Distance Carnival

Goodness, it was another late weekend with all things running! On Saturday, Patrick left at 9:30am to head up to Charlotte for the Distance Carnival, which is a meet specifically for all distance races. I've never been to anything like it. There were 60 heats of the one mile! You read that right....60. They ran the 800, 1600, open mile and 3200. There were middle school only races, which Paige was in and elite races with the top runners, which Anna was in. Patrick left early so he could coach all of our distance runners who were going at various times all while the sprinters were at a separate meet just for sprint events down the road. If that wasn't enough for you, the middle school kids were at an entirely separate meet back in Columbia, with the exception of Paige and Madeline who were in the middle school races at our meet. I couldn't really keep up with who was where. It was wild. 

Because both my girls didn't run until later, we drove up separate at a later time. It was definitely toasty when we got there and not shortly after we arrived, did we notice a creepy person standing right behind us who happened to be Uncle John! He drove over to watch the girls run and it was super sweet to get to hang out with him for the afternoon and evening. 

Paige was up first with the 1600. Because there are so many heats and they are seeded it means closely packed races because the times from the top runner to the bottom runner is only a couple of seconds. Paige did well in the race considering she had a small infection on her toe and the sun at come out to bake up the rain that had just fallen ten minutes earlier. It made for a muggy race for sure! She was off her PR by just a couple of seconds. What I was most proud of is that she didn't self implode afterward because she didn't PR. We've been working on anxiety and expectations around her performance. This year I told her the goal was to LEARN, not perform. In a good race or bad race, if you learn something new, you accomplished the goal. She learned not to look behind her ever again. 

After the race, Patrick greeted her with a clown nose because we were at the carnival and she hates clowns. It was rather funny, but I'm not sure she appreciated the funniness. Because we were going to be there late, we sent Paige home with a friend and she was able to keep an eye on Teddy and go to bed at a decent time. 

Then we waited around for Anna's race (second to last one of the day). It was fun to watch our other runners and cheer for them as they all had excellent times. I also made a chick fil A run to help Patrick with his headache (thanks coffee) and grab some dinner. Finally, at 9:45 Anna was up. Now the 3200 did not have a billion heats. It had ONE! Which meant you had to be one of the top 20 times to be entered in. Anna's time at All American did it and she made it in seeded 16th. The weather had cooled off, the let spectators on the track (never done that before) and they introduced all the runners in the elite races letting them run down and high five the crowds. 

It was a fast start to the race and Anna finished her first mile in 5:21. This race also had pacers who pushing the pack to certain times and boy were there some fast ladies out there! Anne held on in her 6th and 7th lap to finish at 10:58, another sub-11 run which was great. Her biggest competition finished 10 seconds ahead of her and we will see her at state, so it should be interesting. But overall, Anna felt comfortable and confident, especially in her final lap where she knows she can close fast if anybody is within striking distance. Next up: region, state qualifier and state!

Patrick, Anna and I got home after 11:30 and hit the bed. Paige got up at 6:30am the next morning to head out to watch a friend run a marathon. Another mama in her friend group offered to take the girls and they surprised Abby with signs and cheering. Because it was a bunch of one mile loops, they could see her for a lot of the race and I know it was a blessing to her. 

And now we enter the crazy time! May-cember is hitting hard and early this year. Paige will do a week and a half of testing to include state and end of course for her high school classes. She has an orthodontist appointment, CPA solos, and a 5K for funsies on Saturday. Anna is buckling down for her AP exams, AP practice exams, just plain class tests and quizzes, end of the year finals and of course championship season in track. She's also involved in graduation as well as attending a few grad parties. I keep providing encouragement each day, hoping we can make it to the end! Good news is I finish with my classes this week so I can help provide life support to the rest of the family. ha!

Field trips and more!

Apparently, this was the week to get all last field trips in before testing starts. Paige went to the whitewater rafting center on Thursday. I was a little iffy about the weather as I looked at the radar and got a text from her saying they probably wouldn't be able to go due to lightening. But then a few hours later I got a text in all caps that said she got to go and it was AWESOME! I also received a video from her teacher of her falling off a 100 foot repel, safely in a harness of course. She loved it and let out a little woohoo. This was her big 8th grade field trip that she had been looking forward to for three years and I am so glad it went off without a hitch. 

She got home, quickly ran home to change and then was back at the school for the Beta Club induction. As President, she had to speak this year and did a great job. At one point, she was going to say detonate for denote, but we ironed that out before the big day. Ha! It was a long day and she was glad to be home to do homework and practice for her solo CPA performance in about a week. 

Anna had her field trip on Friday. Her AP Environmental Sciences class went to Charleston to plant grass in a marsh that they had grown and then went to the Charleston Aquarium. I love that she got a picture on the bench with the frog statue because I have one of her in that same spot when she was 2.....and now I'm crying! She had a great time with her classmates, did not get sunburned and managed to get home by 7 to do her homework. 

