Kirby Derby

Last Fall, our office changed health insurance carriers. Shortly after, representatives came in to talk to us about their wellness program. Quite interesting! I’d never heard of a carrier doing something like this. There are several ways that you can earn points to “buy” products such as MP3 players, digital cameras, movies, gift certificates, etc. – all just by participating in various things.

I know that may sound confusing, but basically, you earn points for having a yearly physical, donating blood, getting certified in CPR & First Aid, etc. – you get the picture. Another way to earn points is by participating in a public fitness event, so we signed up to participate in the 1st Annual Kirby Derby in Monticello – the 5K “Walk” (or 3.1 miles - of course there was no use trying to convince myself I could do the Run). Mom and Aunt Cheryl even agreed to join us.

The race starts and ends in at Forest Preserve Park and runs through scenic State Street and downtown Monticello, IL. It was a very beautiful, brisk morning, but I was still excited about participating – just the feeling that I was doing something healthy for myself.

It’s 08:00 – “Runners get ready….” Seriously, the walkers get to start about 5 minutes later.
Well...I finished. Actually we all finished in about 53:01.9 minutes. That may not seem like a great endeavor given I can usually walk 2 miles in about 30 minutes, BUT I was pulling about 50-60 pounds in wagon and child behind me. At one point, I even caught PJ putting his feet on the tires, dragging them, so it was slowing me down. Uuuggghh!

Mom didn’t actually get to “finish” the race, but she was with us in spirit. We were returning just as the Kids Races were starting, so she darted off with PJ so he could participate.

By the time Aunt Cheryl & I crossed the “official” finish line for the 5K Walk, PJ was already done running his race and scrambling to find me in the crowd to show me the medal he won. He was so proud. He practically took it everywhere with him the first week he had it.

PJ Visits His New School

PJ will be attending Preschool this fall. We are so excited! He’s been talking about it every since we took him to an open house there a year ago & now the time has come.

Today Grandma & I took him to “visit” his new classroom. We met Mrs. Davis & Mrs. Lane.

I think the best part for PJ was the baby chicks. The class had been tracking the development of baby chicks and actually got to have them in the classroom once they had hatched.

Mrs. Lane lets PJ holds his first chick – Hashbrown.

He also participated during Music time, checked out the chicks again, then took in some of the other features in his room.

The school was also having their annual plant sale, so we had to stop and pick up some flowers for Mommy’s gardens before we left.

Bacon And Eggs

For quite some time now, if Daddy is here in the morning when PJ gets up, they make bacon and eggs together. Unfortunately, since Mommy doesn’t really eat eggs that much, I never really learned to cook them – which puts me in quite the pickle when asked to make them for PJ. Whenever he asks, I just tell him “I don’t know how to make bacon and eggs” to which he always replies “I’ll teach you Mommy.”

Well….this morning, he woke up just as Ron was leaving. He asked me if Daddy was still here and I informed him that he’d just left for work. I don’t know what it was…the tone of his voice, the extent of his disappointment, or what…but I found myself saying, “come on, you can show me how to make bacon and eggs.”

Whoa! Has he been paying attention to Daddy. I knew as soon as he said “now first Daddy says we have to cook the bacon,” that I was in for it and I’d better get the camera and a notebook. Too bad the video camera wasn’t charged & ready because photos just don’t do the whole process any justice.

He was very meticulous, some might call it anal-retentive or possibly obsessive-compulsive, but then again…he is my son. “FIRST, Daddy says we have to cook the bacon….we need 1, 2, 3 pieces of bacon.”

At one point I tried to move the spatula out of his way & he told me that it had to stay right there, “like this.”

“This is where Daddy keeps ALL the eggs.”

“If Daddy changes his mind, he scoots the bacon over and adds one more piece.”

“Next you lay the bacon on a plate.”

“Now I got to break my egg & after it gets warm, you have to scrape it.”

Of course, I kept trying to reinforce with him that he is NOT allowed to do this without Daddy or myself being with him – eek!

Once he was done cooking, he sat down at the table, took the first bite and said “Hey Mommy, this is not bad, I think you did a good job with me!”