Matthew's race

My school puts on a 5K and a one-mile fun run for the community.  This was the second race they have put on and it was much bigger than last year.  The weather was beautiful and the kids and families had a great time.  I had planned on running the 5K, but with Ryan being gone it has been nearly impossible to find the time to run on my own.  Instead I decided to run the one-mile run with Matthew.  He did excellent.  He ran the entire time, even after tripping over the curb and skinning his knee.  Of course we stopped at every drain to see if there was water, but luckily the neighborhood behind school doesn't have many drains.  Matthew got a ribbon when he crossed the finish line and he was SO proud!  We stayed for the metals ceremony and Matthew had a great time cheering for all the 5K winners.  Hopefully I will get some more pictures of the race and the photographers throughout the course start submitting their pictures. 

Ryan will be home in 5 days for a weekend visit and we all can't wait!  Matthew has been tearing off his countdown every morning.  He never lets me forget either.  School is out in two weeks (on Matthew's birthday) and I have to admit that I have some reservations about it.  School and daycare are my routine and they both really help make the days go faster.  Weekends have been super busy and that helped too.  As much as I hate to make my days go by faster, because that means the boys are growing up way too fast, I also need that to help this time in our lives to be over.  My fear is that once I am out for the summer I will get a little stir crazy being home with the kids 24/7.  I have set up for them to go to daycare every Thursday so I can get things done, like mowing the lawn, appointments, grocery shopping, etc.  We do have a few trips planned, too, but I hope we can keep the rest of the days busy and fun-filled too.  

I can do it...

All of the sudden, Andrew decided he wanted to be the one to feed himself and wouldn't let anyone else do it.  So, I gave him his fork and let him dig in.  He gets such a thrill and enjoyment of doing this; I just love it!  He's doing okay with the messy things, such as applesauce and yogurt, and usually requires a bath after dinner.  Mainly due to the food in his hair.  He loves to pick up the plate or bowl and put them on his head.  

As the weather gets nicer and work winds down our lives are getting busier and busier!  I am looking forward to next month when school is out and we are free to go as we please, play as long as we want outside, and really not give a care to the world.  Matthew LOVES doing yard work and will try at every opportunity possible to get outside and mow the lawn.  Just the other morning he let Norm out and I caught him in the backyard, in his jammies with bare feet, removing our downspouts so I could mow the lawn.  Explaining to him that I had to go to work didn't go over too well with him.  Luckily for him, his good behavior at Deah's earned him a tractor ride with Donny.  That made his day!  

In work news, our area millage renewal passed (by over 70%).  The day I voted I had told Matthew that I would be voting and then we could go home.  He thought I said boating and was pretty persistent that we get the boat in the water.  Poor guy was pretty disappointed when he finally realized that voting and boating are two different things.  The millage renewal was wonderful news to our district because now we are only about 4 million in the hole instead of the 8 million we would have been if it hadn't passed.  There are a lot of changes going on for next year.  Luckily I was "safe" from getting one of the courtesy letters, but 265 other employees of the district weren't so lucky.  They are looking to outsource all custodians, secretaries, bus drivers, cut music, some art, Reading Recovery, Gifted and Talented programs, reading paprapros and other support staff, librarians, food service, and the list goes on.  We will know the finals in June as to who and what will be cut to help balance the budget thanks to our crappy Governor Snyder. 

Three more weeks and Ryan will be home for a visit.  He was going to make his annual trip up north with his friends, but chose to stay at home for the entire weekend with us.  We look forward to spending lots of time with him doing many family things, including celebrating Matthew's 4th birthday!  Hopefully the weather will cooperate and we can get the boat out for a day or so.  Crazy to think he'll be heading to kindergarten/Young-Fives screening next March.  Where did the time go?