Random Moments Since the Last Post

I love indoor soccer

It's fast and the league had no other all-girl teams in their age bracket, so they played against boys all summer. The went from being slaughtered their first few games to losing with some dignity to winning their last two! Loved it.

The dude got a guitar!

El Rancho Cima 2012!

Alek went with his boy scout troop to El Rancho Cima this July!  He had an amazing time that included swimming in the river, a 7 mile "death march," lots of good food, and lots of good stories!

He is doing great in scouting and is now a Tenderfoot - the second in his patrol to make this rank!

I love that I have a kid who makes funny videos, is involved at church, plays football, does scouting, and is one of the smartest kiddos I know.  He is a man for all seasons!!

Port Aransas 2012 !

Alek went to camp and Nora went to Granny's and Grandpa's.

Nora went to camp and Alek went to Granny's and Grandpa's.

Mommy, Daddy, and Walter consoled themselves with the beach!

We had a great time in Port Aransas.  We learned how to dig really big holes, sit in shark mouths, and eat lots of seafood.

 Things to note:

• I am still scared to go more than thigh deep into the water.  I much prefer calf-deep.
• Walter now loves calamari.
• It's not as terrifying to watch your tiny baby in the surf with his dad if you turn your back and look at shells in the ankle-deep water most of the time.
• Seagulls love cheetohs.

We are looking forward to taking all the kids next year!

Nora at Camp!

Oh... By the way

This happened.

"DUH"

This is the kind of thing we are likely to just happen upon on a Saturday afternoon.  And when you question them about it, they look at you like you're a moron and say something like, "It's a cleaning tree." (The "DUH" is generally silent.)

Tantalizing Tidbits

Well, it's been an eventful month.  Alek has finished elementary school.  Walter has finished preschool.  And Nora has single-handedly gotten us all to become involved in the neighborhood swim team.  I'm way behind on the blogging, so bear with me.

Alek and his friend Arib composed a little ditty for part of their talent show skit (to be posted soon).  They rehearsed it for me during lunch just two days before the end of the school year.

Last day of preschool!  Ever... wow.  Nine years of preschool for three kids comes to a close.  I'm not ready for this whole grown up kids thing.

Last day of school 2012!! Wow again.

One kid off to middle school next fall!

So, technically we are a swim team family.  And while I love watching the kids swim, five hours of mind-numbing heat and chaos after a 5:30 a.m. alarm on a Saturday morning is ROUGH.

This is what Nora looks like about half way through a meet.

Waiting for his turn!

Mardi Gras theme day!

In she goes!

Go WALTER!

One of Alek's races!

One of Nora's races!

What are the things that make you squirm?

A bat? or a mouse? or a bug? or a WORM ???

Yes.  Nora was an earthworm in the Second Grade Spring production at school.  (Again, thanks to Mrs. Farmer.)  Not only did she get one of the coveted hula worm spots, but she got one of the two worm solos! 

Then, on show night, the second soloist became sick, and at the last minute, Nora took over the second solo!  She was awesome, and we were so impressed!

The End Is Coming...

Well, it's almost over.  The end of another school year is coming to a close.  So this month, we have been hit with an onslaught of end of the year programs and concerts.  We are half way through the month and Alek has participated in two so far.

Alek's Strings Concert was held at one of the nearby high schools.  They call this the "Strings Spring Fling," and all of the elementary schools that feed the closest middle school participate.  This involved approximately 600 elementary students.  You can imagine the insanity.  But it actually went really well.  They even served the kids dinner! Can you imagine?????

We've been really fortunate to have such great music opportunities for our kids through the elementary school!  The middle school orchestra teacher comes to our elementary school twice a week after school to teach the fifth graders.  I'm so glad Alek has been a "joiner" with all these things.  He has really enjoyed it and learned a lot.

We also attended the "Choir Cluster Concert" in which several elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school choir participated.  All of the schools had a nice sized choir... maybe 40 kids each.  And then came our elementary school.  Yes, all of these kids in the red shirts are from our school.  Seriously.  These are fourth and fifth graders, and they love choir.  Mrs. Farmer is quite simply amazing.  She is quickly approaching 70 and does three choirs, chimes, orff instruments, a 5th grade Christmas production, a 2nd grade spring program, and music for all the grades.  CAN YOU IMAGINE?????? Amazing woman.  So glad the kids got to experience her.  Walt will have her next year, but I've gotten the impression that she isn't sure beyond that.  Alas.

