Jack Graduates

Jack graduated from preschool on May 22.  We are so proud of the little guy.  He can't wait for Kindergarten to start.  It will surely be a bitter sweet day for us though.  Julia and I made him some graduation hats one night out of Recess Cups and Lindt Squares. Yum:)

The theme for graduation was "Going to the Zoo"

I've had a hard time uploading videos but each kid had to hold a zoo animal and walk onto stage.  They also had to memorize individual parts and Jack's was "Hippos are huge and they eat  tons of grass.  What would you do if one came to our class?"  He did great!

Julia really wasn't all that interested in the ceremony.  She played in the flowers the whole time.

Jack and his teacher Mrs Patti.  He loves her so much. Congratulations Jack!!

Kids

Here are some pictures of the kids lately.

 3 months

 Sorry about the messy little chin :)

 Splash pad!

 I tried sponge curlers with Katy & Julia and they love them!  They want them in there hair every night now.

 A friend of ours told us that Kate looks three years older with her hair like that.  Haha.  She looks a lot like Jason's step sister in this photo.

CAT

We put together a Bulldozer for preschool the other day.  Jack was learning about modes of transportation.  Everyone put on their vehicle and then had a transportation parade around the block.

 

California

This post is long over due.  We took a trip to California in mid-April so Jason could finish part one of a two part training for his major.  Jake and Robyn generously opened up their home to us.  It was wonderful to see them and their kids and to spend a few days together.  We had a lot of fun and made a few great memories.  Thank you again Jake and Robyn.

Reno.

Whenever we stopped, we tried to find the best park in the town so the kids could run and run and get those wiggles out before we were on the road again.  The best one we found was in Elko Nevado.  The kids still ask to go to that park.

Wednedesday.  We checked into a hotel around 3:30am and had to get up at 7:00 to get Jason to his class.  The kids on a few hours of sleep.

:)  Julia.  Sooo glad we are finally at the Voelckers.  (That's her baby sister's nuk.)

Julia passed out from all of the sun and fun in the water.

Guitar lessons!

On the road again. 

We stopped in Lake Tahoe for the afternoon on our way home.  Absolutely beautiful there.  The air is so clear.

Pizza Fridays

We have carried over the tradition of making homemade pizza and watching a movie on Friday nights. The kiddos really get into it and we love it. I make the pizza dough and then we let the kids blob all the toppings on there they want. They gobble it up and then head into the tv room where they watch most of a Disney movie either from a tent or from some pile of blankets on the floor.

Toppings

Dough!
They really pile it on. And eat the rest while they are working.

The tent that Jack made for everyone.

The pile of blankets on the floor.
This was such a great memory growing up. Gretchen, Evan, Mom and I talked about this the night we took her to the airport. We remember TGIF or Friday Night Funnies. It wouldn't be complete without Carl Otis Windslow, Kimmy Gibler or Tapanga.

Early Sept 2011

Grandma Barbra I'm not sure I ever showed you these. We had lunch at Aladins that day and then fed the ducks down on the Erie at Shoen Place. I miss you and love you. Hopefully I will see you this Summer or Fall.

1 month

Leah is now 4 weeks old. We catch a smile or grin every now and then and she loves to lay peacefully and watch the commotion around her. The older kids are so helpful with Leah. Jack likes to rock her and sing her primary songs. Katy stands by and hands me diapers, wipes and clean clothes when she needs a change and Julia helps by giving her a pacifier and reading her books.

Katy loves it when Leah naps on her bed. She wishes she would sleep with her all night.

And here is a recent picture of a mountain lion Jason chased and treed with Jack's dog.