First 5k of the Season!

The family came to cheer me on as I ran the Illinois Marathon 5K night race!  It felt good and was lots of fun.  I finished in 31:25.  Over 6,000 people ran so it was pretty cool atmosphere.

Both kids said they want to run it with me when they get bigger...I think that sounds like fun!

Sunny Days...

Matt and I couldn't wait to surprise Alex and Brecke with tickets to see Elmo and Sesame Street at Assembly Hall in Champaign!  Not because our kids watch Sesame Street or Elmo (we actually were concerned that they wouldn't know the characters--that sounds so crazy--I know, but we never have watched Elmo and I think there is one book in this house with Elmo in it). I can still remember going to see Sesame Street when I was little--thanks Mom and Dad!

We had great seats and the kids tried so hard to take it all in!  They were amazed by the big characters, the giant disco ball spinning and the fun music!  Matt and I--we were amazed by other parents.  Wow--crowd watching was interesting that night and we were thankful that we had a great set of "neighbors" sitting arounds us.  Nice kids and no meltdowns!

Once the pre-show popcorn was gone, Brecke wanted to sit on my lap, and I have to admit I was a bit bummed not to be able to watch the show through her eyes, but yet I really enjoyed seeing Alex react to things.  His big smile was plastered on his face--which made this Mommy really happy inside too!  I giggled when Brecke got rocking back and forth so hard on my lap that it made me really rock in my seat and randomly she would raise her hands up in the air and start clapping.  I about lost an eye a couple of times!

I sometimes wonder why I even TRY to get a good picture of the both of them together...plus
that night was full of distractions!  Anyway...this is pre-show with the stage behind them.

My crew waiting.  The popular question:  "Where's Elmo?! Where's Elmo?!"

Great seats! 

The kids did know some of the songs and they really liked when the characters came out in the audience!  Alex's favorite was Cookie Monster, Brecke's was Abby Cadabby (how fitting since she is really into abracadabra and turning her clock blue).

Love Doing Mom Things!

Alex's last year in preschool has been amazing! Matt and I couldn't have asked for a better experience for him!  He has come so far, loves his friends and has the best teachers! Mrs. Gooden has done an exceptional job of introducing these preschoolers to our community.  We have a fabulous little hospital here in town that offers a great field trip.  I was lucky enough to be able to go along!  Avery, Alex and I got to hang out for the morning on the visit.  They were great!

Did I mention they were SOOOO excited to ride a bus again!

The residents of the Annex (assisted living) provided the kids with their snacks and the kids
got to learn about the people that live there.

The maternity ward...they were so lucky that a gorgeous baby girl had just been born!
They loved staring at her through the window!

Learning about all the supplies that a hospital needs to carry

Getting to walk in the big deep freeze...see all the kids back in there!?

Alex's class of 4-year olds with all of their goodies!

Just Like Daddy

Daddy brought Uncle Brett's gator home on the trailer so we could use it to get some work done.

One day I looked out and this is what I saw from my laundry room window.  It makes my heart smile when I see Alex trying to be just like his Daddy.  He pays such close attention to how Matt does things so he can do them too (maybe I should be concerned). He got his gator up on the trailer and was strapping it down.

One of those simple things...

I have been so sick the last five days and during times like these, I really miss being with the kids.  Matt, bless his heart, has carried the load. He has taken them to the local restaurant for pancakes, he has taken them to the farm, decorated easter eggs, referred a fair share of brotherly-sisterly quarrels and yesterday took them out to play in what snow was left or should I say all of the mud that we have around.

In one of my rare breaks from lying in my bed, I saw them all out front taking the gator for a spin.  This is what I saw...

Not going anywhere--are wheels are spinning

"What is going on here???  Better get out and take a look."

I stepped outside to get these pictures and what I heard next made me laugh, but more importantly, made me smile deep inside!  

Alex: "Brecke scoot over and drive while I try and push"

Brecke: "It's working, Algee...it's working!!!

Alex: "Go Brecke! Go!"

Can't you just hear them!!??  LOVE!

Meet our Snowman and Snowlady

What else are you going to do with 11.5 inches of snow except push it build snowmen and throw snowballs!

We decided to build them on our deck so we could see them from inside easily!

