Gymnastics Finale

The end of gymnastics was last week.  What a great last day.  The kids wore capes and did a little routine with Superman music playing.  They all got to demonstrate the different skills they've learned.  Then they broke into their small groups and demonstrated using all the equipment.  It really has been a great year--the girls have gotten really strong and can do some amazing things.

The pit--one of the favorite stations.

Annie can hold a bridge with her leg in the air for a LONG time.

Pretty sisters!!

  

Got to stand on the gold medal block to receive their award.

Thank you Miss Sue.

Thank you Miss Leslie.

Miss Gulch AKA Annie

Annie is now a 2 wheelin' bike rider.  At age 4, she's officially our youngest two wheeled bike rider.  She never let me help her once, just worked and worked and figured out how to do it.  Not surprising, though.  Annie's a determined little girl.

Every time I see her ride, I feel like she looks like Miss Gulch from the Wizard of Oz.  She sits up super straight and is often wearing a dress.

 

 

 

 

 

 Good job Annie

Bigelow Hollow

It was a hot weekend as we celebrated Matt's birthday.  After a roller skating birthday party for the girls and a baseball game for Andrew, we headed to Bigelow Hollow up in Union, CT.  It's a nice state park that we'd heard about but never been to.  While it was different than what I expected, it was a lot of fun.  The kids were happy to get their first swim of the season in, even if it was cold.

 

What a beautiful family...

What a beautiful view!

 

A great day.  I think Matt had a happy birthday too, which is always good!

Happy Days

Just a few final happenings to get me up to date, until I download a few more pictures that is.

Music Makers--here's Annie at her last Music Makers.  We've attended music makers for 7 years now and I've been in charge of it for the 6 years we've lived here.  What an awesome program that we've had a lot of fun with.  One more thing that is bitter sweet to see ending.  Glad we've done it and glad for the end.  I think the month of May always makes me glad for things to be over.  I'm thinking I'll miss music makers a little more in the fall when we aren't attending. :)

Annie has been ready to move on.  The entire month of May she was counting down how many more times she 'had' to go to music makers.  Of course though, you can see a happy girl in the pictures below.
 

I'll miss this fun time with her but look forward to different adventures ahead!

Whit and Annie at the hot dog stand.  Every week as we've gone to gymnastics, the girls get excited to see the 'hot dog man' and his cart at the gas station right before gymnastics.  All year I've told them we'd get a hot dog before gymnastics was done and I surprised them last week.  Happy girls indeed!!!  A nice hot dog man too.

The girls went to Julia's birthday party last week--a roller skating party.  They were so excited and had a lot of fun even though they fell a bunch.  I think they look like sisters, huh?  Happy memories!

 

Mary's Birthday

My child is in double digits.  I keep having too many reminders that I'm not as young as I used to be.  Life goes too fast.
Mary has been super excited for this birthday, super excited for double digits, super excited to have a party, super excited to remind us all about it 8,000 times.

Here's the cake.  She wanted it chocolate with chocolate frosting and roses.  My first roses.  A humid house that day made them stressful but the turned out pretty alright.  She was happy.
 

Happy gifts.  Present highlight--a Nook Simple Touch.  I scored a mega deal and it has the technology without the internet access or apps--just what I want.  All she can do with it is read and she's in heaven.

A cute shot of the kids--had to put it in.

Happy Birthday Mary girl.  You are animated and dramatic and have creative ideas.  You love to write stories and movie plot synopses, and easily read a book a day.  You enjoy the simple pleasures of life and have some good friendships that make me happy.  You have a desire to be good.  We love you Mary.

Party time--for her party, Mary wanted to decorate cupcakes, eat pizza and watch a movie.  We did just that.  Here are a sampling of the cupcakes the girls decorated.

 

 

I love a happy bunch of 9 and 10 year old girls.  Mary really has found good friends.  I hope it stays that way.

 

Some finished products.  they did an ice cream cone cupcake too as well as some cookies.
The movie was Princess Bride and that was a success too.

 

Happy Birthday Mary.  It's been fun
We only do parties every other year, so now no parties til Annie's birthday in 2014--I'll savor the time off. :)

NYC Getaway

I finally made it to New York.  This year has been ridiculous in that I haven't been able to coordinate a weekend in to go see Megan and Nate.  Finally it happened.

It was low key and awesome.  Ate yummy pizza at Don Antonio's, had frozen yogurt at 16 Handles, walked and walked and walked, visited the Tenement Museum, went to Brooklyn for the flea market, doughnuts at Dough (HEAVEN!!!!!), lots of hanging out and lots of talking.  It was great and I need to do it more often!

Here's Megan and Nate's back at the flea market.  I love me some good deals and there were none to be found.  Just super overpriced stuff and interesting people.  Fortunately the doughnuts down the road were the most incredible doughnuts I've ever eaten.  They were worth the trip to Brooklyn by themselves

My sis and me.
Our smiles are identical.  Our hair is not.

May Happenings

Since I just uploaded photos from the camera and hadn't done that since April, we have some catching up to do.
Whit had her kindergarten concert at the end of April.  What a sweet kindergartener who has had such a great year and has made great friends.  'Happy' pretty much sums her up.
 

Whit and Mrs. Kelly

Whit and Mrs. Coleman.  Mrs. Kelly switched positions in the school so Whit had to have a switcheroo mid year--fortunately, it was a smooth transition.

Japanese Tea Ceremony--a highlight of 2nd grade at our elementary school.  They've learned so much about Japan and made kimonos and everything.  I was excited to be able to come and help out.

 

A happy boy who didn't like his sushi. :)

Preschool--Annie just finished up preschool, and so did I.  After 6 years of doing a co-op preschool, those days are done.  It's bitter sweet.  I have loved getting to teach them and have this for all the kids but I'm ready to be done too.  It's funny how these life chapters go.  I kind of felt like the day would never come that they were all in school--well it's practically here and Annie is super excited.  So am I.
My final preschool teaching was an animal field trip to see some baby chicks

 

Annie loved holding them and counting them.

Baseball--Andrew's played baseball this year and has shown great improvements.  He has a good team and really awesome coaches.

 

 

And yes, sometimes he still dances when he's in the field. :)

Mary's Concert--Mary wanted to do 4th Grade Chorus this year and I was skeptical after being very unhappy with the 3rd grade chorus teacher last year.  I agreed to let her only b/c I knew it was a new teacher.  Well, the new teacher has been wonderful and Mary has enjoyed it.  Her concert was sweet and didn't leave me ready to complain to the principal.  Happy day.

Spring Fling--a highlight of every school year and this year didn't disappoint.  Annie was happy that she was able to dunk the principal.  

Down on the Farm Day--check out our cute farmer.