Merry Christmas from our Growing Family!

Gobbling, Wobbling & Earning Dessert

This might be the only race we have ever run together! {Not competitive at all.}

Promoted

We finally told Addie the big news! She is very excited and already asking if she can hold the baby, can they share a room, etc! She immediately put on her new shirt and wore it proudly the entire weekend. She literally didn't take it off for 2 days including sleeping in it!

Digging right in!

Just the second day of school and the kids are already being exposed to one of the service learning partnerships they will be supporting this year. They were paired with a 7th grade "buddy" who showed them how to pick green beans from the school's community garden. The fresh produce they harvest helps provide fresh produce for Friendship Trays.
 
Just the day before the school delivered 25lbs of green beans, 5lbs of okra, 5lbs of eggplant, 1lb of peppers & 2lbs of cucumbers (all planted & cultivated by last year's students) to the meals on wheels program. This is just one of the many reasons we choose to send Addie to Trinity.

How is she a Kindergartener?!

Seriously where did the time go? How is my baby in real school? WOW, we have come so far! Could this really be the same little stinker that screamed nearly every time I dropped her off at Childwatch or a babysitter showed up at the house?! I mean, she barely left my leg the day before at the open house and wouldn't even speak to her teachers!

 

Her obvious apprehension yesterday had me anticipating the worst. I didn't want her to feel abandoned but we were going to be leaving her and what a terrible way that would have been to start this new chapter! To my absolute surprise she was comfortable from the first moment. She walked right into her classroom, sat at a table and began easily chatting with a classmate with a genuine smile on her face.

To say I was relieved is an understatement! I didn't realize how anxious I was until the tears started rolling down my cheeks. I couldn't leave the courtyard outside the classroom and I could not stop crying even as I laughed and talked to other parents. Oh how I love this amazing little person!

#walkthelewin

Our trip via Instragram: 

#ChâteauFrontenac #damnitdonal

#newcountryproblems

#highschoolbesties #reunited

#MontmorencyFalls #rainydayfun

#MontmorencyFalls #nofilter 

#congratsline #leanback

#duckface

#firstdance #havealittlefaithinme
 

#mrslewinandherladies

Preschool Graduate

 

The Adventure of Marriage

9 years into this adventure called marriage! Always challenging each other. @usnwc #canyonspur

Time Laps

I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into when I expressed vague interest in a 24 hour relay race on the trails at the US White Water Center but the next thing I know I am signed up with the only all female team competing! I knew I would be dirty and tired but I didn't know how much I would love it! It seriously was so peaceful being out on the trails all by yourself. My first leg wasn't until 11:45pm Friday night which sounded awful but being guided by nothing more then the headlamp I borrowed and moonlight bouncing of the lake, hearing frogs and smelling honeysuckle was surreal in a great way! I didn't even worry about tripping because I honestly felt like I could have flown. In the back of my mind I was also well aware that this was going to be my last running hoo-rah for a long time so was determined to soak every moment of it up. It is also those "runner highs" that keep me coming back and why I know I will never be able to give it up.

Muffins for Mom

Matching, per her request. She and I were both already dressed and ready to walk out the door for school when she came into my bathroom pleading we wear out matching dresses. I bought these last year so her dress was entirely too short but tunics are in style so we added a pair of leggings for her and off we went. I really liked what I had on but know I need to enjoy these moments before I am embarrassing.

Happy Birthday AR!

Jim and I have loved our subscription to Broadway Lights Series and are new fans of The Children's Theatre. So in the spirit of making memories and doing fun things we decided to celebrate one our other favorite little people's 4th birthday we would go see The Cat in the Hat! We made a whole day of it and they had a great time. #cousinlove

Hope Floats Duck Race

We headed to the US National White Water Center to support a worthy cause, Kindermourn, but more so to show our support for friends who have been through pain that even now just the thought of it still makes me cry. I could not fully explain this to a 5 year old but she knew we bought ducks, not to take home but to donate money to help families who lost their children. This was the first time I got to attend the actual Hope Floats Duck Race. It was a much colder day then we were dressed for but we always enjoy our time at USNWC and I hope to take Addie back again next year.

