Good-bye Kiddie Car

Tomorrow is Thomas' last day at Kiddie Car. I can't believe it! He went to preschool kicking and screaming for months on end. But he is leaving as a confident kid who says he can't wait to go to kindergarten. His teacher told me yesterday that he is such a pleaser and always snaps right to attention whenever she catches him misbehaving. Wow! And he was amazing at his End of the Year Show. He has never performed well in front of people because of his stage fright. He'll do it with people he knows and trusts, but never otherwise. Not anymore! He marched right up on stage and sang his heart out! He made funny faces at everyone and did all the motions with the songs. I sat there with tears in my eyes. I was so proud of him. He is coming into his own and it is just great to watch it happen. Do you ever feel like your kids grow more quickly than you can keep up with them? Or you think you know them and find out they have matured without you knowing it? Wow. It's just so great. I think this will be the first of many, watching Thomas on stage.

Ok-do you mind if I brag a little more about my kids? Nolan has been playing some amazing baseball! He's been connecting with the ball and running fast to the bases. He had a double on Saturday (I think Chris told you, Nolan said it was the first in his career!) and got 5 kids out. He just really pays attention. He just loves it and it seems to love him too. He tells me he's going to be a baseball player when he grows up, and write his own books in the off season. Sounds good to me.

On Saturday, we went on a family hike to Christman Sanctuary. It is a beautiful place for a short hike, and only 20 minutes away. It was a farm, and when the farmer (Christman) retired, he planted trees on his land and let nature take over. He became a poet and wrote poems about the land. Here's one:

I remember when I stood
Filled with wonder in a wood
And saw two birds that built a nest,
And one had roses on its breast.

--W. W. Christman

I just love the idea of returning the land back to the earth, and yet he grew from being a farmer to a poet because of it. Anyway, the best part of the hike was it led to a 30 foot waterfall. The rocks surrounding it were shale, and shale breaks off with clean lines. So the landscape was all this secondary growth hardwoods and pines and then this harshness of the shale and waterfall cascading from it. It was something you would see on the travel channel but it's 20 minutes from our house. (Although we won't know anymore about the travel channel because we got rid of our cable today--sob!!) Absolutely beautiful, and a great respite from the chaos of school ending. And, Thomas found a crayfish claw and held 2 frogs--how brave! He's becoming a real bug and dirt kid. We had our lunch at the waterfall and hiked back to the car. A great family day that didn't cost one cent.

On Sunday I had coffee with my good friends Marlene and Karen. Marlene and I were supposed to go on a hike of our own but it was too hot and a threat of thunderstorms. So we met for 3 hours at Starbucks! We could have kept going but other errands called to us. I've been friends with these women for over 7 years. We were all just moms at home with babies. Now one is working and we all have kids in school. One has moved away and come back. I had a falling out with another and we've somehow become close again. We seem to be more busy than we used to be and don't get to connect like we used to, but it's great when we do.

Wow, I'm really rambling. Sorry readers. I even have more ramblings but I'll rest your eyes for now.

Angels in the Outfield

Nolan (and his whole team for that matter) played one of his best games tonight.

He made two outs at the plate as catcher in the first inning, one at first base in the third and he assisted with an out at second base while playing right field in the fourth inning.

Batting he went four for four, with a double (the most you're allowed in Single A) and three singles. It was his first ever double. When Kris congratulated him, he made sure to point out to her that it was his first "career" double.

Here's the crazy thing. When I arrived at the game (I was running late unfortunately) I noticed there was a C-130 circling overhead. Every time I see one of the ski birds from the Stratton Air National Guard Base I can't help but think of dad. So I smiled and thought to myself that it's going to be a good game.

And it was a great game -- with that C-130 up above for what seemed like most of it. A part of me can't help but think that meant Nolan's pop was looking down on him.

14 Days to go

until school is over! Chris told me by August 1st, I'll be counting the days for school to start. Do I really complain that much? I'd like to think that I just look forward to change and new beginnings. It's like the seasons--it's great to experience all the different times of year. New things are exciting for us stay-at-home moms who really have a lot of routine in their lives. But I have noticed I've been complaining about things lately--the kids' behavior, money, routines around the house. I need a good kick in the pants--I'm lucky to be here and doing what I love.

Anyway, Happy Birthday Kim! My sister is 40 today. She doesn't show it. She has a busy week of family this week--we're thinking of you today!

Nolan had a good game last night--got one run in. He really is attentive during the game. I took some pics that Chris will put on soon. We have 2 more games this week. Thomas has his end of the year singing program on Friday. He recently learned how to ride the tag-a-long on the back of my bike, so we've been trying to ride together more. He really likes it and it's stretching out our gas for the week. Not much else is new.

Rainy Day

It has finally decided to pour rain outside, and I'm happy to see it bead up on the new picnic table. We're waiting to see if Nolan's game is canceled. I'm hoping all the seeds we've planted start to poke through the ground.

We all slept in until 8am this morning! It was awesome. I was really sore from cutting hedges and pruning bushes at my mother-in-law's yesterday, so no waking up to exercise today. We got to Thomas' baseball game at 9:30 before the rain started. I think he is officially done with baseball this year though. He wouldn't play, and it just doesn't feel right to keep trying. Maybe next year. We're thinking of signing him up for a class at the YMCA called Presports over the summer. It has kids 3-5 years old and they try out a different sport every week. Maybe we'll find something else that may interest him. At the very least, it will help him participate in group activities. Then we'll wait and see about soccer for the fall.

Tomorrow we have a Cub Scout picnic and lots of different activities next week. I'm looking forward to next Sunday--going for a hike with my friend Marlene. I cannot wait to get out into the woods. I've narrowed it down to 4 options for her to pick: Crane Mountain, Cathead Mountain, Indian Pond or Kibby Pond. I bet the bugs will eat us alive.

Finishing touches

Kris stained the picnic table yesterday. I think it looks great.

She wasn't really able to get into the cracks between the boards in the table top and the benches. Does anyone out there with more experience in these matters know if that's going to cause problems?

Backyard projects

A big thank you to John for helping to assemble our new picnic table while he and Kim were visiting Sunday.

I had to go to two different Lowes to find one that wasn't already assembled, since I had no way to get a finished picnic table home. As it is, I'm very impressed I was able to fit the unassembled table in our Subaru Forrester.

Here's the finished product...


Like with most things we want to get rid of, we put our old patio table out by the side of the road Sunday night and it was gone the next day.

The one drawback to the picnic table is that we can't use the umbrella over the table that we had with the patio table.

Kris thought it would a great idea to hammer it into the ground in the middle of the sandbox. I told her she was nuts, that would never work. As is often the case, I was wrong...

Happy Memorial Day!

Actually, is that okay to say? We're supposed to be remembering all of those who fought for our country and many who continue to do so. I guess it's happy in the sense that we live in a country of great freedom and we have a day off to enjoy it with family. Which is what we're doing today--another fun day at the Great Escape! Then Nolan has baseball practice and we have a barbecue at my mother-in-law's. I plan to pass out at the end of the day.

Saturday Thomas had baseball and he did great! So we're sticking with it and just gently encouraging him. Chris and Nolan stayed out in the field with him which helped, and also the bribe of gum at the end! He had good hits off the tee and even got a kid out at first base.

My sister and her husband came to visit yesterday and we had a great visit. We met at a local drive-in Jumpin' Jacks and ate the best, greasiest food. The kids played at the playground and then we hung out in our backyard the rest of the day. The boys put together our new picnic table and it looks great. It was fun.

21 more days until school is over--7 more for Thomas!