Friendship Award

I wrote a few weeks ago about how PROUD I was of Owen for starting tball. My inner athlete was happy that he was following in his mama’s footsteps playing little league.  But today I was brought to a new level of being proud.

At Back to School night we were told that the last Wednesday of every other month was the award assembly days for the kinder kids.  I marked my calendar, First Kindergarten Awards Assembly, thinking that every kid got something and would definitely go if it landed on a prep day.  Well earlier in the week Owen came home with a note that he specifically was getting an award!  I was so excited for him, but not surprised…(heehee says every mom right?!?)

I sat in the front row…actually kind of nervous for Owen and for the fact that I needed to get video AND pics (Daddy had to work). How do I video AND get good pics?? I’m a genius. Had my phone between the knees videotaping and my camera in my hands for pics!!! Aren’t I clever! hahaha.  The other parents probably think I’m a looney tune!

The PM kindergarten class did the singing…the AM’ers will sing next assembly. But watching Owen while the other class sang was adorable…he sang every word right along with them from his seat on the ground.  The teachers explained the awards and then gave them away.  The Super Bronco award went to all the eager little learners (no Owen).  Then there was an award for kids that knew all their letters and sounds (no Owen).  Award for kids that knew all 50 kindergarten sight words (def not Owen…he knows 12/50!! Talk about feeling like a total parent failure to see your kids test results and seeing that he got a 24% on sight words….whooops. We have since made adjustments to work on those ASAP!)

But the last award was called the Virtue award. Highland has virtue words and the kindergartener’s word is friendship. The award was going out to one person in the class that was a great role model and a good friend. I got teary eyed because I knew it was gonna be Owen. She called his name and he stood up…and the cutest part was that all his classmates called out his name and were so proud of him! They gave him high fives on the way up to the stage. He is genuinely liked by his peers and it made me feel oh so good.  The fear of your child being left out, the social outcast, the bully, the bullied or just different is crazy…but he proved that he’s ok! Kindergarten is going ok…talk about relief!

The virture award winners from AM kinder and PM kinder…and her name is Ella…funny huh.
 

Of course I want my kid to be getting those academic awards…we will get there sooner or later. But I can’t explain the feeling to know that others acknowledge and see that my little man is just a great person. He does and says things that can only be explained as being like an Old Soul. I thank God that he is like his father…caring, kind, sensitive and people pleasing…and best of all, a Good Friend!

When I left there I called Mom in Ireland and cried. Not really sure why I was so emotional but I was just so proud of him and feeling so blessed that I get to be his mom! As much as we bitch and complain about homework and all the sassy attitude stuff that kinder brings, I’m grateful that in class he is being the real awesome Owen…and saving the bratty stuff for me!! heehee.

We celebrated him this evening!  Owen got to pick dinner (Outback…boy after his mothers heart!) and since the award came with a coupon for a free cone at Farrell’s Ice Cream we headed there too!

He liked his ice cream but wasn’t fond of the noise of the place (you know Owen and his noise sensitivity)…so we probably won’t be visiting there for a while.

 

I on the other hand WILL be going back. I tried the Ice Cream Nachos…oh dear Lord they were absolutely DELICIOUS!!!!

 

We are proud of our boy! And every time he starts to rock the boat when he is a teenager I’m gonna bust out that award and remind him of what he is!!!! haha.

#36er

I had such a great weekend!

Over time I have realized that to be a great mother, to be a great wife, to be a great friend…we must spend time together as women…without children and men!  I adore my children, love my husband to bits BUT getting away with girlfriends is a must!!!  The time away from home only makes the heart grow fonder and recharges our patience. Not only do I get to spend time with some of my best girlfriends, chat, bond, get advice and just be together but it also gives Daddy time to bond with the kiddos without having mommy being a helicopter parent.  Its a win/win for everyone!

I love these girls…but I have to say I do miss my other besties too. They make me laugh like no other...our history makes us like sisters…and I miss them! Can’t wait to someday do a girls trip with ALLL my girls….do you think that is possible some day???

Anyway…I’m not one that thinks that my husband needs to spend every second of the day/night with me and the kids.  We, as a married couple, encourage each other to hang out with friends whenever possible (which is about once a month or so).  Yosh goes on “man-dates” that usually include fine dining and some cocktails, movie dates (for movies I don’t want to see) or board game nights!  And us wives try and get together as well…to craft, eat, pamper ourselves, shop, whatever.  And of course we come together as one big huge group, husbands, wives, kids, pets whatever haha a few times a moth as well!  Our friends are our Framily (Friends/Family)

Back in May I saw an ad for the She.Is. Beautiful Pinkest Run Ever in Santa Barbara in September. Hello…runs that weren’t terribly long distanced AND you can wear pink, sparkles, whatever….RIGHT UP MY ALLEY!!   I started researching some hotels and the financial side of a weekend getaway.  And…what do you know…I talked most of the girls into joining…even our NON-RUNNING friends! They had the option for a 5k or 10k.  There was something for everyone!  Some of us trained a bit more than others BUT it was a great experience.

