Fish

Our kids are becoming fish!  They love daily swimming lessons and they love when we get to go back to the pool in the afternoons and evenings.  If they had their wish they would be in the pool all day long.  Sammy's favorite thing to do is dive and go down the big slide.  We seldom can get him out of the deep end.  So grateful for the opportunity for them to learn how to swim and to be comfortable in the water...not to mention being able to cool off from the heat and humidity.  If only it wasn't so hot and sticky for me sitting out watching them.  I think I am just as wet as they are when we are done...from sweating though not from the water! :)

Space Derby

This month we have been learning about space during cub scouts.  Sammy has loved learning to make different kinds of paper airplanes, learning about the solar system, and going to the McKinley Museum for a field trip.  He loves Science and I am amazed at what he can learn, understand, and recall about anything science related.  The highlight of the month was the space derby for pack meeting.  He had a great time designing, making, and painting his rocket.  His rocket outflew all others by a landslide.  I loved seeing the look in his eyes as he watched it fly and the excitement that he had all evening.  

Sara Update

 Sara has become quite vocal lately...more vocal than I would like!  We are trying to teach her she does not need to yell at the top of her lungs.  I think she may think she has to in order to be heard though.  She is talking so much now and repeating every word we say.  She has really good articulation.  We think she may take after her sisters with the talent of talking!  She loves popsicles and ice cream.  I'm kinda embarrassed to admit it, but sometimes she gets left in her high chair a little longer than necessary.  She makes great use of this time, however, by rubbing whatever food or liquid she can reach all over her hair.  She thinks it is great fun until it is time to be washed off.  She is not so much a fan of that!

Father & Son Campout

Joel took the boys on the annual Father and Son Campout the first weekend in June.  They went to Quail Hollow State Park this time and had a great time.  I love how excited the boys get in the weeks approaching the campout.  It is a highlight for all of them.  Joel said it was after 11 pm before he finally got all the boys gathered together and into bed for the night.  They were just running around and having a great time playing together.  Sammy discovered carving and whittling this year and has loved it.  He has spent countless hours since then carving sticks in the backyard.  Surprisingly he has been very responsible and safe with it too.  Such a fun tradition for them each year.  Grateful for a husband that finds joy and value in spending time with his children.

Coming home after...he assured Joel he was NOT tired! :)

Trying to Catch My Breath

Father's Day

Wow...it has been crazy busy since school has been out but I am loving it.  I am exhausted by lunchtime yet the day is far from over so we just keep going and make it to dinner somehow and then fall into bed way too late each night to start again the next day!  It's so worth it though when the kids talk excitedly about the day, when we look at what was accomplished, and I hear the expressions of "thank you" and sticky kisses from the little ones.

10 Mile Bike Ride with the Deacons

The kids have been enjoying swimming lessons each morning.  I am shocked at the progress Sammy has made in just a few days of swim lessons.  He is really quite the athlete.  We always laugh though when he is in a swimsuit because he is nothing but skin and bones.  You see all his ribs and he flexes to to show us his "Muscle Bumps" (aka biceps) and the skin between his bones in his arms actually indents.  It is so funny...will have to get a picture sometime of it.  We also like to go back to the pool in the afternoon when there is time.  Sara is loving the water this year too and getting a little more adventurous and daring than I would like at times!  Thank goodness for older kids that help out with her.

Sammy being "extra safe" while running errands with Dad!

Thomas and Spring have been participating in Summer Band and Orchestra Camp at the High School each day as well.  Spring has also begun taken weekly private Cello lessons and Thomas was offered free percussion lessons each week from one of the Band Directors, Mr. Monroe.  I can make the trip between the high school and home in my sleep...hopefully I won't literally do it, but wouldn't be surprised if I did!

Thomas volunteered to build Sue Ann a deck this summer as well.  It is a 16' x 20' deck and I think he grossly underestimated the time and difficulty of the task.  He has never complained, however, and is loving the experience of the project.  It has become a family project, however, and we have spent the last 3 Saturdays working all day on it.  After the little ones go to bed Thomas, Spring, Joel, and I often head back over and work into the dark to get more finished on it.  Thomas also works on it for hours each day after his music camps and up till dinner.  The goal is to have it finished this week.  I am grateful for children that love to serve and love to help others.  Just trying to help them realize that just because you continue to offer to help other people and do all you can for others you don't get more hours in the day.  No matter what....there are only 24 hours in a day!  We are so tired by the end of a Saturday but it feels good as we fall into bed knowing our family worked all day on a project for someone else and everyone enjoyed it.   

Last Day of School

Today was FINALLY the last day of school and I survived!  No more lunches to pack or notebooks/papers/folders/whatever to sign each night and no more spelling lists!  So excited for a summer with these kiddos of ours.  Thomas decided he would rather stay home today than go to school because in his words, "I can be a lot more productive at home than with what we are doing at school today!"

Thomas...First day of 7th grade 

Thomas...Last day of 7th grade

Spring...First Day of 5th Grade

Spring...Last Day of 5th Grade

Sammy...First Day of 2nd Grade

Sammy...Last Day of 2nd Grade

Mary...First Day of 1st Grade

Mary...Last Day of 1st Grade

Fun Times

The pool is not open during the day until school is out; however, the splash pad and the kiddie pool are open so the boys have wanted to go each day.  We have spent the last couple mornings there and they come home and take wonderful naps.

