Playhouse Construction Day 4

Josh is a pretty amazing guy - so amazing that Brian & Herold both agreed to come down and help him with the playhouse!  They started working on it, but the air pressure thing stopped working :(  Josh got our neighbor to come over to try and fix it and after an hour or so, they finally went out, rented one, came home and realized it was actually the extension cord!  Great :)

While the boys worked, the girls (and kids) played :)  Callie LOVED that her cousins came down.  Claire had a blast playing with Collin & Carter- as did Auntie Colleen :)

Collin walking through the field of daisies - I mean weeds!

Claire chasing Carter around :)

I love this picture :)

Uncle Common Law Herold helping Jeff - I mean, teaching Jeff how to carry a piece of wood this large.  Great job bending at the knees too :)

Construction happening everywhere!

Meanwhile...

The boys had fun with Auntie Colleen & Auntie Heather!

Andrew and Carter tackling Auntie Heather/Mom from both angles :)

Snuggles for Auntie Colleen

Ooooh - kisses too :)

I love this picture!  I think they were dancing here!  My kids LOVE dancing, so clearly Collin was having a blast - Auntie Heather too :)

Kisses for Auntie Heather!

Carter gives the best kisses - wide open mouth :)  Hahahaha!

Auntie Colleen with her boys :)

Oh Carter that is so nice of you to share your milk :)  Don't worry Colleen, it's not breast milk anymore :)

Brian - DO NOT FALL OFF THE ROOF!  

Check it out :)    So long story:
Herold informed me that they needed two more 2x4's.  Heather and I headed out to the Builders Supply store here in Austin for some...they were closed.  We drove down the street to the next place - nope, closed.  I called ACE Hardware - they had ONE...I asked them to hold it while we ran to the other end of town to one other place that would for sure have it...well, they were also closed (seriously - 3:00 on a Saturday).... so we went to ACE to at least get the one.  While in the back, I asked the employee if he was 100% sure they didn't have anymore...

Meanwhile, a very nice older man asked me how many I needed.  I told him two, but we'd have to wait on the next part...he informed Heather and I that he helped tear down a building many years ago and built a huge shed...he had tons of lumber in the shed that we could help ourselves to.  He lives over near Todd Park he said. 

I called Josh and yup - we really did need more, so we headed out there.

When we pulled up, I kid you not, I took a picture and sent it to Josh - the black shed was a wee bit creepy and Heather stayed outside of the shed while I went in.  We both weren't going to go in...we've seen way too many scary movies!  

In the end, Heather came in with us and helped carry out two pieces of wood that were absolutely PERFECT!!!  He was such a nice man too - probably lonely and really enjoyed the company!  I didn't have any cash on me (and he said not to worry about it)... so I think something that would be even better to an old man who lives alone - a thank you note with a picture showing exactly what this wood helped us with...

The railing!  Herold put it together, but those two pieces of wood came from the sweet old man in Austin :)

Days finished product! 

Before everyone was getting ready to leave, Callie asked if "Uncle Karol" could sit next to her!  HAHAHAHA - I laughed so hard :)

Being silly!

Auntie Colleen is sneaking in kisses from all my kids today - it's her lucky day :)

Brian & Herold, thank you guys so much for all of your hard work!  Heather & Colleen, thank you for coming down and hanging out with me and the kids!  Claire, thank you so much for playing with my kids!  They had a blast with you and I wish you lived closer to babysit!  Jeff & Andrew - I hope you had fun...thanks for keeping the kids entertained!

Track & Field Day

Austin is such an amazing community - and here's why!  They offer so many wonderful...FREE...events for families :)  Here is yet another super fun evening :)

On Thursday, July 18, we took Callie up to the Austin Packer Track & Field (Wescott Field) for a track and field event for children ages 3-14.  Right away we saw Lexi (thank God for Lexi too!).

We registered Callie and she was immediately given a participation ribbon...talk about an incentive :-)

We arrived a little earlier, because we heard it is easier to hit up the "field events" when there aren't as many kids around.  Callie, I mean my grown up daughter, decided to head over to the Standing Long jump with Lexi and her friend.

Daddy and her brothers came out to support her big night!

Callie was nervous at first.  She doesn't like situations where people are watching her (unless it is dance - that she doesn't seem to mind).  We convinced Callie to do the standing long jump as long as Lexi held her hand and jumped with her.

