May Moments

I know it's almost the end of June, but I need to play catch-up again. The end of the school year is always so busy and so much fun! Add in Mother's Day and my birthday and, well, it just makes it that much more fun!!


Sock Hop

The last Family Fun Night of the school year is a Sock Hop. The girls had a blast dancing with friends and teachers, and doing crafts. Pike hung out with some middle school friends that had to come because of younger siblings, too.

Big Sisters with Little Sisters: Kayla, Kara, Christina, Catherine, Grace & Emma



Grace and her best friend, Caroline



Emma with her friend Sammy and their teacher, Mrs. Breeding



Field Day Fun

The kids always enjoy Field Day - and Pike was disappointed that middle school doesn't have one...but this year was HOT!!! My favorite part is the t-shirts that the PE teacher designs around her theme. This year it was Field Day Hero and the whole day was based on Guitar Hero - the races were re-named for rock songs and all the teachers had Backstage Passes that they wore that had the timeline of the day. So cute!

Grace and Klarissa

Grace and Madi - we are very sad that she is moving to California!

Emma and her buddy, Garrett. These two are hilarious and his mom and I have already decided we believe in arranged marriages!! :)

Emma and Sammy with Mrs. Breeding - the best kindergarten teacher ever!!

Kindergarten Program and Picnic

The kindergarteners put on a super cute program for moms and dads. They sang some great songs and had the most adorable slideshow. Then we all went outside for a picnic. Emma has had the best year and I cannot believe the girl is going to be in first grade! Crazy!! She has really surprised me with how much she has learned - not that I didn't think she could...I just wasn't sure she would.

She's always been one to just sit back and take her time on everything. Sitting up?? No, that's OK - I'll just lay here and suck my thumb for 7 months. Crawling?? Nope...not right now. I'm perfectly fine just sitting here (and sucking my thumb) until I'm over 10 months old. Walking?? No, thanks...I get around fine as I'm tearing holes in all my cute leggings! I might try that in about 17 months!! So, I always pictured her first year in school like this...Reading?? Writing?? Math?? No, really, that's OK - I'll just wait (while sucking my thumb) and learn that next year. She definitely was not the go-getter, self-motivated type like her siblings.

But, here we are and the sweet girl is reading and writing way better than her go-getter, self-motivated siblings did when they had finished kindergarten...and it just makes me smile! What a great year she has had!

Emma and Sammy

Emma and Daddy

Pike and his Saxophone

Pike didn't have too many year-end activities. In fact, he was really disappointed that his sisters had fun game days the last few days of school - and he had to study for 6 finals. But, he did have a Spring Concert in band. It was held in the gym at his middle school and we were so proud when we got there and he was sitting in First Chair!

And a couple of weeks before this concert, I had talked him out of taking band next year - for several really good reasons - none of which were selfish! Ha! :) But, his band teacher talked him into staying in band - said he had alot of potential. I'm glad she did that!

So...there you have a quick review of the kids' May activities. Maybe by the end of July I'll have a post about my birthday and our June activities!

Last Day...

I've been meaning to update my blog...the past few weeks have been crammed with so many fun end-of-year activities. We were in constant motion and then, suddenly, we hit the brakes this morning. It's the Last Day of School.

All 3 kids went off to school not needing to take backpacks or lunches. The girls will have a fun half-day of signing shirts, yearbooks and making summer plans. Pike has a not-as-much-fun-half-day as he takes the last of his finals.

Where did the time go?? I vividly remember sitting at my computer and writing this post on the First Day of School. I can still feel all of those emotions - the excitement mixed with sadness of Pike starting middle school and Emma starting kindergarten. And, now here I sit and the school year has come to a close. Wow!

Today is the Last Day I will have a 6th grader, a 3rd grader and a kindergartener.

Today is the Last Day they will sit in that classroom where their journey started not too long ago.

And today is the Last Day I will have to send them off in the morning...it's summertime and now it's my turn to see their smiling faces all day!

Pike's Pipe Cleaner Men

Pike got in the car one day after school this week and told me he had started a business. He is making men out of pipe cleaners and selling them. Not only is he selling the person, he is also selling accessories to go with the person! Here are a few 'orders' he has been working on...

