Running Without Dad

We continued a yearly tradition this year of going to run in the Avon Eagle Run. Levi has run this either 4 or 5 times now. They put on a very nice kids run, every kid gets a shirt and a trophy and plenty of food (pizza, fruit, cookies). They also have face-painting, clowns, and a DJ. "Rae" warmed up by doing the limbo, the chicken dance, and the macarena.

I've run the 5-mile race the past couple years, but was on the sideline this year due to my hernia.

"Levi" took the race pretty seriously. He started conservatively and moved his way up. Around 1/4 mile he was about one third of the way back, poised and ready for the frontrunners to start fading. By the next time I saw him, with less than 1/4 mile to go, he was moving into 3rd place. He passed one more kid but finished 6 seconds behind the winner with a 5:21 time for the short (we think) course.

"Bess" started off with "Rae". She has learned that running is more fun when she takes it easy, runs steady, and doesn't try to compete with her older brother. She ran even all the way and finished in 7:14.

Rae took a few walk breaks but still finished in 7:48. After the race, she said "I would have run 7:14 if Bess would have stayed with me."

Spring Break

The kids were with me from Tuesday night until Sunday night of Spring Break. We did several fun things.

"Bess" and "Rae" and I have been reading Harry Potter books together. I had made a rule several years ago that the kids could not watch the movies until they had read the books. Well we had just finished the first book so on Tuesday night & Thursday morning we watched Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Wednesday night I took "Nolan", "Levi", and "Bess" to see Boys Like Girls and Avril Lavigne in concert. We parked by Tower City and walked over to CSU. Everybody enjoyed the concert, especially Levi who sang along to almost every song. Here is a review I found online at Cleveland Leader

As we walked back to the car, we passed some people walking out of the Cavs game. One man tried to hand me a paper and said "Join me in my boycott of the Cavalier Girls in Jesus name."

I laughed and said, "No thanks" and as we were walking away he called out, "Protect your eyes, children."

A few blocks later we encountered an older man holding a cup and asking for money. As we walked past he said, "Stay in school, kids." So the kids definitely got a "street education" that night.

Thursday we went to Boston Market for Jay's birthday lunch, and after that we went to the IX Indoor Amusement Park. The boys rode a few rides and then got grumpy and wanted to go home. Meanwhile the girls and "Gabe" and I had a blast!

Thursday night Victoria left for Columbus for her Shoegasm trip, so the kids and I got Romeo's Pizza on our way home. Friday night I delivered pizza, Saturday we had 2 indoor soccer games, and on Sunday I had a NSCAA soccer coaching class while everybody else went to church.

Academic Challenge

I went to Levi's 2nd academic challenge match yesterday. This one was especially fun because it was against his cousin's team (my niece). Both kids did well. Levi answered 12 right and his cousin got 4 right, including the current events question "On February 3rd, who won the Super Bowl?"

Levi's school won 61-41. They have won both of their matches now. His adviser asked me to volunteer at the next one in March.

My mom was there also and then I spent the afternoon with her, we visited 2 sets of elderly aunts & uncles, both uncles are in poor health. One is recovering from a stroke, while the other is fading due to old age (mid 90's).

I then picked up the kids from school, dropped my mom back at her house, and came home for the evening. Dinner, homework, video games & tv, bedtime snacks & stories, it was about as "normal" as it gets for us.

Log Cabin Craft

"Bess" and I are getting ready to go to Michael's Crafts for the kids club craft. We just checked online and today's craft is a log cabin.

I've written about this before, but this is one of the best bargains around and my kids love it!