"Pre"-Spring Break

Mikayla's spring break started on two days early this year.  Woo hoo!  It didn't please Brayden tremendously, but I was excited to have someone else enjoy the days with Whitley with me.  

First stop, "Dutch Bros" (there may have some bribery involved to get Mikayla's eager participation) - and, as it turns out, Whitley is a big fan of Dutch Bro's Wild Berry Smoothie too (good thing we got a large!).  

That smoothie came in real handy keeping Whitley somewhat content in the duo stroller.  She may have also gotten some exercise running down the aisles too.  =)

Whitley's affection for animals has only escalated in recent weeks.  When this neighborhood cat, "Nelson" (kind of a bully), came over to visit, Whitley was ecstatic to get to see "cat says meow".  He purred and swooped through her legs and left to go back home.  Sadly, that wasn't enough kitty visit for Whitley and she had quite the sad little melt-down when we went back inside wailing about the "cat says meow", "owwwside", etc.  I couldn't help but laugh.

On Thursday night, Meg and Kenady came over to spend the night.  Unfortunately, Kenady had to leave early for some soccer commitments, but I was able to drop Meg and Mikayla off at the mall the next morning.  Whitley and I hung out in the play area for a while while they shopped, and then eventually, we all exited, but not without getting some playtime on the motorized carousel.  

On Saturday afternoon, Mikayla and I got a chance to watch Kenady play on her "Olympic Development Soccer Team" to determine which players of the four (or more?!) teams would be chosen to participate on the one all-star "state" team that would continue playing through the summer.  She was pretty nervous about it, so I was glad that that was a couple of games that actually worked both for time and location to witness.    Not only is it great to see Kenady play, it's also been way too long in terms of an opportunity to catch up with Jonna.  I've missed her, but am content to wait a few more weeks until the Boston Marathon has been completed by her (second year in a row!) as I know the preparation for that has been sucking up every spare minute in her life (which doesn't offer a lot of spares to begin with). 

The blue skies may have been glorious, but boy was it windy and brisk.  We were all bundled up in multiple blankets.  But, ahhhh, when the wind died down a moment and that sun hit your face... divine!

That's Kenady with the red pennie on the yellow line.  She played tough out there.  And, what do you know, but two days later, Mikayla got a text from Kenady that indeed she did make the state team.  Would you expect any different from the girl who's mom runs the Boston Marathon and who's uncle is a professional hockey player (he plays on the same team as Carrie Underwood's husband!)?  That family, my goodness - but as I texted to Jonna in congratulations, it's not all of the accolades that draws Mikayla to Kenady as a friend or draws us to the Leighton family as friends - it's their character, integrity, and sweet, sweet spirit.