This is a Ninja - the headband, belt, and numchucks are all added for an extra fee!

This is a Spartan Warrior - the sword, shield and helmet are extras. Love the helmet made out of an eraser...don't love little pieces of eraser all over my kitchen floor!

And, the best part is he is selling life insurance on each creation...for a small fee. If anything happens to your pipe cleaner man, he will replace it.

He is one-of-a-kind...I seriously love that kid!!

Last One!

I know I've written alot about Emma lately, but she is just making me laugh!!

I had 5 cards for the kids to sign - 4 for Mother's Day and 1 for a birthday. I just put them out on the table and they went down the row and signed each one. When I went to sign them myself and put them in envelopes, this is what I saw on the last card they had to sign...

Looks like she was ready to be done! I love the way she just writes whatever she is thinking!!

And, yes, that scribble really does say 'Pike Stewart'...I need to post more about him. He is a wonderfully complicated one! :)

Backpack Pack Rat!

Check out what I found in the bottom of someone's backpack today...

Now, keep in mind, this is a very small portion of everything that actually came out and it's hard to tell how high the pile is...

Can you guess whose backpack it was??

I would have guessed him, too...but, no, it wasn't Pike! Pike uses his backpack to transport enormous books to and from school and that's about it...and, if you know him, then you know it's not textbooks he transports! He has also perfected a filing system that consists of him folding up all of his important papers into tiny squares and stuffing them into the pockets of his hoody. It's quite impressive to watch him fish through his pockets and actually pull out the exact paper he needs!

And I think we all know it's not Grace. Her backpack is always cleaned out and her folders are always precisely lined up with papers sorted by subject and date. OK - maybe it's not that organized, but it's close! :)

So, there you have it...I found all of this (and so much more) in the bottom of Emma's backpack!! I asked her why she had all of that in there and she said that she was saving all of it, because she might need it someday.

I guess you never know when crushed up Goldfish crackers mixed with rocks, toys and wilted flowers will come in handy. :)

Emma's Homework

I love the papers Emma brings home from school. Kindergarteners come up with the best stuff for their work - it's creative and funny and honest.

One day Emma had to write -ug words and illustrate them for homework. She had to solve a few puzzles on the front to get the word and then draw a picture of it...

I absolutely love the way she drew a slug...

She was working on this homework at one of Grace's swim practices and had extra time to do a few on the back. She did a pug in the rain, a hug, juggle, a jug, dug and lug...

When she got to lug she asked me what it meant. I told her it was carrying something heavy. She thought for a minute, then her eyes lit up and she said, "I know what to draw!"

When she was finished I could tell what most of them were, but asked what she was 'lugging'. She looked at me and said, "Can't you see...that's your big 'ole bottle of wine!"

Yep, I sure do see that...still in the paper bag from the grocery store. :)

Fort Fun!

The girls came home from school and decided to build a fort in their room. After ever so sweetly asking me if they could get out blankets, chairs and tape, I told them they could definitely build a fort, but they couldn't use tape. They really wanted to make it big enough to sleep in, but couldn't figure out a way to get the blankets to stay up high enough without taping them to the walls. This is when having a clever big brother comes in handy!

They talked Pike into helping them get their fort to stay up - and he only charged them $1 a piece! :) I think they would have paid him more, but he enjoys these kinds of projects and decided to work for a small, affordable fee.

The grand idea was to drape the blankets over a structure made of fiddlesticks - and it worked great!

When Jeff came home from work, Emma was so excited to show him their creation. He told me later that she took him upstairs and told him all about it. Then she whispered, "And, tonight we're going to sleep in it, but we're really going to go into our little American Girl doll closet and play. But, don't tell Momma!" :) I just had to laugh, because that about sums up this household - fun Daddy and rule-follower Mommy!

Here is the fort held up by balancing chairs and fiddlesticks...

This is inside...very easy access to the American Girl doll closet!! I think I'll check on them a few times tonight! :) Notice the balancing chairs on fiddlesticks!

I was on my back inside the fort, so this is looking up at the fiddlestick infrastructure designed by Pike. I think he deserves a raise!

Another picture of the balancing act inside...I hope the girls don't knock that down tonight!

Good Night Sweet Girls!! :)