Skybox

A couple weeks ago a parent/guardian of one of the Starkey clients gave me tickets to the skybox of Wichita Wingnuts game. He was thanking us for working with his son and donated 19 tickets for Starkey employees and friends. I offered the tickets to my Case Managers and only had a few takers. Then I contacted my best friends and asked them if they wanted to join me for GNO in the skybox. Kris and Kelli were game, but Robin had prior engagements. Kris and Kelli arrived that Saturday afternoon and we went to the Pumphouse in Old Town for some eats and treats. We then headed to the game and met up with a few others.
Although I'm not a huge fan of watching baseball/softball, unless my daughter is playing, I was a huge fan of watching from the skybox. An air conditioned room, with a balcony and all the beer you can drink. Awesome! Even though the Wingnuts didn't pull off a win we had such a great time.

 Hanging out at the Pumphouse.

Hanging out on the balcony outside the skybox.

  

Happens in 3s

To say the weekend started off sadly is an understatement. I'm still in disbelief of the news I received on Friday afternoon and continue to question why terrible things happen to great people. I received the phone call from my sister letting me know that a friend from HS/college had been tragically killed in a head-on collision. She was only 31 years old and left behind a husband and three young children. Later in the day I learned that one of the clients at Starkey had died unexpectedly. He was only 26. The next day I had learned that a 9 year old boy from my church had been electricuted and died on Friday as well. Life is so unfair.  They say deaths happen in 3s, I would like for that to be proven wrong.

Wordless Wednesday

River Run 2011 - Madelyn's First Race.

A while back my friend/running partner, Angelia, and I, decided we were going to run the 2 mile river festival  run with our daughters. Angelia's daugher, Hollee, ran 2 miles one time before race day and Madelyn only ran when she was running bases at softball. So they were going into race day with little to no training. There were over 2,000 people running the race and the start was a clustered mess as always. Angelia and Hollee went ahead of us early on and made it to the finish line in 22 minutes. Madelyn and I ran and walked the race and by the end she was one hot and tired girl. We crossed the finish line in a little over 30 minutes. I was super proud of her for finishing her very first 2 mile race and hope we run many more races together.

pre-race

 mothers/daughters on race day

 Me & My girl

 And she's off

At this point there were no smiles

 

Receiving a race medal brought the smile back

Eight is Great

 A family birthday party at Pizza Hut

Opening presents from mom & dad

 Lunch at Red Robin with a visit from the balloon guy

 Games at the All Star Adventures

 And saved the best for last ....horseback riding

Worldless Wednesday

The Past Week

Madelyn had her last day of school.....

 

Which was also awards day.....and Madelyn received awards for...

Exceeding the class advanced reading goal and being one of the top three readers in her class, the University of Kansas Reading program gold star award and a leadership award. This was also the last day that the kids will be in the old Lincoln Elementary because they will be starting in a brand new school in August.

Madelyn celebrated her 8th birthday a little early at a YMCA swim party with seven of her friends and then a slumber party with a couple of her friends.

 First cake and ice cream and then....

 opening presents....

Then a swim test (30 seconds of treading water and swimming the length of the pool) to determine if each girl could swim in the deep end. Of the eight girls, only two did not pass which only meant they stayed in the shallow end or an adult had to be in the water with them. Thankfully Ryan was a trooper and went swimming too.

 Then two hours of water fun.

Madelyn's fav place for her birthday dinner, Playa Azul.  She told every waiter that she was celebrating her birthday just to make sure she would get the whipped cream in her face.

 Then dressing as gangsters, with facial hair and tp stuffed shirts to taunt the 5th grade neighbor boy. Really??

And finished the night watching a movie and camping in the basement.

How is it possible that my baby is almost 8?!?!?!?