The Graduate

Best buddies

Miss Debra, the Graduate, Miss Heidi

This was Kaleb's first year in a real preschool and he loved everything about it: teachers, friends, themes, songs, phonics, math, art projects, field trips, and the list goes on and on. It was fun to see him excited to go each day and to hear how his little world was expanding. At his graduation he sang several songs, complete with actions and did a wonderful job! Kaleb said the best part of preschool was going to the zoo (Umm, really? We've been countless times since we always get a pass) and that he wanted to be a police officer when he grows up. This was news to me as he's never said anything about it before or since. I think it was stage fright & what the kid in front of him said. First graduation from preschool, then off to conquer the world!

Duathlon

*** Having photo issues on this post...sorry some of us are cut out! Everyone shows up on my preview page, but not when I post. Hmmm.

I've always kind of felt there are two kinds of people in this world: runners, and the rest of us. I've never been a runner, and don't know that I ever will be. But I do love to exercise, compete, and push myself. My goal was to run the entire thing. The strategy: start off strong on the first 2, recuperate on the bike for 4, then push myself on the last 2. I thought I'd finish in under an hour and a half, but wasn't too confident in my sporadic training.

I got the race day jitters...hadn't been in a race since 8th grade. I told myself this was just for fun. This is fun, this is fun, this is fun!

My favorite parts were:

• Running the first 2 with April, rocking out, and being able to talk, run & rock almost the whole time without missing a beat! ;)
• Seeing my kiddos & Ben cheer ME on....it's normallly the other way around.
• Pushing myself on the bike to RACE, not coast. I mean I HAD to keep Jen, the leader, within sight.
• Enjoying the nice cool breeze and being outside on a beautiful, peaceful morning while riding my bike sans music.

The last 2 came, and I ran the first mile and caught up to Jen. We ended up walking/jogging (I had to pee so bad, it hurt!) the last mile together & April snuck up on us at the end. Total time for my first duathlon: just under an hour.

Photos courtesy the Barkers, thx! Me, Jen & April on the last stretch.

The whole gang: Tom & Mon, Liz, Bobyn, Randy, Shannon, me, Jen & April

A special thanks to ROBYN for organizing the whole thing & BEN for providing parking lot, Daddy Daycare with a smile on his face.

Happy Half Birthday!

*** I don't know why the formatting is off on this one, but I'm tired of trying to fix it.

Ruby is such a happy baby, we all just love her to pieces! She has started cooing, laughing, and really moving. Ruby scoots and turns herself around in circles. When I lay her down at night for bed, I find her on the opposite side of her crib. She's also eating baby cereal & food. She loves sweet potatoes, just like her daddy & Grandma Murdock. We also have started giving her water & juice in a sippy cup. She thinks she's so big now that she's eating in her highchair at the table with us. Ruby loves her piano activity gym, always smiles when she hears music, and follows her brothers with her eyes wherever they go. I'm sure before I know it she'll be tagging along for real! Ruby already has stranger danger, which her Doctor thinks is a good thing, me...not so sure! She better get over it & be ready for lots of lovin' when we get to Oregon in a

month.

Six month stats: 15 pounds 2.5 ounces, 25 3/4 inches.

Ruby Abigail Rae all dolled up in the first dress we bought for her.

Human Laptops

"All children need a laptop.

Not a computer, but a human laptop.

Moms, dads, grannies and grandpas, aunts, uncles -

someone to hold them, read to them, teach them.

Loved ones who will embrace them

and pass on the experience,

rituals and knowledge of a hundred previous generations

Loved ones who will pass to the next generation

their expectations of them,

their hopes, and their dreams."- General Colin Powell

I will be forever grateful to the laptops that I've been loved on,

and the children that love to be on mine.

Happy Mother's Day!

Birthday Boy with the Dancing Eyes

I thought I'd copy my friend ANDREA and highlight my children on their big days.

Kaleb FINALLY turned 5... he absolutely couldn't wait for his big day to come, as a few of his buddies were already 5 & he was anxious to catch up. We had his friend party all planned out, but a few days beforehand, he told me he really wanted it to be a surprise. He then explained to me in detail what a surprise party entails...we can do that, I thought. Even though he knew we were having his party, I arranged to send him with Dad to get pizzas while his friends arrived. Bryson came a little early, so it ended up being hard to convince him he needed to go with his dad to help with pizzas, but he did. We all hid behind couches and chairs in the front room, he walked through the door & we jumped up and yelled SURPRISE! He ran up and hid his face in my side, gave me a hug and said, "I love you, Mom." Not really the reaction I was going for (I think he was all of a sudden shy) but it was fun anyway. We spent the rest of his party playing Mario spin-off games: Mario, Mario, Sonic, Mr. Mario, Mr. Mario, What Time is It? & Bowser Tag. We had pizza, veggies & fruit, capri suns & the ugliest Mario Kart Wii cake you ever did see... but he loved it!

I was planning on having Ben save the day with bakery cupcakes when he went to pick up the pizzas, & saving the ugly cake for his actual birthday, but K insisted on it, to the embarrassment of his mama. He wanted it to look like 'the battle' on Mario Kart. Oh well, it tasted good anyway! Kaleb was thoroughly spoiled by friends & family near and far, and had so much fun! Dylan on the other hand...

On Kaleb's REAL birthday, he had a soccer game & we went out to the lunch of his choice. I also made him homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast, his favorite! Ben & I had a wedding to attend, so he & D had sitters that night. They had a blast trying out all his new toys and watching new movies. We came home to two boys laying on the couch watching Tom & Jerry, up past their bed time, with smiles from ear to ear.

Dancing Eyes loves to dance, laugh, tickle, ride his bike, play soccer, wii, and being with his friends. He would have a friend over every day, all day, if I'd let him. K also loves to draw and his drawings and coloring have really improved this year. He can read, but isn't fluent yet. He also likes to write & spells phonetically all by himself. Kaleb absolutely loves preschool and can't wait to go to big kid school (his mom really can, most days anyway). When Kaleb grows up he wants to be a zookeeper. His favorite colors are blue & yellow and his favorite super hero is Superman.

I think his favorite cartoon is Tom & Jerry...this changes all the time. He also loves to watch The Biggest Loser with me and gets mad if I watch it without him. Kaleb loves Brinner, fruit & veggies, cheese, chocolate, and is on a big gum kick right now. He is such a good big brother & loves his sibs. He & D are best buds & they both love their sis so much. Recently Kaleb has been saying really thoughtful prayers with long lists of things he's thankful for... it does his parents' hearts good. We love you, Kaleb Benjamin, K-Buzz, Dancing Eyes, Murdock and are so happy you are the big brother in our forever family!