Marathon Man!

It's so hard to believe that June is here and that the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon is upon us.  Rich's training for the race began in December so the past 6 months have been filled with a lot of long runs and a lot of anticipation leading up to this day, especially after his race in San Jose last August when his time of 3:13 for the marathon qualified him for the Boston marathon; however, due to such a large number of entries he was not admitted.  Needless to say, his training regimen was even more intense this time around and he was extremely focused on knocking off some time to guarantee himself a spot for Boston 2017.  

I'm pretty sure that he has the best cheerleaders ever!  One of Julia's first words was "run" because she would wake up in the morning and Rich often would bring her in to bed with me to snuggle as he left for his morning run and I'd ask her where he was going and she learned quickly to say "run!"  She also will say, "O Da da O" (go Dada go) with a hand movement of pumping her arm-too cute!  Ella was excited to receive this hand me down uniform from Abby Martin just in time for his race and wore it around the house the entire day before his race and wore it on the actual race day!  She was so proud!

I have to laugh at the 3 empty gatorade bottles in the background of this picture- Rich ensuring that he was well hydrated for the race!  

 On race day, Rich left the house before 4 a.m. but the kids and I were able to sleep until a little after 6 and then headed down to a point where we could see him at mile 8 as well as mile 13.  The Ozecks and Bri met us there which was so fun!  Bubs brought his fun wig which kept the kids entertained while we were waiting for him.

 

 And, the Ozecks made this awesome sign!!  Too funny!

 He was looking strong at both mile 8 and 13 and was right on track pace wise (which was at 6:53!!!)

The Ozecks followed us downtown to catch him at the finish which was awesome to have them there to support him but also a HUGE help since the finish was extremely crowded.  We were able to park in a Navy parking lot close to the end and then I threw Julia on my back and we hustled to the finish line.  Dave and Laura took their time with the rest of the kids-I don't think I would have been able to see him if I had all three kids with me so I am so appreciative that they were there to help!  

Here he is about 100 yards away from the finish!  He finished in 3:09:15 which ended up being an average pace of 7:14 (the big hill at mile 21 slowed him down and he had a tough time recovering from it for the last 5 miles) but he is pretty positive that this time will guarantee him a spot in Boston since it is more than 5 minutes under his qualifying time!  We are all so proud of him!!!  

 We all ventured over to the waterfront after to check out the post race party-even the kids were able to snag some goodies!

Family picture after the race!

And one with our little buddy, Cole!

 We celebrated that night with walking over to have dinner at Phil's BBQ!

 And topped it off with ice cream at Baskin Robbins! The "recovery" process has begun!

Perfect ending to a great day!  Congratulations Daddy-so proud of you!! 

School's Out!

Joseph's last day of preschool at RBCPC was on Friday, June 3rd...his very last day of preschool and the beginning of a whole new journey for him and for us!  Can't believe that he'll be in kindergarten in the middle of August!!  Where have the past 5 years gone?!?  

Last day of preschool!

Have to compare with his first day in August 2015.  Definitely looking more and more like a kindergartener and no longer a preschooler!!

His little sidekick wanted to get in on the picture, too!  

As part of their routine after getting dropped off, the first thing that they always did was to write their name.  They started the school year with just writing their first name but by the end they were writing both their first and last names.  The girls always loved staying and watching him write his name and we loved watching his progress throughout the year. 

His teachers invited the students' families into the classroom for the last thirty minutes on the last day where they sang a few songs and then the teachers gifted the families with a huge binder of their work from the past year!  It is awesome and we will treasure it forever!  

It was such a great year with this class.  To think that when we started the school year we were living with my parents, knew basically noone here, and had no idea what the upcoming months were going to bring just seems a lifetime ago!  I am so thankful that this school year has not only allowed for Joseph to grow academically, socially and emotionally but also that it has given our family the opportunity to meet other families and form friendships with them.  I presented the teachers with the class gifts and definitely got emotional...I blamed it on the pregnancy hormones but obviously having Joseph enter this next new stage is emotional.  We are confident that he will shine in kindergarten but it is still hard watching him grow so fast!  

All year long, I really felt that the teachers went above and beyond with activities and the last day didn't disappoint.  They organized a ladybug release which the kids loved.  

