Weekend Fun

I feel like the last few weeks have been crazy - and they have.  Between work/pleasure trips, kid stuff, and the basic maintenance stuff, I am running like a crazed woman.  I have been gone the last 3 weekends.....

This weekend was Sophie's region Orchestra concert, and the Galveston 1/2 Marathon.  This was the first ever Galveston half - and since I did not get into Houston, stupid lottery, it was my only local chance for a race.  Many of my other running friends are committed and running a full marathon in January, but I could not get on board with that (well I was sort of on board until Houston screwed me...) 

Anyway, our nice cool November run was really a hot and humid and really crappy run for me.  I wanted to quit at mile 3.  And I passed my car at mile 4 - so it was just mental to get me to the finish in MY WORST TIME ever.  The company was great fun, however.  I crashed the Brenner Family event, and ran with Sarah, Debbie, Jonah (brother) and Josie (SIL).  Debbie's husband ran as well, but he is really fast and beat me by over an hour.  Jenny also ran, but she is a prancing pony and took off at mile 1 with her running wife Lynn and we did not see her until the finish.  We stayed together as a group until about mile 11 when I begged them all to leave me.  Jonah stayed behind and finished with me.  The good news, everyone finished and for all of them it was their first 1/2 marathon!  Picture below stolen from Debbie's blog.


Debbie, Helmut, Josie, Jonah, Jenny, Sarah and me.

 I had to rush back, wet hair and all, to Sophie's concert.  There were five percussionists, and she was able to play the triangle (don't laugh) , tambourine, wood block, chimes, snare drum, crash cymbal and suspended cymbol.  Here are a few pics - the one is really bad, but it is her in action.

These concert uniforms are the most sexless things I have ever seen.  Eric always calls her a boy when he sees her (nice huh?) 

Kelsey could not miss out on the action - and had to jump in front of the camera.

That is all - then I came home and went to bed where I proceeded to be sick (some kind of bug, don't know what).  Now just need to get better so we can go to Dallas for Thanksgiving - turkey and a soccer tournament.  Fun times!

She Plays Basketball Too

Our dear Sophie tried out for the basketball team at the junior high school.  She had never played - well that is not true.  She played one game at the church.  

She made the B team.  So, she has added basketball practice to her list of what she is doing!  She had her first game last night.  Not only did she start, she played the whole time!  Go figure.  She also had the most fouls from her team.  She did not foul out, so all is good (although listening to her talk about wanting to blatantly foul a member of the opposite team at the end of the game did give me pause...)

They lost - big time.  But it is a place to start, and she had fun.  Here are some pictures of her basketball debut...



Defense - not afraid to get in her opponents face.




Dribble a little high....





This is to show a size differential.  Do you see that very large girl under the basket - she is twice Sophie's size.  At one point Sophie was defending her - it was pretty stinking funny.



Watching her dad in the stands





Kelsey there to support her sister and make faces at the camera



 

This was new for us - cheerleaders.  None of the other sports the girls have played have involved cheerleaders - of course they were there for Ryan's football games.

My overall take on basketball - I like inside sports that are done in a bout an hour.  It was fun, and I think it will be a fun season for Sophie.  And yes, this makes me think she is more like my sister Megan everyday (Megan also played basketball in Junior High...)

Peer Mediation

There is a program at the elementary school - Peer Mediation.  Ryan only attended Lakewood Elementary in the 4th grade, and I did not hear about this from him.  However, both Kelsey and Sophie submitted applications for this program, and neither one of them was accepted.

You can apply in 3rd or 4th grade.  Neither Caroline nor Allie applied last year.  This year I think they both applied, but it was Caroline who was accepted.  I knew it was an "honor" to be accepted (really only since my other two were not deemed good enough), so we were very happy for Caroline.

She has been going to school early two times a week for the past couple of months to learn how to mediate.  They have studied, and even taken a test.  Today was graduation. 

The Honorable Judge John Coselli was on hand to speak about the program, and encourage the new graduates and their parents.  I know we will put Caroline's mediation skills to use in this house.



Caroline showing off her certificate




Receiving her certificate from her friend Abby, a graduate from last year.

 Congratulations Caroline on a great achievement!

The Pearsons Take New York

Eric and I got to get away for a long weekend in NYC - my new home away from home.  In all seriousness, I love it there.  I am working on getting Eric on board to move after the kids leave home.  Not sure how we will afford it, but it is a great plan in my book.  We just relaxed and spent time together without children.  It was pretty great.  Not so many pictures - Eric was not so compliant about letting me take his picture.....



Eric and Carrie at Pop Tart Store

  We were walking around the last day, and ran into the Pop-tart store.  Yes, that is right, a whole store about pop-tarts.  Since two of our kids do love the things, we went in.  This is the only picture of the two of us from the trip...

Eric in Central Park

 It is always amazing to me to be in Manhattan, and walk in Central Park and see a waterfall...

At Mile 26

 We planned it to be there for the NYC marathon - it almost killed Eric to be in town and not run.  Next year he wants to enter the lottery.  We were able to go to church, then hit the end of the Marathon for the winners to come across.  We were at mil 26 - .2 miles to go.  The winners are so dang fast - they run the full faster than I can run a 1/2....  It was fun to see.



Dinner in Little Italy - Sofia's

 It was so nice to spend time with Eric.  We were able to have lunch with Mark and his girlfriend, Jeehae, in Brooklyn  - which is always fun.  All in all, great time in the Big Apple.

Allie and Caroline

Lately, there has been a lot of focus on the older girls - they have kept us going all the time.  The twins have sometimes taken a back seat - some day it will be just them here with Eric and I and they will rule the roost.  They have had a few things going on.  It was the annual Sacrament Meeting program for the Primary on Halloween.  I did get a few pictures of them before church - they look so grown up to me.



All ready to go.




Allie October 10





Caroline Oct 10

I had them get real close and took a close up of their faces.  I did this right before they started kindergarten...



Caroline and Allie August 06



 What a difference four years makes!



Caroline and Allie Oct 10




Showing off their pumpkins

They also had their fourth grade program - That's Entertainment.  I realized this is my last elementary school program I will ever attend - it is weird to think about.  I have had a child in elementary for 15 years - and soon no more.

Allie had a group part, it is hard to see her so I circled her for fun.


That sums up the twins right now - church, school and some fun here and there.  They are really having fun playing with friends in the neighborhood after school - it is nice they have so many kids to play with!

Brooklyn

Kelsey has a friend - her BFF.  Her name is Brooke Bodle - but she has many different names in this house - Ryan and Eric call her Boodles, and I have decided her name should be Brooklyn.  I even got her a Brooklyn shirt from NYC.

Since she is in band and not cross country (although now that Kelsey is a "band fan" they will have more pictures of them doing strange and weird things at the HS games), there have not been many pictures of her lately - and she made me feel bad.  So here Brooklyn - this is for you. (yes I am giving in to peer pressure from a 15 year old.....)



I am pretty sure they should be learning right about now, not posing for the camera...




Making garters for homecoming.




Band member and Band fan.....




Kelsey - why is your room never clean?