Terrariums R Us

It was a lovely Saturday afternoon when Mom and I hauled ourselves to Tacoma to learn how to make a terrarium (aka a way to kill plants more slowly). She looked happy at first.

And yet, when they started handing out the plants, she seemed less confident. The instructor was helpful and entertaining so we began making our terrariums with confidence, warranted or not. 

The finished product!

Well, products!

The instructor informed us that plants want to live. Which seems to imply that all the plants I have had either were suicidal or trying to live Irene-adjacent was enough to drain them of their will to live. We'll have to see how this terrarium survives...or not.

May on FB

The difference a year makes?

If this doesn't alarm or infuriate you...

This makes no sense to me 😆

5th Grade Track and Field

The one and only sporting event of 5th grade is the Track and Field Meet. The kids practice after school twice a week for all of May and then today we all assembled at the South Sound Stadium for all manner of throwing, running, and jumping. 

Naturally today was about 15 degrees warmer than yesterday and 20 degrees warmer than it will be tomorrow. But everyone stayed in the shade when they could and worked on hydrating so the event was a success. 

Isaac ran the 50 meter and was the second leg of the 4 x 100 meter relay. This meant quite a bit of waiting which he spent cheering on his teammates.

And then it was time for him to run.

And run he did...

...all the way to 2nd place!

Then back to waiting with some of his buddies. 

Eventually the relays started and he was back on the track.

Running, running, running.

Again running to 2nd place!

I may or may not have pulled up the pictures from Michael's 5th grade Track and Field Meet to discover that Michael came in 4th twice. Isaac now claims that he is faster than Michael and Michael is challenging him to a race so this all ends well. 

WWU Weekend

Another lovely concert in Bellingham. I have considered asking the hotel folks if we can get a punch card where the 10th visit is free. Alas.

I drove up yesterday and popped in at the beach at Larrabee State Park. 

It is so beautiful up there. And even though it rained most of the way up there, the precipitation stopped as I turned on Chuckanut Drive and did not rain for my entire stay (again). 

After an early dinner at his new favorite restaurant (he went there twice with Jason and Ben during their last visit), I dropped him off at his house before the concert. I met his new girlfriend, Bella, outside the music building and we had a great time chatting about books and hiking as we waited for the concert to begin. This concert was as good as all the other ones we have come up for. As a bonus, it included the WWU symphony orchestra for the second half and was a powerful experience. Even though it meant that Michael had to sing in French.

This morning I took Michael out for gas (under $5 a gallon!!!!!) and breakfast. Then I found my way back to Larrabee to hike the Fragrance Lake trail before heading home.

Cycling on the Chehalis

No one can accuse us of trying to get our kids on bikes at too young of an age. Poor Isaac has two parents and no one who has been able to run behind him holding the back of his bike in his younger years. Bless the YMCA/City of Lacey for holding a learn to bike clinic earlier this year. With a three day weekend and some sunshine, Jason had some time to get the bikes prepped (tires pumped up and cobwebs wiped off) so we could take our newest biker out on a bike ride. 

We ended up doing a bit over of six miles with Isaac pumping his legs and Jason carrying Gatorade and snacks in the basket on his bike.

And though the bikes were ready and the snacks were plentiful, we still managed to forget what should be a Miller Cardinal Rule: always, ALWAYS bring tissue.

Ben Prom

ARGH! Ben went to prom this year. And because it is B-E-N I have no pictures of him and his date or the group he went with. I have been promised pictures "someday", but I am not holding my breath. 

I am lucky to get this picture of our good looking third child.

And then one of him on his way off to dinner and dancing with no digital evidence of the event.

I hope he/they have fun!

Spartan Weekend

Josh may or may not be addicted to Spartan races. 

There are definitely worse addictions! 

In any case, this is the only explanation I can come up with for why we found ourselves taking him to back-to-back races this weekend. 

May 2 | 10k

May 3 | 5k