Julia and Ella were also able to participate, which was great.  Julia has totally been into bugs lately and is always pointing out "bug, bug" when she sees one and normally she has Joseph get it or she'll try to step on it.  Well, she didn't quite get the memo that ladybugs are creatures that most people don't attempt to kill.  She released them go from the container and then started yelling, "bug, bug!" and then tried stepping on them! Thankfully she seemed to understand when I told her that we don't hurt ladybugs and that we wanted to watch them fly away instead!  She was able to enjoy the rest of the time with the ladybugs and not cause any of the kids to end up in tears seeing their ladybugs be squished to death ;)  

 

Our afterschoool routine of playing on the playground until around 5 continued even on the last day!  It was hot and we were coming back at 5:30 for the end of the year festival but I think all of us moms just wanted to enjoy one more day together and watching the kids play together knowing it would be our last.  They were hot and sweaty and having a great time together as usual!  

Joseph and Chase became great buddies this year-they weren't in the same class but really got to know one another well just from playing together on the playground after school.  We hope to see their family often this summer!  

We did go home quickly around 5:00 to pick Rich up and then headed back to school for a fabulous end of the year festival.  The school really went all out and we were really impressed with all that they had to offer...about 10 bounce houses, a dj who provided all sorts of activities and games for the kids, face painting, dunk tanks, carnival type games, Chick Fil A and plenty of choices for dessert!  The kids had a blast and it was a great way to finish out the school year and to kick off summer.  

Who is this big girl?!?  She loves it!!!  

Trying to keep up with her big sister!  

Joseph mastered the carnival games and loved throwing the fish in the toilet! 

He also had great aim at the dunk tank which was pretty awesome!  

While Julia mastered the hula hoops!

And, we were super impressed with Ella's hip movements ;)  Got a few good videos!  

These three are ready for a fun filled summer together!!  

Happy summer!!

Mix of May

May was another full month for our family!

We kicked off the month by heading to Lake Miramar on the afternoon of the 1st and met up with the Martins.  Rich took the big kids on a row boat to fish while Katie, the girls and I walked around the lake.  Ella got a turn on the boat once we made it around the lake and then everyone enjoyed ice cream together!  

 Julia is beginning to have a very strong opinion as to what she wears on a daily basis...case in point with this picture.  Love the dress she has on and the top just not necessarily together!  

 Here she is that evening ready for bed but wanting to go for a stroll first!

 Joseph continued with Little Rookies for the month of May and seemed to improve every week.  Towards the end of the month he wasn't as excited about going but once he was there he loved it.  We'll take a break from baseball until next spring...signed him up for soccer in the fall which he is super excited about.  

 On May 3rd we had friends from preschool come to the Westwood club with us for the morning which was a lot of fun!  

 At story time on May 4th and Julia decided that she needed to rest during the book but Joseph and Ella took good care of her!

Joseph's rendition of "Starry Starry Night" from preschool! 

The Alticks were in town for a weekend and we were thankful that they made time for us to all get together!  Everyone came over for pizza and an evening swim and had such a great time catching up!  

The girls!

Pizza by the pool

Julia turned 21 months on May 8th!  Love her and that sweet, sweet smile!

Random pictures I found on my phone-Julia photo shoot!

We had friends from preschool over one day

Three Ducotes in the tub on May 10th. 

Doesn't get much sweeter than this!  

May 11th

The kids and I went to Lake Miramar on May 12th-Rich had been gone all week and I wanted to get a walk in instead of doing a video/workout at home.  I have done this with the kids before and it has worked out well but this time Ella really wanted to ride the balance bike.  I was hesitant because she is SO slow on it but she was so excited to be like Joseph and do so that I just couldn't say no...well, about a half mile into the walk I was going crazy and afraid that the 5 miles would take us 5 hours!  Thankfully (I feel bad saying that, but it's true) she fell going down a hill when her and Joseph were doing a little offroading on a dirt hill at the side of the trail.  She wasn't hurt but I was able to convince her to get into the stroller for the rest of the way which made for a much easier and quicker time around the lake.  Love her enthusiasm and desire for riding it though but I think we need to stick to the cul-de-sac for awhile longer!

Later that afternoon we headed up to Nani and Poppa's for a bbq with Aunt Kathy, Uncle Derrick, Michelle and her boyfriend, Jordan, since they were in town for cousin Ryan's graduation from SDSU.  

We also celebrated Nani's early retirement that night!  This is her last year teaching but she was supposed to work until June; however, Lindsay's baby was on his way a few weeks early so Nani changed her ticket to be there in time for the birth and was flying out the next morning.  We are so happy for her with her retirement!!! 

Nani made it to New York in time to be there to meet baby Finn!!  He was born on Saturday, May 14th and everyone is so in love with him already!  Every time I show Julia a picture of him she says, "Awwwwwww!"  

Our church had a Pentecost festival including a spaghetti dinner, on May 15th, that we went over to for the afternoon.  Lots of fun on the bounce houses, pony rides and games!  

