More Summer Fun

It has been a really hot summer so far. We've spent a lot of time outside in sprinklers and at the pool. Ashley is so great to take Justin and Mia out with her and they can spend an hour playing in that sprinkler. It always ends with the need for some downtime. We've watched a show almost every afternoon and Mia falls asleep on the couch. It's great. The girls are in their tie dye shirts they made at Elizabeth's birthday party. They turned out better then we expected. Now they look like they are from Colorado when they wear these with their crocs.

We go on a lot of bike rides. At least one a day. Ashley got a new bike for her birthday. We bought it early since we will be in California for her birthday. It's a sweet bike. Full suspension. It's a little big for her but she has figured it out. She loves that it has 6 gears and a kickstand. The picture on the left is what I see as I am putting Mia in the stroller and try desperately to keep up. Even running this is a challenge these days. I used to wonder when I would be chasing them instead of encouraging them along. Crazy that I am there already. We rode to Hans' office one day. 5 miles round trip. They are impressive. Our favorite ride we call the horse loop. It's a nice balance of ups and downs.

We were lucky enough to have the Mabeys drive through on their way to SLC from Austin. They have 4 cute kiddos. Ashley and Megan were born 4 days a part. They were cute babies and now they are both getting baptized. Here is a picture of Betsy and I together right after we'd had our babies. And yes...I'm wearing overalls. Can you get away with that when you had a miserable labor and delivery? I don't have the overalls anymore... Betsy is one amazing person. We were grateful to have them here with us. We played on the trampoline with sprinklers, walked to the park, walked through Garden of the Gods, and generally just let the kids play. My kids were in heaven. It's fun for me to see Hans with old friends. He and Justin have been friends forever. And, of course, we played Settlers. I couldn't pull out the victory. Betsy is queen until we see them again. Hopefully we see them before 5 more years pass...

As for me, I have been just trying to keep up with my kids. Life is busy. We do swim team every morning, stay and swim a couple days a week for a few hours, which requires all sorts of preparation with lunch, sunscreen, etc. and lunch is my hardest meal to prepare. I can easily do Gluten free at home, but it's harder to make it portable in a cooler. One day I just brought snickers bars for Mia and Katelyn. That's healthy, right? Calories, anyway. Katelyn is happy eating fruit all day, but she can't get enough calories that way. She's tired with the swimming and gymnastics. I took Justin out of his gym class for the summer because he was always too tired by the time we got there. We are hiking - We did Stanley Canyon on the Air Force Academy yesterday and had a great time. The kids are such great hikers. Mia rides in the backpack. We enjoy looking at bugs and being in nature. Justin said yesterday, "oh, mom...this is so beautiful" so I asked him what was beautiful about it and he said, "just being outside." So cute. Ashley and I are going to go back on Thursday and finish the hike. I took the kids to a free open gym, to baskin robbins, and to Chick-fil-a for all our free summer reading coupons. Ashley is an amazing reader. We went to a friend's house yesterday and she taught the girls to knit. They are great. Ashley is working diligently. We go back next Friday to learn more and start on a project. It requires all sorts of patience, which is why I don't knit. Ashley has patience. Katelyn...not so much. She's figuring it out though. Hans and I are still riding together once a week, which is fun. He hiked the incline with Jeff yesterday. My marathon training is underway. 2 weeks done. 14 to go. I ran 9 yesterday. I felt pretty good. I was able to hike with the family and do yoga with Hans in the evening. I have lofty goals of running a super fast marathon in St. George. I think that's all. I did a nutrition thing for 2 weeks to find out once and for all what's been bothering my stomach. Turns out I can't eat: gluten, dairy (including yogurt and cheese), egg yolks, and chocolate. Soy was fine. Sort of sad. Okay, a lot sad. But I feel so much better when I eat stuff that doesn't bother my stomach, it just makes me not very much fun to eat with. I did go to the farmer's market yesterday since I bought a week of a farm share from a friend. The kids loved it. We got to pick out what was our share and bring it home. They immediately wanted to make a salad since it was all greens, but they wouldn't eat it. I cooked with mizuna for the first time last night. I always thought it was just a running shoe, but no. It was tasty. The kids hated it. We got snap peas, collard greens, mizuna, spring onions, garlic, spinach, red leaf lettuce, beets, radishes, and all sorts of herbs. I think I might want to be a farmer.

More May 2010

Summer activities are in full force. We are just completing our first week of summer. I signed the girls up for swim team and so far they really like it. Ashley says she looks funny in a swim cap and goggles, but after a reminder that swim team isn't about how you look she dove right in. She is quite the swimmer. Katelyn quit after the first lap and a half and then decided she would keep working on it. Ashley has more time for piano practice this summer as well. Her summer goals include: 30 minutes at the piano, 30 minutes reading and 1 book report a week, discovering the scriptures worksheets everyday, taking Friday for a walk, and running a 5K with Hans in August. Busy. Katelyn's goals include: reading 15 minutes and a narration a week to me, discovering the scriptures worksheets everyday, and eating and sleeping enough to keep up with all the swimming and gymnastics. Katelyn got promoted to a level 2 and started that this week. It's even more no nonsense if that is possible and I am happy about it. She is at the top of her group. I am wondering how she will be when she is at the bottom of the group. Justin is in gymnastics once a week. He is getting stronger and he loves it. He hasn't yet realized that he is the only boy. We are also spending lots of time at villa. Somehow with only one formal class a week to teach I have yet to teach less then 5 classes in a week. I hope that slows down once summer is over. I am grateful that the kids like going to the daycare at villa. They have a great pool set-up there and we braved the crowds there today. It's hot!!

Our Food pictures. We love summer food. Katelyn and Mia love to eat gigantic carrots. Justin loves eating cherries, spitting out the pits, and saying "spittoey." No pictures of Ashley because she still hates fruit. She gags it down with every meal.

Justin graduated from pre-school and now is officially starting pre-kindergarten. I love hearing him say that phrase. He is so excited. He had such a great year with all his friends in Ms. Rachel's class. She was so wonderful with the kids and I am going to miss her next year! I decided to do a co-operative pre-school next year with some friends. There are 7 kids. I am excited to be more involved with him in this way and for Mia to participate when I am teaching. It will be fun.

I am grateful that Justin and Mia are friends. They spend hours a day playing together. There is quite a bit of fighting, lest you think they are angel kids, but for the most part I enjoy having them so close in age now. They play babies, cars, build forts, have tea parties, wrestle, and generally gang up on and tease their older sisters.

As for me - I ran the Boulder Bolder 10K and had a great time. We met the Havenars and Conleys in Westminster and spent the night in a hotel and then we carpooled to the start of the race together. It was so crazy. 54, 000 runners. I have never run a race quite like this one. There were people lining the streets with slip and slides, inflatable swimming pools - which people were jumping in as they ran - and people were passing out beer, frying bacon, and doing all sorts of crazy things. I was entertained most of the race. It was so crowded. It was seriously elbow to elbow the entire race. I weaved in and out of people the whole time. I ran fast. That was fun. I like running fast. I have lofty goals of running it faster next year when I am in a nice early start with other fast runners. Part of the fun was passing so many people though. It is helpful for the mind game that running has become to me...I think that is all! Hans is busy at the office but makes time to be with us. He and I went a bike ride together and he came to one of my yoga classes at villa. He and Justin are going camping together tonight. I'm grateful for him.