Joy

Last night was the talent show at Rachel's school.  She wanted to be in it in the worst way, so she came up with this idea to do a skit based on her current favorite movie, Inside Out.  It kind of evolved, but ended up being an interview between her, playing the main character, Joy, and Disgust, one of the other emotions.  

She and her friend wrote the script, with my husband's help, and practiced lots, and they did a great job!  

Proud of our little actress!

a runner

Earlier this fall a couple of moms in Rachel's class decided to start up a chapter of "Girls on the Run" for the girls in her class.  It's a national organization, but there weren't any groups at Rachel's school.  I really wanted Rachel to try it because 1) I'd heard really good things about the program, 2) I thought it would help her get to know the girls in her class a little better, and 3) she's never been very athletic and I thought running was something simple she might be able to do.  She didn't want to do it, but when she found out almost all of the other girls in her class were doing it, she reluctantly decided to give it a try.

So all fall she's been practicing twice a week after school--they do running practice, but they also do different bonding sorts of activities and learn about things like friendship and standing up for yourself and so forth.   She's really enjoyed it, and glad she tried it, except when it comes to the running.  She's struggled all along, something always seems to hurt, and she can't seem to keep up.  

So yesterday I picked her up from practice and she had spent most of the practice in tears, apparently, because her heel had been hurting the whole time and she could barely walk.  She was upset that she might not be able to run in their big 5K race today.  Her heel has bothered her off and on, and we don't know for sure what it is, but it seems like growing pains, as I've read about it.  

So anyway, we went to bed last night not knowing if she'd be able to run today.  

This morning it still hurt, but after icing it and taking ibuprofen she wanted to try to run.  We got there and found out they wanted some parents to go along and help, so Daddy got to go with her to make sure she made it, since we weren't sure she could.

Rebecca and I walked over to part of the course to get pictures and I got a call when they were getting close so I'd know to look for them.  She was running strong and SO excited.

Rebecca and I then booked it to the finish line, but sadly, not quite fast enough (Rebecca has little legs and we couldn't move as fast!).  So I didn't get a picture of her crossing the finish line, but this is just after she finished.  She was so proud of herself.  And I couldn't have been more proud of her.

Apparently she said halfway through the race, "Dad, when's the next 5K?  Can we sign up for another one?"  

Her heel hurt the whole time, but she kept going--that's a big deal for my child with a low pain tolerance who cries when she brushes her hair with a snarl in it!

This is her team....they all finished.  She was in the first group from her school, and they waited at the finished line and cheered on the rest of her classmates as they finished several minutes later.  

One of the coaches told us the story today about how early on in the practices Rachel was upset about her struggle and said, "I'm not really a runner."  The coach, who was running with her at practice, told her, "Well, you're running now, so that makes you a runner!"  Today she gave Rachel a big hug and said, "See?  I told you you are a runner!"  

So proud of our runner, who pushed through her pain and persevered.  She's so proud of herself and has been wearing her medal all day.  She's told me about five times, "I can't believe I did that!"  

catch up

I realized the other day that I didn't post the whole month of September.  And here it is over halfway through October without a post, too.  Does anyone even read this blog anymore?  I guess I can't blame anyone if they don't, since I never post!  I don't think there are many, but I guess for the sake of my family's history, I do want to keep it up....

The girls just finished the first quarter of school.  They both like it and are doing fine.  We had parent teacher conferences this week and received good news about their progress.  We are very proud of them both.  

Rebecca loves doing her homework!  

This was taken at a social event at Rachel's school.  I wish it wasn't blurry, but I love how excited Rachel looks.  Definitely something I love most about Rachel, is her enthusiasm and zest for life.

Rachel became a Junior Girl Scout this fall.  This is the first time I'm not leading her troop.  

The original plan was that I would lead a troop for Rebecca.  But then cancer came on the scene and I decided this wasn't the best timing for that.  We're still waiting for a troop to form for her.  

I finished radiation a couple of weeks ago, so I'm enjoying some freedom in the mornings while the girls are at school.

Brian took the girls to Mammoth Cave with Rachel's friend, Taylor, her sister, and their dad.  They had fun, though they were all exhausted when they got home!

And next week we go to Disney World!  We surprised the girls recently with the news, and they are beyond thrilled.

Today and tomorrow there is no school because of conferences.  I took advantage of the day with most kids in school and took the girls to COSI.  These was a visiting Lego exhibit, which they loved.

Oh, and this picture makes me laugh--it's in the "Progress" section at COSI, where you go back in time.  Rebecca has never seen a real phone booth or pay phone, but here she looks like an old pro at using one, doesn't she?

So that just about sums up October, September and August in the World of Weed!

empty nest

I walked home from the bus stop today alone to an empty house.  My baby girl is off to kindergarten!!

I feel like I should be more sad that she's starting kindergarten.  I was so emotional when Rachel started.  I think I cried the whole morning that first morning.  I don't feel that way this year.  I'm a tiny bit sad, and I will miss her, and I cried when she got on that big bus this morning, but she's much more social than her sister ever was, so I feel less worried and anxious about her going.  She's ready.  I think she'll do great (if she can keep her mouth shut and sit still!).  

I posted this poem when Rachel went off to kindergarten.  It made me cry then, and it makes me cry now.....it's all so bittersweet.  I'm excited for her, I know she'll love it, but I also hate saying goodbye to a part of her childhood.  I changed a few words to fit her eye/hair color....

