Neighborhood Movie Night

Co-Hosting our last Outdoor Neighborhood Movie Night for the season:

Big Screen, Under the Big Moon.

Birthday Boy

You've had a Birthday

Shout HOO-RAY!

Birthday Breakfast in Bed

[Welcome to Teenage-hood!]

Garden Things

{Tomatoes}

Lots and Lots of Tomatoes.

KC Things

Mr.'s work flew us to Kansas City for the week 

and since that is his Motherland,
aka Favorite place on Earth,
he was SUPER Excited! 

Between meetings and shopping for souvenirs,

we also got lots of Bar-B-Q-ing in!

But the Highlight

THE HIGH.LIGHT.

Was going to the KC Chiefs Season Home Opener

with my number one CHIEFS Fan!

PS 

I didn't think there was a bigger CHIEFS fan than my husband.

I stand corrected. 

Family 5K-ing

Fun Run

This was my second year co-hosting our school fundraiser!

It's planning and its work:

Kick-off assemblies, donation envelopes readied, 

notes to parents, coordinating with teachers, logistics, etc, etc.

but by the end, 

I'm always so thankful with how well it went,

and the happy, running kids!

My 3 favorite parts this year:

1) a parent emailed the principle, pleased with the healthy snacks (grapes and water) that we gave, as opposed to junk and sugar. This made me so happy to hear, because I'M that parent that would rather my kids be given something healthy, 

then loaded up on sugar, after running! 

(PS they only ran/walked for 8-10 mins.) 

But I struggle with perhaps being too forceful of my snacking ideas on others, 

and I wasn't sure how "just grapes and water bottles" would go over. 

And side note: I received that news, just after hearing a kid complain 

"that's all we get is grapes? I want something else"

2) We had a legally blind 1st grader who wanted to run. 

With the help of her classmate, 

she ran and ran and got just as many laps as the other kids!

3) Our last group was our Special Needs group. 

I love to watch them! We just let them do what they can. 

After about 3 laps (300 yards) we told them they were done 

and could stop. But one little boy didn't want to stop.

His Grandpa, who had come to support him, 

got out and kept running with him, a few more laps,

supporting him and carrying him when needed.

After we were all done, and his class was starting to head back to class,

he hugged and hugged his grandpa and didn't want to let him go.

And Grandpa said, "I'll run around the house with you after school!". 

I could just see the love that Grandpa had for the boy,

and the boy had for Grandpa. I could tell they had a special bond.

And my eyes watered. 

August Running Club

That month I talked my kids into doing a Running Club with me!

uh, 

because things always sound way more super-duper 

when the word "CLUB" is part of the the title!

For a whole month,

they dragged themselves out of bed 

one morning a week,

to get out the door and run with me!

We always kept it to two miles,

but the times got better and better,

and it got easier!

{Yah, THEM!}

But,

Let's not kid ourselves,

they were glad when school started,

and they had a legit excuse to 

leave me a one-man club again.

[tears and sniffles]

08.25.15

[First Day of Not in Elementary School Anymore]

Summer Saturday Things

Bright and early,

Husband and Bro-in-law (aka neighbor)

hosted a pancake breakfast 

in our cul-de-sac for the neighbors!

Then we spent the nice warm day 

at an amusement park,

riding the rides,

and looking amused!

Boating Times