Outdoor Fun

It has been a very hot summer and I am very pregnant.  The kids are lucky I ever take them outdoors because it has become quite difficult for me to bear.  Although staying inside with the kids all day is also difficult to bear at times, so out we go.

Not too far from our house a new splash park opened up this summer.  We have been there several times as the fountains are very small (not too overwhelming for Will and Eliana who don't particularly like fountains over their head) and there are nice spots to eat.  This particular day we met up with our friends Claire and Lucy.

While we were at the splash park, William kept pulling me over to a drain crying and saying "Water fall down!"  I though he was trying to tell me that the water made him slip and fall down.  I tried to comfort him and see if he had gotten a scrap somewhere.  But he kept saying, "No, water FALL DOWN!"  Then I finally realized that he was upset that the water was going down a drain.  I couldn't help but laugh as I tried to explain to him that it was ok, the water was supposed to go down that drain.  He was like, "Why??"

Eliana and Lucy

William with Lucy

We have also visited the pool may times this summer trying to stay cool.  I think I love it as much as the kids.

On another day we took a trip to the zoo.  This must have been earlier in the summer because Eliana was excited that the Africa exhibit was open again.  We stood in line for a long time to feed the giraffes.  Actually it is kind of a cool story.  We were in line waiting to feed the giraffes, and things were moving well.  All of the sudden, the line stopped moving.  For 20 minutes!  We just stood there, slowing inching forward as more people just gave up and got out of line.  So it turns out the giraffes were not very hungry so the keepers were having a hard time getting the giraffes to come over to the fence to eat.  No one was getting through the line because there were no giraffes to feed.  Eliana was really looking forward to feeding the giraffes and I kept asking her if she wanted to just go and try again some other day.  But no, she was insistent that we stay and feed them.  So after 20 minutes of giraffes just milling about the enclosure and no where near the fence to eat, the kids and I were pretty tired of the waiting.  So I said to Eliana, "Let's pray about this."  So we said a little prayer that God make the giraffes get hungry again.  Just a simple prayer from the heart of a child.  And almost immediately, several giraffes wandered over to the fence again to eat. The line started moving again and our turn came up a few minutes later.  I was a little surprised by how immediately God answered this prayer!  But I was quick to point it out to Eliana - what a simple thing to pray for and God said yes!  I want to take these little opportunities to show the kids that we can pray for anything, God is always listening.  The things you can do at the zoo!

Note how Eliana also has her tongue out, just in case the giraffe forgot how to eat.

Will would hold up the lettuce but then at the last moment when the giraffe's tongue would come near, he would drop the lettuce and pull his hand away.  Which meant Eliana got to feed the giraffe twice as much. 

We also stopped by the petting farm at the zoo.  Eliana ran around from goat to goat but Will just plopped down next to one goat and petted it for a long time.

We ended our trip in the usual way - a ride on the carousel.

Pregnancy and my green dress

Last night David and I went on a date (we both work weekends so a random Tuesday actually works very well for us for date night).  I chose to wear my green maxi dress for this hot, humid summer night.  Then I remembered this blog post from my last pregnancy and I knew I had to get a picture.  So here I am again, at 34 weeks this time, wearing my green dress.

34 weeks with Baby Girl.

Running Races

David has been really into running during his chief year as he had a little bit of extra time.  He had some very ambitious goals and participated in three races this summer.  Unfortunately he did get a few overuse injuries during training (he keeps tellimg me "Rachel, I am getting older!").  So I don't think he could do quite as much as he had hoped or quite as fast, but he still improved upon his time from previous years. 

