Mother’s Day…

I know Mother’s Day was a couple weeks ago, but this past weekend was when I redeemed my gift.  My husband and boys gave me a gift certificate for a local nursery and their help in the yard for a day. 

 

 

 

 

 

Kyle did the tree planting.  We have very rocky soil and he dug for days!  We bought two new trees in the hopes that one day we’ll have a bit more shade in the backyard.

Connar doesn’t really like yard work, so he tackled the backyard toy box!  He sorted, cleaned and replaced all the intact toys and threw a bunch away.  Now we have room to get a few new backyard games!  Connar did help with planting tomatoes at the end of the day (for a few minutes at least)

Aiden told me later, “I fell in love with planting today Mommy!”.  He was my right hand man while we transplanted a couple things and put in some new perennials.  He also took sole charge of a new pansy patch! 

 

 

 

 

 

New trees…new tomatoes & strawberries…new perennials and most importantly…

Happy daisies…my flowers beds have different varieties of daisies and daisy-like flowers throughout…all summer I have daisies.  I had so much fun working in our yard with my boys, it was a very happy Mother’s Day.

What new adventures have you had with your family?

The Big Photo Challenge...

This week's theme is WATER...

I try to take a picture for the photo challenge the week of the challenge...I think that's part of the challenge and it's fun to get creative.  This week though, I've been sick and stressed and just couldn't pull it off.  I went to my Shutterfly album specifically to find a photo of my boys at the beach last summer when I found this one!

This was taken while the kids were playing in a large, interactive fountain.  The water was super cold, but it was August and the day was really hot.  We'd been playing in the park and it was close to time to go home so the boys just dove in...and got really goofy!

The picture was actually taken with my "purse camera", a Fuji point-and-shoot that I carry for just such moments.

Five Question Friday...

Mama M over at My Little Life is once again hosting 5 Question Friday...



1. Is there something you've always wanted to try but just can't muster up the courage to actually do yet? I don't know if it's courage as much as money and opportunity but I have always wanted to go sky diving.  I have been bungee jumping and para sailing and I would love to try sky diving.  I am sure my husband would go with me if we ever had the opportunity!
2. If you had $100 handed to you in cash without your significant other knowing about it, what would you spend it on? Clothes...I love to go shopping!
3. What was your favorite piece of playground equipment as a child? Oh the swings...swings are still my favorite.  I love the feeling of flying through the air...it's so freeing. 
4. Do you prefer a sweet or hearty breakfast? or...a little of both!  Like a big yummy cinnamon roll with some scrambled eggs and bacon.  Oh, I am drooling already - Yum!
5. Are you a Neat Freak or a Messy Bessy? Very much a Neat Freak...I can't even pretend otherwise :)  I like to have things orderly and tucked away where they belong.  I try very hard not to get over-the-top about it as I do have two boys who don't have the same sense of tidy as I do!

Follow the link above if you want to play along!  Have a great weekend!

Date Nights...

A date night?  In the middle of the week?  How does that happen? 

My husband and I enjoyed dinner and a movie last night, and usually once each month during the school year, thanks to my in laws.  Our schedule is kind of crazy, but it works like this...
* My kids go to school late on Thursdays due to teacher collaboration time
* My husband works a 1-on and 3-off schedule...look at the calendar...that puts him working about 1 Thursday each month (and 1 of each other day too!)
* My in-laws help with child care 3 or 4 times a month when Kyle is working
Put it all together...Kids go to school late so instead of coming to our house early in the morning, my in-laws invite them for a slumber party on Wednesday night...leaving Kyle and I free to have a mid-week date!

With the schedule of working parents, sporty kids and life it's nice to look forward to this date...time to regroup and chat.  We love movies so our date is usually dinner & a movie.  I can't bear to tell you what movie we saw last night...let's just say that I lost the bet!  We did have an excellent dinner and lots of great conversation.

What creative ways do you have to get a little extra time with your man?

Sporty Kids…

I love taking pictures of my kids…who doesn’t?  I wanted to combine some of the great shots of my kids with a way to celebrate their accomplishments.  So, I decided to make posters of their sports season!

I uploaded the pictures I wanted to use to Shutterfly and found a poster template I liked.  The title has each boys name with the name of their team and I put soccer quotes at the bottom.  The posters are 16 x 20 in size and are framed in inexpensive poster frames.  They’re really easy to change out with current pictures next season.  I loved these so much I made one of our family’s ski season also.

