Happy birthday, Kinley!

Ah . . . . an off year.  I know kids love their parties, but since implementing our every other year plan, I have really enjoyed having off years to just celebrate as a family.  I owe Kinley an ice skating day still, but we really had a great weekend.  Uncle Bennett was even home for a few days to celebrate with us, which was such a bonus.  Brandon and Erika hosted a great birthday dinner and we got to go out to dinner the night before her birthday with everyone.  

The only thing she wanted this year was concert tickets to see Justin Bieber.  I cannot believe I caved in, but I did.  She and Kaiya and I (can't figure out why Coop and Doug didn't want to go) will go on June 30th.  She did get some other fun gifts, but from the scream she let out when she found out about the concert, I think it's safe to say that was her favorite.  I'm investing in ear plugs before June. ;)  One of her other gifts was ice skates.  I love when my kids are creative and this might fall a bit in the 'redneck' use of the drainage ditch behind our house, but the kids have poured water and smoothed it out into a nice ice skating runway.  It's not a rink--just a runway.  I do wonder what our neighbors think when they see them out there with a broom, music and props, but I think it beats sitting in front of electronic devices any day!

It's so funny how different the personalities are in our home and I'm fully convinced that birth order plays a huge role in that.  Cooper is driven and high strung in his role as the oldest while Kinley is the goof ball, free spirited, funny, snuggle bug.  Kaiya--well, she will tell you all her woes as the middle child, but I'll save that for another day.

Right before her birthday, Kinley announced that she wanted to start doing triathlons and to do them to raise money for the American Heart Association for her brother and cousin, Spencer.  Sniff, sniff.  No clue where the idea came from.  I do not do triathlons.  I hate the swimming part and I've never done one.  I thought she would drop the idea, but kept talking about it, so here we go.  She is all signed up for the Iron Kids Triathlon in August.  It's 150 yd swim, 4 mile run and a 1 mile run.  She bugs me to help her train all the time and has had no trouble running a mile under 10 minutes already.  She has enlisted my brother, Brandon, to be her official trainer and he gladly accepted the job.

After her first training run.  Piece of cake!

In addition to the triathlon, she just finished her basketball season and already signed up for spring volleyball.  She tells me she doesn't miss dance at all and is just happy as long as she has a basketball or volleyball in her hands.  She now is just an inch or two shorter than Kaiya and they can share shoes and lots of clothes.  Crazy!

Love this kid, including every goofy bone in her body!