Spring Track?!

30 mile an hour winds? Check
Gray skies? Check
Temps of 43 pre wind chill? Check
3 hours plus of events? Check

We are now ready to begin the SPRING track season! I left the girls home because torrential rains were predicted, and though i stayed dry, I FROZE. I was glad that Jake was able to come, and not just because he gave me his mechanics gloves! As my challenging days with the girls continue, Jake was very comforting. He even helped me diffuse Charlotte on the phone. But now back to the meet. Though Danny did very well on the 3200,1600 and 200 hurdles in the first meet last Thursday, his coach had a suggestion. She suggested that he try skipping the 3200, which is the first race, in favour of just the 1600 for distance. He did that today, and almost took first place! He got run down in the last 30 yards but had a PR of 5:57 I think. It was a great race! He also ran the 400 and the 200hurdles. When I tried to take a little movie my frozen hands were shaking so hard I couldn't do it! I hope you enjoy the pictures!

kicking off the 1600

boys and girls ran it together

Last 70 of the 1600, the guy on his right did get the win, but Danny was second!

working the 200 hurdles

I never said Hurdles were easy!

Easter egg hunt

Cassie encourages me to bring out all the things the big kids loved when they were small. I was feeling sad about not being around family, but my dear friend Shawne saved the day. I invited Leah to come for an Easter egg hunt and Shawne brought Sophie and Alex and eggs and dye and lots of enthusiasm! We did an Easter craft and  coloured our eggs(Cassie LOVED dropping the eggs into the coloured water!) while Jerry hid the eggs all around the yard. Then the kids went out and started hunting. The sun was bright and warm and I actually laid down on the front sidewalk brick and soaked up the warmth and vitamin d. We ended our party with pink lemonade cupcakes and cookies, and of course candy from our eggs. Later in the evening Jerry, Molly and Danny attended the Easter Vigil, which featured 23 baptism and 41 confirmations and ended at 11:45...followed by the party in the church basement. Cassie, Charlotte and I decided to attend Easter Sunday morning instead.

Spring break

Well, not the most exciting of spring breaks, I must say...

Jerry headed  off to San Francisco on Monday for a week long Inogen meeting. I mistakenly thought our break was the week after easter( like it always was in the past!) those two things combined to make a big trip to Florida or somewhere, like it seems everyone in the state of michigan is taking, a no go for us. We went to the movies Monday,Tuesday and Wednesday and saw Muppets, Divergent or Rio, and Mr. Peabody and Sherman. All good, all fun! Throw in boxing,shopping,haircuts,etc. and that about covers it! Thrilling I know! But the kids were good sports, no complaints at all. The girls were happy that baseball is back, and with the MLB network Charlotte has been getting to watch a lot of yankess. Danny enjoyed sleeping in!

Florida? Maybe next year!

Good old Lindbom school

Danny,Jake,Cassie and I rode bikes down to Lindbom on Friday. The school has been closed for about 4 years and we hear that the property has been sold for housing. We loved playing on the playground and remembering fun times all the older kids had there. 

Jake's class did their 5 th grade graduation square dance right on the blacktop! Sophie, Shawne and Leah stopped by to play too. Cassie was thrilled. Sophie mentioned that people were digging up the bricks from the walkway the PTO had made in the courtyard, and I thought I remembered Dad buying one for our family. We took a walk to the courtyard and sure enough there it was! Sophie and Leah poo-poo'd the idea of coming back with a tool, and dug right in and got it! We will put it in the garden at the house, and remember Dad and Lindbom!

Weekend fun with kids!

Everyone from jersey to michigan enjoyed the gorgeous temps this weekend! 

Christopher and his Dad spent the afternoon fishing and caught two bass!

Cassie followed her hero Danny up a tree and was so proud of herself!

Molly let Cassie bounce her on the trampoline before she headed off to the Pistons game. Unfortunately they lost their last home game, but Jerry,Danny,Charlotte, PJ, Jacob and Molly all had fun anyway!

Cassie took Patty for lots of rides down her slide. She has adopted Patty, which was one of Danny's favourite pals when he was her age! I love that!

After helpings the knights of Columbus to raise money at their annual weekend tootsie roll drive, Charlotte digs into a slaw dog at coney joes hot dog joint!

We also had track practice, dog walking, boxing and yoga and car shopping. Disc golfing, captain America viewing(2x for jake and Danny!),and a beautiful Palm Sunday mass.