Last night Spring, Sammy, Mary, & Joshie participated in the 1st of 4 field hockey clinics at Kent State University.  It is a free clinic sponsored by the Kent State Women's Field Hockey Team and the kids had a blast.  They came home so excited for next week.  They all even got T-shirts to wear during the clinic.

18 Months

Our little Sara hit a milestone today in being able to go to nursery at church.  As soon as Sacrament Meeting ended she got up with Spring and pulled Spring's hand into her's and started walking off like she knew exactly what to do even though she had never been in nursery before.  Spring took her into nursery and Sara acted like an old pro.  She never cried or looked back.  Spring picked her up after church and said Sara didn't want to come with her...she wanted to stay.  I guess you could call that a success!

The little girl has the sweetest and silliest personality.  It is so fun to get to know her more and more each day.  She has many loves in her life right now, including:

*Belly buttons...her's and anyone else's she can find by lifting up shirts and digging around in their bellies.

*Shoes...constantly trying to put on shoes whether they are her's or someone else's.  She also tries to put shoes on everyone else if you are barefoot.

*Puppies...she says "puppy" all the time whenever she sees dogs.  She loves to go into Spring and Mary's room and point out all the puppies on the posters and calendars.  She also has a few books with puppies in them and she will search the book until she gets to the page with "puppy" on it.

*Books...she is constantly being found with a book and loves for people to read to her.  I love to find her laying on the couch with a book in the air "reading" to herself as she babbles on and on.

*Talking...nonstop jabbering and talking.  She says so many words very clearly.  We are sure to let Spring and Mary know she learned that from them!

*Cereal, cheese, rice, macaroni & cheese, popsicles, and apples.  She will eat an entire apple all by herself...skin and all.

*Bossing Scout around and calling him when he is outside and she thinks he needs to come inside.

*Playing outside...it's the first place she wants to go when she wakes up in the morning and she is never ready to come back inside - EVER!

*Calling anyone that she thinks can help her get what she wants, "Mommy!"  She has the cutest way of ending all her words with the "EEE" sound...although I have to admit by the end of the day sometimes I just don't want to hear "mommy" again.

*Climbing and walking around on the kitchen table...we are working on breaking her of this one...not much luck so far.  It doesn't help that her brothers think it is funny and laugh whenever she does which only encourages her to continue.

*Loves to stand up and then stick her head on the floor and look between her legs.  It's funny when she tries to walk around like that.

*Babies...dolls or the real thing!

Love this little one of our's and so excited to be able to keep watching her grow and learn and teach us new things.

We Survived May

I am beginning to believe that the month of May rivals December in terms of busyness and hectic schedules.  There are so many end of the year school activities pulling at us.  Add to that the beautiful weather that beckons us to be outside sprucing up the yard after a long, cold winter and enjoying the warmth of sunshine and blue skies.  The opportunity to be at the pool again, BBQ, and eat meals outside is much more enticing than all the end of the year school projects, homework, spelling lists, etc.  I am trying to survive the next week and a half before I get to reclaim our family and enjoy a couple months of being together without school, packing lunches, evening activities and commitments.  I hope we survive...and I hope I can muster the desire to pack a lunch for them for 7 more days...it will be a challenge...and I'm not sure I am up for it! :)

Thomas, Sammy, and Joel joined other scouts the Friday before Memorial Day to put flags on the graves of veterans in the Tallmadge Cemetery.  They loved it and are excited to be able to do it again next year.

Gideon's typical breakfast includes mixing at least 3 kinds of cereal together each morning.  Love the bedhead this kid wakes up with each morning.  I will deal with the bedhead; however, because I love the way his red hair shines in the sun when he is outside playing.

I have reflected a lot this month on how we were led to live where we live at this point in our lives.  Stow has once again been named Ohio's best Community for Music Education and it is definitely a well deserved title.  Thomas and Spring continue to love and excel in the band and orchestra.  May has a brought about so many concerts for these two that I have lost count.  After their last band concert we were able to snap a quick picture with one of their 3 band directors, Mr. Newman.  He is Spring's small group instructor on the trumpet and he is the director of the Junior High Band and Jazz Band for Thomas.  He, as well as Mr. Monroe and Mrs. Sandman are amazing band directors that have blessed our family for the last 4 years and will continue to throughout their high school careers. Mrs. Hamilton, as their Orchestra teacher has been the same; unfortunately, she retires this year so we anxiously await to see who will step up in her place.

Yesterday the Deacons helped Thomas with a service project for Sue Ann.  She needed some big boulders moved out of her backyard and then an area of her yard leveled out into a smoother grade.  Following that they moved lumber for the deck Thomas is going to build for her this summer to her backyard.  The rest of our kids were so excited to be able to help as well.  They all accomplished a great deal in such a short period of  time.  I love that our children love to serve and help whenever they see an opportunity.  They continue to be great examples to me.

Yesterday also marked Thomas' final piano recital with Ms. Bakkum.  It was a bittersweet moment as he and Ms. Bakkum performed a duet together for the final time.  I loved watching them smile at each other and just work in perfect unison together; however, I teared up a bit with the thought that this chapter of his music career is coming to an end.  The relationship they have developed is so very special and I know he will forever treasure the memories, skills, and life lessons he has learned from her.

We ended our day yesterday with a trip to the pool in the evening.  It was a last minute decision and I don't think I have ever seen the kids get ready so quickly.  Neither Joel or I went swimming last night so Sara just hung out with us.  She found a swim diaper in her bag and kept trying to put it on her head.  Finally I helped and then she wasn't so sure she liked it.