WOBBLE CHAIRS

Purchased for James to use while doing homework (he needs to fidget), but also useful for video games, dinner and a movie (in combination with TV trays), crafting, reading, and apparently even just resting (I caught him sitting on his chair next to the couch, with his head and upper body slumped over onto the couch, and when I told him to just move to the couch and get comfy he said he already was comfy). Clearly we couldn't get one for James without getting one for Cora.

BAKING BUDDY

 Bakers get to enjoy special treats during the process, like licking the Nutella spoon...

This afternoon's baking included Breakfast Cookies, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, and Cream Cheese Pudding Pie (original recipe called Pumpkin Lust Cake, but we never use pumpkin spice pudding, so we had to rename it - we like to mix white chocolate and cheesecake pudding).

NYC ADVENTURE

 Jay just returned from a long weekend up in New York visiting Jamie. They had a great time and sent us lots of fun pictures from their adventures (the Ghostbusters building, the beach, Coney Island, the botanical gardens, Times Square, and more!) - here are a few to document the trip!

 

GUINEA WRANGLER

 She herded the chickens straight into the coop, but the guineas went wild and flew from perch to perch, completely ignoring her pleas to get in the coop and go to bed. I tried to get her to put pants on over her old recital costume (from when she was 3... Searching for Seuss) before we went outside, but she told me that her "legs like to feel the breeze!" It was 40-something degrees, so I insisted she at least put on a jacket... She might be a little crazy, but she's highly entertaining...

 We eventually had to give up on the guineas and go back after dark to lock the coop.

SUNDAY SILLIES

 Magic tricks and kitty-cat pretend play while mama was running...

COLD, HARD, LONG RUN

I had to break out my running jacket, gloves, and ear-warmer for my 30-degree 18-miler this morning. The cold didn't bother me, but I'll never do a long run after a race again... it was hard from the start (my quads were sore from yesterday's hills and speedwork), and only got worse as the miles piled on. I felt pretty good between miles 3 and 7 (warmed up enough that my plantar fasciitis was no longer burning strongly and before my legs started to feel like lead weights), but as I crested a hill out of the cemetery (WAY out on the far side of the military park) and realized I was suddenly exhausted and not even halfway done, I started to get down on myself for letting myself get so out of shape. The rest of the run was super slow (as in, I ran at a VERY slow pace - I didn't even walk that much, I just trudged along at an 10:30 pace, practically shuffling my feet and trying not to look up at all the hills). Ashley and Lee pushed ahead at an easy 9:30 pace, but then had to keep stopping and coming back for me (which, if you've ever been at the back of the pack, you know is a very sucky feeling). When Lee finished her 17 (she'd started earlier than Ashley and I) and headed home, I tried to convince Ashley to head out for her last 2 solo so she could run a comfortable pace (especially since she only needed 15 total and could have been done half an hour ago...), but she stuck with me. I was glad for the company because I likely ran a lot more of the south loop with her than I would have solo (still very slow, but at least I ran), and she ended up with 17 herself (just imagine how many times she had to come back to get me to hit 17 miles at the point that I hit 16 miles...) After she headed home I still had 2 more to do alone. By that point, I had a bad ache behind my knee, so I just resolved to get the miles done, no matter how slow I went. (Had that ache turned into a pain, I'd have just stopped, but marathon training is supposed to hurt a little, unfortunately.) I'm glad I finished the run (training on tired legs is very beneficial for marathon day), but I'm very thankful that next weekend's 20-miler will be on the trails (softer on the joints, plenty of excuses to walk hills, and ultra fare available for fuel at aid stations). And I should have some good company out there, since Lee and Mack and Jay are all running. Onward and upward - marathon training is supposed to be hard. It's ok that this weekend's long run sucked. Hopefully next weekend's will be the opposite, as it tends to go in running...

LIONS AND BEARS

 When Cora heard me say that I was heading upstairs for a hot salt bath and some stretching (in the hopes of easing some muscle tension before tomorrow's long run), she just KNEW that I needed her help with it all...

 (Someday she'll have to stop bathing with me, but for now I don't mind. And we still both fit. Besides, that lion's mane of hers needed the glitter scrubbed out of it... P.S. She was scratching her back "like Baloo" in that photo up there... This girl is something, eh?)

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD 2016

We almost missed the deadline this year, but Cora was a good little assistant, sitting in the cart and helping me pick the best items for our boy and girl, and making sure everything fit into the shoeboxes. And yes, I did bribe her with those candycanes in the background near the end of the trip as she got tired. But the Herseys bars were for me. (Marathon training...)

"I'M OKAY!"

While Cora posed for portraits, James attempted to give Gramma heart failure...

CHILD OF GOD

 Cora had her Christmas Recital portraits today and when she received her costume, she was quite thrilled to find it covered in sequins. And that it's pink. And that it has a tulle skirt "just like the REAL ballerinas". She told me that her role in this year's performance is "kid of God". Isn't she just the cutest thing? She can't wait to get up on stage in a couple weeks...

TURKEY TROT 2016

 This morning the kids and I ran the Turkey Trot (5K for me, 1-mile Fun Run for them) in support of Jacob's Ladder (a local school for special needs children and young adults). It was COLD, but it was a good course (incorporating Glenwood Circle and downtown - only a couple big hills) and there were a lot of our friends there, which always makes races extra fun. And my leggings made the race extra fun. (All the female SCA kids/volunteers around the course went crazy for the unicorn...) And the bouncy house made the race EXTRA fun for the kids. 

