2. Take the boys to the 500 Festival Parade

Last year my sister bought Jason, Jack and I tickets to go see the 500 Festival Parade. My grandma said she took us when we were younger, but I have no memory of ever being at this parade despite living in or near Indianapolis all my 30+ years. So...we made plans last year to take Jack...but someone else had other plans in mind. Graham decided that he was going to make his own parade of sorts that day and Jack ended up going with Mamaw, Papaw and Ashley.

This year I made sure to add the parade to my bucket list and so here we are...number two on the list...The 500 Festival Parade.

I'm going to spare you commentary on all the pictures I've posted and just let you know that we met Stacy, Brandon, Bowen and sweet Arden in our seats and enjoyed the show. Hope you enjoy it too!

Racing through the years at Indy

Blue II...the Butler Bulldog

The sweetest thing I saw all day!

Had to get a picture of Graham Rahal...since my Graham was

born so close to race day, Ash thinks he's destined to become a racer

Anderson...just as good in person as on TV...

Graham pointing out all the exciting balloons and floats

Little Al's float...

What's the race in Indy without Gomer?!

And we have a man down...

This one's for my sister...

Another man down!

But Jack saw the whole thing!

After the parade we ended up going to Pot Bellies on the circle with the Conway's to enjoy a delicious milk shake. All in all..not bad for a Saturday in May.

Confessions of an Addict's mother

By now everyone should know that Jack is a full fledged train addict. He eats, sleeps, breathes trains. And I will admit, I enable him. I sometimes even partake in a little train myself. Here is the outcome of my latest train binge.

Looking at "The Island of Sodor" from Herold's eyes

Jack could spend hours playing at this table. Making trains come off the tracks, sending in others to rescue them, replaying scenes from Thomas episodes, rolling over high, high bridges, setting up long lines of engines and just staring off into the buildings and down the tracks. It always amazes me how long he actually spends looking down at the train and the tracks at eye level. One day I actually got down and looked for myself. I finally understood two things when I did that: what it meant to look through the eyes of your child and how magical this little world of Thomas really looks to him.

So...here's my attempt to share with you a little piece of our magical world of Thomas. Through Jack's eyes.

First we stop at the Sodor Steamworks

Notice the "joby logs" to the left...

Travel through the Signal House and around to

The Sodor Engine Wash. There goes Lady now into The Wash.

The High High bridge is to the left and the stone bridge to the right.

Behind the Engine Wash is where we store the cargo crane.

Cranky then stands high above the cargo crane.

The track comes around Cranky and switches into the tunnel

Jack sits and looks into this tunnel for long periods of time

One of his favorite things to do is send Percy through with the light up light

The track winds around and goes under the stone bridge

Turning into the tunnel will take you under the stone bridge

Going straight from Cranky will wind around over the bridge

Finally we end up at Toby's Windmill and the backside

of the Sodor Steamworks

So there you have it. My awesome track that I made! I mean...the track that I made for my wonderful little boy who helps me see the wonder and magic the world still has to offer. And maybe a little to show off my awesome track!

Pee Tree

Yep. We have that kid.

Amanda Nicole!!!

I am so excited! This Saturday we are having the boys' pictures taken with Amanda from Amanda Nicole Photography!! All I can really say is that I absolutely love Amanda's work. She is truly talented and genuine. If you're looking for a wonderful photographer you need look no further, Amanda is it. She took our family pictures right after Graham was born last year and we were so happy with them. I just can't wait to see her work her magic!

Run Jack Run!

When Jason and I picked up our race packets last week we decided to sign Jack up to do the Rookie Run. We were really excited for him because he's always telling us he needs to run...run while we're at the park, run away in stores, run while he's in the stroller...the kid is always wanting to run. So we figured this would be something really fun for him; his own race.

There were omens from the start though that this was going to be...um an event. The Friday we signed Jack up for this was an extremely windy day. As we were walking back to the car a huge gust of wind came and whipped Jack's packet out of the stroller and into traffic on West Street. I was walking a little behind Jason and saw it happen. A very nice lady stepped out in traffic and got Jack's t-shirt while I scooped Jack up and ran out in the middle of the street to gather flying papers. When we all regrouped at the stroller we realized the bib was missing. So Jason ran across to the median and walked along it looking for the bib. Several minutes later I saw the look of triumph I have seen so often as he's recovered lost shoes, wallets and Goofy toys.

All week the forecast called for rain and day after day the rain held off and the sun shone. Saturday (the day of Jack and Lincoln's party) the rain held off until early evening. And didn't let up. So Sunday it was raining for the Rookie Run. One of Jason's mottos is "Don't let the weather dictate your plans" so we packed a lunch and loaded up the kids to head downtown to the Rookie Run.

There were quite a few people out for such a rainy day. It wasn't too cold, but a little chillier than what it had been the previous week so I was hoping that along with the rain would deter some people. I was wrong.

So anyway, we start to line up at the starting corral. There were lots of people getting in line, but not a lot of people checking you in and telling you where to go or what to do. There wasn't a whole lot of information online about the event either. So I herded myself in with all the other sheep in hopes we'd be in the right place. Along the way Jack and I lost Jason and Graham.

