KC visit

A short-but-sweet visit to KC over Memorial Day weekend to get all the cousins together!!

 V and Max were making a "bunny nest."

 At a sweet new little aquarium with O.

 Popping up inside the bubble! 

 Max fills the space!

 All the cousins!

So sweet!  I have virtually no photos of the grownups.  Ha ha!  But it was so great to hang out with my siblings.  I do wish we lived closer together. 

On another note, I ran my Dam to Dam 20K race yesterday.  It was a beautiful morning, and despite the fact that I woke up at 3am (buses to start began at 5am) I felt great!  I was happy with my time, which included some time waiting in line for a Port-a-Potty.  I was totally spent afterwards, but I am proud to have accomplished it just in time for turning 43!  Woot!

Piano recital

The latest musical extravaganza!!  Maggie at her piano recital. 

5K!

Maggie ran her first official 5K with her dad a couple weeks ago.  She got a nice prize of a free tuneup for her bike at the bike shop!  That's Phoenix's dad and another professor (who is a long distance runner) with them.  She is thinking about running cross country next year at school.

I had a great Mother's Day yesterday!  The fam prepared a delicious breakfast (complete with breakfast dessert and Top-Chef-inspired presentation!), and then we took a family bike ride around town.  I took Max to his swim lesson and then took Maggie to the outlets...she has woefully few summer pants/shorts that fit her.  Grilled brats for dinner and a trip to Dari Barn with our international student (so we went twice in one weekend...squeee!) finished the day.  The weather was beautiful, and even though it's a cliche: I really am blessed with an amazing family!  (And that includes all of you, too!) XXOO

Project Share

Max had to do a research project for his ELP class (Extended Learning or something like that), and he chose Machu Picchu.  Now I want to go there!  He had to give an oral presentation in front of several other students at the regional Project Share.  He did a great job!  I was so impressed!  He actually looked people in the eye, and he fielded a few questions.  Plus he had a good time at the learning sessions he chose: robots, electricity, and fish printing.  Nice job, Max!

Joshua

Maggie specifically asked that I record this for her new cousin.  She is standing sort of above the music stand.  Only one more concert to go before the end of school!!  Four out of five done!  Whew! 

Andantino

From M4's violin recital yesterday.  His teacher is accompanying him.  He did a great job!! I am so proud of his progress...sometimes it's hard to tell from practice how he's doing, so to hear him at recital in comparison to the other kids is fun.  Many of the other kids are much more advanced, so I hope it's inspiring him to see his future!

M3 also ran her first 5K with dad yesterday.  Of course, they did it at some pace I could not maintain for three miles.  She's thinking about running cross-country next year. 

Also, I signed up for a 20K June 2.  It will be my 43rd birthday present to myself.

Don't Step In

From M4's concert.  They did a musical about bullying.  M4 has decided he's a nerd, by the way, because "nerds are smart."  That's my boy!