This is a great way to display all those pictures we love to take of our sporty kids.

What’s your favorite way to celebrate your kids?

A Soccer Mom...

This year I coached my six year olds soccer team, The Fireballs.  I had no idea what I was getting into when I agreed to be the coach.  I signed Aiden up for soccer early last summer and in August got a call from the soccer association saying there would be no team unless a coach could be found.  I've never played soccer and had no idea what to do, but my husband assured me I would be great, so I took on the challenge.

In our area soccer runs 8 weeks in the fall and 8 weeks in the spring.  I had one practice during the week and we usually had one game on Saturday (there were a couple double-headers thrown in there).  I got to spend 16 weeks with some pretty amazing boys.  Watching the kids learn skills, learn to play together as a team, learn to be gracious winners and good sports when they lost, watching them grin when a play worked and high-five their buddies was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  I appreciate the parents who trusted me with their kids and the boys for trusting me to be their coach. 

The Fireballs had a great season!  I was priviliged to coach boys who wanted to play the game and who had more heart that I can describe.  I did not have typical 6 year olds.  They came to play and really came together as a team.  My boys were at their best when they worked together and they learned teamwork in a way I haven't seen in kids so young.   They were a unique group of kids and I will miss being their coach!

I will treasure the opportunity I had to be one of Aiden's first coaches!

Big Photo Challenge...

This weeks Big Photo Challenge is...Old

I spent a while thinking about this challenge and wanting to do something "out of the box".  I was walking around my garden, when inspiration hit.

Where I live, spring is marked by blooming lilacs...all over the city.  Lilacs are one of my favorite flowers and I have large bush in my backyard.  The reason this is Old is a bit of a story.  My great-grandmother had a large and beautiful garden.  When I was younger, my mom divided parts of my Grandma's lilacs (among other flowers) to transplant in her yard.  She has a gigantic lilac in her backyard that is from my Great-Grandma's yard.  Many years later, I moved into my house.  As our house was new construction, we had nothing in the yard.  My mom helped me go through her garden, dividing plants to transplant in my garden.  This lilac is one of those transplants...the lilac from my Great-Grandma.  So...this is Old because it's my Great-Grandma's lilac, which is also my mom's lilac and is now my lilac.  (I've told my husband that we can never move, unless we move my hand-me-down plants!)  Every spring I have this lovely reminder of my Great-Grandma.

I took the picture with my Canon Rebel xsi on the macro setting in natural light. 

Five Question Friday...

Mama M over at My Little Life hosts 5 Question Friday...

follow the linked button if you want to play along!

1. Do you have an iPhone and, if so, how do you get apps and what are your favorites? - Yes, I got one for my birthday from my wonderful huband and I love it!  I download apps from the app store (which is in itself an app)  My favorites are the movie one where we can find movie times and locations, I have a Night Sky one that lets me identify stars and constellations really easily and I couldn't live without my Weight Watchers app.

2. What is your fondest memory of K-3rd grade? - My third grade teacher, Ms Luden, was lovely.  She was the best teacher I had had and I loved her class.  She inspired me to read more and I think she's the one that got me started thinking about being a teacher.

3. What makes you cringe at the thought of touching? - oooohhh...snakes!  I hate them, hate them, hate them!  I used to be absolutely phobic but now I can tolerate pictures and my kids love to watch them in the pet store but just the thought of touching one...ugh!


4. If you could have any celebrity show up on your doorstep who would it be and why? (I just went with what came to mind first!)  I would have to say Wayne Rooney.  He's an amazing soccer player in England, he plays for Manchester United.  My kids (and husband) would go crazy!  He's their favorite and they even named one of our cats after him :)

5. What would you say is your best physical feature? Hmmm...I would say my legs.  I'm pretty strong and I think they carry off a short skirt pretty well!

That's it for Five Question Friday...pretty fun isn't it?  Have a great weekend!

Birthday Party Thank You's...

I believe it's very important for kids to send Thank You cards to their friends and family after a Birthday Party.  A couple of years ago I started creating the cards on Shutterfly.  Aiden at two and three could scribble, but there was no way he could write Thank You cards and even though Connar was capable of writing, sometimes there were too many for him. 

