Track meet and More Sleep Overs

Rayna had her birthday sleepover at the end of February (her first ever) and then last week she went to Aurora's birthday sleepover (her first time spending the night away from the family) and last night she went to Lizzie's birthday sleepover. We called her at bedtime when she was at Aurora's sleepover--much to her annoyance! But, last night, Grant and I were watching "Wyatt Earp" on DVD and I totally forgot to call my youngest to check in on her until almost 11pm...and I figured that was too late to be calling. Well, I needn't have worried. Rayna not only didn't notice that I hadn't called to tell her "Good-night", she didn't even have time to tell me about her sleepover before she was off and gone again! She hadn't been home two minutes (literally!), before announcing, "MADELIN is here! Can I go see if she can play?" (Madelin is the grand-daughter of our friend, Faye, across the street from us. Madelin and Rayna are great friends but don't get to see each other too often since Madelin lives in Springfield.) Well, Rayna was off and running to Madeline's grandmother's house not to be seen again (even for MEALS). Meanwhile Jean and Kenny dropped in on their way to Branson. We finally made Rayna come back home when we decided to go to Smith's to all eat out together. Rayna had already eaten with Madelin, but we drug her along with us anyway! I was amazed that she was in such a good mood--having been to a sleep-over and then playing all day without so much as a catnap! My kids never have needed much sleep, though!

When Rayna left for her sleep-over, Darcy headed over to her friend, Jayden's house to spend the night (and all the next day). So, Doug was alone in the house with just Grant and I. This was the FIRST time that has EVER happened in his entire life. Knowing how excited both of the girls always get whenever either of them gets to have individual time with either of us, I assumed Doug would relish the opportunity to be an "only child" for the evening. I was wrong. He sat between us, watching TV, looking utterly MISERABLE. He kept asking when we would be picking Rayna up and when Darcy would be coming home. Finally, I asked him, "Doug, don't you LIKE being an only child?" He shook his head, "no" with about the most morose look I've ever seen on his face. I would think he'd like having an evening free from all the bossing his sisters normally deal out...but, evidently, not so much!

Darcy had her first track meet on Thursday evening. It was raining a LOT and was really cold and blustery. Because of the weather, the pole vaulting event was canceled. Darcy agreed to run the 1600 (one mile in length). Poor kid stood out in the rain with nothing but her jogging pants (over shorts) and hoodie on for THREE HOURS waiting for her event to come around. Then she had to pull her jogging pants off and run in her thin shorts--bare legs exposed to the cold--to get into the line-up for her event. After freezing there for half an hour, her turn finally came. She ran the mile in 7.26.66 (less than seven and a half minutes), her personal best time EVER! The "mile" is not "her" event and she was really reluctant to agree to do it. I was really proud of how much heart she put into it, though, once she was on the track running! She had a big old smile on her face each time she came around for the next lap!

I'm amazed she didn't wind up with pneumonia. She came home and marinated in a hot tub of water, while Lisa (who dropped in for a short visit) and I watched Survivor. Grant has lost interest in Survivor...didn't last long for him...he feigned mild interest (for my sake) for the first two episodes, but even dropped that pretense by the third week. He doesn't even watch it. Lisa and I, meanwhile, have gotten hooked on it this season--just because we are dying to see Coach get voted off! (Coach being a "local" around here that the kids and I bump into often, but do not actually KNOW...only know what we have seen on Survivor and that is enough to make Darcy, Lisa, and I spit nails!) (We don't let the two younger kids watch it...not kid appropriate.)





(Darcy the morning of her track meet, dressed in her track hoodie to go to school...reluctantly, semi-cooperating with her mother's request for a photo or two! The two younger kids are much more eager to be in photos than Darcy is! I can't keep THEM out of the photo, when I'm just trying to get a shot JUST of Darcy...meanwhile, I have to THREATEN Darcy to get HER IN the shot!...I HAD my camera at Darcy's first track meet ever, this past Thursday, but, out of deference to her wishes, I didn't take a single picture. I figured as miserable as the weather was, the least I could do is not add to her misery further by snapping pictures against her will!)