officers making this possible, generating excitement, and keeping us safe!  

To our friends and family who supported and encouraged us!  

To Vannessa who shared her third Pelotonia with us (looking forward to next year)!

To Rick, my strong and courageous husband, my hero!  

It's a Bird! It's a Plane!

Will's half birthday was followed quickly by Soren's actual birthday.  For this celebration we opted for a more traditional cookout party at the very lovely Homestead Park.  It was supposed to be a rainy day so I had packed up tons of art and activity supplies in case we were trapped under the pavilion, but it turned out to be a lovely day so kids could be turned loose to run around the playground.  Yay!

At a silent auction back in January, I won the services of a children's party entertainer called Mackee.  I was a little put off by our communications before the party, but I have to say that he showed up and was absolutely brilliant.  He performed a very funny magic/comedy act with his bunny assistant, Puffer

and capped it off with balloon animals for each child.

We reserved the pavilion for the whole day, so even after the guests went home we stayed and enjoyed the beautiful day, explored the park and amused ourselves with some of the rainy day craft supplies.

Happy 4th Birthday, Darling SorenBird!

  

Christmas in July

Christmas in July has become a destination event.  

I'm a big fan of parties where you can show up, turn kids loose to have fun, and let someone else serve refreshments and clean up.  

This year it was Sky Zone, an indoor trampoline park that initially sounded to me like a recipe for arm casts and trips to the emergency dental clinic, but in reality turned out to be a pretty fun place where kids jumped 

and jumped 

and jumped.

And refueled with pizza and red & green cupcakes and.. 

candy! 

(oh well, maybe that is a recipe for a trip to the emergency dental clinic after all, but you're only 7 1/2 once)

Almost Heaven

We spent a week in West Virginia with my family and packed in a lot of outdoorsy-type fun.

While Will played at the cabin with Grandma and Grandpa, Rick Soren Seamus and I hiked in the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area.

Home of one-sided spruce trees

And rattlesnakes.

We tried to learn how to skip rocks at the river by the cabin 

(Rick already knew how so he mostly showed off)

We spelunked at Smoke Hole Caverns

And Seneca Caverns

And saw the Tooth Fairy's front door.  On the wall of a cave.  In West Virginia.  Huh.

Will read ghost stories by the campfire

We adventured around Blackwater Falls State Park

We rafted down the river

It was a fun trip. 

My favorite part: sitting on the front porch of the cabin, watching a thunderstorm roll over the mountain while the kids caught lightening bugs in the yard. 

(sigh)

Pomp and Circumstance

Seamus graduated from Puppy Kindergarten!

Strawberries!

Last year we missed the strawberries and for a year I've been craving homemade strawberry jam.  This year I watched like a hawk for strawberry picking season and on a lovely Monday afternoon we trooped out to Jacquemin Farms to get a little taste of farm life (and a little taste of fresh picked strawberries).

We found that picking strawberries was hot, hard work.  But the reward was the heavenly fresh strawberry smell that filled the car on the way home.  

Oh and the strawberry pie Rick made that evening.  

Oh and the jars of strawberry jam that now line our shelves!