First Annual Pie Eating Contest

For Father's Day this year we had our first annual pie eating contest at my house. It was quite the experience. Hans was nervous for the whole weekend. He knew Jeff could eat. Both guys are ridiculously skinny. Melanie and I decided we were better off doing the contest next year. Especially when it's pudding pie at stake. I was kind of jealous he actually had a reason to down the whole thing. He didn't even need to feel guilty or run 8 miles the next day to make up for it. Hmmm....that's a whole other issue. So, it was fun. And Jeff creamed Hans.

I love this picture of Hans staring at Jeff's pie like he doesn't stand a chance of catching up. They were both very civilized about the whole thing. Jeff did it in about 3 minutes. Hans took his sweet time. They couldn't eat dinner for about 2 hours after that. The kids thought the whole thing was interesting. They were nervous they wouldn't get dessert, but I had made ice cream cake. And both guys had a piece even. So I am making Hans practice this year so it can actually be competetive next year:)

Bugs, Bugs, and a Butterfly

We love bugs at our house. Ashley is even having a bug party for her birthday in a couple of weeks. And she is only inviting girls. It should be interesting. We have bugs living all over our house. Mostly in bug catchers and containers they decorate and cover with foil. Then we look on the internet to find what they eat and what they like to live with and we try to acommodate. We've had milk bugs, lady bugs, daddy long leg spiders, other spiders, and many other bugs I don't even recognize. But this past week, we finally caught a butterfly. It was very exciting. She caught it in a net and put it in my largest container and made a home for it. But we decided after a day that we'd better let it go free if it had a chance of surviving. Even Ashley realizes the mortality rates of bugs in our home are dismal. So here are some pictures of the event.

I love Justin watching the butterfly with complete interest. He loves his big sisters. They are very awesome to him. He loves to imitate everything they do. As you can tell from the picture with Katelyn, it is definately Ashley who is more the bug lover. Katelyn keeps her distance. Ashley tried to let the spider crawl on Katelyn so she could have her turn and Katelyn about had a heart attack. I told Ashley that she needed to ask if Katelyn wanted a turn before just assuming because I certainly don't want a turn letting it crawl on me. Good times.

We Yove Justin

We are all happy it is finally motorcycle season. Justin loves to ride on Hans' little bike and so do the girls. It fills our evening time after dinner and before bed. They go on rides looking for stuff. Justin is so 2 right now. I can't get him to listen or sleep. I might tolerate either one alone, but together it's really annoying. Last night I got up to feed Mia at 2 am and there he was, sitting outside his door just staring. Seriously? He'd gone to bed at 10 and he was up for the day at 5:30. He does nap, but it's only 2 hours. I thought about getting rid of the nap, but he was too miserable. He loves to eat cannyyoup (cantaloupe) and watch a show. Usually mickey mouse clubhouse. He also "reay yikes yoyyipops." He needs one at every moment he's awake. He says y for his l. I yove it.

You've got a little something on your lip...

I hate it when I get a sweet potato puff stuck to my snot and don't even realize it.

Mia has a lot of "looks." She can look at me like I am the source of all her problems. It makes me chuckle to think of that look. She looks at me with pleading in her eyes too. And then, of course, there's the look of complete joy.

She is officially 8 months old today. She learned how to crawl. She can scoot her way forward now and get up to sitting and she can big girl crawl her way three or four times forward before dropping and scooting. I pulled parts of a nerds box out of her mouth day. And she was furious. She ate two ritz crackers at the pool yesterday and she started on yellow squash today. Not sure why I am feeding her ritz crackers when I am so slow to introduce the other stuff. I just needed something to appease her. She needs to be eating. I am at least teaching her to feed her crying. Got to learn that at an early age, I suppose.

I'm tired

I think I took on a little more then I can handle. I signed up for the triathlon in August, the half marathon on September 1st, and the century ride the end of September. And I'm tired. This was my first week of training (whatever that really means) so I am hoping it's the worst, but I had a little humbling yesterday when Jeff and I did a 30 mile ride. I had a hard time keeping up. I hate that. Rachael taught me how to do flip turns at the pool and gave me some swimming pointers. I just haven't really figured out how to balance all the working out with not being too tired to function. I'm trying to be competetive, but not kill myself. How do I do that? I hate losing.

Beautiful Mia

She is growing so big. 7 months old! She can get up easily on all 4s and has crawled forward a couple times. It'll be full-time all too soon. She learned how to push herself from on her stomach up to sitting. Impressive. I couldn't believe it, actually. She's just so small. 13 lbs 8 oz. As of wednesday at the doctor's office. I thought she had an ear infection, but she doesn't. She loves to eat sweet potatoes and oatmeal cereal. And now some sweet potato puff cereal things. She has quite the pincer grasp. She is a cute gal. She loves to laugh.

Kindergarten is Over

I love Mrs. Meyers. She was the greatest Kindergarten teacher ever. There was never any question that she loved Ashley and all the other students. She said a teary farewell here at school and then on Friday at the zoo. Ashley has already planned out a trip to go see Mrs. Meyers again. She doesn't think she'll like 1st grade as much because there's going to be so much more learning. She has learned a ton in school this year. She learned how to read, write, spell, and do basic math. What else is there?!

Pictures for May

Following are lots of pictures: Katelyn took a bunch of them. She loves the camera. Pictures of pre-school graduation, Justin on his bike, field day, Ashley losing her tooth and with her tooth fairy stuff, making jam, planting the garden, cookies with the Conleys and more.