Special Olympics State Games

This was Xander's first year participating in Special Olympics. We started with a sport we thought would be pretty low-key and something in which he would excel. Xander has energy. Lots and lots of energy. He loves to run. Getting him to slow down or keep pace with us during neighborhood walks and on outings is always a challenge. Track & Field seemed like a logical choice. It helped that one of the amazing special education teachers at Xander's school was the track coach.

All season long he participated in hour-long practices on Sunday afternoons. Sometimes he enjoyed them, sometimes he didn't. But he always ran hard and always ran fast. He also worked on his softball throw.

The Special Olympics State Games were held at a nearby college campus. It was a three-day event for some athletes, though we only attempted two. The twins and I drove down on Friday evening for the opening dinner and ceremonies. The boys struggled with the crowd, the noise, the long lines and the waiting. We made it through dinner (though we had stopped to eat on the way in, knowing the college cafeteria probably would not offer things both boys would eat, and also not wanting to make a hard situation even harder by having two hungry boys on my hands). We also made our way to the staging area for the opening ceremonies. We did fine waiting for a while, but eventually the strain of everything began to take it's toll. The final breaking point was the cow bells that many of the athletes and family members kept ringing. We ended up calling it a night before Xander had a chance to walk in the opening ceremony of athletes with his team. And that's okay. While I wanted to at least make the attempt, I have a feeling that event was more for me as his parent than for him as an athlete. He likes to play, to win. He's not much on doing things just for show. And while some of the athletes certainly loved being part of the opening ceremonies, Xander was not one of those athletes who found joy in that particular part of the games.

We returned on Saturday morning for his two events ... the 100m dash and the softball throw. Athletes are only allowed two events at his age level, so these were the two we had worked toward all season during practice.

Here's Xander getting ready in the parking lot after we arrived.

And taking a big lead with a big smile for the 100m dash.

And earning his first "shiny medal" of the day ... the gold for the 100m dash in his age group.

Xander lining up for his first softball throw ...

Xander on the podium for his second "shiny medal" of the day ... bronze in the softball throw for his age group.

It was a new and exciting experience. We were not sure what to expect in the tournament setting, as Xander's regional tournament had been canceled due to rain. We had only participated in practice sessions with our own team all season and this was the first real competition for him. He took it all in stride, and had a big smile on his face most of the day. He loved his "shiny medals" (points if you get the Wreck-It Ralph reference).

Memorial Day Weekend

As long as I can remember, Memorial Day weekends have been spent at the lake. It's one of those fun family traditions that I am so lucky to be able to pass on to my boys. Grandma and Grandpa retired to a cabin on the lake several years ago, and as many chances as the boys and I get during the summer months, we join them for a few days of good company, good food and afternoons on the water under the sun.

We left town early on Friday and made it onto the water before the crowds arrived. Those are the perfect days on the water.

There's nothing better than a beautiful blue sky and a beautiful blue lake. There's something so calming and peaceful about spending a day on the water (well, if you can ignore the constant jumping, splashing and arguing the three boys are doing at the back of the boat)!

On Saturday, my brother and his kids arrived to join the fun. Connor loves getting to spend time with his cousins Austin and Kyndal. The older they get, the five cousins pretty much take over the back of the boat these days.

A nice break to the end of the school year and the beginning of summer vacation!

One Year

The puppy turned one this month ...

Bruno loves to play outside, as long as someone is out there with him. He loves to play tug-of-war with toys and he loves to chase tennis balls when you throw them. He tries to catch them in his mouth, either in the air or on the bounce. If you leave him out for long, he'll do one of two things. First, he climbs into my lounge chair just like Buster used to do. Or, he searches the back yard for big sticks and destroys them. He's even been known to drag a piece or two of firewood and stone to chew on.

He also loves to be wherever I am. We joke that his name should have been "Shadow" because he's always that close to me. He follows wherever I go, in or out of the house. If you close a door, he sits right outside of it with his nose pushed under the crack.

He loves to sleep on the couch. Or on Connor's bed when he can manage it. Sawyer's too, if we leave the door open on accident. He's pretty sure he's not really a dog, but another human. And the baby, so entitled to anything he thinks he wants.

We're still working through our one-on-one puppy training classes with six basic commands - sit, down, place, leave it, come and heel. He does pretty well so far, when he wants to. He's a smart boy, but perhaps just a tad spoiled. We will be taking him to group classes for the rest of the year, to help with socialization and the shy streak that makes him bark and growl at everyone and everything. Sweet boy to us and people he knows, but not so sweet to everyone else.

A few recent pics of the big boy ...

Bike Riding with the Big Boy

Connor and I tried out our new Thule bike rack on the back of the Tahoe. We took them over to one of the local city parks with a 2-mile multi-use trail. Connor was a little lazy, only wanting to go around one time, but it was a good first time ...



And we finished our day with some food that we love (and the twins would hate) at Noodles & Company ...

Xander's Calendars

Several years ago, Xander's kindergarten teacher Mrs. B and aide Mrs. G came up with a fun activity for him to work on at school to help keep him busy and quiet during group lessons. Xander has always loved calendars, and it was a perfect idea for him. I love seeing how far he's come, from those first simple calendars to the unique and completely individual ones that he does now. And I love that he does them independently at home, all these years later ...