Look Ma, no training wheels

So this week Kiley and I ventured out to attempt to ride her bike with no training wheels. We tried first in our driveway. A really short distance that I thought might be far for starting out. To my surprise she rode the distance without any help and with no falls. We were so excited!!!

This journey started about the time she was going to do her first tri. I wanted to see if we could get her started on the bike rides without training wheels. It was more for me than her at that point. I knew she could do it but she wasn't ready and I didn't want to force something that often happens by itself. 

So we hadn't really tried again since. She's been riding her scooter to school and I suspect the balance required for her scooter helped her move to the bike more easily.

This Christmas she said she wanted a new bike. We had already been thinking about it since the summer and considered it for her birthday but her focus was on other things. So we are very excited to have her new bike hidden in Jake's closet. 

I went to pick it up a couple of days ago and when they rolled it out I almost cried. Sad but true. One, because I wouldn't have to put it together and two, I was really excited for this stage in Kiley's life (and ours). 

I can't wait for Christmas morning. I'm sure we'll be out on the road bright and early. :)

Getting ready for Christmas morning by making sure she can ride without training wheels. As you can see she has outgrown her current bike. 

Number 6

Yesterday Kiley turned 6. Pretty amazing that such a short while ago.... Everyone says that don't they. :)  and it's true. Time moves very quickly. When I think about how quickly jake and syd have grown its wild. I first met them when they were in 1st and kinder and now they are teenagers. 

Jake has tried his hand at sports and didn't quite find his groove. He's traveled the world to many places most adults have not visited in a lifetime. He's started a business venture where we saw him mature in ways I could not have imagined. It didn't take off this time but he's looking for the next big thing. We can already call him an entrepreneur and he's only in ninth grade.

Syd has visited the same places as jake and more. She has developed into an incredible athlete where she uses her height and size to her advantage. She is a force to be reckoned with. She has a love for animals that is so sweet. She has a hamster and bunny that she cares for each day. And two beastly dogs that love to dance with her and slobber her. I think she secretly likes it. 

Kiley has learned so much from them in these six years. Jake teaches her the ways if the world each day. He says. "Kiley have fun in elementary school because it becomes work after that". He says, "Kiley, you don't have to follow all the rules. Be yourself."  Sydney has taught her competition. She doesn't let her win without a fight. When they play in the pool Kiley has to work really hard to hold her own in finding rockets on the bottom or racing across the pool. Syd keeps her focused and sometimes frustrates her but all in the spirit of competition. Because of that Kiley is playing soccer, doing competitive dance, she swam on a team this summer and wants to continue doing that, and did her first triathlon a couple of months ago. She says swimming is her favorite so we'll keep her busy with that after soccer finishes in November. 

And now she's six... At her chuck e cheese party her sweet brother and sister and some of friends combined their winnings to get her the biggest slinky ever. She loves it. It's impossible to know what she'll be like when she's a teenager but if she follows in her siblings footsteps she'll be doing very well. 

Happy 6ixth birthday sweet girlie. 

Made from a scratch except for Ariel (syd and mom)

Lots of friends

Actual birthday dinner. 

Crazy girl at school lunch

Spying through the blinds (ballet, one of three dance classes each week)

Mr. Rabbit Man!

It's been a full day since Mr. Rabbit Man joined his new family.

He lived at House Rabbit Resource Network (http://rabbitresource.org/) for a about 2 years before Sydney found him. He was one of the few that she was introduced to on their website. It's a non-profit made up completely of volunteers who love bunnies.

Back in May 2011, Syd began a campaign to get a bunny (http://ryan-ortiz.blogspot.com/2011/05/subliminal-message-bunnyplease.html). It pays off to be persistent. She never gave up on her quest. When it came down to it, Syd did all the research and filled out the application once we gave the "ok". She found a cage, all the supplies to make the bunny happy, figured out what food he would enjoy, helped move furniture in her room, everything. (okay, not everything she was present when all the furniture in her room was getting moved to accommodate the pretty big new habitat for her little critter) even if she didn't actually do the moving.

Kiley loves that her older sister has a bunny and has offered to help take care of MRM.

