First Week of Summer

Our first full week of summer involved a lot of going to the pool. And really I hope all our weeks look exactly like it. One day, I had to run some errands, so before Scott went back to work, he made one last trip to the pool with the kids. He texted me this picture of Lila's very own choice of swimsuits.

I don't have to tell y'all that know me well that I had a coronary with all this mismatch. I texted back, Really?? You let her wear that?? He responded with LET?? Well said. Well said. She's a pistol about the attire these days.

Lila had her last swim lesson on Thursday, so we grabbed Sonic after and headed to the park for some play time. She has done so well at swimming and is officially an independent swimmer. Hallelujah.

Memorial Day 2015

The outdoor pool technically opened on the night of May 22nd. However, the high that day was only about 72, so we all thought it was better to stay home and wait for it to warm up (ok, not all of we thought that, but the parents won out). On Saturday, the high was about 78, so Nate & Lila talked Scott into taking them to the pool. He sent me this picture when they got there. Now. Look closely. Only the outdoor pool could make them be this nice to each other! 

On Sunday afternoon, they again trekked to the pool, this time it was about 80 degrees. Not terrible, but the water temperature still couldn't have been very warm! It didn't phase them, Scott reported.

I stayed home and made a cherry pie for our dessert that evening. Cherry pie is patriotic festiveness to me, so it was my Memorial Day contribution.

On Memorial Day, we were real live Americans and went to the baseball game. Go Cardinals!

My favorite out-take. And this, in case you are wondering, is 98% of life with Lila at this age.

That's better. Can you believe Scott is actually wearing at Cardinals shirt?? I have somewhat converted the die hard Braves fan. Shhh. Don't tell him I told you.

Me & my Cardinal babies!

The giveaway on Monday was a 1985 National League Championship ring. They dialed that one up exactly right for Nate.

We had a great time at the game and stayed the full 9 innings. It was tied though, so they did play a 10th, but the kids were ready to go. Because we left early, Peralta hit a home run right to where we had been sitting and the Cardinals won the game. You're welcome, Cardinals.

Last Day Celebration

I anticipated that the last day of school would initially bring more sadness than happiness for Nate this year. His loop ends and we're all sad to leave Mrs. S. So a few weeks ago, I decided that it would be fun to have a Last Day celebration for both of them. I think it'll be a fun tradition in years to come. 

On Thursday while Nate was at school, Lila and I decorated the house with crepe paper and and balloons. And we also went to get Jilly's cupcakes. When Nate got home from school, we surprised him and told him we were going to PF Changs for dinner. He's been wanting to go because he loves Pei Wei, so it was the perfect surprise. 

Lila posing by the big horse. 

I think she might be getting ready to hit him with her chop stick here. Keepin it real.

Last week, I made Risotto with Shrimp. They both love shrimp. And noodles. And rice. But I pretty much had to beg them to eat it (yes, I do know they'll eat when they are hungry.) So I couldn't hide my shock when they gobbled up the hot and sour soup at the restaurant and were fighting over the tofu. Odd. They're just odd, that's all I can say.

To celebrate the first day of summer, we hung out around the house in the morning and then Lila, Scott & I took a trip to Lowe's. We had a few things we needed to buy and we needed to pick out kitchen lighting.

That proved to be harder than I thought, so we were there a long time. We kept Lila busy with a ring pop. What says Memorial Day weekend better than a long trip to Lowe's and blue lips??

Scott took the kids to the indoor pool for the afternoon and then they wanted to have a picnic on our bedroom floor and watch a movie. Why our bedroom floor you ask? You'll have to ask someone who knows the answer to that one. But they thought it was extra special, and that's all that matters!

First Days - Last Days

So another school year has ended and I think we all thought this one went by too fast! Lila's last day was Wednesday, so we took a compare picture before she left for school. First Day and Last Day of Pre-School Year 1. 

Um. Where did my baby go???? She has grown up so much this year. First Day and Last Day compare with her darling brother. 

Nate's last day was Thursday, and being the together Mom that I am, I forgot to take a picture with the camera before he left. I texted Scott and he snapped this one at the school. I think it's Nate to a T. He has grown into into a fine young man this year.  Love his tan in the first day of school picture!

Nate ended his school year with a bang - we are so proud of his hard work this year. He was the only one in his class to pass all of the multiplication challenges and received Achievement awards for Math, Reading, Writing and Inquiry (Social Studies / Science), as well as Responsibility. He is such a hard worker and we've had a great time celebrating all of his accomplishments this year. 

Now we get to celebrate it being summer! Bring on the pool!

Hodge Podge

Last weekend when Scott & Lila went to Solar Day, they brought home a turtle. No, they didn't ask permission. 

Scott built a little pen in the backyard as soon as they got home and Lila began treating it like a domesticated pet. On Tuesday, she accidentally left it out of the pen while she went to dance, but Scott thankfully found it when we got home. Here she is last week on her first of the morning turtle check. New York Fashion Week here she comes. 