And the week rolls on....

On the fitness front, I am happy to have gone to yoga on Wednesday and walked the dog a bunch of times. Still haven't made it back to boxing but I plan to add that soon. On the carpool front,Danny's scout meeting activities of biking and frisbee had to be adjusted due to a torrential downpour on Monday night, but once that cleared the weather has been quite spring like. On the home maintainence front, The lawn has been cleared of dog shit, and fed and seeded, so now I hope the greening can begin. Charlotte went to HURT this week for the first time, in the rain, and made it through! I worked Tuesday evening, and Wednesday we had the after school shopping trip for new running shoes and track spikes. Danny couldn't get over how weird and different spikes feel...hopefully he can run in them! Spiritually,  I have been attending daily mass this week, and shopping for Easter basket goodies,and cleaning and purging. 

For the mind...BOOKS, of course, the Best part of which are the audio books from the library that I download onto my phone and iPad. My latest listen was called Say NiceThingsAbout Detroit! I am going to sync Jerry's phone so he can listen to it, he will love it!

"Can I pick them?!"

Sunny Sunday!

Boy we really enjoyed this beautiful Sunday. Started off with a new recipe from my favourite site, Allrecipes.com, for pancakes. These were called my-hop pancakes and are said to be the same as you would get at that famous pancake house. Everyone enjoyed them, especially molly, who was starving when she got home from her race.

She and PJ headed down to Ann Arbor at 6:45 for the trail to the Vicors run. There were about 4000 people at the run, and of course molly saw several friends she knows. We just got some cute finishline photos which I may even have to purchase! I went to yoga after flapping the jacks and marked my first week back at the studio. I have really enjoyed it and am feeling less stressed and more stretched! Cassie had a ball playing outside with DzaDza and Uncle Danny, tossing the frisbee, stealing Harry's stick and running around like a squirrel in the movie Nut Job!

Unfortunately Cassie had to head back to Dearborn around 4:30, but the rest of us finished our Sunday with a beautiful mass and dinner at Zuckey Lake Tavern. Charlotte won our family NCAA bracket and chose our dining spot. thanks Charlotte!

Molly post race!!

Cassie checking out my little brave crocuses

Forgot about our trip to title to see the boxing class!

Saturday--busy? Check! Fun? Check,check!!

Saturday in our house means at least two practices!  Jerry took Charlotte off to skating and I took molly and Cassie down to track practice. We had to stay indoors this week because of rain and freezing temps--ugh. I have been leading the warm ups this season and enjoying it, then helping out with the rest of practice.  Jerry delivered Charlotte at around 10:45. She changed in the car from skating gear to track shorts and jogged into the gym ready to work. I was very proud of her!

Cassie had a great time running around the track. She was a bit overwhelmed by all the athletes who wanted to love on her, but she'll get used to it! She certainly took a good nap in the afternoon!

We played outside a bit on Saturday afternoon though it was still chilly. And then after dinner we headed out to Howell to go to the musical Showboat! The cast included PJ's kids Jacob and Michaela. That is such a fun wholesome show! All about a family attending the Iowa state fair,innocent and sweet! We let Cassie peek into the orchestra pit and the musicians were charmed. The trumpet player brought his instrument over and let her press the buttons on it! She was tickled. What a fun and busy Saturday!

 

A Capella!

Nope, that's not someone's name! We went to the brighton center for the performing arts Friday evening and were treated tot some fantastic a Capella music courtesy of MSU and BHS. As a fundraiser for the choral program both men's and women's groups from both schools performed. Cassie,Molly, Charlotte and I enjoyed it immensely. Ladies First, from MSU, were all in love with Cassie, who told them they were her best friends( this is her new phrase, which she tells everyone, so don't feel special if she says it to you!) she loved their shiny coloured high heeled shoes. The men's group she refered to as "the crazy boys" because they took the stage by running and zooming around, before forming up to sing. Our own chickapellas and Notorious did an awesome job as well. We bought a ladies and a men's cd and have been rocking around town listening to them. 

Hopping down the bunny trail at Brighton District Library

Cassie's favourite story time lady, Miss Roseanne, hosting a wonderful story time program today called hopping down the bunny trail. Cassie had a blast listening to stories, hopping, shaking eggs, matching colors,gluing, rolling eggs,and making a boo-boo bunny. How nice to have such a great facility so close...and I'm not just saying that cause I work there!