Riley at 14 months

Well she didn't crawl until 10 months. She didn't attempt to stand until 12 months. WHY WOULD WE EXPECT WALKING TO BE ANY DIFFERENT?!?

She's not walking on her own yet, but at least she's interested in it.

I bought this pushing/riding toy yesterday. She has been trying to push Chandler's grocery cart, but it's a little too tall and not quite heavy enough... I tried loading it with books, but I decided that was a little dangerous!

She really got excited about it and even took a few trips up and down the street in front of the house....

Does she remind you of an old lady wearing a mumu pushing a grocery cart??


Chandler got a kite (can't beat a $1 Wal-mart kite!)....

and the award for the Best Smile goes to...

This past Tuesday was the end of the cheer leading season. This was an abbreviated/trial run season. It was a success so the church has decided to run a full length program in the fall....

Here's your heads up! The full length program means competitions. IF they compete there is the possibility that we will be taking the girls to compete in Orlando... Coach Jessica already told the girls that this was a possibility and that it would include A TRIP TO DISNEY WORLD... IF they can raise enough money and get enough sponsors.
Now, Chandler is only 5 and the youngest in the squad this year, but she has been to Disney World. Do you think she heard anything about possibility, IF, raise money, get sponsors?? OF COURSE SHE DIDN'T!!!!
She told me yesterday that she wants to do cheer leading again because.... wait for it.... SHE WILL GET TO GO TO DISNEY WORLD!!

Coach Jessica has no children of her own. :)

So back to the cheer leading performance....
The girls did pretty good... The 3rd time around! :)
The 1st attempt. Not so good.
The 2nd. A little better.
The 3rd. They actually looked like they may have done this before!

I had seen them do it better the week before in practice, but for the parents that didn't know what it was supposed to look like, it was probably quite splendid!

Chandler did great. I was proud of her. I just kept reminding myself that she's only been in the program for 8 weeks, they only practice 1 time a week, and Coach Jessica introduced the bulk of the routine only 2 weeks prior to the performance.

We did get it on video, (THANKS APRIL!!) but I haven't been able to figure out how to put it online... I'll keep trying.
For now you will have to settle for pictures. :)

Eating dinner with the squad just before the performance.

Photos from the routine...

Starting positions

Jumps!
Can you see Chandler? She's in the middle of the photo looking up!

Everyone made it... this must have been the 3rd attempt!

"Hurrying" to the next position... hurrying is a matter of opinion. :)

Chandler's stunt group. She's the one in the front with her back to the camera.
She was supposed to be the "flyer" (a flyer is the girl in the air), but she backed out at the practice 30 minutes before the performance.

She obviously has great confidence in her group's flyer since she decided NOT to hold her legs for her!

Each girl got a certificate. Each certificate was for a different award... Best jumps, best voice, most spirit, best formations, best base (the person on the bottom of the stunt group), best flyer, best all around, most improved and leadership awards.

The girls with their awards.

Our Chandler won BEST SMILE. :)

Showing off her new pom-poms.

Spring Happens!

Just to catch you up on what's been happening at the Miles House this spring...

Brandon and Chandler planted the garden.

Here's the garden "pre-plants"

Planting broccoli

More broccoli

All together we have 4 broccoli plants, 2 bell pepper plants, 2 banana pepper plants, 4 squash plants, 3 cantaloupe plants, 3 cucumber plants, 6 better boy tomato plants (regular tomatos), and 6 cherry tomato plants.


Chandler made a new friend.
About 2 weeks ago, I left the girls at the church so I could attend our Mom's Group Spring Tea. When I came back to get them Chandler was standing with a group of girls and they were all holding blue paper cups... Since they were looking in the cups and not drinking from them, I was curious. I went over to discover that each girl was holding a poor defenseless caterpillar captive in her cup!

Chandler has NEVER been a bug kid, but she loved that caterpillar... so much that she let him/her roam free in my living room!
After we found him I explained to her that living in our house wasn't the best of living arrangements for her new friend. After some tears and some pleading we let him climb a tree in our back yard where he would have food and he would be safe from Max, Ladybug and RILEY! :) Chandler's main concern was that Riley would somehow manage to find a small caterpillar's in our large backyard and cause him undo harm!

Wore slap out!

So our busy day in Chattanooga was a success!

On our way...

The day took a sudden dive...

That is a gray hair on my compact... I found it while applying my makeup in the car... that's about the 6th one in 2 months! I saw 3 or 4 more, but just couldn't convince Brandon to pull over and pull them out for me!
I'm only 28!!! Too young for gray hair!!!

We arrived in Chattanooga and took part in the Great Strides Walk for Cystic Fibrosis.


Nearing the end of the walk!

There was a GREAT park at the walk site so the girls enjoyed a little play time while Brandon walked the 1/2 mile back to the car for our picnic stuff... Yes, it really was a 1/2 mile to the car... I wore my pedometer. :)

Obviously this photo was taken BEFORE Brandon left to walk back to the car. :)

We had planned to have lunch in Coolidge Park, but since the girls were enjoying the playground so much we ate there instead.

Walking a 3k and playing hard works up an appetite!

Riley diggin' into the grapes!

We loaded up in the car to head to downtown Chattanooga... we drove around a while to give Riley time for a short nap...

After arriving downtown we headed straight for Ben & Jerry's!

Then it was across the street to let the girls play in the water at the Tennessee Aquarium.



From the aquarium we headed over to Ross' Landing

That is Brandon standing down there... Just to give you an idea of how high that water is shooting!

We found another fun playground...



Chandler and I both tried this contraption... You stand in it and it spins... It spins so much that I almost threw up! Brandon wouldn't even try it!


From there it was over to the Walnut Street Bridge (aka the walking bridge)...

Once across the bridge we took a ride on the carousel at Coolidge Park...

How appropriate that Riley is riding on a PIG!

Chandler on her horsey...

Chandler tired.

After the ride we put our blanket down for a rest.
Each of us chose to "rest" in our own way...

Chan tackled Brandon

Riley took a "rest" from riding in her seat and decided to see what the view looks like from Chandler's spot.

I CRASHED!

Then is was BACK across the bridge to meet Jonathan and Amy for dinner.

I was pretty tired by this point... doesn't it show on my face :)

Sticky Fingers for dinner....
When I asked Amy if they liked Sticky Fingers. Jonathan's reply, "I usually wash my hands."
That Jonathan, he's a funny guy!

Jonathan, Chandler and Amy

Riley, Brandon, and Me

Off to the Chattanooga Lookouts game!

We had good seats...

First row... DANGER! Watch for foul balls!!

After Riley took a quick nap she spent the rest of the time bouncing from lap to lap.

Me & Amy

The Lookouts won...
It was LATE when we got home. Chandler fell asleep in the car, but Riley fought it and managed to make it home before crashing in her bed.

It was a good day. Long, but good.

My pedometer read 23,043 steps.
I've used up enough steps to deserve a whole entire day in bed! :)