Has it almost been two months

I did not realize that it has been two months since the last posting, but that is what happens when you have life.  Between baseball, school, Rock (church youth program), potty training, swim team, swim lessons, dive lessons, and baseball that was unexpected. Then you add starting a women's ministry at the church, planning on how not to go crazy this summer and keep the kids from saying the dreaded "b" word, especially when it reaches 120 out and I don't want them being electronically entertained. I feel like there is no way we could be three days from June!

Well, I now have a second grader!!!!  He finished first grade and did so well.  I am so excited to see how much he has learned this year, as I sit with him over the summer and really reflect with him.  I don't like to do much "school" type stuff after school because he has just spent the last 8 hours doing that and needs time to play and be a kid.  So that is what he does.  Plus Cody needs his big brother!

First day of first grade

First Day of First Grade

Wanting to be part of First Grade

Last Day of First Grade

Last Day of first grade

Always wanting everything big brother has or does

 On May 11th we did the Neon Splash Dash as a family!  This is the same night run that Zane and I did in Oct.  but this time ALL did it!!!!  It was so much fun but I sure had three tired boys after.  See David and Zane got back from the school's camp out (Thurs, Fri and Sat.) on Sat. afternoon.  They were home 2.5 hours before we took off for the race and were up there for 4 or more hours.  So much fun though! The pictures are in no particular order!

My baby all painted!

A cold and tired Zane

Got to see our good friend Michelle

Beginning of the race in Salt River Fields where Rockies and D-Backs have Spring Training

Team Rainbow Brite Runs at Night!

Getting our glow on

Cody going through his first glow zone and only time he walked through one

Under the black light

Before the messy!

We have also been very busy with baseball.  Zane ended his season back on the 7th.  But we got a message from his coach that the league wanted us to play in a Tournament of Champions on May 18th.  We were out matched because our kids were coach pitch and 6 and 7 playing in a tournament with a pitching machine (new this fact) against a team that was what we call the Farm League (a mix of Kid pitch and coach pitch) who were 8 and 9 year olds.  WOW these boys do have a major growth spurt between now and 9! But all things considered they did great!  We were also blessed that the president of our league was there to see our team play.  He realized that the letter our coach wrote to them was not an exaggeration and invited our WHOLE team to play in the all-star game!  So we now have two more games!  We added two players from another team.  We had another little surprise yesterday.  We arrive at practice when one of the other coaches comes running (literally) to our coach asking for 3 players.  Well, good thing we arrive early!  Because Zane was one of the ones that were asked.  This was great because I got a chance to understand what Farm League is better and see how Zane stacks up to these kids.  It looks like we will be doing Farm next spring.  The coach for the team Zane played for said he would be ready for Minors, think that is a little too much too fast.  But realized that another year of coach pitch would not benefit him either.  I will try and get a post that shows the pictures of baseball.  We have some good ones!

Diamond Mom

Baseball is in full swing and we have just had our 5th game.  Zane's team is GREAT!  Even though we don't "keep" score, we have won every game by A LOT (that we have been there for).  Zane has played a couple positions, but the one that has been my favorite has been today.  He played catcher for a inning.  Here is why

Zane has done amazing at the plate too. He has not struck out and has hit lots of singles advancing the runners.  But this picture is how I am going to remember the season so far.  Love it!

Our Annual Trip to the Renaissance Festival!

Well, it is "summer" in the desert again. Which means that the Arizona Renaissance Festival is here.  This year we did not make it to many shows but the three we did were new ones to us (because of the boys) and were all at the same stage!  We did make it to the Wyld Men again, but that is not hard to get my boys to because of the fantastic acting MUD!  We listened to a group called Tartanic.  I heard them last year and really loved this.  I got a video clip of their version of "Amazing Grace"  which I will share with you blogger is not uploading!

We also stayed and watched the Bird of Prey show.  Which if you know me and my boys was truly a joy.  Got to see these amazing raptors in action up close. And our seats were PERFECT!  Here are some of the amazing pictures of these beautiful birds.

Black Vulture Native to Arizona

Red Tail Hawk

Lanner Falcon

Lanner Falcon

During the show we also saw an African Vulture (who was very amusing) strip a chicken leg.  That was the last video I got before the memory card was full :( 

The vulture then ate the chicken leg bone whole!

We watched the Fire Whip man, Andy McCracken (No clue if that is his real name, but it is definitely fun!)  Zane was very taken with him and is using his blankets as whips.

Cody was able to do a couple of rides and Zane did as many as he could talk us into, but he mainly did the ones that involved shooting arrows and guns, throwing things so he could break something.

