Run for Fun?

As the mother of a kindergartener, I am getting an education along with Madilyn in the ways of well...education. Two weeks ago, Madilyn's school held their annual PTA fundraiser, a Run for Funz. The kids get pledges for each lap they run around the track. The kindergartners run/walk for half an hour and all the other kids run/walk for an hour. I volunteered to count laps while Madilyn's class ran as a way to be more involved with the school. My parents and Jeremy came to watch her run as well.

I did not expect what I found when I got there. Lots of kids (I expected that part) but lots of parents and families too. All of them cheering and many of them running and/or walking with their kids. Many parents were there most of the day because they had multiple kids running at various times throughout the day. It was great to see our community coming together to support their children.

Madilyn was awesome. She ran 8 laps, yes that's right, 2 miles in half an hour! Jeremy ran and walked some of the laps with her. We were so proud of her. When she got done she said, "Dad I was tired but I didn't give up."

That's my girl!

(I totally have pictures of her running but they're still on the camera and everytime I get a chance to download them Jeremy is out of town with the camera. Argh! So no pictures of our little Forrest Gump.)

Camp Out!

A couple of weeks ago we had our ward camp out. I am not ashamed to admit that I am not a fan of camping. I don't like getting dirty or bugs or dirt or dust or dirt. Luckily for me I had a wonderful excuse to not actually camp out. My wonderful husband however stayed overnight with both girls by himself, with the full knowledge that it was going to start raining during the night. I know he's not a masochist so I assume he really wants the girls to like camping. Despite the fact that all of them had to get their shoes and coats on at 4 in the morning to tramp through the rain to go to the restroom, they had a great time. And I'll admit after Garrett and I came back in the morning it was fun.

The girls got to shoot at the archery range. Madilyn tried to throw the arrows from the bow but she eventually figured it out.

Ok so this one isn't of anyone I know but I thought you would all get a kick out of the fact that I walked into on of those black peg looking thingers. Yeah, that's where they hang the bows when they aren't being used. I was watching where I was going and took one in the forehead.

I love camping.

I'm not exactly sure what Emma was doing here but that's not any kind of bathroom facility and neither is she remotely potty trained. I thought it was funny.

Here's the other thing, the very aspect of camping that I detest is the very thing that makes it wonderful for my children. All the kids were playing in a giant mud puddle. Eventually they all moved on to other dirt related activities, except my Emma. She sang about the mud and talked to it until she had enough.

At which point she came to me and said, "Mom can you wash off my boots?" Wouldn't want our boots to get dirty.

Meanwhile I'm trying to figure how I'm going to get her home at the end of all this without moving the mud puddle from the field to my van. Let's just say we had a little nudist colony on the way home.It was a successful camp out. The kids had a great time. Jeremy worked hard to make it happen so he was happy.

I tried not to complain. (Tried mind you.)

I love camping.

Parents Beware

As many of you know, last year Emma broke her leg riding on my lap going down a slide at the park. She had a spiral type fracture (I don't remember the medical term) from her knee to her ankle. You can imagine the guilt I felt. Well my mom sent me an article that, while not alleviating my guilt, made me feel that this wasn't something that is uncommon.

Here's the article if anyone is interested.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32880360/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/from/ET

Moral of the story, no moms on the slide.

First Day of School

Madilyn started Kindergarten a couple of weeks ago. All summer it moved slowly toward us. At times it made me cry to think of her growing up and entering school. She's come so far from the little toddler that ordered frunnies and a hamburger over the counter at the gun shop (where you only buy guns) to an energetic, dramatic five year old that has decided to be a queen for Halloween because queens are better than princesses. Then there were the days I wondered if I could talk the school into taking her all day.

Oh, and I got interviewed by the local newspaper for an article about kids going back to school. I gave the classic first child going to school answer of "I think I'll cry the first day." (On a side note, I wondered how they had chosen me to interview. The school called to see if they could give the paper my info. I had met the principal when I registered Madilyn and I wondered if I had made a particularly good impression on her and she had recommended my name. No that wasn't it. I then remembered that I had turned in Madilyn's registration the morning of the first day you could register for school. I was the first name on the list.)

