Late April

The end of school brings about what seems like one school event every day… this was reading group day, where parents come to watch the small groups of 2 or 3 kids.  Avery's day was first.  We watched them excitedly show off their phonemic skills.

Including kinesthetic activities:-)

Silas' group was the next day.  They do all kids of fun games for sight words and then each of them read us a book!  It's amazing to watch them learn this year - I realize it is exponential every year, but to go from barely knowing letters to "sight reading" a book they've never seen before… wow!  So proud of them!!

Gay Gay and Uncle Bobby came down to visit a few weeks ago just for fun! We love it when they come!  The brave souls took all us crazy people to Georgia Blue for a fun and loud dinner.  (Avery is missing in this pic.. she wasn't feeling great, so Bruce drove her home after dinner while we all hung around outside)

Then, JA FIELD DAY!!  These two on rival teams… and the little Cardinal ready for his school too:-)

Someone sent me these pictures of Avery - I didn't get any of Silas (parents couldn't come to this event).  Love these pics of my little competitive gal. Wonder where she gets it;-)

Game face

Regardless of who won the field day events, they remain inseparable. We went for a walk and while I sat on the bench with Samuel, I looked up and found the familiar sight.  Warms my heart.

We did spend a weekend in Grenada for a "last hoorah" on Papaw's land.  They sold the land next to their house and want to sell the house, downsizing to the lake (which we are excited about too!)… but we loved taking the Polaris through all the little trails I grew up playing on. I told the kids old stories of spending countless hours back here.  Our hearts are so full of wonderful times here - of course a little sad to move on, but many new adventures await!  This picture makes my heart smile too!

We tried for some family pictures with Allison's mini-sessions. It was a beautiful morning, not hot and not cold, the kids were cooperative with their clothes (fist pump!), it was a beautiful setting… and we did manage to get a few good pics before…….. THE CAT.  Oh, poor Samuel. He saw the cat and was DONE.  So group pics were tickling pics…

Thankfully, there was one shot of all three.  Another one that warms my heart.

April 2016

We took advantage of a beautiful Saturday and took Samuel for his first trip to the Jackson Zoo. We haven't been to a zoo since Guangzhou in China. Silas and Avery loved 'teaching' Samuel all about this zoo they know so well.

Staring contest with the ostrich. Avery decided (and declared) that this was a lady ostrich due to "her long eyelashes".

We had such fun. Samuel seemed to be fine with animals behind fences… even big giraffes and bears and rhinoceroses.  Of course, every trip ends with a carousel ride.  See Silas in the back?

And then we splurged with snow cones!  Three happy ones here!

We love these beautiful spring afternoons… this one was for a little painting.

and fingerpainting...

and tasting?  I ran inside to get more towels and:   (there was no paint inside his mouth, so I decided he didn't taste it, only painted his face)

We love our Sue Sue!

Last soccer game poses...

Another fun season with friends!

Silas and Avery's friend Jack had a birthday party at the National Air Guard headquarters. They had such a fun time - what a cool party!

They learned all about the cargo planes

and the pilot seat!

Sweet friends!  I asked Silas what went inside that HUGE plane and he said, "oh, you know, big crates, some people, and some little planes… "

Before we knew it, Easter had come and gone!  Here is a recap of the rainy day JA Easter Egg hunt. Gee, I hope they can find an egg or two…  

Rain or shine, it's always super fun!

My buddy and his "ok, fine, I"ll force a smile for your camera, Mom".

Avery and her sweet teacher. We love Mrs. Denton!   (Silas wouldn't take a picture with Mrs. Bussey, whom we love too…)

Silas and Avery both told me, "Mommy, you know that's not the real Easter Bunny at school." I asked how they knew…"he wears shoes… the real one can't be wearing shoes."

Can't forget sweet Samuel and his egg hunting skills!  Or, should I say candy finding skills...


And the Donut Fairy returned!  This time with big snow balls… I suppose some of the snow had melted on Mount Everest where she lives and the donuts were rolled in her special cinnamon and chocolate dirt ;-)

Not long after Easter, I was lying in bed with Silas (the only time of the day he really talks to me or tells me things)… we had said bedtime prayers and he said out of the blue, "Mommy, band-aids don't work, they just cover it up."  Truth, little buddy, truth.  Then he said, "Mommy, take my training wheels off". I asked if he was sure… took them off the next day, and within 30 minutes, he was speeding down the sidewalk!  

