KINDERGARTEN

Kindergarten!!! It's finally come.  Now it can end. I think that's how most of us feel each morning.  It's definitely an adjustment for everyone.  The kids are really good sleepers and generally don't wake up until 7:30-8:00am each day.  Not any more.  

I have to wake up around a quarter to 7:00 to try and get Miss M moving. It takes her forever to start moving.  She needs to be in the kitchen by 7:15 to start eating b/c she is pretty slow at eating too.  She then has to catch the bus at 7:40 but the bus arrives at 7:35.  The bus driver doesn't leave until 7:40 but it doesn't make the morning any less stressful. 

I get up each morning. I pack a lunch.  And by pack a lunch, I mean, I walk around the kitchen until I've filled enough of the compartments with food.  Miss M doesn't eat much. Her lunches are sad and pathetic but she doesn't complain. 

The full day is still an adjustment a couple weeks later.  She gets off the bus at 3:15pm. She's generally tired and just wants to watch tv and decompress.  I don't blame her. They are teaching them so much so soon. It overwhelms me too. There are so many optional things for kids/parents to work on at home that I've quit trying to keep up with optional tasks and focus on the homework packet, reading to her and getting her to bed on time.  I'm so happy I didn't sign anyone up for a sport/activity after school b/c I don't think we could handle it. 

There are four kids on our street in the same class. There are only 16 kids in their class and three kindergarten classes. What are the odds of all of them being together? I can't wait to take a picture of the three of them at the end of the year!

Kindergarten breakfast. She's ready to roll!

A few pictures before school.  We almost didn't get any pictures. 

We walked the first day. Andrew walked with us. It was a family affair. It was a little overwhelming at school b/c every kid had their entire family and some extended family send them off.  We put her on the bus on day 2 b/c getting three kids dressed/ready/out the door/walked to school before the bell at 7:55am isn't in my capacity.

 The girls.  We now spend each Tuesday/Thursday with Hazel Girl when her mom and I run together. Cate and I are pretty busy girls these days.  We don't have anything planned on Monday. Tuesday we have gymnastics and running with Jessica. Wednesday is babysitter day (my favorite day of the week! Probably the kids' too!). Thursday is music and running with Jessica. Friday we have Big Will and it's party day or errand day depending on what needs to be accomplished!

Day 1 lunch.  She told our neighbor she wanted apples the next day.  I don't think the lunch room phased the girl at all.

 At pick up.  She was still smiling.

 I went to curriculum night to learn about what they are teaching the kids. I found this self-portrait of Miss M on the wall. It made me smile to see her long hair!

Miss M and R aren't in the same class but they do lunch and snack and recess together.  He's a sweet kid and she loves him.  He was in her three year old preschool class so it's nice to see they are still friends. 

 Her bag is so heavy and she struggles to get off the bus every day.  I don't know if her bag will make it the entire year since I think she drags it around! We walk the half block up the street and wait for her every day.  She does like school and she talks a little about it.

I asked her if she wanted Andrew or myself to put her hair in a ponytail one morning.  She told me she wanted Andrew to do it since he needed a lot of practice. 

 This is her interpretation of his (in)ability to do her hair.

I ended up finishing the job. He still needs more practice!

Race Weekend.

The kids and the babysitter and I drove to Michigan Friday for my half ironman race.  Andrew drove over after work Friday. We found a playground a beach after spending an hour or so in the pool. It was fun and the kids loved it. We took the babysitter for a lot of reasons and it ended up being the best decision we've made in a long time.  She was extremely helpful and the kids love playing with her. 

Miss M running to the water while Cate rides on K's back so they could feel the water and find out if it was cold.

Cate hadn't taken a nap all day Friday and she was a DISASTER by dinner. It was the worst I have ever seen her.  We tried phones, we tried snacks, we tried juice, we tried taking her outside. She was scary.  K calmed her down for a little while by giving her a ponytail on the top of her head.

We went back to the beach Saturday afternoon.  The kids flew kites that I happened to have had in my car.

I received a lot of texts/phone calls/messages of support and encouragement.  My favorite pictures were from my biggest non-family fans.  The message said to draw in images of the kids when things get tough.  Things got tough.  I imaged these little rascals cheering me on from Indiana.  And my heart was filled with happiness and my legs kept moving.

Post race. I couldn't hardly walk without wanting to die.  K took care of the kids and got us to the car and drove us home.

