Relay for Life

For the past two years Bryan, Lilly and I, along with quite a few of our friends and family have participated in the American Cancer Society's largest fundraiser. Relay for Life is a 24 event in which a participant for each team walks for the entire time. During the day the event is mostly for kids, with many teams raising money by offering games, treats and activities for a younger crowd. At dusk is when the real magic happens. Throughout the year teams sell luminaries, or thin white bags the the ACS logo on them filled with sand with a candle in the bottom. People decorate these bags or just write the name of a friend or loved one on them who has been affected by cancer. They can honor a survivor or memorialize someone who has been lost. It is a very special part of the evening when these bags are lit and line the walking path for most of the late night hours. The path looks beautiful all lit up and it is a favorite time for everyone to just slow down, take in the names and look for people you know.

Oddly enough this is our second year to participate in Relay and only the first time we have ever seen the luminaries. Last year there was a terrible storm that blew in just as the candles were being lit and many of the bags were lost to fire or rain. Of course we also had a storm this year, luckily before the luminaries were set out. So the event was called off and the luminaries were stored, got caught in a flood and had to be rescued by the Zionsville Fire Department, and were finally set out and lit on Friday night during another event in town.

Here are a few pictures from Friday night.

FYI-I have luminarie bags to sell for next year's event. They are $10 each and all of the money goes to the American Cancer Society. Let me know if you'd like to personalize the bag yourself.

Lilly and the Kickboard

I know its been awhile since my last blog. I have no excuse, other than a lack of pictures. So, I thought I'd treat you to a couple of videos, complete with audio. Sweet little voice (well not so sweet in the second video).

These videos are both from Sunday. We spent a lazy day at my parents' house; just swimming, playing cornhole and later cooking on the grill in the gale force winds, torrential rain and some lightening.

This first video is of Lilly trying out her new floatie/bathing suit/I can grab you if you fall in the lake thingy. She wasn't sure about it at first, but she seemed to get the hang of it after few minutes. Please note: I zoomed in so you could see Lilly kicking and swimming on her own. However, I zoomed in so far that it appears as if Lilly is in the pool alone. She is not. Bryan is to the right, just out of the frame and those are Wes's legs you see in front of her. You actually get a pretty good view of him when Lilly gets a little cocky and eventually starts to panic. Listen carefully and you can hear Bryan talking about how independent she is going to be at the same moment that Wes has to intervene. Ha ha

This video is just more of the same. With one little addition. As Lilly swam Wes and Bryan hovered in the pool, Mom and Kristy shouted encouragements from the edge and I videotaped...Dad napped. Lilly clearly did not approve. Turn your sound up and you can hear what happens when that sweet little voice turns sour.

The Pool is Open!

Summer appeared overnight. Saturday was a beautiful spring day and then we woke up on Sunday to a sweltering Indiana summer. Over 90 degrees. So I did what anyone would do...I made a peach pie as an offering, loaded up the car with swim diapers, sunscreen and percocet for Bryan then got the dog, the baby, and my invalid husband in the car and headed to the pool.
It was a perfect day for it and we did nothing but float around in the pool. I guess not all of us floated...with his broken arm and splint almost to his shoulder, Bryan mostly just watched in bitterness from the shade while the rest of us floated.
And, Lilly was a little more active. She played in her little pool...
took a juice break...

then headed back the the big pool to practice her splashing.

She did do her share of floating though. Tiki and Lilly liked to pretend that the noodle was a horse. Lilly pretended anyway, I think Kristy knew the truth. All done swimming and wrapped in a towel. You can easily tell by her face that she had a great day.

Monkey on Your Back

On Saturday we took our little monkey to the zoo with some friends. We brought a bathing suit for the splash park and a stroller for Lilly to ride in. It was cold and sprinkled a little so we didn't need the bathing suit and the only thing the stroller was used for was to hold the bag with the bathing suit, because Lilly spent most of her time riding right here...
The only time Lilly willingly got off Bryan's shoulders was when we offered the pony ride. When she got down she told me she was a cowboy.

Free Range Peanut

During a break in the rain today Bryan took Lilly outside to play while he trimmed trees and did a little bit of yard work.
She loves to play outside.
I am positive that she had fun, but...

I'm not sure how closely she was actually being supervised.

Oh well, a filthy kid is typically a happy one.

Gymspastics

A good friend of mine refuses to call it 'gymnastics', instead her and her sister for years have referred to this particular sport as 'gym-spastics'. After enrolling Lilly in gymnastics and attending for several weeks I have found this assessment to be quite true...more than I ever imagined. Especially in a class of ten two and three year olds.
Lilly and I have been spending our Tuesday mornings at Interactive Academy learning to do various gymnastics skills. The first class was a disaster (I'll spare you the details)...and it was only AFTER this first class that I learned that they offer a free trial before you sign up and pay. Well, good thing for Lilly I didn't know that because we would NOT have been back. But, by weeks two and three Lilly was loving her class and she is always excited to go. In fact, every time we pull away from the building she declares that she would like to come back. And when we cruise down the highway and spot the big gym she says "there's gymnastics". (She doesn't quite say it that clearly, but I know what she means.)
This week was Super Star Showoff Week. The kids were encouraged to invite friends and family to come and watch them preform and each child was given an opportunity to show off their favorite skills in front of the whole class and their guests. For the first circuit Lilly decided to show her class...and Daddy and Papaw who watched from upper level...how she can walk on the balance beam. She did a great job, with a little help from Miss Jessie, and threw her hands up and yelled "Ta-Da" after her dismount.
The rings are probably Lilly's favorite. She boldly grabs on and jumps out, swinging over the mat while holding on tight. You can see that even Miss Jessie is a little surprised by her bravery. With a little help she can even do a flip.

The trampoline sure is fun, but Lilly usually misses the point. The kids are supposed to 'glue' their legs together, put their hands in the air and jump all the way down to the end of the trampoline. Lilly, and a few other of the younger ones in the class, prefer just to run all the way down to the end and back.

When we were all done each child was called individually to the front of the class to receive their Super Star medal for a job well done. Yeah Lilly!!

She can't wait for the summer session to start!

Lilly Turns Two!

I know, I know. It should say, 'Lilly Turned Two...almost three weeks ago'. But hey, I've been busy.
We had a great 'Tinkerbell' party. Friends and family came from miles around and Lilly jumped in the bounce house almost all day. Everyone sang, Lilly blew out her candles and we all ate cupcakes. Unfortunately for you the party was so fun that I didn't get hardly any pictures, but we all had a great time.
This picture is from Lilly's actual birthday, she is blowing out her candles while we sing. She loves the 'happy birthday' song and asks about candles every time cake is mentioned.