Mother Goose had her geese all dressed up for St. Paddy's Day

Cody loving on Maggie

Zane loving on Maggie

Waiting for their turn on the giant rocking horse

Cody hanging on tight to Zane as the rocking horse starts

The Fun of being bungeed into the air

Hanging for the next show

I CAVED!!!!

So, I caved!  I joined Pinterest.  I said I would not because I did not need another time sucker.  But I ran into a problem.  This last fall I got fed up with the same decorations in my plant nooks on the built in entertainment/fireplace.  So I decided that every season I would change them out to match the season.  Well, autumn was so fun because I was able to put out leaves, pumpkins and stuff that I had been having trouble finding places for.  Winter, another easy one, but the Nativity was out till February and I had Snowmen out too.  But that did not bother me because Snowmen are winter and the Nativity is so beautiful and peaceful.  So the spring has come and I got two of the three done but that third one I wanted something that represented Easter and the Resurrection.  So I went and joined Pintrerest!

I spent about two hours searching.  There were wonderful ideas, some new and some that I am familiar with.  But they were either "Easter bunny" type (which is not how we celebrate Easter) or needed to be watered.  I can't have ANYTHING that needs to be watered in the house, let alone over 12 feet up.  So I combined this idea and the knowledge I can't have things I need to water, along with what I had on hand.  And this is what I got!

The cross was given to us by David's Parents and I made the LOVE plaque in my MOMS group a couple years ago.  But the tomb is on the right.

Step-by-step

Here is a view of 2/3s of the built-in

The problem Nook

Had Husband cut me a piece of 1/8 inch board (scrap board from one of his projects) to fit spot

I painted it brown with acrylic paint (have on hand)

Used an empty yogurt container (saved from recycle bin) as the tomb mold for paper mache

Added layers of paper mache (made from this recipe and newspaper from our neighborhood that we all got for free and don't read) until it was to my liking

Thick and dry

I then used Spanish Moss (did have to buy less than $3 at Hobby Lobby) and glue gun to cover the top

and craft/school glue for the sand (from playground) path

I then glue gunned the river rocks (boys had from somewhere) on the side of path

and added little paper flowers (from my scrapbooking supplies that I got in a kit and rarely use)

Aren't they cute!

The Stone that was rolled away was from our yard!

This is what I got

I would like to note that I would paint the tomb, inside and out, before adding the moss.  Also, this could double as a Hobbit Shire or Fairy Home!  Just take the stone away and make a fun door like one of these. 

So now there is something that I will be able to use year after year, that does not need to be watered for that nook that I have to drag the 12 foot ladder in to get too (or use a bar stool and try not to do the twist).

Third one DONE!

Today I ran and finished my third half marathon in a year and 5 days!  This one was suppose to be a full, but I was unable to put the training in to complete a full with my boys at the ages they are.  So 13.1 miles it was!!!!  I was really nervous for this one because I have not been training the way I should have the last two months.  But I finished and did so in under three hours!  It HURT!  Starting about mile 8 I was really looking at my watch.  My feet were throbbing and felt like they were on fire.  I walked and ran the til about 11.5 miles.  Then I just sucked it up and ran.  This was an amazing race.  The start was so fun.  The Anthem was played at 6:05 am with FIREWORKS!!!!!  That was a huge surprise but so fun!  Then at 6:30, just as the sun was starting to break over the Superstition Mountains the cannon fired and more fireworks started the race!!!! 

Unlike my first two I was never alone on this run.  There were lots of people at the same pace as me, which was so encouraging.  The other fun part was that the full marathon started at the same time and their second half was our race.  So I was able to see some AMAZING runners pass me.  Now it did not happen until 1 hour 50 minutes into the race, but it did happen.  The first guy finished in 2 hours and 23 minutes FAST!!!!!  But it was so awesome to see such beauty in those elite athletes.

The last stretch felt like 2 miles.  It felt like the finish would never get here.  But it did and when my watch stopped I was under 3 hours!  My goal.  Even if the official results say 3 hours and 3 seconds, it did not take into account the fact that I had to wait for 10 minutes to get in.  But when you have to go you have to go and you never know when you will see another port-a-john.

I finished!  I felt good!  And I FINISHED!!!!!

My Bib

After race and shower!

Bib and Finishers Medal (PRETTY!)

If you are curious and want to see my official time, pace, and halfway split (mom) go to Phoenix Marathon click on the half results.

Nature A B C's

A few years ago AMY had a really cool exhibit that showed pictures of the alphabet found in nature.  It came to me last week when we were hiking Boyce Thompson and commented to Zane that we should try and find the ALL the letters and take pictures of them.  Here is what we have so far.

A

B

C

D

E

F

I

J

L

N

O

Q

S

U

V

W

Y

A Heart!

Need to get these printed and put into a dollar store photo book!