rise and shout! school is out!

Yay for us!  We all survived another year of school. 

And Yay for summer, I say!

As always, the last weeks of school brought with them numerous school programs, field trips, and dance recitals.  The busyness of May always makes me all the more excited for laid back summer days.

I loved watching Kate rock out on her recorder in the third grade music program.  My girls have had the best elementary school music teacher.  Ever.  I know my photography skills are sorely lacking, but I loved catching her little wave to me in the middle of her song.  Those are the best moments at school programs, when my girls spy me spying them.  Love the grins on their faces!

We all made it through Emmy's kindergarten graduation.  I had to laugh when my nephew pointed out "I don't get it, what's the point of a kindergarten graduation?"  Meaning, I think, what do they have a graduation for when these kiddos are just getting started!  After sitting through my third such affair, I'm thinking it is because these little ones are so darn cute we all just can't help it.  So much cuter than the 12th grade graduation, I am certain.  (And much more entertaining too.)

The last day of school brought mixed emotions as we said goodbye to a beloved school.  Ryenne is moving on to intermediate school (eek!) and the other girls will be changing elementary schools due to busing/boundary changes.  As we walked through the school that last day, I have to admit there were a few tears.  Such mixed emotions for me, partly because I can't believe Ryenne is already leaving elementary school, and partly sad because we're leaving so many good people and memories behind in those halls.  Sweet Kate cried a little bit as she told me, "I will treasure my yearbook forever."

Mrs. Goodliffe, the school librarian.  My girls often tell me that she is the best thing about school!  Just when I thought I had composed myself, she offered to pick up the girls and drive them to school everyday if it meant we would stay.  I lost it all over again.

True to tradition, the girls and I and our good friends Haylee and her mom Amanda rode our bikes to school for the last day.  The girls love this!  After school, we head to the park for a picnic before riding home again.  I hadn't been on my bike since last fall, but I couldn't say no.  Best of all, we all made it in one piece, short of Emmy and Claire.  (I just didn't know if I could get all three of us there and back, sadly enough.  Last pregnancy I completed a half marathon and a sprint triathlon when I was this far along.  I'm getting to be a pansy in my old age, I guess.)

Change is so hard sometimes.  I've been surprised at how much I've struggled over Ryenne leaving to the intermediate school.  Just can't believe how fast the past six years have gone, I guess- and a little panicked by where another six years will leave us.  Add that life change, moving to a new school, and pregnant lady emotions and whew!  Walking out of school that last day was hard!  But, as I assured Kate, in a few years we'll feel the same about the new school.  Good people are to be found wherever we go in life, I believe. 

Hello's and Goodbyes:  the stuff life is made of.

reason #110 why this girl loves her daddy

claire's "sunglasses"

our little ballerinas

Ryenne and Emmy polished off another year of ballet lessons in style at their recent recital. 

It was so fun to see them light up the stage.

I can't tell you how often Courtney is offered sympathy for the amount of dance recitals he will have to attend.  Just between you and I, I don't think he minds.  There is something special about watching little girls do what little girls do best.  Whether it's watching Kate stand on her head or Ryenne and Emmy glide across the stage, we are smitten.  Not because of what they are doing, but because of the way their faces glow while they are doing it. 

Ballet buns, tights, and leotards. . . when it comes to our little girls, true love often wears a tutu. 

bed buddies

The past few months have brought a few changes.  Hard changes.  In order to make room for baby, we've had to consolidate the bedroom situation.  Unfortunately for Ryenne, this means that she lost her room.  Because she is the oldest, and also because she has a teeensy bit of a problem with little sisters who like to explore her treasures, we let her pick her roommate. 

She picked Kate right away. 

However, she wouldn't agree to share a bed, on account that it sorta "grosses her out".  This means she had to move into Kate's bedroom, where there was room for two separate beds.  Which means she had to leave behind her beloved flowers hanging on the wall, her huge bulletin board (perfect for a girl who keeps everything), and her window.  She loved looking out her window, watching the trees, the birds, and the stars.  I guess I didn't realize how hard it would be on her. That room was her little refuge, I now realize.  It really has been a bit of an adjustment, and I've felt more than a little guilt about making the move.  Finally, after a few months of growing pains, I think we've finally got her settled.  Most days.  Because he is nice like that, Courtney helped her and Kate put a lock on their door to keep the wee ones out, which I suppose gives her a little peace of mind.

The other side of the coin is that Emmy and Claire are now bed buddies, which leaves Emmy in a sorry state of affairs most nights (ie:  sleeping on the couch on account of Claire's hyper-activity come bedtime).  While I feel sorry for her tired little body, I have to smile because she used to be the same way.  I remember when we tried to have her share bedrooms with Kate.  She would be bouncing off the walls and poor Kate would come busting out the door, quickly slam it behind her (to separate herself from the Emmy-tornado), lean up against it, and cry.  "I'm so tired!" she would say.

So Emmy's pretty much reaping what she once sowed. 

While I acknowledge that life would be much more peaceful most nights if everyone had their own bedrooms, I realize that all the giggles, jumping on the beds together, late night talks, and even quarrels (and we have our fair share) are a fun part of being sisters.  After all, I shared with my sisters most of my growing up years and even survived.  What's more, I have a few good memories of the whole ordeal.  I remember laying in bed (the same iron-wrought bed Emmy and Claire now share, in fact) with Jodi and giggling hysterically late into the night.  My mom and dad's room was across the hall and after a while she would holler her tried-and-true line, "If you've got so much energy, why don't you go wash the dishes!"  This would shut us up - for a little while.

Now?  I get to issue such ingenious threats., except I put toilet cleaning on the line.  It shuts them up - for a little while.  Like-mother-like-daughter, I guess.

I'm already looking forward to the day when they have their own kids.  Then they can look back and think, "My, what a clever mom I had," and get all sorts of warm fuzzies and great ideas. 

I'm pretty sure that's just what's going to happen.  Adoration, warm fuzzies, and great ideas.  And all because we made them share a room.

See?  I feel better already.

 

back in the saddle. . .er, chore boots, that is

It has begun.

Ryenne and Kate's lambs were officially tagged for the county fair tonight.  That means the girls are now official lamb walkers for the rest of the summer, and I, in return have been officially tagged as chauffeur, cheerleader, and overall meanie-who-enforces-the-walks-but-doesn't-have-any-idea-what-I'm-talking-about-when-it-comes-to-lambs lady. 

The way I see it, we're in for two-and-half months of pure bliss.  Bliss, I say.

You can bet we're all smiling this big.  Really.

ryenne is awesome

Courtney and I had to laugh this morning when we noticed our big chalkboard.  I'm not exactly sure who,  but someone has been a busy little artist.

This is what it reads:

Ryenne is AWESOME .

Awesome.

Wickedly Awesome.

Extraordinarily Awesome.

So Wicked Awesome.

Only Awesome.

Magnificently Awesome.

Experienced Awesomeness.

Of course- we, like, totally agree.