Happy Easter

 

Ladies Who Lunch

It was quit the big girl day today! We met friends for manicures and pedicures (a first for most of the little ones) then all went out to lunch. It was so nice not to be rushed to be anywhere else. I let Addie pick the colors for us both. We agreed we should match but I did have to steer her aware from her first choice. Frozen tattoos and neon blue nails might be a bit much for Easter.

 

She traded necklaces with Miss Hillary and was in such awe of her jewels for the meal.

Preschool Spring Festival

One of the perks of my job is being right on campus with my favorite little girl and having the flexibility to attend most of her school functions. Today was the Preschool's Easter Parade, Egg Hunt and Picnic. I am going to miss being able to just pop over!

  

Addie's First 5K

I was seriously so impressed with her today! This 5 year old completed something plenty of adults haven't and can't. That is not to say she did not struggle. We walked and even sat down on a bench for a minute and I had to tell her no I would not carry her a few times. I tried to explain how far she had gone, what she had left and how proud of herself she would be at the end when she did it all by herself. I felt a bit militant but when she saw and crossed the 3 mile mark, knowing we only had a little bit left she lit up and took off and I knew I had done a good job. I love this little bit and cannot wait for us to run together some day.

 

   

Our trip to The Happiest Place on Earth

SATURDAY, FEB 28

Someone could hardly wait to get there! We didn't fly out til 1pm but she and Minnie were dressed at 7am and ready to go. Disney World here we come!!! It was a bit rainy when we first arrived but the rest of the week turned out to be amazing and sunny!

 

SUNDAY, MAR 1

We started our park adventures in Hollywood Studios. This park had all the Disney Junior characters plus tons of neat shows. We got to see Jake, Sofia, Daisy, Woody & Buzz up close but also sang along with Elsa & Anna, enjoyed what ended up being the group favorite ride, Toy Story Midway Mania!, I was an extra in the Indiana Jones stunt show, then ended our night with Fantasmic!, a fun water/light show. It was a perfect first day and we felt much more prepared for the beast that would be Magic Kingdom!

MONDAY, MAR 2
I went ahead and scheduled a free day for us right in the beginning which gave us the opportunity to reorganize all we thought we knew about Disney World. We also hit the pool at our resort. It was going to be hard to keep her out of it much longer anyway. That night we took a boat ride over to the Wilderness Lodge to see one of the longest running shows, Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue. Addie still talks about it and how she tried fried chicken for the first time!

 

TUESDAY, MAR 3
MAGIC KINGDOM DAY!!! There was not much we did not do. Rides, Fantasy Parade, lunch at Lady & The Tramp's Italian restaurant, roller-coasters, shows, more rides, more shows, Electrical Parade & fireworks show. She was such a trooper and really pushed herself outside her comfort zone discovering things she really liked (Seven Dwarfs Mine Train) and things she did not care for at all (Splash Mountain). We went hard and strong from 9am to 11pm and it showed as Jim carried a 5 year old sack of potatoes out of the park.

 

 

 

WEDNESDAY, MAR 4

Our last park day we went to Animal Kingdom, which was the smallest park, so we allowed ourselves to sleep in after the LONG day before. Lidia & Joe went to see a Cirque show while my little family enjoyed a meal at Tusker House with Mickey, Donald, Daisy & Goofy. Everyone is a kid at Disney World, right?! So Mom and Dad each jumped up for a picture with our favorite character there.

 

THURSDAY, MAR 5
We scheduled a late breakfast to give us a chance to recharge if needed which was great. We were able to take our time getting to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and enjoy the monorail ride and its views. The Supercalifragilistic Breakfast was major! The location was fancier then anywhere we had been so far, the food was fantastic and the highlight was of course the character's table visits. We saw Mary Poppins, Alice & The Mad Hatter and Tigger! That afternoon we went miniature golfing and Jim and I got to have a date night at Downtown Disney! We ate at Wolfgang Puck's restaurant then closed down the joint at Paradiso 37 with new friends we made (another couple taking advantage of grandparents with young kids).

 

 

 

 

 FRIDAY, MAR 6

Thank you Grammy & VoVo for an absolutely wonderful trip that we will never forget! We really did not want to go home but were also exhausted and looking forward to our own beds.

 

 

By the way munchkin keeps asking when we are going back. ha!