Half

Half a cake.

To celebrate half a year. [Where, oh where, did the time go?]

Happy 6 month birthday to Miss Avery. I have to admit that it makes me a little sad. We feel so blessed to have you as a member of this family.


6 month stats:
13 2/3 lbs (5-10%)
24 inches tall (5-10%)
16 1/2 inches head circumference (50%)

What a Deal

I like to use coupons. Sometimes it makes sense [something I am going to buy anyway, a brand I am loyal to or at least willing to try] and sometimes it doesn't [sometimes a store generic is just as good and cheaper without a coupon.] My Grandma gets three Sunday papers and gives me the inserts.

This week was a very good coupon week for me. I was really able to put those inserts to work! I just got home from the store and used $38 dollars worth of coupons. Feels good. And a good continuation of savings... because on Thursday of last week I managed to score $50 [2 cases] of Huggies for $12 dollars thanks to a CVS sale, manufacture coupons, store coupon and stacked percent off coupon! That's enough to last me at least 4 months.

Detour Through Altoona

Last week was a busy week. I was busy trying to squeeze it all in before hitting the road on Friday to go to my cousin Matt's wedding!

Here are some highlights from the time I have been gone.

Mark finished the 95 mile West Highland Way race and came in second place. He hopped on a plane and headed home for one night. Then he hopped on another plane and headed out to run the Western States 100 miler. He finished strong, in the top 30, with a time of 19 hours and 40 minutes. His best time ever at that race. Apparently back to back races, international travel and sleeping in cars agrees with him.

Speaking of hopping, the girls and I hopped into a car with my Grandma and Dad and headed toward Maryland for my cousin's wedding. This should have been a relatively straight forward trip. Turnpike all the way. Somehow with the talking, etc, we stayed on 80 and were nearly to State College, PA before we noticed. Oops. So we got to take a detour through Altoona. Which, if you have never been there, turns out to be a lovely mountain town. We turned a six hour drive into an eight hour drive, but we still made it in time for the rehearsal.

[As soon as someone shares some pictures with me, I will do a post about the wedding.]

We took the "short" way back home. If there is a short way with small children with small bladders and a nursing baby... and strangely we were missing the scenic views of Altoona. The mountain tunnels just don't have the same charm.

Who knew? Altoona.

Lessons

School may be out for the summer, but the learning never stops.

Chase has been loving her swimming lessons and is so happy to have figured out how to float on her back.

We planted our garden. Always a good lesson in what food is and how it goes from seed to table.

And today we practiced another inportant life skill. Using a BIG paint brush. Chase and Ellis "helped" me stain the screened in porch. Ellis had a smaller brush and was in charge of smoothing drips. Chase was in charge of supplying the drips.

Hoping to get our outdoor retaining wall and patio project started this week. Skills to be highlighted? Post hole digging and cement mixing?

Slow Trek to the Finish

Chase and her teacher on the last day of school.
Notice the lovely face painting from field day.
I did what I could with TEMPORA paint.

We made it to the end of first grade. There were times [sometime around 8 weeks before the end of school] that I had some fear. I scratched my head at some of the decisions that the school was making. And I spent A LOT of time on the phone and at the school.

But despite of all that [or maybe because. we may never really know] Chase made progress by leaps and bounds during those last 2 months of school. [She had an awesome report card and passed all assessments with flying colors.]

I am so proud of her.

40 is the new 20?

Or so says the Hallmark card that we gave Mark.

We can all pretend, right?

Somewhere near Yosemite.

And Mark is dealing with this *ahem* milestone birthday by having an affair with running. He is running back to back 100 mile races. This weekend is the West Highland Way and next weekend is Western Sates.

Some men like fast cars and fast women.

Mark just wants to be fast.

Here's one reason to be fast out on the trails. Where's Mom?

Where, oh where

Did the time go?

Tomorrow marks the last day of First Grade. It will be celebrated with Field Day. I will be face painting. Hopefully I will have pictures to share. Someone remind me to charge the camera.

Chase's teacher shared some pictures from the classroom.

And last Friday they walked at Relay for Life. These girls look like quite a team!

Dishing it up - Beans and Rice

Mark announced that he is going on a beans and rice diet. Sounds awfully restrictive to me, but I am taking the challenge and seeing what I can do with it. Wonder how long this phase will last.

I hit allrecipes and Betty Crocker and decided to try the following recipes this week. They will all be paired with salads.

Stuffed Peppers

Seven Layer Tortilla Pie

Coconut Rice and Beans (I think I'll be adding Curry to this recipe)

Trusty Bean Burritos

Sweet Potato Jambalaya

I Wish My Week Looked Like This

Here is the schedule for Chase's last week of school. Can I go, too??? Sounds like fun!

Monday, June 7th: Extra Recess Day.

Tuesday, June 8th: First Grade Memories Presentation and Game Day. Students can bring in a board/card game from home.

Wednesday, June 9th: Beach Read-N-Relax Outside Day (Weather permitting). Students should bring in 4-5 books from home, one beach towel and sunglasses in a plastic bag.

Thursday, June 10th: Pajama Day and Lunch with Miss Berg! Students are welcome to wear their pajamas to school. The class will also be eating their lunches in the classroom.

Friday, June 11th: Field Day and the Last Day of School!

5 Days and Counting

Tomorrow begins the last week of First Grade. It has been a real humdinger of year. A lot of ups and downs. [And more than our fair share of drama.] Certainly a year of extraordinary social growth for Chase. I was afraid that I would never see the day. She's come a long way baby!

Chase, the class, and her new teacher [last 8 weeks]

This week I overheard Chase telling Ellis about school. She said "Kindergarten is okay. I didn't really make friends or talk to anyone. But it was good anyway. But First Grade is a lot better. That's when you make friends and start talking. That makes it better."

Career week. Heavy on the Vets.

I suggested that Ellis might want to talk and make friends at school BEFORE the First Grade. Chase said, "Hey Mom, don't pressure her, okay???!!!"

5 days and counting. Second Grade here we come.

So no pressure. They get there when they get there. And hopefully, moving forward, the path will be paved with a lot less drama.

When Rockets Make You Cry

SpaceX successfully launched their Falcon 9 rocket. It was no small feat. Unprecedented. A lot of (literal) blood, sweat and tears went into this amazing accomplishment.

The personal cost to the SpaceX families should not been discounted. I have watched and listened and stressed along side my sister.

So this launch brought a lot of cheering and celebrating. The sight of which made me cry. And I am sure that I am not the only one shedding happy tears.

Congratulations Tom and Christa. Four years is a long time to hold your breath. Hope you are breathing a little easier now.