Hey! You guys are reading together! You look so cute—stay right there while I get the camera.
Sigh.
Almost Summer… May 29, 2011
C still has about 3 weeks of school left, but summertime activities have commenced. Outdoor birthday parties, neighborhood cookouts, etc.
Two weekends ago the girls attended a birthday party with pony rides!
Waiting patiently while holding hands. M on pony (she mostly wanted me to walk with her and C was riding the other pony at the same time, so I wasn’t able to get pictures of her 
Ponies are a new favorite, but two old favorites were there too.
C was busy enjoying the nice day…
This weekend we had a big neighborhood cookout. There are 5 or so kids around C’s age and another 5 that are M’s as well as several in between, older, and younger. The adults mostly get along as well (certain musical tastes notwithstanding). Firepits, grilled salmon (some neighbors fish!) and s’mores pull us outside and together on nice days. Of course, I couldn’t resist making a little something…peanut butter cup doughnuts (chocolate doughnuts with peanut butter cream filling and chocolate glaze from this recently purchased cookbook). No pictures…they went too fast.
M played with “babies” and C practiced her scootering…
And of course M spent a lot of time with E, one of her two closest friends.
(I have many other pictures, but as always I try not to show other kids’ faces.)
The party was our group reward for two weekends of holding a neighborhood garage sale. This year we did better than last year (better weather), and G and I got rid of all of our “big” items, but it is never clear if the work is worth it. Sigh.
In personal news, I am entering my final month of training for my goal half marathon. This week I logged just under 29 miles of running and am hoping to pass 30 miles next week before starting a taper. Still feeling good so far!
Happy Mother’s Day May 8, 2011
“Celebrated” Mother’s Day by running a half marathon this morning…nothing like getting up at 5 am to start a day off right! Ahem. It was incredibly hilly, but I did achieve my first two goals (1. Finish 2. Run the whole way) although I was nowhere near my time goals. Ah well. G and the girls were on hand towards the end blowing bubbles and cheering me on (although M was confused on “why I ran past them”). After a nice shower, we went out for some brunch. The girls wore new dresses that I finished this week.
(Note to self—don’t clutch purse in between legs, as makes for awkward photo.)
The pattern is Simplicity, er, something and they just have different sizes. I guess I could have made the skirts shorter but perhaps these will last a long time. I really like the material for M’s—just perfect for her.
Action shot!
Yesterday M had a typical snack of her own choosing…freeze dried blueberries, strawberries and bananas with…hummus. Don’t even ask me about what she dips in ketchup. Anyway, the blueberries turn her fairly purple (and she got hummus on her shirt) but the light was great so…
(I swear, somehow at the hair cutting place the bangs were even! I swear!)
We had some big changes this week, with a new bunk bed for the girls and the addition of two fish to the family, but still need photographic proof.