The picture shows this year's Thank You cards.  Aiden (6) would have had a difficult time writing more than 15 cards, so he wrote "Thank You" once.  I scanned it and saved it as a picture.  Then, he helped me choose pictures from his party, the back ground and layout of the card and he helped me decide what to write in the text.  When we sent out the cards, he put on the return address labels and the stamps.

This year Connar (11) chose the pictures from his party that he wanted to use on the card, as well as the layout.  When the cards were sent out, he used a Sharpie to write a personal message, and he addressed all the envelopes. 

Especially when the party is a "drop off" party, parents enjoy seeing pictures of their kids.  There are also relatives who don't attend the "Kid Party" that get to see a few pictures of the kids and their friends.  And, this is a way for all ages of kids to be personal in sending their Thank You cards.

How do you keep your kids involved in learning good social habits?

What do kids call you?

I've been pondering this question for some time...what should my kids call other adults and what should other kids call me?  I believe I tend to be on the less formal end of this question than other parents.  My kids generally call other adults by their first names, especially when those adults are friends of mine.  When they are going to a friends house for the first time, I generally encourage them to use Mrs. or Mr. until the parent invites a different name.

I definitely prefer to be called by my first name.  As a teacher, I am called Mrs. Chase all day, and while it is certainly my name, I prefer to be less formal with kids.  {Honestly, I would prefer to be on a first name basis with my students also but that's not the convention at my school!}  When my children's friends call me Mrs. Chase I always say, "Oh, please call me Jen."  My friends kids call me Jen but when I am not good friends with the parents, many kids seem uncomfortable with my first name.  I have taken to adding, "or you can call me Connar's {Aiden's} mom."  I actually really like to be called Connar's Mom!  There are also several kids who call me Miss Jen.

I do have one friend who insists that her kids call me Mrs. Chase.  That seems odd to me, since I have clearly let her know that I prefer to have my first name used.  She hasn't given any specific reasons, but I haven't asked directly either.

I am hoping that my kids don't offend other adults with their less formal approach but I do know that they are always respectful when speaking to adults.

Is this a dilemma for anyone else?  What is your solution?

The Big Photo Challenge...

This week's Big Photo Challenge was Three...I was a bit stumped at first, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do.  My inspiration came yesterday during Connar's soccer game. 

Connar plays keeper and forward - yesterday was his last game this season.  Last week he tried out for two different clubs and was picked up by a team for next year.  He was so excited, as this is the first time he's tried out for something.  I definitely noticed a difference in the way he played yesterday...he ended with one of his personal best games. 

I use a Canon Rebel xsi and had the sports setting on yesterday.  That enabled me to capture multiple shots in a row, like these.  My entry for three...three shots of an great kick, by an amazing U11 Keeper!

Visit the Science Mommy...

If you know any kids you need to visit The Science Mommy!  I have packed this blog full of activities, investigations, books to read, cool demonstrations and more!  The Science Mommy is about sharing a love of learning, a love of discovering and a love of science with Kid Scientists everywhere.  My own Kid Scientists have tested every activity and investigation posted and even star in many of the how-to photos. 

Follow the link to the Science Mommy and explore some fun ways to keep your kids thinking and exploring the world around them.

A Bloggy Book Club...

I have always wanted to be part of a book club...I've tried a couple but for one reason or another they haven't worked out.  Professionally, I have read many books as part of a book study.  It's always been a rewarding experience...I love talking with other people about books and, professionally speaking, the implications of the book on our work.

I've decided to host my own  Book Club.  One of the things that has turned me off in the past is having a book chosen that I don't really like or want to read.  The other problem has been coordinating the Book Club meeting into my calendar.  I have taken care of both these problems...

• Choose a book from the list below.  If none of them appeal to you, choose another book you've been wanting to read.  (No fair choosing one you've already read...but then again, I won't be checking up on you!
• Post a Comment declaring your intention to read your book of choice this month.
• Come back in a month to share your reading experience.  You'll be able to link up a web post or post a comment to the Book Club.
• Choose another book and repeat the three easy steps!

Book Club Reading List...

Eventide by Kent Haruf

The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman

The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest by Stieg Larsson

I am starting "The Zookeeper's Wife" tonight and I have already set my Kindle up to send "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" on May 25.

Which book will you be reading this month?

A Mom at Work...

