Eight is Great: Alice's Birthday

We started the morning of Alice's birthday with the cake showing.

Then Zac dropped them off at the YMCA for the day.  I got home around 4 and scrambled to clean up the living room and assemble the present pile before picking them up at the Y. I let them play on the playground for a bit again.

On the way home and to pick up Chinese food, I convinced Alice that we'd forgotten to get her any presents this year.  She actually believed it and was pretty sad the whole drive home.  Poor gullible kid.

On the bright side, she was really happy when she saw that she did actually have presents this year. It's all about managing (or devilishly manipulating) expectations.

First, we ate supper of Chinese take-out (Alice's favorite).

Then it was time for cake!

The kite (and tube it came in) from Grandma Cam was a big hit!

Alice was also pretty stoked about the money from Grandma and Grandpa Shogren.

The Saddest Day

Today is the last day I'll have a 7-year old daughter.

That still didn't stop me from teasing her for her dessert of choice: frozen corn topped with three large marshmallows.  Yum!

Simon Conquers the Monkey Bars

Since I'm still at work for three more days and the kids are done with school, I signed them up for childcare at the YMCA.  I let them play on the playground for a few minutes at pick-up before heading home.  Simon decided to master the monkey bars.  His first few attempts he only made it half-way, but with the video rolling, he decided to go all the way.

Last Day of School!

Today was the last day of 2nd grade for Alice and the last day of kindergarten for Simon.  They'll be heading off to college before we know it.

I look pretty, oh so pretty...

This kid.

Galaxy Fun Park

Through some skilled manipulation and negotiation, I bartered Alice out of a birthday party and into a day where she got to choose what the family would do.  She chose Galaxy Fun Park, a place up in North Raleigh that she went to on a field trip with one of her camps last summer.  They have a ton of options such as an elevated obstacle course, bumper cars, race cars, mini golf, etc.  But we got off easy. All she wanted to do was the trampoline jumping and the indoor jungle gym.

Alice and Zac jumped for an hour, but Simon petered out pretty quickly, so I took him to the food court for a snack of a giant cookie and some koolaid.  Alice had a snack with Zac after jumping.

Then they went to the mission control station, an area that is was really fun and kept them occupied for quite some time, climbing around. I couldn't get a good picture of them up there because they'd always move by the time I got my camera fired up.

Afterwards we went out to eat at a nearby empanada restaurant. The kids did ok, but they weren't thrilled with our "Let's try something new!" attitude.

At any rate, this was all way easier and cheaper and less awkward than hosting a birthday party.

3rd Child Redux

Elli has basically replaced Parker as our 3rd child.

I was at my school's graduation and faculty after-party all afternoon and evening, so Zac took the kids to the creek then had a campfire picnic with them in the backyard for supper.

Kindergarten Completion Celebration

On Friday afternoon we went to Simon's class for his end of year celebration and ice-cream party.

Outside the class in the hallway, each kid had written a persuasive essay on why they should have an ice-cream party. Simon took a merit-based approach, citing reasons such as, "I want a ice cream party because I never clip down because I be good" and "I deserve a ice cream party because I can read because I've learned."

We first met in the classroom where he had a little booklet that he wrote about the steps for how to make an ice-cream sundae. These teachers really know how to milk the learning opportunities out of a party!

Unprompted, on the back he drew a diagram of a magnolia tree and labelled it. I can't wait to see what this kid becomes when he grows up. A comedian? A scientist? I feel like those are his two main options.

The teacher started with a slide show of the kids.



I love how they basically take their mug-shots at the beginning of the year.

After the slide show, the teacher handed out an award to each kid (Simon got most responsible for being a "professional kindergartener").  Then we went to another classroom and the kids got to make their icecream sundaes.  The party was supposed to be outside, but it was too stormy.

Yum?

Then we just kind of hung out awkwardly in the classroom for a while as the kids went berserk.

Finally, we took a picture of Simon with his teacher, Ms. Liso.



In the hallway on our way out, Simon complied with a final picture request.

Cards for their Teachers

With the end of school approaching, I had the kids make cards to thank their teachers. Then we put together little gift bags with lotion, a notepad, and some treats. They made cards and gift bags for their teachers and the teaching assistants, but I forgot to take pictures of the cards of the TAs.

Weekend with the Grandparents

Nelson and Stana flew down Thursday night to stay with us for a long weekend through Tuesday.  The kids were still in school during the weekdays, but they picked them up in the afternoons and stayed with them all weekend while Zac and I went out shopping.

Card games are always a favorite activity...

...plus bike rides to the park!

And supper out at a pizza restaurant!

Then biking back home....

...for a campfire and s'mores!

Another day they had some time down at the pond.

Sadly, Tuesday morning they said goodbye to the kids before school...

...triggering a slight meltdown in Simon so I had to walk him to the bus stop.

Simon's Art

Simon brought some of this work home from school.

If you ever wondered what a five-year-old's fart joke picture would look like, here you go:

Translation:

bbbbbbbbbb!  = fart sound

The person in the car is then saying, "Excuse me!"

Simon loves to draw houses. The weird steps are his trademark.

These next two are from art class:

My true spirit...

There is a really cool mural on the wall right outside the vintage shop where we got our little table for the living room, (while on a shopping trip when my parents were babysitting the kids).  If only I'd worn my orange shirt! Next time.