The puppies may meet him next week. Syd thought it would be better not to scare him right away.

Colin's Hope Tri - Kiley's First Ever

Kiley was so excited about doing this event. A few weeks before we ran through transitions. She was great the whole way. She says she loves swimming the best but I can see her doing really phenominal on the bike and run too.

Courtney helped her through through the transitions and I took some pictures.

We are really proud of her first effort in this very cool sport.

Club Jollyville

She's on the team!!!

This past weekend sydney went to a tryout for middle blocker. I don't think she was at all nervous about it but Courtney and I certainly were.

Syd hadn't really practiced this summer and had petty much decided she wasn't going to play. When we found out the team she was on last year was not going to have a U14 team Courtney looked around for another option. She found Club Jollyville. Such an outstanding program. It's very mature and we believe it will increase Syd's skills and build a team mentality that she has lacked in the past. 

When we arrived I thought the whole team would be present but instead it was the Club Director, the U14 coach, and one other strong blocker who was trying out for U15. 

The other girl was a strong freshman volleyball player that was the only one to make the JV team at Westwood. Syd stayed with her every step of the way. Syd was obviously tired towards the end but we talked about that before the practice so I knew she was ready when her muscles to start giving out. 

She powered through and after the tryout  they were both offered a spot in the club. I was ecstatic!! So proud of our super strong, super tall athlete and role model for her younger sister. 

2014 Club Jollyville tryout

Firsts

Kiley is getting ready for her first triathlon. I'm super excited. This past Sunday she did her first brick workout at distance. I wasn't sure how well she would hold up but she is strong. After a strong 25m swim we took a short break and did a bike / run transition. I was particularly impressed when her side was hurting and she powered through the run. Great job cutie pie!

Syd is growing so fast. It's really funny that I have to look up to her now. She has started soccer practice and is trying out for her second year of club volleyball with a different organization. With everything going on outside the house, I asked her to make dinner for the family while Kiley and I were out training. She made the most excellent spaghetti dinner with a broccoli side and some yummy rolls. She is so dependable these days. This summer our little independent girlie also saved up to buy herself a Mac Air. So proud of her dedication persistence and willingness to help out the family. 

Jake is having a great start to the year. It may not seem like a big deal but it is to us and probably to him. He's doing his homework when he gets home from school. Twice, this week alone, he has asked if I could come back later because he was reading or trying to finish a paper. I didn't say a word. I left the room and gave him the space. Like I said, maybe not a hug deal for your teenage boy but huge for ours. He seems to have a renewed fire for getting things done. Sure he still games a lot and is mostly in his room but I see him working with a desire to do well like we haven't seen before. 

So happy for out kiddos and what they are doing with their time!!

First day of school, CCE - 2014

What!? School is starting?

Another school year is beginning next week. The kids are no longer kids. Jake and Syd are both taller than Courtney and I and Jake is starting high school. Syd is going into 8th and Kiley is starting kinder.

Kiley is super excited with a little nervousness mixed in. Syd won't say but I know she's excited about the social aspects of school. Jake is starting high school and I think I'm more excited than he is. When I asked him about it he said that he's curious about how he'll stack up. Not really understanding that statement I asked what he meant. He said he wonders how he'll stack up against the other guys when it comes to girls. Ha!!

So it begins.....

The first day is August 26, 2014. 

Summer 2014 - Gateway Leadership summer celebration on the lake

Dance

I'm with Kiley at dance class. The second day this week. She's doing three days a week this season. So happy she likes it that much!! When we asked her about it before signing her up, she asked for a day to think about it. Funny I don't remember considering an activity that carefully at age 5. Cutie pie.

She of course decided she liked it enough to try out for Vision, which is the dance team at dancers workshop where she learns. I don't think she'll compete this year but it excited me that she's that excited. 

So, back to where i started. Today while starting ballet/tap class, while the teacher was getting things set up, she was looking in the mirror going through positions on the bar. I don't know them [the position names] and probably should. But it was obviously ballet.

It made me smile to see her do that completely on her own. I think she really likes it. :)

Day 1, jazz/hip hop, 2014 - Dancers Workshop