Playing Catch Up

I have not been very good about updating my blog.  I don't update my blog because I have a huge following.  Instead, I update it so at the end of the year I can print a book from my blog and keep it to show the kids in the years to come.  It is an easy way to scrap book.  

Warning:  this post includes a lot of random events but I want each event in my book at the end of the year so I decided to make one large update/post.  

Kira's Team Tennis Event:  This past weekend I found myself at my old stomping ground, Wood Valley Racquet Club in Topeka, for Kira's team tennis event.  The players from Body First Tennis Center played other players from Wood Valley Racquet Club.  When we arrived I walked with Kira down on the courts to find her coach.  When I walked down the steps I was overcome with emotion.  I was not expecting to have some of the feelings I had but I spent seven years on those courts practicing with my college team and teaching tennis while I was a student in college and law school.  I had such vivid memories of matches I played on every court there.  Some were good memories of wins and some were disappointing memories of losses.  It was so strange to sit and watch Kira in the same seats where my parents sat for so many years when they would travel to watch me play. 

Mustache Night at KSU Baseball: We had a great night at the KSU vs. OU baseball game.  There was a lot on the line for the Wildcats.  A win of one of the three games would allow KSU baseball to be Big 12 Champions.  A win would mean that KSU would be Big 12 Champions in Football, Basketball and Baseball.  The Cats pulled it off and it was so exciting to watch the team clinch a win the first game of the three-game series.  It was also mustache night at the stadium and they  handed out mustaches to the fans.  I am pretty sure, for Keylee, the mustaches were the best part.  

Two days after the game and Keylee is still entertained with the mustaches finding different ways to wear them.

Runners for Boston: Everyone is aware of the tragedy in Boston during the Boston Marathon.  Whenever I meet someone else that runs or enjoys running as much as I do then I feel an immediate connection.  When I heard the sad news from Boston I immediately felt overwhelmed and I was in disbelief. I, like so many others, started to follow the stories of the people injured and the family and friends of those who knew people running.  Boston is a qualified run meaning not everyone who runs marathons would have the opportunity to run in Boston. The people who run The Boston Marathon are those who have accomplished time goals for their age group.  There are some who were injured to the point that they may never run again.  All of the events of Boston surrounding the marathon bombing are tragic.  Our local running store, Manhattan Running Company, held a benefit run for Boston.  They ordered t-shirts for a cost and all proceeds went to benefit a fund for Boston.  

A great group of people showed up to run a group run for the people of Boston. 

Olathe Half Marathon: Tanna, Angela and I ran the Olathe Half Marathon on April 20, 2013.  With Boston being the Monday before it was sure to be an emotional run.  I remember tucking Keenan in on Thursday night and telling him that after I drop him off at school on Friday morning I would not see him until after the race on Saturday when I returned to Manhattan.  Keenan gave me a big hug and said "Mom please be careful of the bombs."  This was a heartbreaking moment.  I felt so bad for Keenan and wondered what our world has come to when a young child is fearful of his mother getting hit by a bomb at an event that should otherwise be carefree and safe.  

 It was a smaller race but the weather was great and the course was good and it was fun spending the weekend with my running friends.  

 Keenan's Baseball:  Baseball is in full swing.  We have many nights consumed with practice and weekends with tournaments.  Keenan is enjoying kid-pitch this year.  The coach has the players play a variety of positions but Keenan spends most of his time on third base and will occasionally pitch.

 Keenan pitching in the Hutchinson Tournament.

My parents drove from Dodge City to watch Keenan play in Hutchinson.

Since the team was going to play on turf in Topeka for the Mother's Day Tournament, they practiced one evening at the "old" KSU stadium and had a surprise visitor.  (Keenan is second over from the right which I say because, to me, the kids start to look alike once they put on their baseball hats) 

Westward Movement:  Each year it is the Fifth Grade end-of-year project and program at Marlatt School.  The classes each play games which have them loading their wagons with items they can both afford and haul as they travel westward.  The classes then put together a program for the school and parents which has music and dancing.  Each child has to design and decorate a covered wagon for display in the school's library.  At the conclusion of the music and dancing program we all had a pot-luck lunch with our children where we brought items of food that may have been eaten on the trail.   

Kira with her covered wagon and friend Wendy.

Turkey Hunt

Joe and his brother-in-law, John, went on their annual turkey hunt.  Keenan was thrilled to be able to join them for the hunt.  Four turkeys later and they call the hunt a success.  

 Keenan with his Uncle John

Westward Movement

The 5th grade classes at Kira's school are getting ready for their Westward Movement presentation. As part of their presentation, each student had to make a covered wagon.  There were not a lot of requirements and the teachers encouraged the students to be creative.  Thankfully our neighbor, Karman, is good at craft projects so she was able to help Kira.  I offered a few suggestions but thankfully they ignored me.  

More Soccer = More Fun

It was as exciting as U-11 Soccer can be this past weekend.  My parents were able to visit for the weekend and really enjoyed watching Kira play.  Kira'a team, Synergy, won the tournament.  They played a good team in the semi-finals, the Kansas City Fusion.  The game went into overtime and remained tied at the conclusion of overtime.  Each team then had five penalty kicks.  After each team kicked five kicks it remained tied.  Then, sudden death and Avery Smith from our team kicked the winning goal. Synergy then won the final game against Hays.  

Keenan's First Communion

It was a special weekend for Keenan as he celebrated his First Communion at St. Thomas More.  

Keenan and Father Don Zimmerman

Keenan taking his first communion

They always have special cookies made for the kids

Keenan striking a pose by his banner he made

Kira took this picture of Keenan and me while we waited for Mass to start

Joe's brother, Mike, and his two boys, Tanner and Preston, traveled from Wichita to celebrate with Keenan

Joe's parents also were in town to celebrate.  Overall, it was a great day.

Easter

We hit the 9:00 a.m. full house Mass and then headed home to prepare for breakfast and an egg hunt.  

We had our neighbors join us for breakfast. Our neighbor, Karman, brought over stuff for a waffle bar which was my favorite.  We also had egg cups, also made by Karman, and I made biscuits and gravy and scrambled eggs and I am still full from the good food. 

 Keenan loves breakfast food.

 Getting ready for the egg hunt

We were happy to finally have some nice weather and the kids could be outside most of the day.

Little Rock - Spring Break

We were so excited that we were able to make the trip to Little Rock, AR, to see Joe's brother James, his wife, Rachel, and their precious seven month old son, James a/k/a JP.  Because they live so far away we haven't been able to spend much time with Rachel but she has been a great addition to our family and we enjoyed our time with all of them this past weekend. 

Baby James is pretty hungry in this picture but Keylee had to take a moment to look at the camera.  All James wanted was for that spoon to make it to his mouth :) 

Aunt Rachel with James and her nieces and nephew at the park. 

We made a stop at the Air Force Base 

James and Kira

Joe with his brother James

James is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force and flies the C-130. Although we were able to go out on the flight deck and get in a plane I was not allowed to take any photographs of the enormous planes that James flies. James spends his time as the Director of Operations and he also spends his time instructing, grading, supervising and flying with new pilots. I thought being a Driver's Ed teacher would not be a fun job but I am pretty sure being in an airplane with new pilots might be worse.  James seems to love his job so I guess I am just thankful for people like him because I don't even like to fly with experienced pilots let alone new pilots and especially not with the huge and complicated aircraft I saw on the flight deck.   

James and Rachel have an ideal set-up at their house.  They basically have a lake in their backyard and the kids were able to canoe and fish just steps out of their back door.  

Although the drive was long, and I think even longer coming home, we had a great time and hopefully we will be able to make the trip again sometime.