Us ladies laugh because it was a “weekend getaway”…which actually was more like 36 hours away from our husbands and children. #36er AND it really only ended up being 33 hours! Some husbands didn’t mind being Mr. Mom for the 33 hours…others were a bit frazzled and ready for the mama’s to return! Kids are tough darnit! Single parents are awesome…don’t know how they do it!

We loved Santa Barbara. We ate a lot. Drank some (no one wanted to be hungover for the run!). And ate some more! haha  Upon arrival into the city we picked up our race bibs, found our hotel, drove the run course and then found food!  After food we got some booze and lounged by our hotel pool. It was nice and relaxing.

State Street Santa Barbara!  And btw Santa Barbara Brewing Co has some YUMMMYYY pulled pork nachos..I’m still dreaming about them!! And this is just moments before Heather broke my wine bottle opener! lol


Thank goodness for self-timers on our iphones!! Set it and RUUUNNNNN! I have a problem with trying to look “relaxed” after running from my camera! lol

We found a nice place called Jane for dinner that got some good reviews on yelp! I recommend the red onion rings…they were delish!

Had a pretty cool old fashioned movie theater with cool lighting.  I posed for heather and once we got everyone there for the group shot the theatre lights went out…it was like they did it on purpose!

 
The group shot is hilarious…it got Taryn and Deanna mid-yell at the theatre workers for the lights!! haha

The race was fun…but hard!! It was the hilliest course I have ever ran…and kicked my booty! But with the encouragement of Taryn we got a pretty good time!!

Taryn and I finished our 10k in 57:38….not bad!! I stole the pic from the race website of our finish….

I was so proud of my non-running friends!! It was Heathers first 5k ever and she did freaking awesome…so cool huh!! And Lindsey and Kyla aren’t regular runners and still kicked butt! Deanna rocked it…being 12 weeks prego didn’t stop her in any way!!

We went back to our hotel to ice, booze, shower and then headed back out to eat more!! heehee.

And Heather introduced us to McConnell’s ice cream…we may OR may not have had it twice on this trip!!! Its freaking delicious!!!

 

Thanks for an awesome weekend girls! I vote that our next 36er we head out late Friday night, have some drinks…then have time to recover on saturday and run on sunday!!! Win/Win!!  Oh and trying to use my slow-mo video in a movie…its a work in progress as of now.

Little League Rocks

Owen started playing Fall Ball for little league a few weeks ago.  At first watching it was cute and I’d giggled. Then I noticed myself getting super annoyed! I want him to listen, follow directions and excel. But as I watch him I swear he acts like he’s stupid…and I know this kid is far from stupid!!! I know he’s just overwhelmed with all he needs to take in so I find myself taking deep breaths often and just give the ‘thumbs up’ everytime he looks my way!

We had a scrimmage game last week and the other team were like professional little robot kids. It was miserable to watch. The Storm was like the Bad News Bears up against these other kids…to me it became ridiculous!! The other team seemed so well prepared but none of the kids laughed or seemed to enjoy themselves. Our kids were full of smiles BUT noticed the other coaches yelling and I feel like it made OUR boys a bit insecure!  So instead of getting MORE irritated I just watched my weird little child walk around with her brothers helmet on…backwards!

And it made me secretly dread our first game…

But last weekend Owen’s FIRST rookie tball game was happening…I was so nervous! lol

 

I watched and laughed, cheered, encouraged…and it was easy! I didn’t feel frustrated or angry. It was what I have always dreamt about…I loved it.

And “Owa” (What Ella calls Owen)…had a great cheering section!!

 

Owen played a little outfield…where I watched him pretend to make the throw after every at bat. I think he was mentally prepping himself for his chance to touch the ball! He played 3rd base…fielded a grounder and tried to get the force out at 3rd (impressed mama!). But while at 3rd he was listening to the 3rd base coach (for the other team)and when he was waving his runner to go home Owen decided to run home as well! hahaha So funny!

He had 2 at bats and his first time up he got a hit on the 3rd pitch from the coach…GO OWEN!! It was awesome!

I was SO proud of our Team Storm!! It was SO hot out but no kids complained, coaches worked their booties off too….and it was an amazing experience!  I have dreamt about this day since I was a teenager and I knew that one day I’d have a child playing little league. It was so cool. Every child should play little league at one point or another…not only for themselves but also for their parents too! haha.

After the game the kids said the cheer, said good game to the other team and then had a cute little parent bridge! How cute is that.  Team meeting giving out the game ball and of course snack (probably the only reason half the kids play! haha)

Can’t wait to roast our butts off next weekend for game #2!! Go Storm!