Brecke insists on always building her own "mini" snowlady, and Daddy is alway willing to help! 

She was declaring something over and over and I wish I would have written it down so I could remember what it was.  Hand on the hips type of declaration! 

I just love seeing her with him! 

Loves to make snow angels

Is all about snow fights this year!  Especially when he is 15 feet up in the air atop his mountain!

11.5 inches of snow and the next day...mud puddles everywhere!

Putting the final touches on

Some little things to remember

--I love to hear Brecke call out Alex's name. She calls him "Algee".  Reminds me of when Alex used to call her Baby Brecke, then Beck, and then he figured out the "r" in there and now she gets called Breckie at times.

--Both my kids love french fried onions.  You know the ones that go on top green bean casserole!?  I like to snack on them when I have some leftover in my fridge and now my kiddos are following in my footsteps.  Matt--does NOT get it!

--Brecke is obsessed with the little silk tag on her blanket that she sleeps with. She has to have the tag to rub between her fingers when she falls asleep.  Nana has already reinforced it once.

--Alex' speech has made great strides in this past month!  He is soaking up his lessons and we can really understand most of what he is saying!  He has slowed down and really started moving his lips.  So proud of him!

--Brecke hates "Chuck" our irobot vacuum.  He is on a timer to run while we aren't home, but she is the first one to realize he hasn't made it back to his "home" and so she makes someone go and find him before she goes too far into the house.  If I turn him on while she is around, she stands as far away as possible from him!

--Brecke is in love with Cinderella...actually any princess.  And don't forget Tinkerbell! She goes on and on about how the two sisters are mean and they rip her dress and her necklace, but how the "godmother" gives her a prettier dress.  (She is going to LOVE her 3rd b-day party--a Cinderella party)

--Both kids are into singing B-I-N-G-O (a lot!)

--Brecke's book lately: Going to the Doctor --she loves the Jay family in the book.

One that I could live without...
-Brecke's eating habits.  She is a terrible eater for us.  Great for everyone else, but horrible for us.  She just won't eat or insists we feed her.  So, I have said forget that and if she chooses not to eat, I figure she will get hungry at some point and feed herself.  I have also stopped giving her any chips or those more favorite/less healthy items until she eats her "good" foods.
-As an update: she still LOVES ketchup with everything!  Bananas, apples, meat, anything. Crazy.

Some Fun in the Snow

Wednesday brought us maybe our second or third bout of snow for the year (and hopefully our last).  The wind blew it horizontal, so maybe we got 3-4 inches, but who really knows.  The kids didn't care.  They just wanted to play.  Alex more than Brecke.  She is still not sure about all the puffiness and clumsy boots, so she decided to help dad scoop or their case "push" the slab off.

Trying to get used to those boots

Carving out his cave

Reluctantly letting little sis help

Notice Matt is having to use a broom.  Alex insisted on needing the shovel
for his cave worse than Dad needed it for the drive.

Picassos

Our little artists...

A Little Bit of Hilton Magic!

I can't even tell you how many times I heard "are we gonna meet Cy today?" as we were packing up and heading towards Iowa this past weekend!  It was cute and exhausting all at once!  The kids were excited because Aunt Jan had arranged for us to meet Cy and we got third row seats for the ISU vs. TCU basketball game (thanks Uncle Charlie)!

I had not taken in a basketball game for at least five, maybe six years and this was the kids' first game too. It was a great game, great atmosphere (as usual) and honestly just felt good to be "home".  I took about five minutes once we were settled to just soak it in.  Sounds stupid, but just being there made my eyes water.  Some good memories dating all the way back to when I was a kid!

The kids enjoyed it.  They were tired, but the popcorn and the Cy cones helped! :)

The long awaited moment!  Brecke had been watching him the whole time and when it came down to it--she wasn't going near him.  So I swooped her up and this is what we got!

Can you tell he was not into taking his picture!?

Brecke spied Cy!

Afterwards we enjoyed a cousin get together at Aunt Jan's.  It was fun to have all the kids together and to just visit (and eat Hickory Park, of course)!  We even let Aunt Jan buy! ;) (she puts up a good fight!)

Alex went out and played and even stayed out after everyone else came in to build a little snowman with what little snow (actually ice) there was left.

See that little hump to the left of him?