It has been quite a long time since I just sat down to write updates. I know I post pictures of all our happenings and runnings, but sometimes I don't want to loose the memory of what is happening slowly right before my eyes each day: they are growing up.
They are growing up and I am so very proud of each one of them.
Hailey has had an absolute wonderful 5th grade year. Her teacher, Mrs. Anderson, has taught them independence and responsibility in the daily work. Hailey truly has begun to own her own work and holds herself to a very high standard. It is working; her report cards are fantastic.
She has handled the increasing demands on her time quite well. She has flute lessons and practice, piano lessons and practice, dance on Mondays, Gems on Wednesday, and has still maintained excellence in her work. She continues to shine in her reading and writing. Math is not her favorite, but it doesn't really show in her work at school. She is in the middle of preparing for her dance recital and piano recital as well as her wax museum character presentation at school.
She has excellent friends and in general has kept girl drama to a minimum. She really loves to volunteer with the little kids at church; she does nursery and children's worship. She is taking some child care classes this summer and hopes to start getting some "mommy's helper" jobs over break.
She likes to stay up late in the evening and is hard to get moving in the morning.
Carter is our happy boy who has really grown up this year in kindergarten. I believe that we all might be to blame for his rough start to kindergarten this year. He has been the baby of the family for a long time with his sisters and mom waiting hand and foot over him. He really felt like kindergarten was a bunch of long hard days of a whole lot of work. He was right in a sense; Mrs Johnson has those kids learning at very high levels. But guess what? He is stepping up to the plate. He used to struggle with fine motor skills such as pencil grip and scissors strength. He is writing very well and is very proud of what he has learned. He takes books home to read and is proud of his reading. His sight words are increasing exponentially and his memorization of his Bible verse is not nearly as torture some as in the early days.
He especially likes to go to school on Tuesday with the small group of only 5 kindergartners. He has wonderful friends and to our knowledge continues to respect and cooperate well in school.
His love is his father. He questions me immediately after school when he will be home from work. He wants to do anything that involves his dad: trampoline, basketball, baseball, hot box, golf, wii, or reading the hobbit. He is spoiled by daily play dates with Isaac next door.
Next week he begins his both his soccer and baseball season.
His pants last, on average, about a month before holes have worn through. He is on the ground constantly. I am told that this is normal for boys, but am still disturbed.
He would be so embarrassed that I write that each night around 3am he climbs into be next to me. He does still love his mommy.
Taylor is my fire cracker. She has taken 2nd grade right in stride with Mrs. Olson. She has a distinct love for friends; Jaclyn in particular. They two are rarely separated. She has excelled particularly in math facts this year, which actually describes her quite well. She loves factual information and is very competitive; this involves the two quite nicely. She is a good reader, but finds reading to be boring and unrewarding. She has done a nice job with piano lessons this year and is preparing for her first recital in a couple of weeks. Practicing piano is a source of contention for us; it really depends on the day.
She loves, loves gymnastics. It may be because it involves both friends and gymnastics all meshed together in an after school activity that is exclusive from her siblings. She has mastered the front hand spring and is very close to the back hand spring. She is working on a bar and floor routine for her very first progressive gymnastics meet at the end of the month.
She begins softball as well next week. At home you can find her most likely on the trampoline. She love to be in charge or take charge of a task or situation. This can be extremely helpful at times, but also very debilitating upon occasion.
Her heart is very soft and generous. She gives away money, candy, and stuffed animals almost every day.
I didn't have a very good picture for Mike's update, but I thought the above advertisement would help describe the scope of Mike's evolving practice. We are now close to the 9 month mark of his job at the Minneapolis Heart Institute. It is hard to even describe the many facets of Mike's practice. I personally just try to take only one week at a time. He is heavily involved in ongoing research projects and has given countless talks on women's heart health, new guidelines, and diet practices. He has nicely established a clinic base in Edina, he reads echoes & nuclear studies, and has rounded on hundreds of inpatient clients. He weekend schedule was heavily weighted at the beginning of 2014 and so we are looking forward to a nice stretch of weekends off.
He recently was asked to begin a new term on the kids' school board.
He devotes his time at home diligently to the kids who love and adore him beyond what he can ever imagine.
Mike and I signed up to run Grandma's Marathon on June 21st in Duluth, MN. I can't really remember why I agreed to this challenge, but I believe that several friends brought up the idea and a light bulb of interest rose in my mind. The training has gotten to be pretty intense as we are now only about 50 days out from the event. My biggest accomplishment is completing a 15 mile run last Friday in 2 hours and 36 minutes. I posted my route above and my post run picture below.
It has taken a toll on my body and joints but I am starting to gain confidence that I will complete the 26.2 miles on June 21st.
Mike has also been training but has been limited by knee pain and by his schedule. I believe that he is now going to be amping up his milage to see if his knee can endure the race.
I have very basic goals for the marathon: finish under 5 hours and be able to celebrate with my family and friends after the race.
Both Hailey and Taylor are signed up to race in a 5K the night before the marathon in Duluth.
It should be quite to weekend!!!!!
