Future Quarter Miler????

I must be the proudest Mama in the whole United States this morning! Wyatt rocked his trackmeet yesterday! Things started out a little rocky but soon got much better.

He started the meet with the long jump and got third place and was completely devastated! This was the first time that he even tried to long jump and even so, he was crushed. He decided right then and there that he was going to have a horrible meet and would not run well either just because of some stupid field event. Track is one of those sports that just takes some time to figure out what events you are good at. I tried to explain that too him but it didn't seem to sink in.

By the time that we started to warm up for his 50 meter dash, he was more relaxed but was pretty irritated at me because he didn't see the point in warming up. At that age it's just hard to impress upon a child how important that is. He ran a good 50 meter despite a really crappy start and got second place and was thrilled with that.

His 50 meter was a great warm-up for his 400 meter that followed shortly after. I really felt like this was going to be his race, but then until you actually get to see your child compete, you just don't know. We had talked strategy quite a bit beforehand and he actually listened really well and it showed in his race. Most people probably don't understand how much thinking there really is to do in a race like that, but there truly is. You absolutely have to run a smart race and he did amazing for his first time out. He had a really relaxed first 200 meters and then slowly and smoothly sped up through the next 100 meters. The plan was that when he hit the straightaway for his last 100 meters he would be at 75% speed and then from that point he would roll into a full out sprint for the last 50 meters. At the last 100 meters I thought that he was out of gas because he seemed to be just loping. I think it might have been more due to the fact that there was no one close to him and he just thought he could coast. When he got to the 50 meter mark I yelled, "He's coming up right behind you Wyatt!"

At that point I didn't know whether he had any gas left or whether he was pooped, but when I yelled out to him he took out like a rocket! It was actually pretty funny because everyone laughed because it was such a drastic burst of speed! He obviously had a lot of gas left and could have poured it on according to plan!

So he had an amazing race and really showed us what we had suspected all along, which is that Wyatt has the potential to be a great middle distance runner. He has an amazing naturally long, smooth, graceful stride that is just made for the 400 and 800 meter runs. It was so fun to see a child of mine on the track. I spent so many years competing and just loving the sport and to see a child of mine enjoying it too was just amazing. I know how Andy feels when he watches the boys play football. It just brings back memories.

So since Wyatt qualified for State we will travel up North so he can compete at the State level. I tried to explain to him that it's a whole different ball game up there and that the level of competition is going to be much more intense. That said, I really think that he is talented enough to do well up there. Most kids at that age are wanting to run the 50 meter and the 100 meter and are not thinking about the 400 meter. That said, there will be some tough competition up there but win or lose, it will be a great learning experience for Wyatt.

As we walked back to the parking lot Wyatt still grinned ear to ear. I told him that it looked like he had caught the bug. He grinned harder and agreed that he did. It's hard to explain that feeling that you get. For me, track was a love of racing. I didn't love running, I loved racing. Practices were grueling and I really never loved that part, but I loved the adrenaline or racing. I think Wyatt felt that yesterday.

We asked Cole on the way home if he wants to run when he gets old enough. He just said, "No!". He said later that he might but really didn't show any interest. That's really fine with me. Every kid had to decide what they like and what their strengths and weaknesses are. While I think that Cole has the build and speed of a sprinter, he may not ever have any interest in track at all. And that's fine with me.

Ice Storm

We had some storm damage in the ice storm last week and Andy's been working like a dog. He worked Friday night until 4:30 am Saturday morning and then since has worked 6 am to 1130 pm each day. We've hardly seen him though last night we did get to see him for a little while though he was working. I took some pics and posted them above.

Luckily it looks like the storm work is just about done and so hopefully we will have him back as normal starting tonight. We've all missed him but for some reason this storm has really hit the boys hard. I think it's easier knowing your Dad is 1500 miles away than to know he's coming home to sleep at night (if only for a little while) and not getting to see him except for a few minutes in the mornings.

I told him yesterday that all this working all the time was starting to wear me out. Tuesday night I was so exhausted that I never heard him come in and never even knew he was in bed with me until almost morning. I could have had a stranger climb into bed with me and never known it. That's a scary thought.

Here are a few pics of our storm damage. It was rainy that day so I only took pics of what I could see from the back door so this doesn't really do justice to all the limbs but you get the idea.