Well. On Friday, we discovered that the turtle was no longer in his pen. We're not sure if he was left out or climbed out. But either way, he's gone. Lila wasn't too terribly sad but Nate was devastated. Story of my life about how they handle disappointments!

Here she is looking for the turtle on Sunday morning.

The outfits get better and better.

Backing up to Friday, I chaperoned Nate's field trip to our park for the end of the loop celebration. They played games, ran around and had lots of fun. I love to watch him interact with his classmates. I know I'm biased, but he's such a nice young man.

On Saturday morning, it was raining, so we did some painting. My dear sweet one that doesn't like to smile.

He'll almost always give me a smile. Yes, the walls are finally painted back there and I have my lanterns hung. But that's it. I promise some more pictures when I get everything on the walls!

On Saturday night we went over to a friend's house for dinner. The kids had the best time and we stayed up way too late. Sunday was kind of a full day, so when we got home from swimming, Lila immediately went to the couch. I turned on a movie for her and gave her the remote to push play when the movie came on. She didn't make it thru the previews.

Last week of school around here!!!! Summer here we come!

Last Week & Mother's Day

The weather was so nice last week, and we're finally getting the rainy days that May is supposed to bring now. Lila & I decided to walk to dance class on Tuesday. Or I walked, she rode. My sweet little dancer. Hard to believe this stroller is almost 10 years old. I've only about given it away 6 times already, but yet it's still here and still in use for a few more months. 

Scott took Lila to Solar Day in Charleston on Friday. Solar Day is like a field day for the 3rd & 5th graders at Hearnes Elementary (the only elementary school in C-town) and is held in my grandparent's, now Hamil & Sarah's, yard. My parents both speak about their respective areas of expertise, pond life and snakes, and there are many other outdoor experts as well. It was held for the first time when I was in 3rd grade, so it was kind of neat to think about that now that I have my own 3rd grader.

Since Nate & I were on our own, we went out to dinner at Bread Co. While we were there, he nonchalantly told me he was the only one in his class to pass his multiplication challenge LAST WEEK, and therefore he was the only one to move up this Friday. And he passed this week's challenge too, making him the only one in the class that has the chance of passing all of the challenges before school is out. He said his teacher and the whole class clapped for him.

Now, why it took him a week to tell me about last week's good news, or a full 2 hours of being together on Friday afternoon to tell me his class CLAPPED FOR HIM, I'll never know. Boys. You gotta drag it out of them.

So we promptly went to celebrate over at Orange Leaf for frozen yogurt after we finished up dinner.

I'll pause to say we had a very special visitor at our house over the weekend. Sadly, I didn't get take any pictures of her! Miss Jane Ellis came to visit and we were all so very glad to see her. The kids absolutely adore her and well, ya know, I do too. Miss her already.

My sweet boy and me on Mother's Day morning. The other yahoo was not in the picture taking mood.

As evident here. But I still love her and her scowl.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. I am blessed to have a wonderful mother and as well as a wonderful bonus mother in my mother-in-law!

Mom's Spring Hiking Series

On the weekends that Scott works, I try to think of something to do away from the house that takes up a chunk of time. It makes us all better people. 

So I decided that since our last hike went so well, that we would continue on with Mom's Spring Hiking Series. Part 2. 

There is a Nature Center not far from our house that the kids have been to before, but I've never been. We made our way to Powder Valley and set off on a hike. 

The main trail is paved, which was nice. It is still rustic and had a stream running along side most of it. Saturday was a beautiful day and it felt good to be getting some fresh air.

I know this picture is blurry and you can barely see Lila. But that's the point. Nate and I were making our way along the path when I looked back, expecting to see Lila to be right behind us, but instead I found her walking down the middle of the creek instead of the path. "Be right there, Mom!"

They are a funny pair. And when left to their own devices, even get along with each other. Imagine that.

My firstborn. Who is growing by the hour.

Lila was bound and determined to get wet. I kept telling her I didn't have a change of clothes or shoes. But she could have cared less. Nate kept climbing down in the creek to help her. He's a worry wart like me.

After we finished up our hike, we went into the nature center. I have to say Powder Valley does a really good job. The kids really liked putting on a puppet show for me.

And then they colored a picture about their favorite thing from the day. Nate drew a turtle (that is in the nature center) and Lila drew a waterfall.

The picnic tables weren't very accessible at PV, so we made the short drive over to Emmenegger Nature Staging area and had lunch by the river. The Meramec River that is. The kids kept asking why it was so muddy.

They are spoiled by the clear streams where we canoe.

As we were finishing up lunch, they found this snake skin by our picnic table. I texted a picture to my mom and she said it was from a Black Rat Snake. Comforting.

Another beautiful weather weekend in the books! I wonder if I'll get away with a Part 3 in Mom's Spring Hiking Series??