The Hill Billy Hoe-down!

Marathon Vibe

Sophia and I hung around after her marathon event (the "4 and under" age group was first!) to watch a couple other age groups start. I took a couple short little videos to try to capture the "vibe" of the event, but it's really hard to demonstrate just how exciting this was. It definitely made me a bit sad to not be competing in my own marathon this year! It's very special, and the community support in Fargo/Moorhead is just incredible. With all the support, the size of the marathon, our flat course (they call the Fargo "fast and flat" in the running magazines) and our sea level oxygen this marathon is just exploding, and we're becoming a bonnified "running town!" So exciting. Go Fargo! Let's be famous for something other than the wood-chipper! ;D 



Sophia's First Marathon!

 This has been a SUPER hot week... we had to bust out Sophia's kiddie pool because the town pools aren't open yet!

 The real excitement: Sophia's first marathon!!! Here she is holding up her registration (and looking goofy!)

 Despite the 92-degree heat Sophia insisted on pulling on her new marathon shirt over her tank-top. She was so excited to get her number bib pinned on!

 Bouncing off some energy in the Bison sports arena while we waited for the start...

 I couldn't believe how many kids from Sophia's school were there for the race! The Academy was hugely supportive of this event... her school director even stood at the finish and handed treat bags to all the academy children! Here she is with her friends Penelope and Wyatt. They are quite the crew.

 Waiting and waiting... the start was a little rough. We lined up in the (NOT air-conditioned!) Bison sports arena at 6pm with thousands of other kids and parents, and didn't start until 6:30! Ick.

 It was all worth it! Sophia was THRILLED to get a medal at the finish line, and then she also got her treat bag from the Academy school director!

 We watched a couple other races start... they broke the kid marathon down into age groups. This is a picture of a super hero that started each race with the motorcycle. Pretty cool "pace car" for the kiddos!

 Did I mention it was 92 degrees? Actually the Blazer claimed it was 95, but that just seems too crazy. 8,500 people are running the 5k tonight (another day in the 90's) and marathon officials are asking residents along the 5k route to turn on their lawn sprinklers and aim them at the runners! Craziness! Sophia drank two bottles of water and then fell asleep after her run. :)

 Newspaper pic looking down on the people in the Bison sports arena waiting to start the kids marathon...

Newspaper pic of some kids starting (Sophia's not in this pic). It was super cute! The fargo marathon is going to be 24,000 people large this year (starting with the kids marathon Thursday and ending with the big marathons on Saturday). It's really, really amazing and impossible to describe how AWESOME it is! Sophia was part of something big and wonderful! We really enjoyed it. :) Can't wait for next year!



Happy Mother's Day!

 We were lucky to enjoy a BEAUTIFUL Mother's Day weekend! (Not as nice as today though... we are at 92 degrees right now! Wow!). Lots of fun outdoor projects! :)

 I finally figured out that, instead of paying $10-20/each on potted arrangements... I can spend $10 on a pack of wave petunias and some accent plants and make several of my own arrangements :)

 Hooray for busting out the sandbox!!! Hours of endless fun!

 We finished prepping the garden! As you can see, several plants came back this year. We also planted a couple rows of hardy spring plants.

 And lots of quality time with Margie yesterday! Excuse my outfit :) I wasn't going for glamour! Margie was a peach... I took her for a 45 min trail ride with just a halter and leadrope... it was heaven!

 Sophia likes to hang out on a barrel while Margie is working on the longe line...

 It's always windy up there!

We had a great time this weekend getting lots of stuff done, having lots of family time, minimal cooking, and Travis made us all breakfast Sunday morning (and I got two very cute cards)... I love a productive, close weekend with my family (with one quiet trail ride involving just me and the horse!)... perfect way to celebrate Mother's Day! Hope all the mothers out there had a great weekend!!!

Cousins Ballet Recital Videos!

It took me a while to figure out that I could stealthily record the ballet performances (video and flash photography was forbidden), but I did manage to get a few small clips of the girls performing! This was my first little girl ballet recital, and it was so great for me because I realized something: when you're not the mom watching your daughter with a critical eye, you are an audience member who is 100% enjoying lovely performances, and, in my case, I was a relative who just felt tremendous pride and happiness. All three of the girls were just beautiful and wonderful! It's AMAZING what these little girls can do. We enjoyed the whole show! I'm going to keep that in mind when Sophia has her little recital next month. Hopefully I will enjoy it and love it, flaws and all!

Here is one of Gabby's performances...

Magdalene

Jaylin - loved these beautiful costumes!

Magdalene - After this performance Sophia leaned back in her chair and sighed and said, "I loved that."

Gabby - Unfortunately this is just a tiny clip. It was a really fun dance!

And the prima ballerinas, Travis and Sophia!

 As promised, we had a SUPER busy and crazy weekend! It started with Sophia's ballet practice. She had practice with the owner of the ballet school instead of her usual instructor, which was very nerve-wracking for mommy, but Sophia did beautifully :) Then we headed to a birthday party! These are pics from the party, which was held at the YMCA 5 min from our house... it was epic!

 As usual, Sophia was obsessed with any vehicle-type toy she could find... The Y has an AMAZING indoor playground!

 Sophia and the birthday girl, Agot, in the play kitchen. The party room has a huge, 2-story playhouse full of tunnels and rooms and all kinds of "play-pretend" resources. Awesome.

 Cake time!

 After the b-day party we zipped to Grand Forks for the cousins' ballet recital! Here's Jaylin, pre-recital.

 Sophia adores her littlest cousin, Ava (the newest cousin will come this July!).

 The ballerinas: Magdalene, Jaylin, Gabby

 All the girl cousins! Ava and Jaylin (sisters), then Magdalene and Gabby (sisters) and Sophia :)

 Grandparents. :) Ralph likes to have as many kids as possible piled on him at all times!

 And the preggo sisters!!! My sister in law, Laura, is 30 weeks pregnant, and I'm 17!

Tummy pic :) 17.5 weeks!

A little video of Sophia singing the Peanut Butter and Jelly song at her school's music program... you can tell how nervous she was! I gave her lots of hugs (and ice cream) after the performance!

The Academy's Music Program!

 Bubble joy :) Grandpa Ralph gave Sophia 3 dollars last weekend. We told her which things she could afford at the store... of course she picked the gallon bucket of bubbles! Endless fun!

 Her school music program! I KNOW I posted too many pics of this... I just love how awkward and silly the kids are! Sophia didn't sing as much as I expected. I asked her about this after the performance, and she said "I was nervous because there were so many words." She did the hand motions though!

 The music theme was "take a bit of music." Each class displayed their fruit art at the recital hall!

 After the performance I thought Sophia (and I) deserved an icecream!

 Then we took the dogs for a long, beautiful walk. Gorgeous evening!

 Another thing I love about this city: the planners decided to plant lots of fruit trees, and the spring just explodes with flowering trees! The whole city smells like flowers right now!

Our little house :) Still loving the new paint job!

Yesterday was a BIG day! Up for this weekend: birthday party at the Y, ballet lesson, and trip to Grand Forks to watch the girl cousins perform at their ballet recital! Travis and Sophia were also at the barn today for Margie's visit with the farrier. Busy, busy!