Dear World:
I bequeath to you today one little girl . . . in a crispy dress . . . with two blue eyes . . . and a happy laugh that ripples all day long . . . and a flash of blonde hair that bounces in the sun when she runs.
I trust you'll treat her well.

She's slipping out of the backyard of my heart this morning . . . and skipping off down the street to her first day of school. And never again will she be completely mine.
Prim and proud she'll wave her young and independent hand this morning and say "Goodbye" and walk with little lady steps to the schoolhouse.

Now she'll learn to stand in lines . . . and wait by the alphabet for her name to be called. She'll learn to tune her ears for the sounds of school-bells . . . and deadlines . . . and she'll learn to giggle . . . and gossip . . . and look at the ceiling in a disinterested way when the little boy 'cross the aisle sticks out his tongue at her. And now she'll learn to be jealous. And now she'll learn how it is to feel hurt inside. And now she'll learn how not to cry.

No longer will she have time to sit on the front porch on a summer day and watch an ant scurry across the crack in the sidewalk. Nor will she have time to pop out of bed with the dawn and kiss lilac blooms in the morning dew. No, now she'll worry about those important things . . . like grades and which dress to wear and whose best friends is whose. And the magic of books and learning will replace the magic of her blocks and dolls. And now she'll find new heroes.

For five full years now I've been her sage and Santa Claus and pal and playmate and mother and friend. Now she'll learn to share her worship with her teachers . . . which is only right. But no longer will I be the smartest woman in the whole world. Today when that school bell rings for the first time . . . she'll learn what it means to be a member of the group . . . with all its privileges and its disadvantages too.

She'll learn in time that proper young ladies do not laugh out loud . . . or kiss dogs . . . or keep frogs in pickle jars in bedrooms . . . or even watch ants scurry across cracks in sidewalks in the summer.
Today she'll learn for the first time that all who smile at her are not her friends. And I'll stand on the front porch and watch her start out on the long, lonely journey to becoming a woman.
So, world, I bequeath to you today one little girl . . . in a crispy dress . . . with two blue eyes . . . and a flash of blonde hair that bounces in the sunlight when she runs.

I trust you'll treat her well.

And here are a few more pictures.....

Here's how I spent the morning while she was gone.....I did this on Rachel's first day of kindergarten, and she remembers it and asked if I was going to do it for Rebecca.....

(Those are little school houses...kind of hard to tell!)

And here are some pictures for comparison....

Rachel's first day of kindergarten, 2011

My first day of kindergarten, 1979

fourth grade!

Off she goes!

I can't believe I have a fourth grader.  

I remember fourth grade being the first year girls were interested in boys (yikes!) and the year things started changing, socially, for me, as some girls matured and others (me included) didn't.  I'm scared for my sweet, innocent, immature girl who has absolutely no interest in boys, still likes princesses, and adores playing dress up.  She's unique and an absolute treasure....but not everyone looks past the exterior to see that gem inside that I see.  She's timid and quiet at school.  Too much like her mother, this dear girl.

Her best friend, Taylor just coined the phrase, "nervou-cited" and that's what Rachel told me she was feeling last night.  Today she was all excitement.  The bus was thirty minutes late, though, on the first day, which knocked some wind out of both of us.....but I know she'll have a great day.

Love this girl!!!

Pelotonia

This post is for those of you who aren't on Facebook to already have seen these photos.

The Pelotonia bike ride was this past Saturday.  In order to ride 100 miles, my brother, Ted, raised well over $1,800 for cancer research at The James, where I receive my treatment, and rode in honor of his wife, Leslie, and me. 

The ride started downtown and ended 100 miles later at my alma mater, Kenyon.  

Brian, the girls, and I stopped along the way to cheer on the riders.  We missed Ted, so later we dropped the girls off with their cousins and Brian and I took off again to find him and cheer on more riders.  We found him!

We then met up with him again at the finish line.

It was a special day for all of us.

cuties

I've been practicing my French braiding skills on this little cutie (I've never been good at it, but decided that if I did it enough, I could get better, so I'm trying)

And this little cutie is headed off to Girl Scout day camp this week.  She's so excited that it's mystery/detective themed.  She can't wait.  (Look at her admiring sister in the background....)

long time, no post

Summer is flying by, but I don't have much to show for it, blog wise!  My husband and I went to Chicago for our anniversary, but I don't have any pictures loaded to put them on here (maybe my next post).  

Today was our annual neighborhood garage sale, and Rachel had her lemonade stand, as usual, along with her friends who come over every Friday while their parents work.

Business was great.  It was a beautiful day and we had tons of people.  The girls had a great time.

I had surgery on Monday and am recovering fine.  If you aren't friends with me on Facebook, where my husband made me post this picture, then here's a picture of my fancy socks they gave me to wear for surgery.

School starts in three weeks, so we will try to squeeze in as much summer fun as we can between now and then!  Hopefully I'll post more soon.  Sorry I've been neglecting the blog.....

Daddy's birthday

My husband's birthday was almost a month ago, now, but I finally just looked at the pictures from that day.

I wrote earlier that he wanted to go to the high point of Indiana and to the Air Force museum, so that's what we did.

On the way there we stopped at a rest area, and they wanted to pose....

This is the entrance to the high point....in the middle of nowhere.  If you blink, you'll miss it!

Rebecca wanted to sign her own name in the guest book!