An Oldie with Some Goodies

Found this while archiving some photos.  I probably posted it last year, but it makes me laugh.  The innocence of childhood.  This is what they did when given the opportunity to fingerpaint with chocolate at "Chocolate Camp" last June.  They could NOT understand why I refused to take them out to lunch in their full face paint.  And yes - Nora and Payton are only two months different in age.  THAT also makes me laugh.

Soccer !!

I completely enjoy this sport that I still really know nothing about.  We've had really great luck with coaches and teams.  Nora has been playing with the same group of girls for three years.  Walter just started this season and loves it.

We WERE NOT a Swim Team Family

And then came the spring of 2012.  Nora instigated the whole thing. "Can I be on swim team this year?  Pleeeeeeaaase?"  This went on for awhile, and I successfully denied her the coveted swim team because it was too much of a commitment for one kiddo.  But then she got Walter on board. 

"Please.  Please.  PLEASE can we be on swim team?!?!?!?!"

Fine.  You can be on swim team.

They were ecstatic.  I signed them up, and reassured a concerned Alek that he did not have to be on swim team.  Then, three days before the first practice, Walter asked, "Can you unsign me up for swim team?"  WHAT?????  "Ummm... I'm not putting my face in the water, and I only want to swim with a live vest, and I am NOT jumping off any high things."

Forget it.  I am not unsigning you up.  Tears.  Begging.  Nope.  But I played it cool.  "Walt, you have to be on swim team, but you can just watch.  You have to put on the swimsuit, but I don't care if you get in.  You never have to put your face in even if you do get in, and I don't mind if you never jump off of anything.  You just have to watch.  Okay?"  Okay.

So I guided him over to the gaggle of under 6's and walked away. The top two pictures are the first ten minutes of the first day. The middle is the end of the first day. The bottom two are the third day. He wakes up every morning and excitedly asks... "Is it a swim team day!!!???" Yes. Yes, every weekday from 4-4:45. Yes.

And the instigator?  Well, she happily went the first day.  And then at dinner that night announced, "I'm not going back tomorrow.  It's hard work."  ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!?!  YOU ARE SO VERY MUCH GOING BACK TOMORROW, little chickie.  And she did.  And loves it.  Every day.  Yes, every weekday from 4:45 - 5:30.

And then on Wednesday, Alek asked to come along and watch.  And before Walt was even done for the day, Alek had me signing him up.  Seriously.  So, he started that evening, and loves it.  Yes.  EVERY WEEKDAY from 6:30-7:30 Alek is swimming, too. 

Keeping track?  Yes, that's EVERY SINGLE WEEKDAY for 3 and one half hours.  Apparently, we ARE a swim team family.  They love it.  They are exhausted.  And they have ridiculous appetites.  They literally swim back and forth the entire time they are in the pool.  And Walter, who could not swim on Monday, is swimming.  Nora, who knew one stroke, knows five.  And Alek, who missed two days and knew only one stroke, knows four.  And that is Week 1.

Zoo Day!

Can You Read This?

Blueberry has found a favorite little spot through which to watch the world go by.  I had no idea Nora had done this.  But I love it.

E-I-E-I-O: A Field Trip

Psssst!  Follow me.  I can show you a few things.

 This boy was PROUD.... proud as a.... peacock!

Rope Swing over a haystack!!

Discussing ponies and spit donkeys.

And bonus! We got to celebrate Johnny's birthday!

The goats had to eat bagged seed.  No cupcakes.  Alas.

Sheep, too.  No cupcakes.  Double alas.

 Now the deer were not penned.  Thus, they found their way into trashcans and.... cupcakes!

Yeah... cows apparently eat the same birdseed mix that the goats and sheep do.  Really?  Birdseed?

This was Walter's last preschool field trip.  Time flies.  Really does.  I've loved it all!