I have been involved in administering the MSP (Measurement of Student Progress...our state assessment) for the past two weeks.  That administration and organization is usually characterized by facilitating make-up tests and providing students a space for extended testing time otherwise known as...watching kids take tests.  We use the library or an empty classroom so, today was my first day in my office in several days.

One of the things I missed about my space is my digital frame -

Kyle gave me the frame for Christmas a couple of years ago.  I keep current pictures on the card and I have a slide show setting.  It just makes me smile to catch a photo of a great moment while I am in the midst of work.

And lest I get too caught up in the moment... my "To - Do" pile sits just in front of the frame!

How do you create space that is comfortable?

My Sporty Kids & A Guest Post…

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about my experience running Bloomsday with Connar.  Today, I have a special Guest Post from my father-in-law about his experience running Bloomsday with Aiden!

How do you get a 6 year old to walk a 7.5 mile mini marathon?
The first Sunday in May, Spokane celebrates spring with a 7.5 mile run/walk/carried/strollered race through town. Aiden has participated every year since he was 1 year old. At first he rode in a stroller the whole way and gradually worked his way up to stroller/walking and, last year, carried/walking. This year Aiden wanted to walk the whole race all by himself.
So how do you get a 6 year old to walk 7.5 miles?  Welcome to The Amazing Race (Bloomsday Edition).
Having participating in the race for 25 years, we know the course well and have many pictures of us with friends and family in the race. We built a small scrap book with pictures that provided clues and challenges for Aiden to overcome roadblocks and detours along the course.
Each mile Aiden was given a card from the book that challenged him to complete a task during that mile such as find 9 items, meet 6 other Bloomies, not let a stroller pass him or hand out water at the water table. At the end of the mile Aiden would win a reward like a medal, a poptart, or bubbles. This breaks it up into seven 1 mile walks with rests in between.  Aiden was very eager to begin and complete each new mile.
We also enlisted help of family members to meet us along the race. One of the items Aiden won was green tea, which he traded to his Uncle Derrick for ice cream!
We took pictures of Aiden at every challenge, reward, mile marker and the finish line. We printed the pictures and inserted them in the book also.  Aiden now has a wonderful scrap book with all of the challenges and pictures of his Amazing Race.

Aiden was a real trooper and walked the whole race. We weren’t the first to finish but as the proverb says: It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey.

How do you make big challenges fun and attainable?

Loving My New Look...

Don't you just love the new details?  Now you can take a Grab Box to your blog, follow along with the books I'm reading (stay tuned for my Book Club) and admire the lovely new graphics!

The magic behind the new look is Louise at...



She is fantastic to work with, she's creative and extremely professional.  If you need any graphic design, follow the link above.  She also has a huge library of tutorials, if you want to tweak your own blog.  Check her out!

My Mom Bag...

Happy Mother's Day!

Do you remember the movie, "One Fine Day" with Michelle Pfieffer and George Clooney?  It was a day-in-the-life movie and one thing I loved about the mom character was her bag.  In every situation, for every problem, she pulled a solution out of her Mom Bag.  After watching the movie, I wanted a mom bag.

This is my favorite Mom Bag.  I saw this in an airport gift store, regretted not buying it, and ordered it online later.  I have several different Mom Bags, suited for different occasions...easy to carry in a park, dressier, will carry the kitchen sink...you get the picture.  This one though is my favorite.

Here's how I use my Mom Bag:

• 
  
  When we're packing for a day out, I let the boys know the parameters of what they need to bring and they load up the Mom Bag.  {I do not ever pack for my kids...I let them know what we're doing and what the weather is and they pack for themselves...even overnights!}
• 
  
  I like to carry snacks, water, sunscreen and a small first aid kit.  {The kids have food allergies and asthma, so I always have an inhaler and Benadryl} The Mom Bag is also an easy way to carry my camera, purse and sunglasses.
• 
  
  When we're out and about, the kids drop things into my bag that they don't want to lose or don't want to carry.  {I am willing to carry the bag, but I am not responsible for other stuff.  Of course the size of the bag-of-the-day dictates what I will carry!}
• 
  
  If our activities will shift during the day, if we need a change of clothes or gear, we pack up the Mom Bag.

Currently the Mom Bag is being used for soccer and trips to the skate board park.  Even in the park the kids are good about dropping toys close to the bag, so nothing gets lost.  It's a good landmark for them too.  I love my Mom Bag.

What's your favorite organizational strategy for when you're out and about with your kids?