Getting up to the starting corral

Jason kept working his way forward and finally found us over to the side of the starting line. I was able to reach over the railing and keep him entertained while we waited for the start. I thought I was in an area where I could walk up onto the race course beside Jack in case he needed help.

Showing his muscles before the race

I was wrong though. As soon as the race started, Jack took off following the other kids and the other parents and I were stuck behind a barricade. The parents who stood next to their kids were able to follow them out onto the track and race alongside the kids. I'll keep that in mind for future events.

And he's off!

So Jack was supposed to run down to the stop light (where traffic was still flowing) and then turn left and head back towards the starting line. Jack got to the stop light and tried to turn right and go around the volunteers who were 500 Princesses. One Princess had to um...help...Jack get turned around the right way.

Run Jack, Run!

Poor Princess. She had to stay with Jack the rest of the way to keep him running the right way. All the while the rain is steadily coming down. But Jack took it all like a champ.

Coming down the home stretch. Check out that form!

He ran the whole two blocks and ended the race with a smile on his face!

Go Jack, Go!

Getting ready to cross the finish line

Checking out his medal

After the race he was given a medal that looks just like the ones Jason and I got for running the Mini. He was pretty proud of it. I asked him what he liked best about running and he said racing the other kids. Let's hope next year he doesn't try to run into traffic.

Jack and Lincoln's Birthday Carnival

Today was Jack and Lincoln's birthday carnival. Julie and I decided to have the boys' birthday party together this year in order to try and cut down on all the May birthday parties we normally host and attend. We tried to get Stacy to have Bowen's with us as well...you know a THIRD birthday party for THREE boys with a THREE Ring Circus theme but it ended up just being two thirds of our trio.

We had different games and activities set up around the yard for the kids to play. Kids could toss a football through a hula hoop, knock down bowling pins using a ball swinging from their head, play in a ball pit, try hopscotch, toss balls into buckets, pick suckers from a lollipop tree, get their faces painted and enjoy balloon swords, hats, wands and wings in a magical cloud of bubbles. We had goody bags filled with cotton candy and glow in the dark bracelets and cupcakes and juice for the kids to eat. Our goal was to just have kids enjoy playing with one another in a carnival type atmosphere.


It was supposed to rain during the day, but we got lucky and the rain held off until the very end of the party. We couldn't have asked for better day. There was plenty of things for the kids to do. Julie had a game, Pin Heads, where the kids wore a knee high on their head. Inside the knee high was a tennis ball. The kids had to knock down bowling pins with the ball by moving their heads around.

Looking out to the Pin Heads game

Jackson playing Pin Heads

My friend Lori lent us her ball pit for the occasion. All the kids had a great time playing with and in it. Jack of course used the ball ramp as a track to run trains on while Graham sat and played in the bottom pool of balls. All the kids enjoyed tossing balls into the top to watch them roll down the ramp and throwing all the balls out of the bottom. It was great for the babies and the bigger kids.

Kids playing in the ball pit


We set up a hopscotch board for the kids but it didn't work too well in the grass. It kept coming apart. But CJ knew just what to do with the numbers.

CJ playing his own version of hopscotch

I have to say though the hit of the party was definitely Angie and the face paintings she did. When I first visioned the face painting I was thinking someone could paint a star or a smiley face or a cloud on the kids' cheeks. When Angie asked if she could do it and then told me she'd bought a kit, I had no idea just how great she really was. All the kids loved her and she did such a great job. All she did was look in a book and free hand it on the kids' faces. She totally rocked.

Angie painting faces

Peyton

Lincoln as Spider Man

Charlotte and her butterfly

We had the boys sit on the hill while we sang Happy Birthday to them. Jack had his candle out before we were done singing and Lincoln took a couple tries to get his. Julie and I passed out cupcakes then opened presents with the boys.

The birthday boys with their cupcakes

Jack~so excited about his
Gail Gibbons "Trains" book

Lincoln opening his presents...
...see the Lollipop Tree in the background?

We are so thankful for all of our friends and family that helped to make this day a special one for the boys. Without them our lives wouldn't be as rich and full as they are.

My mom and Graham

Our youngest guest...Miss Quinn

Bennett...you've got a little something on your face

Jack testing out his fishing pole after the party

The Cupcake Picture

Tuckered out

Lunches

On Sunday Jason fixed Jack a "Misty Island" lunch to entice him to come in from playing to eat. Yesterday he expected me to fix him another "Misty Island" lunch. (train shaped sandwich, raisins for smoke, joby log carrots, apple and string cheese track) Okay, no big deal.

"Misty Island" Lunch

Today he demanded another one. I didn't want to fix the same lunch for three days so today I made him a "Quarry" lunch. What was at the Quarry? Tiny pieces of bricks (strawberries), gravel (chicken nuggets), coal (raisins), joby logs (carrots) and Thomas...complete with a cargo car to carry his load.

"Quarry" Lunch

Too bad I was told that Steamies can't carry gravel, that job is for diesels.