Ozark Greenway Adventure Race

http://ozarkgreenways.org/mark_twain_race/index.html
So for the third time (first time since having three children), I was talked in to competing in the Ozark Greenways Adventure race by my brother, Tommy. I am the token female needed to complete the co-ed team of male KC Police Officers...and probably the weakest link as well. So Jason and I have a weekend without kids and this is how we will be spending it...camping in our van followed by an all-day event of running, biking, canoeing, orienteering (really just traipsing through the woods of southern missouri amid snakes, ticks, mosquitos and poison ivy). That sounds like fun, huh? (I'm making it sound like Jason will be participating...let me clarify. Jason will be hanging out in a lawn chair with a good book getting a tan....he's getting the better end of the deal)! Jason asked me how long it had been since I have even been on my bike...I had to think. Over THREE YEARS! That long?

I'm not that much of an outdoorsy girl.

Picture's of Cadence

When friends, Ryan and Nicole, were over last weekend, I had the chance to play a bit with the camera and photograph little Cadence. Here is one I took of the big girl who will be celebrating her 1st birthday next month. Isn't she the cutest little blond gal ever? I think Jonathan and Nick just may fight over her when she gets older.

Memorial Day Weekend-KC JiggleJam & KC Zoo

Although the weather was a bit unpredictable, we still managed to have a great Memorial Day weekend. We spent Saturday in Olathe celebrating birthdays for niece, Allie, and nephew, Austin. Saturday night we enjoyed bbq with friends Kevin and Katie Whaley along with little Jackson and Gracie. (The pic of Kate and Gracie at the bottom of this blog post shows just how much bigger a four month old is compared to a 6 week old...amazing). Katie Whaley, Nataliya (sis-in-law), and I took the little ones down to the KC JiggleJam at Crown Center on Sunday...and boy it was HOT! The boys absolutely loved playing in the fountains...this is something we will have to do again this summer. Sunday afternoon our friends Ryan and Nicole came over. Jason and Ryan went to see Indiana Jones while us ladies entertained the kids with more sprinkler time outside. And finally, Sunday we braved the rain and sprinkles and went to the KC Zoo with Tommy, Natalyia and little Daniel B.

Geesh...Four Month's Old!

Can't believe it, but she's going to be four months old Sunday...where has the time gone?

UPDATE: Kate had her 4 month well-baby check with Dr. Lively (our pediatrician). She weighed in at 13lbs 12oz...50th% for weight (we were just sure she was going to be 75th % or higher...we're just not used to normal chub on a baby since the boys were always 25th % or lower).

She was also in the 75th % for length and.....drum roll please.....90th% for head circumference! That's one big head!

The Great Outdoors

Just a few pictures of the boys enjoying this stretch of warmer weather outside this week (and more fun with Photoshop when I should be cleaning or putting laundry away) Jonathan is learning to hit a ball and Nick will not relinquish the mower for anything without a major meltdown. Too bad it doesn't really work.

Wild Kingdom

We did not sign up for wild kingdom when we moved here, but apparently, that's what we got. I purchased some bird seed for a feeder attached to our back deck...thinking, "wouldn't it be nice for the boys to see the birds up close?" I filled the feeder (with Jonathan's help) and placed the remaining bag of seed in the corner of the deck. The next morning, I wake to find the bag moved from the corner of the deck against the house to the middle of the deck and partially spilled out with little "chew holes" in it. My flower pots full of gernaiums on the deck were also dug into. I pick it up and carefully sweep up the remaining birdseed and put it back in the bag. The next morning, same thing...only this time I look up and see that the roof of the bird feeder is off and ALL of the birdseed in it is gone. Again, my flower pots have been dug into. I take the birdseed and put it in the garage...thinking "I am not inviting unknown critters to dine on my deck and destroy my flowers". The following night, Jason jumps out of bed around 2 a.m. hearing growling, screeching, and screaming noises and and looks out our bedroom window down to the deck...he says, "there are raccoons on our deck!" Snakes, possum, deer, rabbits and now raccoons can be added to the list of critters to frequent our backyard...
and no....I did not take this picture...but it's creepy, isn't it?

It's Official

After talking to the director again yesterday to confirm his enrollment, it's official that Jonathan will be attending Liberty Montessori Center http://www.libertymontessoricenter.com/ beginning mid-August. We were so fortunate that they had an available slot (we were on a waiting list for a while). Although we are really sad to be splitting the kids between Nicole, our current sitter and the school, we are excited about the opportunites the Montessori philosophy will provide for Jonathan. We know because of Nicole's efforts, Jonathan has a great foundation already. He's already excited about attending "school". He just wants to know if he'll be riding a school bus... Sorry buddy, not yet.

Pictures from this morning.

Jonathan was exploring the yard and the easement behind our house...it was a BEAUTIFUL morning, so I grabbed my camera and just snapped away (while watching out for snakes of course). Jonathan spent most of the day outside...clear till 9:00 pm (way past his bedtime) playing with neighbor, Allie. He played in the sprinklers...and then with pom pons, barbies, and picnicked with plastic food in the driveway while wearing hot pink heart shaped sunglasses. Made daddy so proud. ;) Nick is under the weather these past few days, so I think a visit to the Pediatrician tomorrow is in order (ear infection?) Thank goodness they have weekend availability. Kate's been a bit fussier too....and a little congested. That of course means mom and dad have not gotten the appropriate amount of sleep lately!

