I see your true colors shining through...

A couple of weeks ago the kids came home with a flyer in their backpacks about a color run that was coming up.  I almost threw it immediately in the trash, but had second thoughts about asking the kids if they wanted to do it.  (I have always thought a color run would be a blast to do and I might have run it myself but my knee is sort of wonky right now).  When I asked Evan he shockingly was totally into it.  (Last summer we encouraged him to run the 5K in the Seaway Run and he HATED every minute of it - except the popsicle at the end).   When Hailey found out Evan was in - she was in too. 

 

The run was last Saturday.  Here they are all ready to get messy. 

 

Everything is better with pink powder on your cheeks!

And they're off!

 

The finish line in sight after the first lap (1 mile).

After a short break they went for lap two.

A little more color this time.  And a lot more thirsty!

They both ran two laps around which is the equivalent of two miles.  They told me they were only going to do one, but the lure of the color packets is strong.

You can never have enough color.

It was a fun run and I am so proud of these two for going for it and with gusto!

Just keep swimming...

 

I saw this quote on Pinterest the other day and it immediately touched me and made me feel a little sad.  

 

Evan has always been wise beyond his years.  When he was in Kindergarten and First grade he struggled with reading and writing - fundamentals of school - but once it all clicked with him he more than caught up - he raced beyond everybody.  His latest testing showed him at a seventh grade reading level and over eighth grade level in math.  Reading, writing and arithmetic aside - I swear from his baby days on he has known how the world works.  He has possessed qualities that most kids don't "get" until much later in life.   

 

 

As he is getting older, school is getting more intense.  It is not just spelling tests and memorizing math facts anymore.  To prepare them for self motivation in higher learning they have much more on their plates to accomplish and organize.  This is the part that terrified me with Spencer because when it came to organization there was none there.   With Evan, that is a different story.   He always knows what is coming due.  He always has his list running in the back of his head.  I never have to question whether or not something will get done with him.

A couple of weeks ago when he had a project and a couple of tests going on during the week I could see it getting to him a bit.  When I was tucking him into bed that night he asked me if there would ever be a time when he didn't have stuff to think about.  He said he felt like he was always thinking about stuff he still had to do and worry about. 

His question struck me in a strange way.  I was proud because of the type of person he is.  It shows such a maturity for him to think that way - to plan for what is coming next and what he still has to do.  Most kids his age do not think further than their next ball game.  But it also made me a little sad because he is so young and I don't want him to be always looking forward and being stressed out about it.

I see a lot of myself in Evan.  I was very much like him when I was young and still am.   (Not the super smart part - I swear he is smarter now than I am).  On the outside we are quiet and shy but there is so much going on within.  Our brains are always going - thinking about what still has to be done - what is coming next - almost to a fault- preventing us from living in the moment.  

I am excited about his future.  He will accomplish amazing things and sail through school with great ease.   He will have his biggest supporter and cheerleader to help him through the tough parts and keep his head above the water- and we can both work on letting go of some of the worry and spend some more time jumping in the waves.

Sparkle

Oh this girl. 

 

One of her favorite things to do when she spends the night at Grama's house is to look through all of her jewelry.  She was thrilled to find out that there were such a thing as clip on earrings.  She is kind of an anti-girl in the fact that she insists that she never wants to get her ears pierced.   She may never want holes stapled into her ears, but the girl still loves to be fancy.

 

I don't know what we are going to do about that hair of hers.  She insists she wants to let it grow - but it just hangs like a mop and drives me crazy.  Even with the mop on her head she is still a sight to behold. 

So...

...I guess my boys slightly resemble their mama. 

 

We came across this picture today and Hailey thought it was Evan in a wig.  I can totally see why she thought that.  It totally screamed Evan to me as well.   Except for maybe the sweet mullet hairdo - that is all Spencer right there.   

 

 

So crazy!  Aren't genetics fun?

Ready position!

Hailey is obsessed with tennis these days.  It started after she participated in a mini tennis "camp" after school for a couple weeks.  She was even more excited when the Easter bunny brought her a new pink tennis racket.

 

It was a gorgeous Saturday today and it didn't take long before she was begging Daddy to throw some balls to her. 

 

 

She is really getting the hang of it.  Maybe tennis will be her thing?  Who knows?  She thinks she wants to do the inner city league this summer.  The only bummer about that is they use the half courts and it can be a little boring sometimes.   I guess we will just have to keep practicing with her to keep her interested.

 

 

She look so cute out there in her hot pink sunglasses and shoes hitting balls and picking them up.  She never got bored either.  We may have a Wimbledon champ on our hands! Ha!