Future Royalty

I remember thinking, "Do all little girls play in dress ups?" I thought I would have more of a tomboy little gal since she has three older brothers. She is pretty rough and tough, but when I asked her if she wanted to put on a Sleeping Beauty dress for a friend's birthday party, she was pretty dang excited. She loved the party and when I came to get her she was dancing around their family room with the older sister to "Ever After" music. So, a princess is born. This photo is of Mallory and our dear friend, Emma, who went to the party too. Gage got invited as well and he was pretty proud of his knight gear that he got from the party. We have been hit with the foam sword many times, so I guess you could also say...a knight is born, but really I just think he likes to hit people whether it be with a sword or...just about anything!

Lost and Found (mostly)

It seems like it was the week for losing things around here.  Many searches were held for these items and prayers were said.  

1. Our Dora DVD from the library.  We looked for it for days.  It finally turned up when we were looking for this - 
2. Zane's iphone.  He had it Monday evening when he came home from work and then that night it was gone.  He and I stayed up until midnight looking for it.  We dug through the trash, the fridge, the dirty laundry...everywhere.  Finally, in the morning, Zane thought maybe Gage might have had in the night before so we thought about where Gage was during that time.  I called Lacey and she asked Tanner who said Gage had had it in their backyard with him the night before.  So, a few minutes of looking in the grass of her backyard and a few prayers later, I found it laying in the blades of grass.  Ryan hadn't mowed the back yet, thank goodness, and was getting to that later that day.  And, Zane had his phone on vibrate and we tried calling it, but that just didn't give us much to go on!
3. Sparky.  He's our hermit crab.  He got a new container on Sunday and on Wednesday, when we woke up, he wasn't in it.  He probably worked all night to get out of that new home of his.  We looked all through the house, under couches and in drawers.  I finally found him under the computer table asleep.  Which probably wore him so much that...
4. We lost Sparky.  For good.  Two days later, he wasn't moving in his shell.  Yes, Sparky now lives with his friend Brocko (who died last Fall) in little hermit crab heaven.  Jackson family, thank you for our two hermit crabs whom we did love, but who needed to find some eternal rest!

Dora Live

Mallory has an obsession with Dora the Explorer. And, thanks to many garage sales, friends who's daughters have outgrown her and Grandma Betty's scores at the Goodwill, we have a full supply of Dora around this house. When I found out last March that the Dora Live show was coming, I did an unusual thing for me, and bought tickets for me and Mallory. The show was this past Wednesday and she had on her Dora dress to party down at Whitney Hall. It was so wild to watch her sing and dance because I still think of her as so young. But, that girl got in to it and enjoyed the show thoroughly. I liked it mainly because she was so much fun to watch and because it only lasted an hour and a half. After the show, we walked along the Belvedere and watched the Belle of Louisville on the Ohio River. It was a beautiful night.

Kentucky Pool Party

Unfortunately we don't have access to a neighborhood pool or swim club.  So, our swimming sesssions involve invitations by friends to the pool they have or have access to OR a good ol' Kentucky Pool Party.  The former is what we usually end up doing and for the little ones it works.  Sometimes there are dragon flies swarming around, crickets trying to jump in or racoons who party in our pool at night.  I guess it all comes with the territory.  Here's what we did to prepare for our first dip of the season:

Scrub out the pool since it was left on the back porch all year long!

Watch the pool blow up with speed since it is an Aero Bed Pool!

It's almost ready.

Fill it up as your pants fall down because they are wet too.

Ask Trevor to come out, but he's too tired from Cub Camp and nursing a sunburn.

Party in the pool (only 6 inches deep)!

Up

Saw this with the kids today and I am in love with the story - especially the relationship with Carl and his wife.  I cried and the boys didn't understand why, but I don't care.  I guess I am a sap when I cry even in an animated movie.  I highly recommend - the movie, not necessarily the crying. 

First Day of Summer

• Piano tuner came and tuned the old piano for 3 hours this morning.
• Friends came to play.
• Swimming in a neighbors pool.
• Finally got the van back after 2 weeks in the shop.  New transmission.  Yea!
• All the popcicles in the freezer were consumed.
• Sundaes from McDonalds dripped all over us and in are now in our stomachs.
• Sent Zane to Scout Camp

Hello Summer...

Haircut! We didn't have to talk him in to it (too much).  He's had long hair for about 2 years, so this is quite a change. The verdict is in...he loves it.  I think he looks like my brother Devin!

First and Last

the first day of school

the last day of school

Just wanted to see the difference for myself.   Yeah, I think they look older.

Boston's Production

So cute and simple.  That's what his class production was.  They sang a few songs, recited a few lines, and danced a bit to show what they had been learning all year.  My favorite part was when each student, one at a time, took a turn to say their letter of the alphabet, sound it out and dance around while the rest of the class sounded it out with them.  Boston's was the letter "F" and he just jumped up and down instead of dancing because I could tell he was so embarrassed.  He looked so cute.  Loved it all.  And, why do I always cry during the slide shows at the end?  I think they play that cheesy music and show all those cute little faces and I feel like my boy is growing up too fast.   I just sit there and bite my lip.  But, it's great to see how much he had changed since the first of the year by watching it, so tears and all, it was worth it.  

Just as a note - Trevor is so sad to be finishing school.  I haven't seen him like this, so it makes me believe that he had a great school year.  We just loved his teacher, Ms. Doseck, whom he had for 2 years.  Gage still has another year before he starts kindergarten.  He will be 5 the day that school starts and although he can technically begin school, we think another year at home can't hurt.  Plus, Mallory needs a partner in crime to play with.  Seriously!

The Great Outdoors

I love camping, cooking out (even though I didn't on this night), and just being outside. We went to Deam Lake in Indiana on Friday night for a fun group cook out with friends planned by the Hamiltons. They are moving very soon and it was a way to get together and have fun before their big move. All planned by Kristi. Many made great hobo dinners, the kids jumped in the lake and swam, and many cooked smores. The place is beautiful and it didn't hurt that it was a gorgeous night.

Highlights:

- the company
- the weather
- the food and treats
- the best ice cream shop was found on the way home right before we got on the freeway to get home. I think we need another trip to Indiana soon just for this.
- found a future camp ground for our family to go when we get the urge for the great outdoors.

Just a few accidents to be reported:

- poison ivy everywhere and Mallory fell in a big pile of it. Gave them all baths (except Boston) that night and only Boston has a few spots on his stomach.
- Gage fell in to the fire ring where he scraped and burned his arm. Pretty bad.
- Mallory played in her diaper by the shore of the lake and all was good and well until she fell in face first.

Young Author's Picnic

That young author is Boston.  Zane and I got to have a picnic lunch with him and all of his written stories on Friday. It was so nice to be there with just him (and not any extra siblings - thanks Vicki) and hang out for an hour in the school courtyard. He is a very good writer and it was fun to see how much he had improved on spelling, composition, and handwriting from the beginning of the school year until now. Plus, it didn't hurt that it was a beautiful day.  It was kind of hard for Zane to take the time off of work and since we were down to one car, I really needed him to come and get me to go, so I am so glad it all worked out.  I love all the little plays, picnics, parties, and field days at the end of the school year.  It means that summer is almost here!

What We've Been Up To

In pictures...