Jason came home from Target tonight and said..."I want you to mark down on the calendar...at 2 years 10 months, your son said, "Drive faster daddy!" in the car". He seemed to think this was funny since mommy is always telling Daddy slow down.

Jason has been hard at work on Jonathan's playset. Jonathan thought he'd lend a hand. He did for a while, then played in the dirt, and with worms Daddy dug up. This past weekend we had an entire workcrew (Jason's dad and brother, Jeff) and Jonthan had some good one-on-one time with his cousin, Andy.

She rolls...

Our little Kate has been rolling over...another milestone! Of course she's our chubby round child and when she's placed face down, she naturally bears all of her weight on her little pot belly...then rolls. It still counts, right? She is such a happy little girl who loves playing peek-a-boo and is starting to grasp toys dangling in front of her. I tend to be a little more sentimental than usual about these little acheivements knowing she is my last baby. I'll get some video of her new moves posted soon! ;)....Okay, so no video yet. But here are some recent pics of our little gal. I'll work on the video.

Mother's Day

My first as a mother of three...and what did I want more than anything in the world? To sleep in. My wish was granted...and at around 9 a.m., Jonathan peered his head through the bedroom door, came in (followed by Nicholas, Katherine and Daddy) and he began singing our little morning song to the tune of Happy Birthday. Only his was "Good morning mommy, good morning mommy, good morning Mooooooooooom-meeeeeeee, Good morning to you!" (A song sung to me when I was a little girl that I now sing to all my kids individually when they get up in the morning). I was given a card (scribbled on of course), hugs, kisses, a long stem rose and a pedi. Then some jumping and frolicking on the bed until heads bumped and tears began. :)

This day isn't all about me as a mom celebrating my third Mother's Day, but about my mom too. I don't often enough get the chance to thank her for what a wonderful mother she was growing up and what a wonderful mom she continues to be in adulthood. As a mom now, I have a better understanding and perspective of what it is moms do. I reflect in amazement at how she survived with four so close in age...and reflect on the tremendous amount of patience she had. If only I had a fraction of her patience with my own three. She sacrificed so much for all four of her children...and there was never any doubt that we were her first priority. Always. She never indulged in spending money on herself..it was shoes, clothes, braces, activities, etc. for her own children. She spent countless hours helping often ungrateful children study for exam's, write papers, or learn algebra. I can't recall one single athletic event (even in college if the drive wasn't too far) that my parents weren't there for (rain or shine). She was always my biggest fan. And in adulthood, she's always the voice of wisdom...always the ear to listen, always the first to volunteer (eagerly) to take her grandchildren when needed (the most incredible grandma too)....always my mom. Thanks mom! I really do love and appreciate you...and really do aim to be as good a mother as you were and are. I hope to have the same close relationship with my kids into adulthood. Love you!

Crazy Weather

As many know, the weather Thursday night was pretty severe here in the KC area. Jason and I worked in the garden until the sky started looking pretty ominous... and a tornado watch was issued. The tornado sirens went off for over an hour but things seemed to calm down a bit and the meteorologist claimed the storm system was beginning to weaken. Jason and I later went to bed only to awaken to very loud, powerful wind and some of the craziest lightening we have ever seen. We rolled over and went back to sleep....at least I did. Jason claims he got up and started heading downstairs after telling me to get up (I seriously don't remember this...funny how I'm the first to hear the slightest moan or cry coming from our kids bedrooms and yet I barely stirred). The next day we realized that just across town, in the area where we used to live, 100-115 mile an hour winds and possible tornadoes damaged and destroyed homes. Tommy, my brother who lives in that area, and his family heard that famous "train" sound and immediately headed toward their sub-basement...but were halted in the hallway by the sound of shattering glass. Apparently a trampoline blew through the front window of their house along with other storm debris. Pulling up to their house and seeing a metal street light bent in half said it all. Their cars were damaged as well. They were pretty fortunate as homes a few blocks away had entire roofs blown off, or were completely destroyed...we saw this first hand when we drove through the neighborhoods this afternoon after visiting Tommy and Nataliya. After viewing the storm damage we witnessed...it's truly a miracle no one was killed.

Thanks Mom & Dad!

We were without childcare on Friday and will be again tomorrow as Nicole, our fabulous babysitter, is out of town with her family at her sister's wedding. My parents graciously agreed to meet in Harrisonville Thursday afternoon and trade cars...I got their empty Jeep and they got my Sienna already loaded with three little passengers. My mom took Friday off to watch them and after school, I went down to Clinton for the weekend. The weather was fabulous so the boys spent tons of time outside in the backyard. I'm so lucky to have parents who so readily volunteer to take their grandchildren at a moments notice when we are in a bind. And spoil them to death of course. Here are a few pictures from their weekend. I will again meet them in Harrisonville to collect my car and my three babies tomorrow. My father will be glad to have his Jeep back...he claims my van smells like a diaper. Yeah...gotta agree with that one.