She actually jumped 3 times!  Lex even tried to convince Callie to jump to her in the sand, but that didn't work.  Callie already had her mind made up!

That's okay with us though, she still did great!

The boys were itching to get out of the wagon...HUGE track, tons of grass...do you think we let them out?!

Daddy coaching Callie and teaching her how to throw a softball for the "longest throw" competition!

Nice follow through Callie!

Whoa who - great job!

Look who we found - her friend Clara :)  Callie was pretty excited that she knew so many of her own friends there!

Callie told me earlier that day that she was going to run in 3 races.  When we were talking to her about the standing long jump and softball throw - she didn't want to, because she said she was going to run!  Haha - okay then!  Thankfully they had 3 races that Callie could participate in. 

They have one race at a time - first up was the 50M Dash.  Callie was nervous at first.  I explained everything to her about running in her line, running down the track to the finish line (flags) and that Daddy was there.  I could tell she was so nervous because she kept asking if we'd lose her and if we'd be there at the end.  I'm starting to think her anxiety in big crowds is somehow related to her being afraid of separating from us :(  Poor thing.

Thankfully Clara & Ashlyn were both racing in the same age group (3-4 year olds first).  There were a lot, but they only would race 4-5 kids at a time (typically girls only and boys only).

Here's Callie FIRST EVER Race in a track meet!  I was SO proud of her that I was crying and my camera was all over the place.  I was able to sneak away and head to the finish line...she did it all on her own :)

We are so proud of you Callie - you did such a wonderful job!  She took 4th Place and was so proud of her ribbon!  She wanted to run another race :)

Hanging out with her biggest fans :)

I was taking a picture of the Denzer family and Callie said, "I want a picture with them!"  How sweet!  They really are her 2nd family :)  Some day Lisa, we can play this picture during their wedding slideshow...Callie with her inlaws :)

Staying hydrated!  This is key to staying healthy!

<3 Casey & Callie <3

Daddy walked Callie down to the end of the track for the 100M Dash :)

Here she comes!!

GO CALLIE GO!!!!!!

Our friends were across the track so she had lots of fans cheering her on :)

3rd Place - Awesome race Callie!

Well, we let the boys out.  There was a big break in time before Callie's final race.  We watched Ava & Casey run, we watched Lexi run and we cheered on a few other friends.  Collin wanted to play catch with one of the volunteers :)

And then Callie & Carter wanted to get in on the action!

They were so happy to be out of the wagon :)

Carter loved these little cones - they were just his size :)

Casey & Callie enjoyed watching some other kids fly a kite outside of the track.  Their name tags say their name and age for all of the "scoring".

I was also so very proud of Ava tonight!  She, like Callie, doesn't like big crowds, but she ran for the first time in front of them all :)  And she ran SO WELL and so far!  She rocked the 400M Dash!  Casey, well, he loves this stuff - he was pretty competitive (not sure where that comes from coughcoughJasoncoughcough).  They both did so well!  

Ava enjoyed resting and playing with the boys ;)  They liked it too!

Alright - it's the big one - Daddy walked Callie half way around the track for the 200M dash - Yes, our daughter ran the 200m dash!  I wasn't sure if she would run the whole thing, but by golly she did!  You can see her on the bottom right - her pony tail is flying in the air!

Yeah :)  She got to run this one with her friend Clara!

Great form Callie!

Here she comes -into the finish line (that's where I was)

Our winners walking towards the ribbon station :)  Both girls tied for 4th place!  I loved that they gave ribbons to all the girls - they placed 1-4th place.  If there were 5 girls (like this last race) the last two would take 4th place :)

Turning in their "place" cards.

Callie with two of her buddies Clara & Ashlyn :)

Quinn was there too!  Notice Quinn's 1st place in the 200M Dash ribbon - way to go Quinny :)

Callie & Ashlyn were playing while we cheered on the Denzer's & Lexi!

Like any amazing day on the track - it must be followed up by some delicious ice cream at the Dairy Queen :)  Clara was there and Callie asked her mom, Katie, to move so the girls could sit together!

Carter waiting for his ice cream...

Collin was getting pretty hungry!

Girls enjoying ice cream cones & Dilly Bars together :)

Callie Lynae, you continue to amaze me and make me more and more proud to be your mom :)  Thank you for such a wonderful evening :)  You could have controlled this with your independence, but you opened up to the idea of trying new things - which you loved!  I love being your mommy :)