We had to stop and get gas before driving home. I made K drive b/c Andrew had to drive to Iowa in his own car and I was afraid I wouldn't make it.  She bought me a requested Coke and when I looked at the bottle and saw "we are the champions" it made me smile.  How fitting for a day when every athlete who raced is a champion.

She finally fell asleep. She refuses to sleep in the car.

The following are race day pictures which Andrew took. I haven't received access the downloaded pictures yet as they are residing on Andrew's computer.

The water on race day was too warm to wear wetsuits and qualify for age group placements. I wasn't really worried about placing in anything.  I was also worried about drowning without a wetsuit. I decided to wear the wetsuit to ensure I made it out alive.  I did make it out alive but I was so happy after entering the water that I had it on.  We were the last wave to enter the water and it was an extremely large wave since so many other people wanted to ensure they didn't drown.  I panicked in the beginning. I had to do the backstroke and breast stroke to regain my composure and find a place where I wasn't going to be attacked by other's arms/legs. Once I found my groove the time went by pretty quickly.

My cheering squad at the last 1/2 mile of the run.  I was still in pretty good spirits.  I adjusted my goals/expectations during the run b/c it was brutal. I was so hot and so hungry.  I decided to walk through all the fueling stations which were every mile! I drank a lot and ate a little which I would normally never do.  I wouldn't have made it without the stops and food/drinks.  There was no shade and by the time I started the run it was probably around noon. The heat was radiating off the pavement and burning everyone up. 

Look at those naked beach babies.  I couldn't have finished the race without the support of all my family and friends on race day and the ten months leading up to the race.

The local running group had left a sign in our yard to find upon our arrival home. It was a nice welcome home.  We had a family friend and her daughter drive to Michigan to watch the race. They drove Miss M home from MI which was helpful to have one less person to take care of/listen to on the way home. It was also really awesome that they had planned on cooking dinner for the kids and I after we got home. I was barely functioning and honestly not sure I could have fed the kids or myself.

I'm taking a break from double workouts five days a week.  It took me three weeks to mentally/emotionally/physically recover from the race! I'm looking at a few races next summer and can't wait to start training again, in say, January!

MY birthday part 2 - the Concert

This is my favorite picture. This is before Craig had much to drink. He tried to take a picture of all of us and cut Nan's head out. 

 Luckily I'm a way better picture taker than Craig.

 Me and Big Papa.

 Me and Big Craig.

 Me and my favorite Jessie.  I caught her yawning.  I am good.

I gave her a second chance. I'm so nice.

My Drew.  He made my birthday weekend the best.  He had Grandma D order the race pictures from my half ironman. They weren't cheap and I wouldn't have ordered them myself.  It was thoughtful.  and made me happy.

 Seriously love this girl.

They aren't fighting rather they are singing but I love that it looks like Jessie's yelling at him and he's taking a self defense position.

 They're so adorable. I could eat them.

 My favorite picture of the entire night.

There was a guy wearing a camel mask. I never figured out why but he wore it all night long. Jessie convinced him somehow to give her the mask and she wore it proudly.

MY birthday weekend pt 1!

Tickets for the Blake Shelton concert associated with the Back Porch Revival went on sale sometime at the beginning of the year.  We bought six tickets and reserved two hotel rooms.  We are a close family.  Dad, Nan, Craig, Jessie and I planned to go to the concert Saturday night after dropping the children off with their other grandparents.  

The nine of us stayed at the hotel Friday night.  It was perfect.  The hotel was on the pedestrian mall and there was a playground for the kids to play on. The pool was a hit too.  

Jack just watching the clouds go by while he takes a break in his new fancy game day bibs.

 Playing outside after dinner.

 Chasing Big Craig.

Reading with Grandma. 

The clock chimed midnight while we were out Friday night and thus started the birthday celebrations.

The next morning I went outside to find the early birds. Big Craig bought me a 20 oz and 12 pack of Diet Mt. Dew. It's like he loves me or he got sick of me asking (demanding) one from somewhere.

Dad looked at me while we were standing around outside and said "so katy...you're 37". I had a small panic attack as though I'd lost a year of my life.  I tried to figure out how I'd turned 37. I asked him if he was serious.  Thankfully being born in 1980 makes for easy/quick math. Sure enough I'm only 36...phew.

Buddies

Callie and Grandma D and the girls drove down to Iowa City Saturday afternoon to eat lunch with us and pick up the kids for a slumber party.  The girls have matching shirts.