Screamin' Oaks Field Trip

Field trips.  Always so exciting for the kids; totally hit or miss for the adults.  However, I give this field trip two thumbs up.  We went to Screamin' Oaks in Tonganoxie and we all had a blast.

Bodey, Mason & Cooper getting ready to feed 4-day old goats.

Bodey bottle feeding a baby goat.

He studied the 4 kids before him as they sat on the lady's lap, she helped them with the proper technique, and they shyly milked away.  Not Bodey!  He just walked right up there, no lap needed, no help needed, and went to town!

He got to brush a horse.

Bodey and Gus (the donkey).

For Lunch?

I received this email today from Booker's school, and it kind of weirded me out.

Beginning with the 2012 - 2013 school year, in an effort to improve efficiency and accelerate the movement of lunch lines in our school, we will implement biometric technology in our cafeteria. This means that on a daily basis, your child’s finger will be scanned as he walks through the line, and the system will then automatically debit his lunch account through Skyward for charges incurred. This eliminates the possibility of human error in our existing double-entry process currently used in our school lunch line.

This new process will begin with enrollment, when your child’s finger is first scanned for measurements. From these measurements, the system creates a numeric identifier that represents these measurements and is unique to your child. The fingerprint image is not stored in the system, and the system is one directional, so there is no way to reverse the process to recreate the fingerprint.

Not only will having these finger scanners help with lunchroom efficiencies, but they will allow us the opportunity to make fewer mistakes in charging accounts, and will also make it less likely for a student to allow another student access to his account.

Rock the Parkway 2012

Every race is completely different.  Different from any other race you've ran, and usually different than you have planned out in your head.  Rock the Parkway was going to be the race that we ran a sub 2-hr half marathon.  Our previous best time was 2:08.  We trained pretty hard for this race, but didn't do as much speed work as we should have.  Still, we felt pretty good with where we were, and we were ready.  But, you never know what will come your way on race day.  At mile 2, Stephanie tweaked her knee, so Jen and I continued without her.  About mile 4 I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to continue on.  The humidity was 90% and my body couldn't take any more.  And we were tucked away in the trees where there is absolutely NO breeze.  Jen was hurting too.  And all these hills kept popping in front of us that we swear weren't there last year!  They were really taking a toll on us.  I was gu-ing like crazy because my whole body was numb and tingly.  So I just kept thinking my body was lacking something, and all I had to give it was gu.  I think it helped because my energy level did increase.  Jen is our strong runner of the group.  The girl can go forever.  And she never shows signs of fatigue.  She talks us through our tough points.  I should have known something was wrong when we hadn't held a single conversation other than how badly we were hurting.  And at mile 8, Jen was about to puke.  Her body told her should couldn't continue at this pace.  This has happened before, but not to Jen.  It's usually Cori or me that needs to slow the group down, maybe walk a little, get a pep talk.  We usually just all stop and hang with the gal who is hurting at the moment.  And this is what I had planned to do.  But Jen could tell I was feeling ok, and she said she would feel horrible if I stayed back with her.  And after quite a bit of coaxing, she finally convinced me to go.  So I did.  This was a turning point in my running career for me.  Personally.  I don't run by myself.  Eva.  And there is good reason for that.  I give up.  I am Mrs. Negative.  But I knew that if I were to leave Jen, I better work my ass off to get the best possible time I could get.  I promised myself not to leave anything on the back burner.  And I just focused on the road ahead of me.  For 5 miles.  It was one of the hardest things I've ever done.  I wanted to quit so badly.  At mile 12.5 (of 13.1) I didn't think I had enough juice left to make it to the finish line.  But, somehow I made it.  My time was not sub-2.  It was 2 hours and FORTY SIX seconds.  Yes, I missed our goal time by 47 seconds.  But I was very ok with that, because I gave everything I had at every point in that race.  It was a very hard race, both physically and emotionally, but I did my best and am extremely proud!  And I learned a lesson.  Even if I'm feeling "ok", I would way rather finish with my girls, than to go ahead and finish by myself.  It's just not the same, and it's not me.  It's not why I run.  I run for them, and with them.  So no more of that.  :)  We will reach our goal of sub 2... together!!!!

The Beauty of Aging

This morning Bodey was watching The Lion King, and was to the part where Simba grows up through the course of a song. Bodey: Mom, is he growing up? Because he looks like his dad.Me: Yep, and when you grow up, you'll probably look like your dad.Bodey: I don't want to grow up and look like dad. He has a hole in his hair!

Do You See the Deer in the Headlights?

I don't know if you can see it here as well as the actual picture, but Booker's look in this picture cracks me up.  I asked him to show me a cute smile, and he smiled back normally.  Then I asked him why his smile is so silly in his class picture and he said, "I don't know, mom.  I can't see my own face when I smile!"  Makes me laugh.  I used to love going back and looking at my class pictures, so this is going in his baby book.  Wonder what I'll do when Bodey is in school.  Note to self... must finish start Bodey's baby book by the end of his kindergarten year.

Not-So-Spring Soccer

Last weekend we had our first round of spring soccer games.  Although, it was not very spring-like at all.  It was 85 degrees!  I love the sun and the heat, but I think it was a little much for our little soccer friends.  Bodey did make a goal though.  We didn't even know he knew how to dribble the ball, but he got a hold of it, dribbled it down the field, turned to the goal and shot!  It was a ton of fun, and both the boys have several friends on their teams.  

Booker's Team - Red Hot Tamales

Bodey's Team - The Rangers

Quite the lil group of soccer players!  Avery, Bodey, Cooper.