So proud… and so savoring every second of these fleeting days.

Catching Up, part 4

Samuel had his 6 month follow up at the eye doctor - and was a hoot in the waiting room!  Everyone loved their free entertainment. He was the only child in the room and took the liberty to walk and sit next to someone and give them this look:

He thought their laughing was hilarious.  Everyone thought he was hilarious.  It was a great time in the doctor's waiting room (yes, I did say that).  He did great, and everything looks perfect. We go back in a year.

One afternoon, I took the FIVE-year olds to get their very own library card! They were so excited and signed their own name and everything.

They picked out books to check out: Silas picked a batman book and Avery couldn't decide between a Treehouse book and a Lion book.  We didn't know, but the Lion book was a kids' Yoga book.  This. was. hilarious.  She commanded had a volunteer for the first read-through.

We've loved having a trampoline - at first, I said never would we have a trampoline (i.e., broken arms)… but our neighbor was getting rid of his for free, and we impulsively said yes.  Bruce had some good friends to help him move it over.  They've had so much fun!  At least it does have a net, right?
I think the game below is tag.  And the white stuff is the "snow" Elsa leaves behind from the willow trees in our backyard… it. never. stops this time of year.

April 30th, Bruce and I went to eat to celebrate our eleventh anniversary!  Wow, seems like yesterday.  Pardon the tired eyes, we really did enjoy dinner!  ha.

Then, miss Avery had her dance recital. Look at this pose!

She did such a great job and loves every minute on the stage!  I have no idea where/who she gets it from.  (Maybe Mop or GG?)

Our dancer and her fan club!

Florida weekend

We hit the road after school, heading to Sandestin, where I had a continuing education course. The kids were so excited (not entirely realizing I would be working most of the time) and literally never stopped talking, singing, screaming, playing for the entire trip!  I've convinced the kids that when you become a Mommy you get eyes in the back of your head.  We've rationalized and tried this fact daily on the way to school and at home. Silas is still not convinced. He did ask me on the drive, "but Mommy, if you have eyes in the back of your head, why can't you drive with your head turned around?" This developed into a discussion about which eyes were purposed for which task… (yes, I did see you snatch the book from your sister, Silas). too funny.

We did decide to take a small detour on the way down for a landmark stop: Lambert's.  Bruce had never been there either…

The concept of throwing food… hmmm.  Of course, it was a hit.  The rolls are as big as their heads!  They only caught about 12 rolls (oops!); and Samuel decided to throw the fried okra everywhere… oops again.

While I was in class Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Bruce was super Dad and had all three kiddos busy and having a blast around the resort!  They spent hours in the arcade:

Climbing wall:


And in the pool - it was FREEZING COLD!

Time with these is always such fun!  We tried a few new restaurants, loved them all. Samuel has pretty much started ordering for himself at restaurants "noodles"!  Most are kind and will make him a bowl of noodles with butter, his favorite.  Oh, and ketchup. (french fries are just a vessel and might be reused)

I had some free time Friday afternoon and took Silas and Avery to the beach while Samuel was napping.  Never a dull moment…

Be still my heart. When they decided to give walking in the water a try, they walked out together and automatically grabbed the other's hand. I wish you could hear them talking to each other, talking the other into trying new things.  ha!

The mermaid princess.

And her king:

Samuel and Bruce joined us later on for Samuel's first ever time on sand!  He had no problem and just dove right in. Apparently, I'm the only one in the family who doesn't love the sand between their toes, in their hair, inside their bathing suit, ears, I could go on.  haha.

It really was an absolutely beautiful weekend, not too hot, not too cold, not too crowded - perfect!

It'll make your heart smile.

It was a fun weekend, great getaway, and looooong drive. (We are thinking about driving to Disney late in the year… and this was half-way. Oh my, we'll handle that when we have to). On the way home, we stopped for a morning of goofy-golf.

Everybody loved playing and Bruce was the only one to keep score ;-) (naturally).  Samuel putted twice then decided the club was not needed. Why would anyone try to hit the ball when you can just walk up to the hole and drop it in?

Silas and Avery did great taking turns, and Avery exceeded the stroke limit on every hole (I may or may not have done the same).

We did make it home in one piece - and a few did nap on the way home.  Cannot believe there is only a week or two left of school!