The Big Photo Challenge...

This week's photography challenge was... Blue

Meet my cat Fyn.  Fyn is a Devon Rex cat who is about 18 months old.  Fyn is an odd-eyed Devon...with eyes that are two different colors...one blue and the other green. Her show-champion mother, also has odd-eyes.  She and her sister Rooney live in our house, and enjoy all the cozy spaces we have for them.  They are the best pets we have ever had...patient with our boys, they love to be with people, they're snuggly and wonderful!

 I was helping the boys with Mother's Day crafts for Grandma's when Fyn decided to help us also.  I snapped this shot of her without even thinking of the photo challenge.  When I saw her big eyes, I decided to use this picture to meet the challenge of Blue.

I have been experimenting with close-up photos, trying to fill the frame and ignore the background.  Usually I use the macro settings on the camera, but for this one I was in regular shooting.  I am trying to learn more about photography because I love taking pictures, but I really don't understand all the settings...I play with a shot until I get one I like, but I may not be able to replicate it again.

Five Question Friday...

Mama M over at 5 Crooked Halos is hosting "Five "Question Friday".  Follow the link below to check out her blog too.

1. What is your worst memory of your siblings? My sister and I used to argue over the dumbest things.  She died 18 years ago and that's one thing that has stuck with me...the time I wasted arguing over who should have changed the toilet paper.


2. What was YOUR naughtiest childhood memory? (Must be something YOU did, no pawning it off on someone else!)  I was a goody two-shoes when I was a kid...I was the one who could be counted on to always make the right choice.  When I was a senior in high school I took a physics class.  Our teacher was not very attentive and was usually busy with something at his desk...especially during a test.  I sat at a table with three other people and we decided to cheat, just because we could.  {I did this in Pre-Calculus too!}  I guess it's not very naughty compared to other people, but I felt very daring!  Ironically, I was almost kicked out of a test the following year in college, because my high school cheat notes fell out of my calculator cover!  I had to prove they weren't notes for the chemistry test I was taking - LOL.
3. Where do you like to go to relax? I love to curl up anywhere to read...on the couch under a quilt, in bed, at the beach...love reading.  I am also a big fan of retail therapy...wandering through a favorite store with a coffee...blissful!

4. What was the last thing you won? Hmmm...I can't really remember anything too recently.  My husband and I were in Vegas at the end of August and the Roulette gods were very generous!  I love playing roulette :)
5. If you could be on a game show, which would you choose? The Amazing Race...hands down.  My husband and I love that show!

What I've Been Reading...

I have always loved reading.  Ever since I was a little girl books have provided a certain comfort, an escape, a way to relax.  One of my favorite things is to share reading with my kids.

Reading with Connar: Connar has been completely sucked into the Percy Jackson series.  Last week he finished Battle of the Labryinth by Rick Riordan and I got to read it.  I read out loud with Connar a bit each night, so I had heard pieces of this book.  The whole book was better than I expected however and I enjoyed every page.  I can't wait for Connar to finish the last book in the series, so I can too!

Reading with Aiden:  Aiden and I read together every evening.  Some nights he feels more like reading and others he wants me to read.  In the past year he's gone from a hesitant reader to a much more confident one.  His favorites to read to me are Mercer Mayer's Little Critter books.  {Little Critter is a bit like Aiden!}  He also goes through fun phases in what he likes to hear.  Currently we're reading lots of Dr. Seuss.

My Reading:  I most recently finished Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen which I loved!  I read it on the recommendation of my good friend Tessa.  It's sweet and compelling with well-written characters.  I had my next book all lined up...a highly recommended book for a Book Club with my work colleagues...and I just had to buy another Sarah Addison Allen!  {The joys of owning a Kindle...I can change my mind and buy a new book...from bed...at 9:00 at night!}  So, I am currently reading Sugar Queen and I'll let you know how it turns. 

What's on your bookshelf?  What books do you recommend?

Happy Reading!

Life Lessons...

Connar got an ipod touch from Santa.  It was the only thing he wanted for Christmas, and he was thrilled to have his wish granted.  Connar is an gadget-y kid.  He loves electronics and loves understanding how they work.  The ipod has been his constant companion since Christmas :)

A couple of weeks ago, Connar was heading out to soccer practice.  His dad advised him to leave the ipod at home.  Connar insisted that he "needed" it for the ride to practice.  Once at practice it got put into his backpack...and the water bottle leaked...a lot.

