Friday, August 9, 2013

claire and miss kerri's preschool


 
Claire was lucky enough to attend Miss (Aunt) Kerri's preschool this year.  To say she loved it would be an understatement! She and her cousin Dixon went together and had a lot of fun.  Kerri has such a talent for teaching and has a knack for being creative and helping children's imaginations grow.  I was so happy Claire could go this year.
 
Toward the end of the year, Sam and I attended a field trip to the dairy farm.  It was fun to watch her interact with her friends, and I even learned a few things!  It was a fun (although a little bit smelly) day!



At the end of the year, Miss Kerri had a little graduation picnic where our family attended and the children sang a few fun songs.  Claire was so excited about her very own yearbook! 




an afternoon with grandma great

 
 
 
 
This past spring, Sam and I had a chance to spend an afternoon at Grandma Great's house.  Not too long after she moved into an assisted living center, so it was fun to come across these pictures.  She was so patient and cute with Sam all day, and the picture of the two of them is a treasure.  We sure love Grandma Great.
 
I had to laugh at Sam though.  Some repairmen were there at Grandma's house to fix the water heater.  She was getting quite agitated, feeling like they might need her help, and so I closed the door so she wasn't continually worried.  Sam was dying to get in there to see all the tools and goings-on!  I laughed when he laid down on the floor so he could try to see any action through the tiny crack under the door.  100% boy!
 





thank you, miss frederick

Last April, Ryenne and Emmy's ballet teacher, Miss Frederick, closed her studio.  The girls have both taken since they were in kindergarten.  Instead of a formal recital this year, she invited parents and grandparents to come and watch a class.  Although she has always had very high expectations for the girls, she has been very good to us, and has taught the girls so much about discipline, confidence in themselves, and good posture (can't forget that!).  She was always picking up little trinkets (remember the old fashioned leg warmers, Ryenne?) and recording old black and white Shirley Temple movies for the girls.  (She always said that every girl should have a Shirley Temple collection!)  She is known for her old fashioned values and high expectations.  We will miss her.
 
Yesterday we registered the girls in a new studio.  Ryenne has been telling me the last few months how excited she is to start ballet again.  "I can't stop thinking about it!"  It will be fun to see where the next few years takes my little ballerinas.  In fact, Claire has been waiting to turn 5 for years, as that is the magic age our kids get to start an activity of their choice.  Of course, she couldn't wait to take ballet.  It's official.  (She will practically be professional in a few months!)
 








After Ryenne's class, Claire (who had to dress the part to be in the audience, of course) received some tutoring from sweet Miss Frederick.  She felt so special, and was trying so hard to do everything just right.  Can't wait to see her love learning in class this year!



I've always loved the way the girls are required to curtsy at the end of class.  In unison, they say "thank you, Miss Frederick" and "thank you, Miss Chrisman" (the pianist).  As I look back on their long years of service to my girls, I feel like doing a curtsy of my own. 

"Thank you, Miss Frederick!  Thank you Miss Chrisman!"

Sunday, July 7, 2013

my revised schedule


I've been struggling a little bit with my health, especially since Easter and so we've been trying once again to find a new normal.  It's so hard to find a balance between doing the things that make me happy and not doing too much and getting too worn out.  Still working on that!  I laughed one morning though, when I woke up and found this schedule written on the blackboard- an attempt by the girls to help me cut back and get more rest!  My favorite part is the "Please try for 1 day" part!

Ryenne had also made a sign for my door reminding everyone to stay out so I could get rest.  I also found a text on my phone she sent to my good friend and walking partner to explain to her that I wasn't feeling well and asked her to not call me to go walking in the mornings.  She knows how much I love it and don't like to say no, but that it wears me out- so she decided to take care of that on her own. 

My family has been a lot more patient with the new me than I am with myself most of the time.  So thankful they keep hanging in there with me while I figure all of this out!

the wizard of oz



This Spring Kate and Emmy decided to take part in the school play, The Wizard of OZ.  Emmy was a bunny rabbit and Kate was a cornstalk.  (I mentioned before how disappointed she was with that role, but developed a pretty good sense of humor about it by telling people, "I'm all ears!" 

 
We had a pretty good chuckle when we went to the play.  Kate came onstage with the other cornstalks, chewing gum (later my mom mentioned that maybe she should have swallowed it and Kate told her she had 4 pieces in her mouth- so we're talking some pretty serious chewing here).  They were supposed to wave their arms around and lets just say that Kate was looking less than enthusiastic about the whole thing.  There were even a few yawns involved.  It made me laugh because that is our Kate.  What you see is what you get.  Not much of one to put on a show and act like she's having a great time when she's a cornstalk.  Can't say that I blame her! 
 
 
Emmy was much more enthusiastic about her bunny part and was pretty energetic about hopping around the stage.  Overall, I think they both had a good time being with thier friends!

Kat








soccer kate

 
Kate has taken quite a liking to soccer.  This past Spring, we couldn't find a girl's team for her to play on, so she decided to play with the boy's league.  I was a little worried that she might be a little intimidated or left out, but I should have known better.  She got right in there and played her heart out.  She loved it, and actually decided to continue playing with the boys in the fall even though there is a girl's team she could have joined.  She said she feels like playing with the boys pushes her a little harder.  The boys were such great teammates for her. 
 
We had to laugh though, at one game when a boy from another team asked her, "Aren't you supposed to be playing with the girls?"  She and her coach laughed about it and decided she should have responded with a "I thought I was!" comment!   








the day that sam realized daddy had left for work without him

 
One morning Courtney was getting ready for work and Sam got a hankering to go too.  He rushed to find his hat and gloves and was heading down the stairs ("all ready to go daddy!") when he realized Daddy had left without him.  Pretty sad day.

 
 
 
This little guy can't wait to be Daddy's little helper.  One of his favorite things to do is to sit in daddy's truck.  Yip, just sitting there is fun enough!  But to ride in it with dad?  Heaven!  This little man sure loves his daddy!