May 2012

As it is now AUGUST and May was MONTHS ago, I will do my very best to highlight the month. May, May, May??? I have a hard time remembering that long ago so I am cheating and looking back at my Facebook page for some help... Well one of the most memorable things from the month is that I, along with a few girlfriends here, ran a 5k on Mother's Day weekend. (The Las Vegas 5K) It was my first in a long time. And while it wasn't at all pretty, for me anyway, I finished it. It was miserable hot, no shade, on the strip, few water stops. Really not a fun way to spend a Saturday morning.

*Pre-run photo op

*Post-run - Serious, at hot mess - no pun intended! The squadron's annual "scavenger hunt" was down on the Strip in May as well. Such a great, great time! Each team had a list of tasks that needed to be completed, in a couple hour periou - all were very VEGAS - from finding a bride and groom, to having a picture taken with Elvis, or in front of the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign. I really wish I would have kept the (literally) book of "tasks" that needed to be accomplished. It was a fun night - kid free even. Followed up by dinner at Maggianos. I swear I hadn't laughed so much in one night as I did that night. (Sorry, I have no pictures from this night.) Addison's school held a spring concert. It was really cute. And really it was more of an overview of what they had been learning in class rather than a traditional school "concert." Charlie was able to be there for it and we got to go see them in the classroom afterward. I think Addison was really happy to not only have daddy there, but to be able to show us around her class room. (A friend sent me some videos from that day, and if I remember, I will try to upload them at a later time.)

*Addie performing, next to Andrew (another little boy from the 433rd.)

* Charlie with both kids while visiting Addie's classroom.

* Hugs from both my babies in Addie's classroom. (Probably my FAV picture with myself and these two I have taken yet.) Our neighborhood pool opened up in early May. And we were very excited to start using it. It was a little chilly at first and Addie had a little bit of a fear of the water - reaffirming the correct decision to start her in swimming lessons in June.

* While weather was somewhat cooler, we were able to walk over to the pool - it is only a few blocks away. Usually, the wagon was called for the task to take both kids and all their stuff over to the pool.

* I mean really!!! How CAAAAAUUUUTTEEEEE is this little chubby baby??? Adorable in his swim gear is all I can say. Little Missy had her FIRST ever dentist appointment. To say that Chuck and I were apprehensive about how she would do was stating it lightly. However, with the help of a little bribery, she did great. The dentist was great with her and did a great job explaining what he was going. However, I think knowing that Toys R Us and Starbucks were on tap after her appointment helped make it a little easier for her to handle. (I mean who wouldn't be cooperative at the dentist if they were going to be rewarded with a Barbie and a Frappucino?)

* All smiles - which is better than all screams at the dentist. Memorial Day. Most of the people we know got out of town that weekend. However, we chose to have "staycation" - and it was a five day weekend to top it off. Since Addison had school on Thursday, we had a nice morning breakfast out at one of our FAVORITE places here in Vegas, with just our little man. (Hash House A Go Go is fabulous for breakfast if you are ever in Vegas and looking for a place off the strip.) We took the kids to the children's museum on Friday and honestly, I am not sure who had more fun - us or Addison? (Sawyer is still a bit young for it.) Not in the greatest part of town, but with a new one opening soon, The Las Vegas Children's Museum is definetly a place we will be going back to, and frequently.

* "Higher, daddy!"

* "Hey, daddy! He looks just like you!"

* Addison, the pilot. Daddy, the co-pilot.

* Grocery store fun.

* A future in NASCAR? (I hope not.)

* Sawyer loved the basketballs at the Children's Museum. The Saturday of Memorial Day weekend we hit up REI to find an infant hiking backpack - SUCCESS! And as luck would have it, the REI was right on the way out to Red Rock Canyon - a great place to hike when the weather is cooler. (And we did luck out that weekend, weather wise.) We have spent a lot of time out at RRC, hiking. We love it and so do the kids. One of the most interesting things, I think, about RRC is that it is truly beautiful and you can forget that the Vegas strip is so close. (Before living here, I would have never thought that scenic beauty and the Vegas strip would belong in the same sentence. But, boy! They sure do!)

* No hike is complete without stylish sunglasses.

* Sawyer was loving the new hiking backpack, for the first half of the hike, anyway.

* Hard to believe this is Vegas, right?

* Red Rock Canyon, Nevada! On Sunday, we asked Addison what she wanted to do. Her response was a picnic in the park. Easy enough! We put together a picnic and headed to the "Dinosaur Park" - as she calls it. However to most, it is called Aliante Natural Discovery Park. It was fun and again, the weather cooperated - warm, but not scorching hot.

* Picnic hugs at the park. The last day of our stay-cation was the most low key we had all weekend. We did a little housework - boring. Did a little swimming at the pool - crowded. And Chuck made is ever so tasty ribs for dinner that night. It was the first time we had had them since moving to NV and they were of course, well worth the wait! Of course the BIGGEST and more important thing that happened during the month of May is that our little Princess turned FOUR! (Seriously, how is that even possible???) May 31st was a big day at our house. Addie got to sleep in our bed with us and woke up to presents that morning - a birthday princess must have a new outfit for her day, afterall. As tradition dictates in our house, we stopped for a birthday donut on the way to school. At school, she had spot light time rather than a party. It is just a few minutes during the day on their birhtday to have the spotlight on them. They get to wear a crown, bring pictures, and have their classmates ask them questions. And mom and dad get to be there for it. It was super cute! And she ate it up. Her daddy picked her up from school that day, which for her, is a treat in itself. The day ended with quite a party here at our house for her. Pizza, presents, friends, cupcake decorating. The works! She had a great, great day! You know it's a great day when she says before bed, "Mommy, that was the best day ever!" That made all the blood, sweat, tears, stress, etc putting that party together for her sooooo worth it.

*Addison turns four!

* Blowing out her "candles" (four fingers on each of her classmates heads) during spotlight time at school.

* Homemade cake made by Addison's mama!

* Each kid at the party got two cupcakes for frost and decorate. It was a successful mess, but they all seemed to love it. (Although, I am sure the mama's were cursing me for all the sugar later.)

* Addison and her daddy at donuts on her 4th birhtday.

*MMMMM donuts - and Sawyer is trying to get in on the act.

* Who doesn't love to wake up to presents first thing on their birthday?

* Opening presents are her party with her friends.

* The Queen beckons her subjects during the Q & A portion of her spotlight time at school.

* The morning after her party, we took her new scooter out for a spin around the neighborhood.

* Spotlight time at school.

* Her loot at her birthday party. The kid made a haul!

* Addie looking all gorgeous on her birthday morning before heading off to school.

* Sawyer helped me get ready for Addie's party by taste testing the cake. Ok, so now you are all caught up on the Schuck's month of May. I think I did pretty good being that May was what, four months ago? (Thank you Facebook.) There are four videos on my Facebook page from the month of May that are worth taking a look at - Addie's Happy Birthday song, Addie saying the Pledge of Alligance, Addie making Sawyer laugh, and Addie pushing Sawyer around in his walker. I wanted to add them to this blog, however, I don't have them on our computer anymore and I am not sure how to download from Facebook onto here. So I will work on figuring that out. In the meantime, here are just a few random pictures from the month of May that are cute, but didn't really have a place to go...

* I think if I could grocery shop like this, I would like it a lot more.

* When we brought this crazy puppy home almost six years ago, we never imagined she would be the one who would be truly amazing with babies. Lily might be the greatest dog EVER!

* "Hey ladies... I got roooooom for you in my wagon."

* I love this little boy more than anything!

* Sawyer made the transition from exersaucer to walker during the month of May. He loves being mobile!