Connar was devastated that the ipod was broken.  Kyle made a few calls to find out about repairs and shared the information with Connar.  The crushing blow came when we asked, "How are you going to pay for repairs?" Connar's face fell, and his shoulders trembled, he fought back tears and replied, "Part of my birthday money?" Since he wasn't sure how much repairs would be, he set aside all of the birthday money...the money for a new skateboard...the money for a new goalie jersey.  Then he waited...and waited...for two weeks, when he heard that the ipod was beyond repair.

His face fell and his shoulders trembled when I asked what he wanted to do.  Connar took a deep breath and said that maybe he would get a new jersey for Christmas.  We headed out to buy a new ipod.  The new ipod took all the birthday money and a good chunk of Connar's savings.  When we got out to the car after the big purchase Connar said, "I don't think I'll take this to practice tomorrow!"

Family Rules...

I sure have been playing referee a lot lately!  My boys are bickering, tattling and generally not playing nice lately.  This morning I grounded the video game system for four days in response to a tattle/not sharing incident.  Referee is my least favorite parenting role ever!

It just so happens I was visiting some of my favorite blogs today and was inspired by this project.  I had intended to keep the idea in the back of my mind, an I'll-do-it-someday project.  When I went downstairs to clean up my desk / craft space, I decided it would be more fun to make this...

{the dinosaur and drawing are artwork by my kids!}

Here's how I created my own version of the family rules:

I started with an empty frame I had in the storage room.  This was just the size I wanted and I love re-using things instead of buying new stuff.   I then wrote the rules I wanted to include in my list and measured the length of the frame.  Since the frame was 15" long, I decided to make the title 2", each rule 1" and then a 3" block at the bottom.

I dug through my scrapbook paper collection to find several that I liked together and cut the strips.

I organized the strips and used my collection of sticker letters for all the words.  {I had planned to hand write the rules...but I have a lot of sticker letters!}

My cat, Fyn, was very helpful during the layout process!

Once I knew where I wanted everything, I used my sticker maker to put a permanent adhesive on all the strips.  I actually just stuck them to the board that came with the frame.

And just like that, I have posted Family Rules.  I am hoping this will minimize the need for me to referee {but I am not holding my breath!}  At the very least it was more fun to be crafty than it was to clean up my desk!

It's hard to read the list.  Here are "Our Family Rules":

* Be Kind

* Share

* Mind Your Manners

* Sing * Laugh * Play

* Clean up your Mess

* Always tell the Truth

* Pitch in & Help

* Believe in Yourself

* Keep your Promises

* Leave a Trail of Love

What are your family rules?  What do you do when called upon to be the referee?

The Big Photo Challenge

This week's Big Photo Challenge topic was Abandoned. 

I arrived home from work a couple of days ago and was unable to pull into the driveway.  There weren't any kids around, just toys.  I heard kids laughing and playing basketball in the backyard, while their scooters, skateboards and the grind rail were Abandoned  in the front yard.

Bloomsday & My Sporty Kids…

I was so proud of my son Connar today!  Several months ago he asked me if I would run Bloomsday (a huge, 7.2 mile road race) with him.  I agreed.  Honestly…I didn’t think he would run far, I thought we would walk most of it – I completely underestimated him!

Bloomsday is huge…our group crossed the starting line about half an hour after the top seeded runners began the race.  {There was actually an announcement before we began, that the race had been won}.  I kept telling Connar that he could set the pace, I would follow him.  When we started he took off like a shot, running like a pro and he didn’t slow down until the 4-mile marker.  I was so impressed, he wove in and out of the crowd and just kept running.   I was amazed and so proud of him. 

Around 4 miles…he started getting tired and needed a quick pit stop.  We stopped at the bottom of Doomsday hill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Connar and I walked up the hill, and ran/walk to the Fire Department water station…we kept saying, “We’re almost to Daddy!” From there we truly were almost done.  Connar was really tired and his stomach hurt, but he kept going….running a bit and then walking to catch his breath.

When we turned the corner to the Finish Line I was overwhelmed and teared up.  Connar gave me a high 5 and a grin saying, “thanks for running this with me Mommy!” What an overwhelming mom moment…I even forgot to get a picture.  We ran all the way across the finish!  It’s an unbelievable feeling to be awed by your kid….this was a great day!