Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Happy Memorial Day!!

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day and took some time to reflect on what and who is important in your livesJ  Our weekend was filled with friends, who are like family to us, so it was very special and relaxing. We had dinner with Jim/Jen and met their new puppy Baxter. WAY too cute. Then we had a family sleep over with the Millers and enjoyed watching their cat Paulo stalk Nikki. We also did a neighborhood bonfire and the kids had their 1st taste of summer - riding bikes to the park, playing tag with the neighbors, staying up late, etc... It was really hard to get them movtivated for school today. This is the last week of real work at school. Final tests/book reports/projects due all around. Next week is all about field trips, cleaning their desks/lockers and picnics. The light is at the end of the tunnel!! w

Training – I managed to get in a 25 mile ride on Saturday (road bike) and 33 mile ride on Monday (mountain bike) but the weather was NOT cooperating on Sunday and I spent 2 ½ dreadful hours at the club on a stationary bike. I did 27 miles but I’m counting it as 30 since there is no coasting on a stationary bike. Torture!  Just 2 more weekends until the ride. It’s the final training push where I’m easily bored with myself and you can find me bribing just about anyone to ride with me.  But…I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!!

Fundraising – I’m over the $2k mark and 2/3 of the way to my goal. Really excited for the final stretch of donations to take me to my goal.

Have a wonderful week!
Peace, tailwinds, downhill and cool weather…
T.  

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Just another typical week...

This past week Billy and the rest of the fourth graders performed the much anticipated Peace Program. This is a tradition at Meadowbrook and was the 19th one. The kids act our different scenarios where the result end up being much better when we look at the world through the eyes of a peaceful solution versus a non-peaceful one. They also sign several songs about peace.
In addition the kids gather pledges at the beginning of the school raising money by reading books. The money is the donated to the Minneapolis Crisis Nursery, who's mission is to end Child neglect and to help families prosper, way cool.

The kids read close to 2500 books and raised $1400.00 way to go! Billy was on stage to present the check and hammed it up. Billy was super engaged in reading all year and finished over 25 books and in doing so will have a trip to the Mall of America and Nickelodeon World, a day off school at an amusement park is a very motivating factor!! Plus, extra bonus, Aunt Sue is going to be a chaperone!





Kay had a very emotional past week as we celebrated her final band concert, not of 6th grade, but ever. She fought through the decision to hang up the trumpet, deep soul searching, talking at depth with Jimmy, and she came to the conclusion she didn't care one bit about band so way waste her time.
She brought her trumpet home once this entire school year, once, either she is a musical genius or just really self aware.












In any event, Kay along with the 5th and 6th grade classes at Meadowbrook played their hearts out.
They preformed two concerts and did have  a farewell send off to their band teacher, who is leaving to become the entire district music coordinator, a big job but we will miss Mr. Thompson.



















Jimmy, on the other, had 6 baseball games over the weekend and,  insert drum roll here, got his haircut. We did not have anything to do with the decision or the way in which he chose to have it cut, however the haircut is both mom and dad approved! The fear was that his baseball cap would not fit, but fortunately he has a big head. The team played its heart out and when the dust settled they came in third, which is awesome for the first tournament of the year. By the end the kids all had ice on their arms, fell asleep in between games and even had a couple of out of the park home runs in the final game. The season is just starting so more to come. Jimmy had a couple good plays as well, stealing home, throwing a kid out at 3rd (his life long dream as catcher) and a triple. Woo Hoo!

Jimmy also has his end of the year concert for 7th grade and for Jazz Band. In his words they did not do so well, but to the lay ear it sounded great. Jimmy complained that the teacher changed the tempo in the middle of the song and everyone, well except him, was behind and slow. He also has had this running feud with the other drummer in Jazz band who seldom shows up for practice but still gets to play at the concerts, drives Jimmy bonkers.
It was a fine way to end the year, and now he has committed to summer lessons for, drums, sax and piano, YIKES!  not to mention a full week of rock band for which Grandma Bunny and Grandpa Jim will be in town for. Fun:)

During all this chaos Tom's Aunt, and the kids Great Aunt Marylou celebrated her 85th birthday. Tom, Kay and Billy were able to attend, while Tracy and Jimmy were at baseball. It was fun to catch up with the family and extended cousins and the picture of Tom's mom and her sibling's tells the story. Happy Birthday Marylou!!!

The summer is rushing up at us, school drawing to and end........more to come.
Love,
TTJKB&N

Monday, May 11, 2015

Happy Mothers Day!!!

Tracy had been travelling all last week and the kids, well mostly Kay, was intent on giving her the best Mother Day Ever.
She sat down created an agenda, complete with door signs and a to do list.

The day started with Kay bounding out of bed at 7:30 (which we were worried about it being a bit nearly) however it was a false start, she needed her kindle to look up dessert recipes and other components for the evening meal....

She started in on breakfast around 9:00 and for the most part kept on track making Tracy breakfast in bed. The meal consisted of a fried egg in a piece of heart shaped toast with avocado smear, bacon, toast points and yogurt with blue and black berries along with grapefruit juice, a big hit!

Tracy was able to take Nikki for a walk and Billy rode along with her. She got home and jumped on her bike to only get a couple of miles away when the rains came :(
Then it was off to Jimmy's baseball game and his promise to do well for her, which he did however the team they were playing has the best record thus far, Jimmy and the boys stayed right with them but fell 5-3, Jimmy did catch for most of the game and Tracy loves to watch him behind the plate.

Next up dinner, Kay banished Tracy to the basement and set about in an almost ADD fashion to make dinner. She made a pasta and meatball bake for the boys along with lemon seasoned green beans. For the main course she created  Cajun chicken pasta with sun-dried tomatoes, oregano and basil and paired that with a roasted kale with red onions, garlic, lemon juice and topped with basil and lemon zest as well as crusty bread, super yummy.

Dessert followed the clean up featuring lemon bars with lemon zest, mint brownies with fresh whipped cream and a Chocolate Mousse for Tracy, all Foodie all the time with Kay. Then it was time for presents. Billy made a super card for the worlds greatest mom along with a couple dozen origami cranes. Kay (as usual) had a list, nail polish, tea, coffee cup, Carmel sea salt chocolate bars, a mason jar full of secret items that needed to be put in a mason jar, also a pedicure from Tom.




It was a great day to spend with a great Mom, partner, friend, parent. Tracy is always looking out for us, creating fun things for us to do and she is a pretty awesome MOM. We Love you and we are blessed everyday with you!
To All Mom',s everywhere we say thanks you and Blessing to you!
Love,
TTJKB

Saturday, May 02, 2015

The Level 4 & 5 Year End Gymnastics Celebration

Which was the perfect excuse Kay and Tom needed to go out and buy a chocolate fountain.....

The group of girls all had a pretty good year and Kay was adamant that we have a celebration and in true form no one was allowed to bring anything you know like we were having a birthday party, its Kay her plan.

So we had 12 girls and some of their parents over for an afternoon/ evening of games, food tree climbing, back flips, some drama, you know gymnasts'. The girls spent the whole time outside and had a pretty grand time.

The chocolate fountain was making it's debut and while we were getting it prepared the girls had apparently broken into two groups. One group was making up mean songs about the other group and when Kay heard what was going on she went over to the song makers and told them " this is my party and there will be no drama, if you can't be nice I will send you home and no chocolate fountain", all was calm after that, don't mess with her, she hates drama.




Of course no celebration that Kay is involved in is complete without a cake, enoughsaid!

We had a bonfire and enjoyed our almost completed back yard, more on that later.
Way top go Northwest and we are proud of all the girls!!