Kindergarten is coming to an end -

June 5, 2008

Luke had his Kindergarten concert a week ago today with the other Kindergarten classes. The theme was "Take Me Out to the Ocean" and that is one of the songs they sang. It's to the tune of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" but ocean themed. They put their arms around each other and swayed to the music. It was really cute. What a great concert. It was a lot of fun. They all had t-shirts on that had a picture of their class on it. What a clever idea. The pictures I have aren't the greatest...I was running the video camera.

Luke & Mrs. Vagts. I love her and I am really going to miss her as his teacher. I hope she has the girls, but if not, that's okay because the other Kindergarten teachers are great too.

How Old Am I?

5-28-08

I was invited to a graduation open house for someone in Inver Grove Heights. Why does this have anything to do with the title? The girl graduating was one of the first newborns I ever babysat when I was in high school. Then her brother came along and I baby sat both until I was too busy with school and life to have time anymore...doing the 'teenage' stuff. The best part about this family is that they were so fun and easy going...I stayed overnight a couple times. The VERY best part was that they live right behind my parents house where I grew up. I LOVED that family...we had so much fun. That was EIGHTEEN years ago that I met her as a little newborn.

I am old now.

Last Week

5-24-08

Here are just a bunch of photos from the past week

Lincoln playing in a softball tournament to raise money for breast-cancer last weekend. Here I actually had all three kids sitting on the ground eating lunch. Even Chloe, I couldn't believe it.

Chloe discovered the full length mirror at church.

She also discovered that the keys on the piano make noise. Maybe she'll play someday!

Ashlyn's last day of preschool was yesterday and it ended with a short little program. They sang 5 songs. She didn't do a while lot, but it was cute anyway.

Ashlyn with "Miss Lisa"

She's 1

5-24-08

My baby is 1 year old now. I've said it before, but time really does fly by. I can't believe it's been a year. Over a year. She turned one on May 14th. We had a small party for her last Sunday. I believe her gums have been hurting her so she wasn't the happiest little girl, but she really got into her cake. Not so much on the presents yet though. I opened up some pj's from Aunt Bonnie & Uncle Clinton and that is all she carried around...because they were on a hanger. She was tuckered out after her presents...she went down for a nap right after opening them (because I did all the opening.....)

"Happy Birthday to You"

I had to give her a little taste of frosting first to get her started
to know she could eat it and not just play with it.

She got a UW-La Crosse cheer-leading outfit from her God-parents,
Corey & Stacey and their boys, Liam & Elliot.

There's those pj's she LOVED!

Still got the pj's

Her new bikini from grandma Darla

Some of the boy cousins playing ball - Corey, Lincoln, Liam & Luke
I really like this photo.

Chloe got a ball pit from Aunt Serene & Uncle Daryn, but I didn't get it blown up for a few days. This photo is of Chloe after her nap discovering that she got a new toy.

"Mom, what do I do and how do I get out?"

Just this morning Lincoln thought that maybe he should try it out too.

I feel like I should explain the beard.....our church is turning 150 years old in July and we are having a celebration this summer. There is a beard growing contest going on at church and there are about 20 guys in it. It started Feb. 10th and is done next Sunday, June 1st with a beard judging after church. Lincoln's dad and Clinton are doing it too. Grant was, but shaved it off about half way through. I am ready for Lincoln to shave it. I liked it and thought it looked really nice on him when it looked trimmed. Now I am ready for it to go away. :)

Zoo Field Trip

5-24-08

Last week the Kindergarten classes at school went on a field trip to Oxbow Park in Byron. I did not know that there was a free zoo in Byron. It was a neat little place and near by there was a great park to play at and eat our lunches. The kids liked it and I had fun. I had a group of 4 kids including Luke. I did get some group pictures of my group and the whole class, but I wasn't sure if I should post those. It was a beautiful day that day...sunny and warm We really lucked out.

The Bear
As far as big animals go there was also a cougar, a wolf, elk, bison & a bobcat. Oh...how could I forget the goats and Holstein calves?!?

The Otters were the neatest and most fun part!
There were also eagles, turkey vulchers (I see those almost every day living here), owls, turkeys, porcupines, a badger, reptiles, prairie dogs...and a lot more that I am sure I'm missing.

This was one of our bathroom breaks inside the building before lunch.

The snake during the class we had.

Luke with the white-tail deer.

Continued...

5-12-08

It was a little late last night when I posted and I wasn't quite done yet...

Shades

Ashlyn fell asleep last night on the way home from supper for Mother's Day...this is how she landed when Lincoln put her down. Too bad we had to wake her up again to get her upstairs.

There is only one more whole day left between right now and the day my last baby turns one. I can't believe the time had gone by so fast. This past year has been a blur and it is so sad, really. I feel like I missed something. I am very excited for Chloe though. She is walking better every day and you can tell she's so proud of herself. One of her favorite things to do right now is to go into the kitchen, take my dish towel, throw it over her head and walk around the house. Not the safest activity, but she laughs uncontrollably and I make sure she's on the carpet because it usually involves a lot of tripping and body dives into the floor. The bottles and the pacifiers will be going away this week...probably over the weekend would be a good time to start all that.

Mother's Day was good. Quiet and uneventful...finally. Kids went to Sunday School, I went to choir, we did laundry and Lincoln mowed before he went out for chores and then we followed that with supper at Applebee's. I got some dark pink roses and they are so pretty. My favorite color.

Luke is super excited this week...he has a field trip to the zoo in Byron on Thursday and I signed up to go with. He is beside himself. It's so funny. I am excited too, it'll be so much fun. I hope we have a good day for it.

I guess that's it. Maybe I'll try getting to bed tonight before 12.

Playdate

5-12-08

Last week us sisters-in-law got together with the kids for a play date. Luke was in school so it was all the girls.

Chloe was looking for Aunt Bonnie and Ashlyn

Sophie was being shy at first and peeking through her toy.

Chloe found Mrs. Jones sitting on the pack-n-play. Watch out there Jones...

Cousins

...and...we're done.