First, David ran the Memorial Day 5 Miler again.  This wasn't his "big" race for the summer plus he had sprained his ankle in April, so he didn't go all out for this race.  He ended up running at a 7:41min/mile race which is a little slower than last year, but I think he was pleased overall with his time.  This was more of a training run for him for his big 5k later in the summer.  Eliana actually had a bib and timer this year.  We ran/walked the 1 mile Fun Run together as a family along with my sister Abby and her family, and my parents.  I pushed William in the stroller this year.  Eliana started out at a pretty good jog, but after a few hundred yards she slowed to a walk.  She than ran/walked the rest of the first half of the race.  I was really impressed!  The rest of us just tagged along at her pace.  When we got to the turn around marking the halfway point, Eliana said she was too tired to go any further.  So my dad carried William in his arms, and Eliana got in the stroller.  We walked back to the finish line together, although Eliana did hope out of the stroller for the last tiny bit of the race to finish with my sister at a "run."  The 5 miler started about 10 minutes before the fun run which had the same start and finish lines but different paths.  By the time we finished one mile, the top runner for the 5 miler were coming in as well!  Eliana ended up finishing around a 21 minute pace, and (of the kids who had racing chips and bibs) came in 239th out of 240.  We made sure to stay and cheer for the kid who finished behind her (along with her mom carrying a baby).  And very shortly after we finished, David came zooming through the finish as well.

Eliana getting ready to race with baby Hannah

Showing off her medal.  Baby Hannah needed some post race hydration.

Although William was not registered for the race and didn't walk or run pretty much any of it, he did receive a medal.  And a post race snack.

In June David did a 10K with my brother at Buckeye Lake.  He came in 10th place overall and was 3rd or 4th for his age group.  That sounds very impressive until you find out there were only 80 or so people in the race total... I had to work that day so I don't have a lot of details or any pictures.

Then David's big race was the Westerville 4th of July 5K.  His training through the summer continued to go well with no more injuries.  David feels like he could have done better if he had not had the sprained ankle set him back, but I think he bounced back pretty well.  He ran an amazing race in 21:49, a pace of exactly 7min/mile.  David was slightly disappointed because he was hoping to run in under 21 minutes.  This race, however, was his first 5K, so he didn't have a great feel for how to pace himself.  He felt really good after the race and thought he could have pushed himself more.  Oh well.  Next time.  Although July 5th he started fellowhship, so running has definitely taken a back seat to working and studying since.  Eliana participated in the kids Fun Run (I'm not sure of the distance - 200 yards maybe?) along with her friend Leo.  Our friends Deanna and Joe along with their three children came to the race as well so that Joe could run with David.  Eliana started out very fast and looked like she would be one of the top finishers (there were probably on 20 or 30 kids participating).  But then she looked behind her for Leo and slowed down so he could catch up.  She was pretty excited about the whole thing.  I think David is trying to make her into a runner.

At the starting line with Leo

Check out that speed!

Leo and Eliana with their prize packs.

The big racers after their runs.

William didn't participate in the fun run, but he still wanted a snack.

I love overalls

I love overalls!  I think little kids, especially little boys, look especially cute in overalls.  Eliana was never too into them, and she tends to be very opinionated about her clothing.  Plus they are harder to find for girls.  Will, however, has let me dress him in overalls quite a bit.  I specifically took these pictures because I thought William looks so cute in his little outfit, which we were given by my cousin Melissa.  The only problem was that Will really didn't want his picture taken that afternoon.  Eliana was more than happy to pose and tried her best to get her brother to join in, but I was never able to get him to really pose for the camera.  Oh well.  Our trip to the park was cut short though by a brief but very heavy rainfall.  So much for the cute outfit...

Adorable!

Eliana trying to get her brother to look at the camera.  This cracks me up.

They were pretending they were monkeys in the zoo and this was their cage. 

Then it rained.  Will kept plopping his butt down in the puddles and saying "I fell!" Nope, don't believe that for a second.  He is always telling jokes.

Playing in the creek

We have made a couple of trips to Reed Rd park again this summer to play in the creek.  It is such an excellent park with a playground, good shade, and the perfect size creek to play in.  William is a little older this summer and much more into playing in creek.  The first time we visited, William was a little nervous and didn't want to let go of my hand.  He preferred to stand on the sandy parts and just throw rocks in the water.  Now, however, he has warmed up to the water and likes to hop right in, making me a nervous wreck.  At least with Eliana there is no part of the creek that is over her head.  Even in the deep areas where she likes to "swim," she could just stand up and be fine.  Will however has no fear in him.  He likes to jump in the deep parts too and just totally trusts that I will always be there holding his hand keeping him above water.  Which, of course, I am and I do. :)

Throwing rocks

Brave girl venturing away from mama

William always has the best presents for me.