Not Even Friday the 13th Could Get Us Down

Our weekend was good but was way to short as always. We looked at three houses Friday night and two were a disaster. There is just not much on the market in the way of rural properties. But we did see a place that we are very interested in. We still have some discussions to have with the bank and want to have it inspected and to do some more looking at it. There is no denying that it is a wonderful buy.

We could get this home and acreage for much less than it't worth and the selling price would be below what we set as our upper limit. But there is always the chance that the taxes and the insurance would make this home be a little out of our range once they were added onto the montly payment. Unfortunately the taxes are high. The location and square footage took care of that. So we will see. I think this is one of those "this is the one" properties.

I have done nothing but daydream about all the possibilities with that home. And so has Andy. This is the first property that we have both even been close to agreeing on and we were in complete agreement. It's so fun to think about the colors of paint I would choose and flooring and all the fun stuff about having a house that needs work. You get to choose what you want. Right now fantasizing about more bedrooms is pretty cool too!



The boys went to their Grandparents in Freedom yesterday (Andy's parents). They've never been gone like this before and I am not dealing with it really well. Last night was pretty tough. Today I got excited about hearing their voices after they got home from school and then realized that I was not going to see them after school like normal. But I am looking forward to Mama and Daddy time and that's good. We need a little time to ourselves.

Tommorow night I'm having dinner with friends at Nieves' in Winfield and then not sure what else is in store for the week.

Life is good right now though. I'm really excited and hopeful and truly feel like we are really starting to get to the good stuff!

What's A Mom to Do?

So today is the last day of school for the boys before Spring Break. And I am not happy about it! The boys are going to Freedom to spend time with Andy's parents over Spring Break. We will take them there on Sunday and then they will be gone all week. We'll go get them next weekend. Andy says we'll see them on Sunday, but I say we'll see them on Friday!

I've never been away from my babies that long and to be honest do not want to start now! I love my boys and don't want to be without them even for a week. It was just us for so long and I think maybe that makes this harder. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I think they are not going to be fine or something. I know they will be fine. It's just I'm worried. I know Wyatt will be fine. He is so thrilled about getting to spend a week with his Grandpa Rob. He thinks that he is going to get to fish EVERYDAY! While I imagine he'll get to do a lot of fishing, I don't think it will be every day. Cole on the other hand is not so pumped about going. I think he wants to go, but I think he would be content to be there for a day and then come home. He's never stayed with anyone but my parents or my sister. So I think Mama and Cole are a little shell shocked about this whole thing.

Andy is right though. They need to go. He wants his parents to bond with their Grandkids. And that is important. But that doesn't meant that it's not going to be hard. Andy is looking forward to a week of just us and I think that will be nice. A week of no responsibilities beyond work. But it's going to be really quiet.

I pray that all goes well!

Green Cupcakes with Candy Sprinkles

I wonder if there is any scientist that ever calculated the calories that all Moms consume when making Birthday cupcakes... it must be quite a few. I think it's impossible to pour batter into muffin papers and not keep getting batter on your fingers. And then who can resist licking off that batter and sampling the frosting! Thank goodness we have only two boys and two Birthdays a year.

My "Baby" is turning 7 tomorrow and I can't help but think back to the day he was born. I started early labor while we were at a Super Bowl party at my Sister's house. I didn't know I was in labor at the time but shortly after we got home, my water broke and off to the hospital we went. And after two short hours filled with a frantic drive to the next town where our doctor would deliver me, crabby nurses, horrific pain that I never imagined (not even after my first delivery) I held the most precious baby I've ever seen in my life. He was fat and mad and beet red, complaining about the timing of his arrival into this world. And every since he's taken the world by surprise with his quick intellect, his funny little observations and his canny gift of pointing out such simplistic solutions to everyday problems that no one seems to see but him. He is wise beyond his years and I hope that gift serves him well.

I remember a time when being a parent was just something that other women did. Not something that I would ever do. And there have been times in my life that parenting was very hard. Being a divorced mother of two boys ages 2 and 4 was the scariest thing that I've ever attempted and certainly the most satisfying. As I watch my two children grow into their own personalities, I can't imagine life without them.

I'll write later about my oldest son, but for now I have cupcakes cooling on the counter, waiting to be slathered in creamy, gooey, green goodness...and some candy sprinkles.