Anyway, back to the first day of school...once Garrett was born everything went fast and the next thing you know I'm sending my baby off alone on the school bus. Buuutttt, she was ready and so was I. I thought I would cry but honestly if there had been tears they would have been for joy. Madilyn gets the social interaction she craves and I get a break for a few hours from one of my little Nashlings.

She's doing wonderful. So far her favorite things are recess and riding the bus. Here's her first day duds, along with the fam, and her waving from the bus.

Garrett!!

Here's why I'm a nut job. I had a baby seven weeks ago so my first post should have been Garrett! A few words about him before you all get to see his gorgeous face. He's gorgeous. I know I already said that but really he is. He's already smiling and cooing. I think his eyes are going to be brown but there still somewhat nondescript at this point. I'm glad he still has eyes. I caught Emma poking him in the eyes a couple of days ago. When I asked her what she was doing she said, "I'm poking his eyes.", like it was the most natural thing in the world and I had no right to stop her. We all love him...some of us a little too much.

He had quite the welcome when he arrived.

Here he is a few days old.

And here he is a few days ago at 7 weeks old.

We are so blessed to have our beautiful boy with us.

Summer

Here's a bunch of stuff from our summer. I'll try to give a running commentary along the way. For those of you other than my mom, you may find this very boring.

Despite the fact that I was pregnant, we did manage to get one good hike in this summer. It was Twin Falls up...somewhere. Ok I don't know exactly where but it was gorgeous. I slept the whole way there so the location is something of a mystery to me even now. We did go back and do the hike for my family's family reunion. Oooo, we had our family reunion in Cle Elum so the hike must have been near there! In case you can't tell I'm the giant pregnant bumblebee.

Emma learned how to fix her own hair.

Madilyn had her first dance recital, which nearly turned into a disaster at the end. Stupid recital virgins that we were, we didn't have flowers for her after the show. Luckily a lovely family in our ward who had two daughters in the recital gave us one of their bouquets so Madilyn never new her parents almost blew it.

We did a little fishing. I cleaned my first fish...only because I feel as the wife of an avid hunter, fisher, hiker, camper...gatherer...that I should at least know how to do it. I think I get bonus points due to pregnancy.

We had a huge shindig for the 4th of July. Not really, my girls plug there ears for snappers so this is as exciting as it gets for us.

Stay tuned for Garrett and the first day of school!

Peanut Butter Cookies and Foreheads

We are told, in fact, commanded to be humble. I have decided that having children is truly the most humbling experience of my life. I'm not talking about the overwhelming sense of responsibility and awe you feel when you realize that Heavenly Father has blessed you with beautiful children to raise, teach, and mold into responsible adults. No, I'm talking about the fact that children point out every flaw you possess, even ones you may not know about.

Case in point, and I'm pretty sure I've already told most of you this story but I feel the need to readdress it and do a visual. Madilyn said to me a few weeks ago, and I quote, "Mom your forehead looks like a peanut butter cookie." I was confused at the time not seeing the resemblance between my forehead and a peanut butter cookie. She clarified, "Yeah, you know how you take the fork and put all those lines in it and stuff." Yup, wrinkles! I know I'm getting older but come on, a peanut butter cookie!

So in my own defence I've put two photos for you to decide if, yes in fact my forehead does look like a peanut butter cookie (which if you do don't tell me and let me live in my fantasy world in which it does not), or no and my five year old needs some work on her compare and contrast skills.

I think these pictures speak for themselves.

Yes, I've finally done it. I've started a blog. I don't know how interesting it will be, but at least my mother can see pictures of my kids. ( i.e. I don't have to feel guilty about not mailing the pictures anymore.) Hmmm, I hope no one thought my first post would be exciting.