Officially Summer

Yea!  Summer Vacation is here (well actually Levi has an afternoon of preschool tomorrow as a make-up for snow days).  It's 9:00pm and with the exception of Reid, the kids are all up and still awake.  Since they are all cuddled up on the couch entertained by the TV, I figure they can stay up until I finish this post.  And I am not sure I can truly classify it as Summer vacation" as our daily calender is looking quite busy, so maybe calling it "Summer schedule" would be more precise. 

We went to early mass this morning so that we could beat the heat and enjoy the early afternoon hours with a picnic lunch and trail walk around the lake at Nathaneal Greene park.  It is such a beautiful park with many flower beds and gardens lining the paved trail.  The kids were easily entertained with the unique climbing equipment placed in several nooks of the trail path.  We didn't even make it up to the butterfly house and the upper playground so the kids have already made me promise to take them back soon.













Addy was invited to attend a swim birthday party in the afternoon of the last day of school.  I'm pretty sure that was a great way to not only celebrate a birthday, but also the end of the 1st Grade!  When I went to pick her up, all the girls were laying out on the cement sunbathing!


With the last week of school also came many end of the year awards and assemblies.  Both Jaidyn and Addy received the Presidential Physical Fitness Award and were recognized at an assembly.  And the day prior they were both recognized as a "Star Student" out of their class at the SOARing Assembly.  Jaidyn was recognized for "always giving 100% in all that she does" and Addy was recognized "for always having a smile on her face and for always helping out her classmates when they are having a tough day".  They both had a great school year and were blessed to have wonderful teachers!




Here are some pictures of Addy and Levi's birthday campout last weekend.   While the overall event was much fun, I will have to pass on tent camping on another 34 degree night.  I just wasn't prepared for temps that low and lay freezing all night praying for the morning hours to arrive.  However, it didn't seem to effect the kids much as they snuggled deep in to their sleeping bags and didn't even complain about it the next morning.  Kids, they are much more resilient!













And once back home, we had some Beyblade top spinning battles going on in the driveway!  Addy was top spinning champ, while I came in a close second!  Better luck next time Wes, Jaidyn and Levi! :)

Levi's 50's Preschool Program

Despite his shyness Levi did a super job in his 50's themed preschool program.  Dressed in his white tshirt, rolled jeans with our best attempt at a slicked to the side greaser hair-do, he danced and sang telling us all not to touch his blue suede shoes. I can't believe how fast his two years of preschool have gone by.  Unfortunately none of the preschoolers in his class will be attending the same school next year so he won't have too many familiar faces on his first day of kindergarten, yet he is already excited about the Kindergarten school year to come. 


Levi and his best buddy GONE MAD!


We saw this 50's car in the parking lot and were instantly drawn to the license plate, but also couldn't help ourselves to use it as a prop. 

Jaidyn's 1st Communion

We are so proud of Jaidyn during her entire journey to make her very first Holy Communion. We pray that Jesus will continue to guide her heart and there forever stay to help her, inspire her and bless her every day! Congratulations Jaidyn!

  

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

School Field Trips

I consider myself lucky to be able to have been able to attend each of Jaidyn and Addy's school field trips.  You know the end of the school year is fast approaching when the last 30 calendar days are starting to fill up with school field trips, programs and field days.  On Wednesday, the 2nd grade spent the day at the Robert Foster Museum on the College of the Ozarks campus and on Thursday, the 1st grade spent the day at the Dickerson Park Zoo.  The boys even enjoyed the outings and Levi (skipped) took a day off from preschool to come along. 









 

 



 





With spring in full force it means that Wes has weekly grass mowings to fit in with his busy work schedule.  And he always has two little guys waiting their turn to hop aboard for a ride.