 The kids stayed in the van reading books with Gramma while I warmed up and raced, then came out to enjoy the festivities. I ran a good race (not a great race, and not a PR by any means, but a good pace for my current fitness level - around an 8:40/mile average, finishing in 27:00 flat on a slightly long 5K course). It was a small event (just 66 runners), so I took first in my age group (Ashley took overall female with an amazing 6:44 average pace!)

Cora, Olivia, Hazel, Grant, and James

Even though I warned the kids to hold back and not chase Adler (who can run as fast as his mama for a mile!), they took off like roadrunners at the start. I caught James quickly, who briefly complained of a side stitch as he walked up the bridge, but told him I had to leave him to chase down Cora so I could make sure she stayed safe and asked him to just do his best, even if he needed to walk the whole thing. At the time, I didn't realize the Fun Run was a loop course and not the usual out-and-back that races usually do for 1-mile events... As such, I didn't see him again until the finish. Luckily, there was a relatively large group of kids running (most of whom we knew) and a few parents in tow, so I knew he would be safe. I never did catch Cora, as she spent her race chasing Hazel (who took overall female) and the hilly course had me out of breath and wishing I just waited at the finish line to cheer them in... (Yes, they are definitely old enough to run solo now, and I think they did better with that than when I run with them side-by-side, since at all previous races they've wanted to hold my hand or be carried...)

   Cora ran a 9:50 (perhaps her fastest mile ever?) and James ran a 12:something. He was very proud of himself when he finished (and he finished strong with great form!) and told me that he didn't whine at all. He also told me that he wants to do more races now because he likes running with his friends and he wants to practice so he can get faster. I told him I'd be happy to run with him, so we'll see where it goes. Cora took first in her age group (female 6-7) and James took second in his (male 6-7). You should have heard her scream for him when they called his name - she was more excited for him than she was for herself and it was SO SWEET! Those proud smiles say it all...

So, all in all, a very fun morning for everyone (I know Gramma liked watching her grandkids race, even though it was cold standing out there) and now we have some cute little ceramic turkeys and a ceramic Mississippi state to hang on our Christmas tree (hand crafted and painted by the students of Jacob's Ladder). It was a great way to kick off the holiday week!

BEDTIME STORIES

Junie B. Jones is a hit with both kids

JUDE'S BATTLE MACHINE

Yes, they put the poor, old cat in the box. And she didn't care.

SOUTHPARK SKATE NIGHT

 The kids were super excited for Skate Night tonight. They came home with "reminder" stickers about it on their shirts two days in a row, and when Cora asked me if we could go and I told her to check with Gramma, she told Gramma "We HAVE to because it's FOR SCHOOL!"

We badly need to get these kids skates with wheels that actually turn freely... I'm convinced that they would both be pretty good skaters if they weren't stuck in the 30+ year-old brown rental skates that are as poorly cared for as the rink itself.

 James and Derrick, one of his best school buddies

Another snack break, with Isaac and William (more of James' buddies)

LEADER IN ME TOUR

 The kids got dressed up for school today because they were each chosen to represent their grades during the Leader In Me Tour for parents (and grandparents!) this afternoon (the "finale" to their American Education Week). I picked up Jean after lunch and we arrived in plenty of time for the introduction and instructions (given by one of the students - they focused on letting the kids lead as much as possible this week, including "teacher for a day" assignments and everything), then followed our group leaders (we were in the blue paw print group) to each performance. Each grade (Kindergartners and Pre-K combined) was assigned one of the 7 Habits and they performed skits and/or songs to teach the parents what their habit meant (and what it meant to them).

The First Graders had Habit #2: Begin With The End In Mind. They sung a song for us, explained what the habit meant, and each told us how THEY Begin With The End In Mind.

The Second Graders had Habit #3: Work, Then Play. They each had a line about what their "big rock" was (their big "chore" or work that they had to complete each day) and what their "play" was (note James holding his soccer ball). Then they asked the parents to take turns organizing "work" and "play" magnets into columns on their little teaching chart and gave us candy as a prize.

I thought both Cora and James did an excellent job projecting their voice and proudly participating in their grade's performance. They had to perform their song/skit 7 times in total, and were super excited to get to leave school early with Gramma after their performances ended. 

Southpark gets a lot of flack for their poor grades on standardized tests, but I can tell you that a lot of these kids are very intelligent, and so far, our teachers here have been great. Jean spoke with the librarian for a while yesterday after her lunch visit with the kids, and she imparted her opinion that Southpark kids just don't test well - they rush through the exams and don't understand how important they are. She thinks her students are smart and creative, and it was really refreshing to hear that. We stopped in to view the winning Reading Fair boards on our way out today, which the librarian was very proud to show off because they were all so good (she said it took the judges twice as long to score them this year than last year because there were so many wonderfully done entries). Anyway, I was proud of my kids today, and proud of all the other students I saw participating as well. They were energetic, creative, and informed. They are learning! And the 7 Habits are certainly helping them to focus and prioritize their schoolwork this year, which is bound to show in the standardized tests (at some point - they switched exam types yet again this year, so there will likely be a little lag time on that turnaround).