Meanwhile, Patrick and I went to the high school spring choir concert to support some friends. It's such an amazing group of students who are so talented. I am so glad to be done with middle school bleachers and beginner level playing of instruments. 

Other happenings: 

-Anna passed her Seal of Biliteracy test for Spanish and English! 

-I got a chance to meet Anna had a local park for lunch on Tuesday and we had fun with our Starbucks drinks and Teddy in tow. When he's not having lunch dates, he's napping.

Why are you bothering me Mom?!

-I've been working on the church park plan and attending advisory meetings at Paige's school, in addition to wrapping up my class for the semester. 

-Patrick managed to delay the voucher bill in the Senate based on a sly move where there weren't enough people to vote on it. That made me laugh and apparently the Speaker also got a good chuckle out of it, despite being annoyed that it didn't get passed. 

And today, we are at a track meet in Charlotte. No surprise there. Ha!

Happy Easter!

Goodness, Easter felt late this year! But we got to enjoy some beautiful warm spring weather and weren't freezing in our dresses. Over the weekend, Anna and I helped prep some Easter floral arrangements as we went to eat a potluck lunch with about 40 of our church friends. It was delicious! We also made carrot cake, mashed potatoes and sweet potato casserole. On Sunday, we went to church and our Easter service is always outside at the pavilion, It was a beautiful celebration and we're so grateful for all God has given us-Jesus, our family and our friends who are family....plus so much more! 

It's been a wonderful Spring Break filled with lots of fun and rest as well as checking some things off our list. Anna, Patrick and I went on another official college tour at USC on Friday. It offers Anna a really great in-state option with lots of things on her list to include opportunities in her field. It's all she's known since she was a baby, so I'm not sure it makes her excited in a way some other schools that are new to her do. So, we'll see what happens! For me, it was a nostalgic walk down memory lane and made me smile remembering my days at Carolina. Of course, the thought of "how do I have a kid going to college?!" also entered my brain. This launching into the next phase is not an easy one-lots of emotional ups and downs and trying to figure out where's the best place, how can we afford it and all the other questions that have to be asked. But we're doing it one step at a time and as Anna likes to remind us: this time next year, it will all be figured out! 

For now, we're off to finish the rest of the school year strong with celebrations, field trips, tests and more!

Happy Birthday Teddy!

Saturday was Teddy's 5th birthday and of course we celebrated in only the ways he would appreciate. He got to open lots of individual gift and loves trying to find things in gift bags. The only gifts he could ever want...more lambs! He also got to take lots of naps, go for a walk with his bestie, CC, and enjoy some peanut butter "cake" on his lick mat. He's a goober, but we sure do love him. 

 

Spring Break Shenanigans

The girls have been enjoying their week off and Patrick finally got to take a couple of days off too. We've been up to lots of fun things!

Monday

I cancelled class and did a bunch of grading. Mock interviews were due so it was nice to have the time to get a head start on them. I'm happy to report that I'm almost finished with them! The girls slept in, built their new Lego set, went to practice and then we all dyed eggs at the end of the day. Somehow, Patrick and Paige both decided on their own that it would be a fun idea to write "Your mom" on their eggs with the wax crayon and then dye them. I was not amused. 

Tuesday

The girls got off to practice early and then Anna and I grabbed Brantley before heading to Myrtle Beach to visit Coastal Carolina University. It's a 2.5 hour drive one way but we enjoyed chatting with each other and all thought the campus was nice, but weren't entirely impressed with Conway, SC (the area surrounding it). We did stop at Buc-ee's on the way home and that was fun! Meanwhile, Paige had some friends over and they went to the pond to catch turtles, played gaga ball and then drove to get slushies. It helps that half of her friends are 10th graders who can drive. Ha!

Wednesday

I taught my class and Paige texted me to say she might have poison ivy. Fortunately, my friend Megan was happy to play mom for a moment. She grabbed some calamine lotion and some popsicles before checking on Paige to assure that she would live. It seems the poison ivy isn't that bad thankfully. Anna was babysitting some neighbors and then they both went to practice followed by youth group later. I tried a new bagel recipe which was devoured when the girls got home. CC and Teddy did not help me grade but I got some more done. 

Thursday

Patrick got the day off so he went to practice in the morning with the girls and then came home to lay down pine straw. The girls and I met the Soongs at the strawberry patch for our annual pick. The Powells are out of town and we have been watching CC for them so we missed our trek with them this year. We came home to make jam, angel food cake, more bagels, protein waffles and I swear 10 other things. At least the production is so much faster now that my two are pros. Patrick did manage to get all the pinestraw out so that was good. 

We'll finish out the week strong with another college tour, Easter prep and hanging out with our birthday dog who turns 5 on Saturday!