Nick's 2 & 0

He came through again! Nick blew away the competition. This race was 1.2 miles. He finished #1 in 6:50. The next closest guy finished 40 seconds behind. The first picture shows Nick about 200 yards into the race.



This one is after the first mile. I know - great photography skills...



Crossing the finish line! Notice Maddie to the right with her back to camera. She once again helped with taking times as she is still limping with shin splints.



Hopefully next week they will both be competing.

Several days worth

Okay - way too much has happened since my last post but let me start with this - Nick is very grateful for the invitation to be fed but feels slightly put off that the invitation was posted anonymously...

Now on to family activities.


Hannah had a big day on the 17th. She turned 11! We celebrated by having Grandpa and Grandma Causey over for supper and cake. Hannah chose a marbled cheesecake for her birthday cake. It was very yummy! She got some great gifts and lots of cool hard cash. She is thinking about buying some type of ipod.


Yesterday (Tuesday) Nick and Maddie had their first Cross Country meet. Maddie has been enduring painful shin splints. She and her coach agreed it would be best to give her muscles a rest so she helped with keeping times and places for her team.

Nick was nervous! It was kind of a disappointment that the other three teams at the meet brought a TOTAL of four seventh and eighth grade boys, not much competition. Our team had 26 boys!



Nick came through and won his very first race!! The course was exactly one mile in length and his time was 5:18. He smoked everyone. Tomorrow is their next meet. I'm looking forward to it and I'll keep you posted.

Thrift Store Score!

This past spring for track, Nick wanted track spikes. I'm sorry - I can't justify the $50-$80 bucks for a pair of shoes that are flimsy to begin with and will only fit for one season and come on, do seventh graders really need these? We just bought new running shoes for Cross Country this fall - size 10 1/2. While at the Thrift Store the other day I came upon a pair of men's track spikes - never been used, Mizuno, size 11, $5! That I can do! Hopefully they will fit when track rolls around next spring.

The First Day of School

What an adventure...the first day of school finally arrived. We started back on the 3rd of September. The kids humored me with "first day of school" photos.

Nick is an 8th grader at Northern Burlington Middle School. He is excited to see his school pals and for Cross Country to start. He is 5'6" and eats like a pig!


Maddie is a 7th grader also at Northern Burlington Middle School. She is anxious to see old friends and to make new ones. She can't decide if she is going to go out for Cross Country or not. She is in 8th Grade Algebra along with her brother(which counts as High School credit as Algebra 1). She is 5'4" and has a lovely personality.


Hannah is a 5th grader at North Hanover Upper Elementary School. How's that for a name of a school. She is in the accelerated Math and Reading classes. Maybe this year she might actually have some homework. Hannah is about 4'6" and is a pleasure to have around.


Isaiah is a 2nd grader at Atlantis Elementary School. His teacher's name is Mrs. Hatoff. He reported after the first day that "she is very nice." He also is about 4'6", much to Hannah's chagrin and is currently taking medication for a bad case of poison ivy.



I too, went to school on the first day. I was called in as a teacher's aide for K-4. Here in New Jersey when you are four you go to half-day kindergarten (K-4), when you're five you go to all-day kindergarten (K-5). The first day was a real treat. I spent my morning with a little guy named Frankie. Frankie wanted his mommy. At one point while sitting on my lap he cried so hard he told me he was going to throw-up. I smiled at him and said, "No, you're not." But then his little hand went up to his mouth and I realized - yes - he was going to throw-up. I whisked him across the room and hung his head over the garbage can just in time. Yes, it was a lovely first day back to school. Sorry, no pics of me.