Joseph's new favorite game outside is to throw the football on the roof and try to catch it!  Keeps him busy and the girls like to cheer him on.  We have noticed small pieces of the roof falling off though, too, so not sure how much longer the game will last! 

A little sibling love on May 16th. 

This made me smile!  They were playing "thumb war" together!  It definitely isn't always peaceful and everyone doesn't always get along but for the most part all three of them really do play very well together and I love that especially Joseph and Ella are such good buddies.  

A little dress up in my dresses on May 17th.

One of their favorite "games" to play recently is the feelings game (or at least that's what we call it.)  I'll say a feeling and they give me the face...

Happy

Angry

Sad

Surprised...my favorite!

Scared

Super excited!  

Joseph wanted to put something in his cubby and didn't want the girls to get it so he asked me how to spell the following...Rich was out of town and I sent him the picture saying "And so it begins!!"  

How he spends a lot of his days!  

Cool girl! 

On May 19th the Ozecks came up for the day to hang out and we were able to Skype with baby Finn, Aunt Lindsay and Nani.  Poppa came by for dinner so he was able to join in on the fun, too, and meet his newest grandson!  As a sidenote...skype always seems to be such a disaster with my kids!  Normally I consider them very well behaved, respectful, good listeners; however, I swear that every.single.time that the computer comes out to Skype/facetime with anyone (doesn't matter who it is) that they forget all of their manners and just go crazy!!  The Skype session normally ends with someone in tears, someone in time out, a close call with the laptop being destroyed and a frustrated momma!  It doesn't help now that Julia totally gets and LOVES skype/facetime, too, so she demands being in charge now, too.  Ahhh, the joys!!  

The Westwood Club had their summer kickoff party on May 21st so we went over for a few hours to check it out.  We ran into friends from preschool so had fun playing with them and enjoying the activities!

That evening we walked to the next street for a block party.  Rich has become involved with the neighborhood because we are dealing with some overflow parking issues from a condo complex close by so he has become friends with people on nearby streets, thus resulting in an invite to someone else's block party :)  Crazy enough, the wife of the family who was hosting the block party was the student teacher for my mom's classroom this past year-small world!  

 Just hanging out together after baths...naked bottom and all!  

This girl is looking mighty grown up here!  She always wants to wear her hair down but today I convinced her to let me do a "messy bun" and she loved it, as did I!  Her hair is really getting so long as she says, "My hair is almost down to my bummy!"  She never calls it that unless if she says it in that sentence (which she does say almost every time she goes to the bathroom!)  She started speech this month and has been going to Westwood Elementary (where Joseph will go next year) and it has been going really well.  She is in a private session so I have been sitting in with her which has helped since she has gotten a little upset during each session but since I've been there she has been ok.  She won't receive services over the summer and the speech therapist doesn't see a need to get private services but will pick up again at the end of August and continue going once a week.  The speech therapist saw improvement in just the four sessions that she had during the month of May and thinks that with the work that we do at home and continuing the sessions in the fall that we'll notice a big improvement quickly.  Hopefully once she is in the routine of the fall, she won't need a cake pop after every session for bribery ;)  

It is so hard to believe that the school year is coming to a close!!  I know I have mentioned it before but it truly has been such a blessing having Joseph in the afternoon class since we stay on the playground to play until 5ish after every class. We have become good friends with the other families who stay and play and it has been a great way to spend our afternoons three days out of the week.  We sure will miss this group over the summer and next year as the kids are all going to different elementary schools but hope to get together with many of the families over the summer.  

On Thursday, May 26th, Joseph's class had a playdate at Kid Ventures, an indoor play place, and the kids had a blast!  

They had a craft time while we were there and everyone made soldiers for Memorial Day that was the following Monday.  

Made it to the top!! 

His class with siblings!   Such a great group!  

This girl.  She prefers not to wear a diaper when at home which drives me crazy so I feel like I spend the morning chasing her around trying to catch her to put it back on!  I have even resorted to putting it on her backwards!!  She is definitely interested in the potty though and whenever Ella or I use the bathroom she always sits on the little potty next to us and always has to wipe and flush, too!!  This morning she wanted to sit on the potty for quite some time so I ended up bringing it out into the family room since I was in the middle of a workout so I could finish and also keep my eye on her.  She's pretty cute!!! 

A little potty encouragement from her big brother! 

On the last day of May we ventured to UTC, the mall in La Jolla, so I could exchange curtains for Julia's bedroom and the kids found these comfy chairs to rest on before heading home.  

We are officially ready for summer now..bring on June!!