Fireflies

My favorite thing about summer in New England....fireflies!!!

Day 2

Day 1 of summer was rough.  Day 2 was a little better.  McKinley is enrolled in a cute day camp that some young women in the ward (and New Canaan ward) are putting on for girls 7-10.  She is loving it.  Today they tie-dyed t-shirts, painted fingernails, made pizza and went swimming.

Yesterday they made little pillows, so today she busied herself post-camp by making her brothers some Pokemon pillows.  The boys thought they were great, and McKinley always loves a project.

Last day! Finally!

It is finally the last day of school!  Yay! 

We had to make up two weeks of school from the beginning of the year when we had the hurricane and Noreaster.

When we stepped outside by the driveway to wait for McKinley's bus I saw this deer watching us.

McKinley is actually excited for school to be out this year, which is uncharacteristic of her.  She keeps asking when we can start packing for our Utah trip.

Last day of 3rd grade

When I told Sawyer it was the last day of school he said, "Boo!"

Usually he is making up all sorts of illness to get out of school.

I think he will really just miss the bus rides, since they had been trading Pokemon cards on the bus lately.



Last day of 1st grade

To celebrate we are going to McDonald's for Happy Meals.  Their idea, not mine.

Getting ready to crawl!

Josh has been pushing his sturdy tummy off the floor lately, sometimes holding himself up on his toes and hands.  I think crawling is just around the corner!

I hope the giant ants stay away.

First day of summer

It's a scorcher out here right now.  For our first day of summer we got 90 degree temps mixed with a heavy dose (51% in the picture) of humidity making it feel even hotter.

They kept the kids indoors at school in the afternoon.

When I went outside to wait for Sawyer's bus I took my makeup case to get ready.  As soon as I opened my mirrored compact it fogged up from the humidity for a few minutes.

Needless to say we stayed inside with our A/C unit today.

Sawyer's field day

Sawyer's field day was today.  Parents are in high attendance.  So we opted out of nap time to watch Sawyer.  They did relays, sack races, tug-of-war, and parachute game (which Hayden got to join).

It was all just for fun, not competition.  It was nice.

Little baby was actually very pleasant and kept laughing and smiling at people despite no nap time.  Strangers!  He hates strangers usually, it was a nice change.  Everyone kept commenting on how squishy and adorable he is.

Most of Sawyer's class.  I only brought a telephoto lens, so I had to shoot in segments.   One thing I've noticed out here is the stark contrast of girls with hair bows between here and Utah.  It is extremely rare to see a little girl or baby with a bow in her hair, ever! 

While Sawyer was racing, Hayden played on the playground, but eventually wound up playing his DS.

After the games were over the parents and kids sat and had a little class picnic.

Hayden, Josh, and I then ran errands until 1:00 when we had to be at McKinley's school for "closing house".  Again, a parent attended event at their school to show off their classwork and finish off the year.  I guess it brings closure or something.  Sawyer had his last night.  We are all 'closed' up for the year now.

McKinley's Field Day

Her "house" all wore yellow (for Belden Hill) and did games at the high school stadium across from their school.  I was getting my hair cut up the hill from the school and could hear them having fun. 
She was disappointed that they lost the tug-of-war. 
The kids all signed each other's t-shirts.  She even had her mother sign it :)

dragonfly

The picture doesn't do it justice, but we saw the coolest dragonfly while we were outside waiting for the bus.  It has black wings and a bright turquoise body.  It was beautiful...especially for a bug.

8 months old



He can sit semi-reliably by himself (he still topples and hits his head on the hard floor if I don't place some pillows behind him).

He has 4 teeth!  Two on top and two on bottom.

He wakes up around 7 am, naps from 8:30-ish until 11, then 2-4, then to bed at 7 pm.

He loves to go for walks in the jogging stroller. 

He squirms his body around to find us when he's on his tummy, then whines for us to pick him up when he sees us.  No crawling yet.
Loves to try to eat people food, mostly dissolveable foods like crackers, for now.

Is wearing 12-18 month old clothes comfortably.  (I still squeeze a 6-12 month in here and there).
Has the chubbiest, yummiest legs!

Not a big fan of strangers. 

Whines and cries if I'm in the room and not holding him, even if Dad is holding him.




Spring Concert

McKinley had her spring orchestra concert last week.  It was right at baby's bedtime, so Kent had to stay home with Josh and put him to bed.  But her other brothers were forced excited to go.

McKinley did a great job this year, and in her mother's opinion is really good for her age.  She has each piece memorized within the first week she's given it.  I hope the next school she goes to has the same orchestral opportunity.

5 years old!

He cut his finger on a wild raspberry bush, and that put an end to the photo session.

Birthday interview with our new 5 year old

What is your favorite color? rainbow

What is your favorite thing to eat? rice and hamburgers
What is your favorite thing to do? play Toy Story with my family
What is your favorite toy? Buzz Lightyear
What is your favorite book? Toy Story
What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a Kirby
What do you want for your birthday? some stuff from Toys R Us
What can you do now that you are 5 years old that you couldn't do when you were just 4? Climb a tree, stretch or exercise.
 
 
He started the day off bright and early at 5:45!  By some birthday miracle he earned his Mr. Potato Head that's been sitting on the shelf for nearly a year (for anyone who know what that means).  Yay!
I asked him what he wanted to do for his birthday together today.  He wants to go to Toys R Us.  So that's what we're headed out to do right now, followed by his lunch request, McDonalds!  For dinner we're making the hamburgers he wanted.  He asked for hamburgers for breakfast too, but I said no.  Maybe next year.  I just didn't want to make hamburgers at 6:00 in the morning!

Rehab

I took Hayden on a couple of bike rides last week.  He was doing so well the first day that I decided to take him on a longer ride the next day.  We went about 1 1/2 miles.  The trouble is he pedaled strangely with his left foot the whole time.  His foot was pushing with the outside ridge and his leg was frogging outward.  The following day he came downstairs dragging his body across the floor and crying.  His left leg muscle was sooo sore from riding his bike the wrong way.  I had to help carry him places for a couple days.  2 days later he had to miss out on a bounce house party of his friends because he could barely walk.  Finally 5 days later he was only mildly limping.  Now that he is back to normal we are going on regular walks so this video gamer can get some exercise.  He is completely against bike riding now.  We'll have to get back on that horse again soon.

Bubbles

Josh kept yelling and shaking with excitement for these bubbles.  I need to take a video.

I wonder what goes on in that tiny little head.

On our walk

I took baby for a walk while McKinley rode her bike with us.

I made McKinley turn around and grab my camera so I could capture some of the beauty of where I live. 



some wildflower in the growth on Silver Spring road




Passing this house on Ruscoe Road always makes me smile.  This is the barn.  The whole place is very Americana.