Groton Road Race 2015

Last year, we signed Finley up for his first race and he had a blast at the Groton Road Race.

http://findingfinley.blogspot.com/2014/06/groton-road-race.html

This year, I was super-excited to sign up Finley, Dagny and myself for the race.  Here we are at home with our matching shirts on, ready to head out.

The Tot Trot part of the day was up first, so we put the kids' bibs on and they were ready to make their way to the starting line.

I took Dagny over with the other two year olds and while she had said she wanted to run on her own, she changed her mind right when the flags went up and we ran together holding hands.

In her defense, she did pull me over the finish line and was thrilled to get her prize bag which was full of trinkets, a couple sweets, and a yogurt pouch. She was very proud of her race and talked about it for days afterward.

Meanwhile, Dan had walked Finley over to the 5 year old starting line with his friend Isabella.

On your marks,

 get set, go!

Dagny and I met the little racer at the finish line!

 About an hour later, it was my turn to run and the family cheered me on for the 5K.

I got my best time and smiled big as I saw my cuties clapping near the finish line.  A fun, healthy day had by all!

Mom's Day 2015

Mother's Day Weekend 2015 got started on Saturday afternoon when we got together with some good friends who we had not seen in quite a while.  I love these kind of get togethers because all the adults look identical and therefore it seems as if no time has passed, but then we look at our four kids and realize that yes, indeed, many many months have passed.  We had a great playground pizza picnic with Casey, Megan and their two boys Darwin and Mateo :)

 On Sunday, I got to relax in bed and then went for a run.  Afterwards, we headed out 25 minutes west for a ride on the Nashua River Rail Trail in Groton.  Finley has really taken to his big boy bike, (Thank you, Eli Brown!) with the new seat we got for it and Dagny can't get enough pedaling these days.  Rail trails are great since they are flat and car free.  Lots of bikers passed us on the left, but it only served as inspiration for our blossoming bikers.  Finley did an amazing job, biking for such a long ride and the couple of times he slipped off the path he was able to jump off the bike before tipping over with it.   After a while, we paused near a bridge for a snack, some water, and a photo op.

We then headed back the way we came and when we stopped for a brief stretch, Dagny hammed it up for the camera.  This first photo really captures who she is these days, full of spunk and flare.

We biked back on the trail and then walked our bikes up to the main road and biked to the restaurant where we had a delicious meal that no one enjoyed more than Dagny, who shoveled in noodles with her head titled back like starving cartoon character.

Later in the afternoon, Finley gave me a necklace that he made at school, Dagny showed me the pot of sunflower seeds she planted from school that are already beginning to sprout, and Dan gave me the wallet I bought for the occasion a few weeks back :)  The day ended with Dan and the kids outside in the 80+ degree weather washing my car, spraying each other with the hose, and playing croquet...all while I caught up on some Netflix.  Just a terrific day that reminded me how truly blessed we are as a family.

And now batting for the Milwaukee Brewers...

Finley Forseter! Yes, we are now a T-ball family and Finley is loving every second.  It's certainly not the action packed game that soccer was in the fall, but Finley is happy and being the sports lovers that we are - it's all good.

The first practice was in a chilly, drizzly rain but we're pretty sure that Finley didn't notice and probably thought it was odd that Dagny and I were huddled under an umbrella!  He also did pretty well hitting off a tee, which he hasn't done in a couple years since he can hit a thrown pitch.  His three coaches are super nice and the head coach really knows what he's talking about (so Dan and I are learning a thing or two!).  Here's Finley during a fielding/throwing drill:

His first game was against the Marlins and while it was a bit on the boring side (1.5 hrs/three innings with no outs and everyone bats), it was neat to see him be part of a team and light up when it was his turn at the plate.  There he is as the shortstop (#14, not that you can his #).

And here's his final turn to hit.

Dagny Does it All...and Then Some

Sometimes I'm completely speechless in Dagny's presence.  Sometimes it is because she says the smartest, funniest, most amazingly insightful things and other times it is because she is pitching a fit over something so inane that I'm at a total loss. I suppose that is life with a nearly three-year old and we better get used to it.

But, boy, when she's her sweet, silly, creative self -- we cannot get enough!

 A T-ball Superfan!

 "Mommy, I will sit in this pink chair while you shop around me, okay?"

 "Can we bring this chair-bed home with us?"

 She doesn't nap at school everyday, as we would hope, and sometimes she falls asleep in the car mid sentence, or in this case, mid-sip!

And as we near the end of her second session of gymnastics, Dagny has really gained some skills!