Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Where Does the Time Go?

Wow, I can't believe I have not updated anything since May 19. We have been busy.

Courtney did cook us supper following her baking escapades. She made a delicious pasta, chicken & broccoli dish with a store bought Italian bread on the side. She baked some fantastic looking tiger cupcakes last week for her GROSS(Swing Dancing) friends. This time it was her friend Bethany's birthday and she likes tigers. Courtney is planning to create some green, out of this world, cupcakes next. Stay tuned for pictures that I will take. She took a pic w/her phone of the tigers and I haven't seen it yet.

Kelsey worked hard and executed her skills wonderfully on the track at the State meet on May 30. She went into the meet ranked 5th for the 100 meter high hurdles. She made it through prelims & semi-finals with excellent running and leaping. She was guaranteed a place & medal for State! In the finals she was leading until the 6th hurdle. On the 9th hurdle she caught her foot and lost some minor hundredths of a second. Her and the gal from Hemlock crossed the line together but Hemlock had a small edge. We were so excited for Kelsey that she took 4th place in Division 3 at the STATE meet! She has gotten over her disappointment for the most part.

Kelsey has been a little sad for the fact that many of her good friends graduated last Tuesday. Her and some of her other friends returning to high school in the fall all agree it will be different without them. Kelsey continues to make new friends. She has been hosting bon fires in the fabulously simple fire pit that Dave put up in the back yard last year. Sometimes it might be a few people and then tonight we had about 30 people! They come and go and they are entertained only a few steps away. The hot tub is on the deck, only a few steps up from the yard. Hopefully, they are not misbehaving in the moments that I don't have my full attention on them. If they are being naughty they will surely hear it from me! ... lol. Most of them come in and help make goodies or come inside just to visit. Now all we need to do is finish getting those too small clothes and misc objects of years gone by OUT of the basement. Then if the weather isn't bon fire friendly they can chill in front of the TV with a movie.

Courtney tends to go out with friends or to their apartments or houses. She is at that age where many of her friends live away from home. We keep reminding her how inexpensive it is for her to live under her parent's roof. At times she will have a few people over to go in the hot tub or watch a movie. Besides she would miss us...giggle, giggle. I know I will miss her when she does decide to escape from her paradise.

We got to see my mom almost everyday last week! My cousin Jim and his wife Shara were here from Arizona. They stayed in our 5th wheel parked in the driveway. That is what you call red-neck camping! The trailer offers more comfort, privacy and a queen size bed plus 2 tv's and a modern kitchen & small bathroom. The basement bedroom and living space has been over run with bags and boxes needing to be sorted and donated. Dave wanted the basement bedroom for his 'hunting room'. The girls and I decided he could have the library because we want a 'fire code safe' spare bedroom with windows. If I could keep them home during their waking hours long enough I might have some help sorting :(

Kelsey and I checked out a track club, The Grand Rapids FIRE, Monday and Tuesday. She is excited to run in an AAU or USA Youth type track program. This just was not the fit for her. It is fairly new and the people running the program are dong the right things. Most of the kids are very young. There was only one other high school girl in the club and I think 2-4 boys. Both days they had practiced an hour earlier and were leaving when we arrived. They practice at Ottawa Hills High School which is near Grand Rapids Christian High, but still a 20-25 minute drive for us in good traffic. With her asthma she trains at a different pace, not slower, just spaces her speed training out a little more. She wants to tighten her hurdle form and speed. We are thinking of giving it a go as an Independant at the sanctioned meets. It would be nice to have her in a program or find an individual trainer to work with her that won't cost a fortune. If you know of any opportunities give us a shout.

Dave has been busier than myself in the yard. He has uprooted and dug out hostas, lillies, peonies and numerous other plants from our front garden of weedin'. Dave killed off the weeds and then rototilled the area. Kelsey's friends lent a hand one evening. Thank you to Ben who wielded the shovel with great talent. We (mostly Dave) have split and replanted hosta around most of the trees in the yard. I now know why people have these tailored looking yards lined with hosta and lillies. Every time they split them they get 2-4 plants and need to find a new place to plant them!

We have yet to land any camping for the summer. Kelsey has enjoyed some fun days at the dunes by Silver Lake so we have entertained that possibility. There have been some sites open up over the past week, but nothing for Grand Haven unless we camp in a tent. I no longer find that to be an enjoyable adventure, so it will come down to day trips to the beach. We are also paying attention to sanctioned track meets that Kelsey can compete in. We do not want to rush our summer away.