I've Got Spirit... How 'Bout You?

Here we are at Cross Country Season again.

And it has been a great start to the Season for Cole.

He PR'ed at Time Trials

And has twice been selected to travel to out of town meets in Omaha-

an honor on a team of 90+ runners and one bus.

He has since beat his time trial time by almost a minute

and has some specific goals in mind.

We are proud of the boy- no doubt!

But that's not really what this post is about.

Instead it's that dilemma that faces many-a-sports parent these days.

It's the decal....

Last year we did not decal our car.

It feels, I don't know, showy, braggy, look at me-ish.

Cole knows we support him, 

and he also knows which car is ours 

without plastering his name on the back window.

But this year, in a moment of weakness I bought the decal.

Well, let's be honest, I bought two decals. 

Cole wanted one for his own car.

"All the cool kids have them Mom"

And Jim gave me a disapproving look as if to say:

"I don't even know you anymore."

So here I sit, another meet in 3 hours, decal in hand.

Do I show up like a lame-o Mom at the meet un-decal'd?

Other parents whispering and giving Cole supportive and empathetic looks.

"That poor boy's Mom doesn't have a decal, she must not really love him."

To decal, or not to decal.

That is the question.

So did I?

Heck no! 

Look at that dirty car.

I would have to wipe off a spot in order to put it on

and then I would look lame with just one little spot clean on my car,

so then I would have to go through the car wash.

Maybe this weekend...

Transitions

Today Stella begins her transition from her very familiar

Infant/Pre-Toddler room 

to the Toddler room

at daycare. 

She has been in the same room since she started daycare

back in 2010 at 10 weeks old.

She has had the same teachers and the same friends.

She has done lots of silly things

And has learned so much with all of her wonderful

teachers and friends.

She has grown up in this room.

But now it's time to move up.

They say she's ready

and that she's getting bored with the little kids.

My tears this morning as I dropped her off told me

that I'm not quite ready for my little girl to grow up.

Black Hills Vacation- Vol 3

Here we are doing the Alpine Slide

Cole

And Jim- in the stripes.

Stella had to sit this one out!

But then we ended up in her favorite place

in the world: 

Reptile Gardens

She developed a slight obsession with the giant tortoises.

This picture was taken moments before a

catastrophic meltdown when we had to leave

these amazing creatures behind.

On our last day we stopped at Wall Drug

where the kids rode the tiny carousel

Stella and Daddy chatted with Annie Oakley

And Cole made a new friend.

And in the spirit of the family vacation

Stella got right in on the action of posing with the statues.

We had a fantastic trip! Can't wait to do it again next year.

Black Hills Vacation- Vol 2

We stopped off at Hot Springs for a tour of

The Mammoth Site.

Stella was listening intently to the tour.

And then Bear Country USA!

This is how we would have liked for the

trip through Bear Country USA to go

And this is how it actually went!

Stella was a little antsy!

We tried for a family portrait.

2 of the 4 of us look good.

Ah yes, we love the statues.

Stella & Mom in the wilderness

And Stella with Dad

We tried a little rock climbing.

And that wore us out!

Black Hills Vacation- Vol 1- Nebraska Branch

Well, based on my lack of recent blog updates,

one might assume that we have been on vacation

for the past 2 months.

That is not the case, unfortunately.

But we have been gone for the past week.

So I've got some fun vacation pictures to share.

We started off our trip by headed back

to Jim's old stomping ground:

North Platte, and specifically, Fort Cody.

The kids loved it

Jim worked at Fort Cody as a teenager,

and I visited a few times myself over the years.

We liked trying out all of the gear.

Uh oh Stella, there's a buffalo chasing you!

Of course we had to embrace the kitsch.

And no outlaw was immmune!

I guess it was sunny...

Stella liked the tee-pee

Come on in!

And she liked the covered wagon.

No one liked the jail!

Then we made our way to Cody Park

Where Cole and Stella fed the deer and ducks.

Day 2....

As we headed North, we had to make a small detour to 

enjoy the majesty of Carhenge.

It was spectacular.

And it was a great stopping point for 

exercising little legs.

Why does Cole look so much taller than me in this picutre?

Stella liked playing peek-a-boo

among the cars.

You Are My Sunshine

Stella has become quite a song bird lately.

She loves to sing and read books,

so books that include songs are right up her alley.

Pretty adorable huh!

First Haircut

I have done a little trim here and there, 

but this was her first salon haircut.

She was a little skeptical at first

But thankfully Yo Gabba Gabba soothed her nerves

Ok, I think we're ready

She had some concerns that Kate might trim off her curls

"Please stop taking my picture Mom.

I'm going to be cool." 

I didn't end up taking an after picture because she

got a little bit squirly.

That's what happens when you take a tired girl to the salon.