The Trophy on My Table

The grade school cross-country season is winding down. We've managed through it pretty well, all things considered. Missed some races because of weather (and an attempt not to get the munchkins sick), and some because of schedule (traveling Mom, too much homework, etc.), but overall, the experience has been pretty positive.

The season began with half-mile races, and our team has some pretty strong runners. The races this month have been 1.1 miles, which is a big jump. But, the girls are sticking with it and doing well.

We actually earned enough team points to place first in a couple of the early races, which means the team gets a trophy. Coach says, when the team wins a trophy, each member of the team gets to take the trophy home for a night. Our turn came around today. And, since both girls are on the team, we have the trophy for two nights!

So, the trophy is on our table. We'll take some pictures with it (depending on how long it takes to get homework and showers done), and let the girls keep it in their room for a night each, and then take it to school on Wednesday to pass along to the next girl. A small share in a large victory!

She's Gone Multi Syllabic!

I guess I first noticed Kim's new words while we were home with all the snow and ice. I don't remember the first multi-syllabic word she threw at me that week, but the second was this:

"Mom, you have had plenty of opportunities to finish the bedding for my baby doll. When will you have that done?"

Another example from tonight:

"Mom, I'm embarrassed that I don't know how to fix things." (Said during a fit of tears after we'd found some damaged baby doll furniture. Broken furniture is in the glue-drying stage as we speak, and should be good as new tomorrow.)

I'm sure she hears these words all the time, but it surprises me to hear her use them. Then again, she is a First Grader, and that, as we all know, is the Big Time.

So, where I once would have scrambled for a notebook or scrap of paper on which to write these little quotes (to save and embarrass her with later in life!), I now have The Blog, where I can keep these gems forever and always. Yay, Blog! ;-)

Snow! (well, ice, actually)

I was a bit sarcastic Monday night when I updated my status on Facebook. You'll forgive me, but the weather forecasters here go a little overboard. Turns out, they were more right than wrong -between late Monday and early Wednesday, we got snow, then ice, then more snow. It's not often that we get ice 'round these parts, but it is not something you want to mess with.

Tuesday, when the novelty of the snow day was still fresh, the girls and I did some shoveling on the driveway, and then ventured out to sled on the big hill behind Gramma and Grandpa's house.

Wednesday, after the ice arrived, we all hung out at the house, amusing ourselves with various electronics (WOW online for DH, Harry Potter audio book for the DD's, and work email for me). All was good until about 11:30, when we lost power. Yeeks! The girls got out the Crayola clay and made some sculputres, and after a couple hours we all bundled up and had naps. When the power came back on about 4, I discovered a) our neighbors had all taken advantage of not having any power, and spent the blackout shoveling their driveways, and b) our birch tree out front was laden with ice and doubled over. Sigh.

We made another valiant stab at shoveling the driveway, but about 1/3 of the way through the project, the ice got the best of me and my young assistant, and we headed back in.

Today, we are still snowed in and home from school. Work was piling up on both DH and myself, but, as his office is just around the corner, I got the short straw and had to stay home to work. Luckily, we have nieces not too far away, and willing in-laws who we called upon to host the kids for a bit. More playing in the snow, more hot chocolate, more vegging out with a blanket and a movie.

As for Friday, we already know school is cancelled (and Monday's forecast calls for more snow!). We're all a little stir crazy, but we have a birthday in the household this weekend, so we will hopefully find something wildly creative to keep us entertained.