Smores

Jason has been wanting to build a fire pit for quite a while but after thinking about it, we decided we wanted a portable one to take to the circle. After buying one on Saturday, Sunday evening we had the neighborhood for over for our first of many Smores sessions. The kids roasted marshmallows  road bikes, played teatherball and ran around while the adults actually got to sit and talk. It was lovely!

This is how she plays soccer.....

WITH A SMILE!

Laney runs around the soccer field always smiling, waving and even throwing in some kicking :) What a great season Laney....we are so proud of you!!

The talent show

This year, the talent show brought about a new act...baton twirling! The sign up came home in Ella's backpack and she was all over it! Once I saw the other girls who decided to do it, I was excited for her to be involved. Plus, throw in sequins, gloves and a tiara and we are IN.

They practiced twice a week for 4 weeks. The night came for the talent show and I knew they would rock the costumes. They looked great and although I was thinking Ella would concentrate too hard and not smile, she turned it on!! Her smile lit up the stage....way to go, Ella :)

Don't they look great?

Reagan, Sarah and Ella

Warming up 

 

Saluting the crowd. Ella is second from the right.

When the curtain opened the crowded "oohed" just seeing their costumes.

We clapped along to the beat and cheered the girls on.

Ella said the clapping distracted her :)

Nana and Pappy brought her flowers...how cute!!

Great job, Ella!

Kindermusik

In February, we were at a Kindervelt function and I bid (and won!) a kids' activity basket. There was puzzles, crafts and games but my favorite items was a month of Kindermusik classes, a month at The Little Gym and a free session of swimming lessons.

Matthew and I enjoyed the month at Kindermusik and enrolled for the rest of the session. He learned about his singing voice vs the usual yelling voice we hear and learned how to play various instruments. It was also a great group of moms so we had a lovely time chatting each week :) He can match pitch and if he wants, can sing very sweetly.

Not sure if we will join next year but for this past semester, it was a wonderful thing to do with my little man.

Mother's Day 2013

Mother's Day couldn't have been ANY better! I always know I have it good but wow, did Jason and the kids go above and beyond.

I woke up around 7:30 am to Ella saying, "Mom are you up?". She came in with roses, cards, gifts and then Jason brought up breakfast in bread. Omelet, juice, bacon and fruit. Delicious!

The roses were so pretty and to eat breakfast in bed was so peaceful. Ella would even come up and ask if I needed anything else :)

The kids worked so hard on their gifts....Matthew gave me a clay handprint (that I hung in the kitchen), Laney made a book about me which included.......what do you like to do with your mom (go to Kings Island) and what does mom do when you are at school (She cleans). A drawing of me with a vacuum cleaner made the page complete :) Ella made a recipe of what makes Mom special.....adorable!

After that amazing morning, little did I know that the day of fun was just beginning.

Jason and the kids headed over to the Mills house at 8:30. I had the whole house to myself until 11!! At that time, I headed over to the Mills house where the guys greeted us with this amazing shirts! Yes, I want Jason to wear the I love Leslie shirt daily. Dirty or not.

They cooked us a made to order breakfast. Thank goodness Jason was there because he cooked basically all of the hot food including the most amazing French Toast! The guys rented tables for us and the kids, they were in charge of the kids while the ladies drank and had muffins, they bought flowers for everyone, and had the best table service around.

What a great morning!!

A toast from the ladies!

That night, we had both sets of parents over for dinner to pamper our moms. Dinner, which Jason cooked, was amazing and thanks to my mom, Bettye, flowers from Jason and flowers from the morning, our table looked like this. Beautiful, right? 

Thank you for the best mother's day a mom could have asked for, Jason!!!

Relaxing, fun, best food, flowers, gifts....yes, it was awesome :)

Matthew has graduated

....the 3 year old program that is :)

What an exciting year at preschool it has been. He:

1) Learned to count to 15 (still misses a few numbers every now and then though...who really needs them all?)

2) Sings the alphabet

3) Knows shapes and colors

4) Writes most of his name (not necessarily correctly but the M and the a are spot on)

5) says the Pledge of Allegiance

6) loves singing and if you give him a note, he can match pitch....I guess it really is true that some are born with the musical gene and some are not

7) still can't poop on the potty.............our year long drama!

Matthew made his teachers a card. 

I put glue to make a heart and he took tissue paper, crinkled it up and put it on the glue.

Inside he wrote his name....or at least a big M :)

Mrs. Kiser

One last book

Matthew receiving his diploma and a book of pictures Mrs. Caesar had collected throughout the year.

It was adorable!

Do you think he is proud?

He wouldn't put his diploma down all day long.

These ladies are amazing and in my eyes, Matthew couldn't have had a better school year (well, ok, if he would poop in the potty that would be fabulous but they can only do so much).

Now he is off to the 4 year old program with Mrs. Heile and Mrs. Kauffman :)

The season opener of Kings Island

We were sooooooo excited for KI to open but unfortunately could not make it on opening weekend. Although Sunday morning was wet, we decided to enjoy a morning at home and see if the weather cooperated. Around noon we checked the radar and it didn't look that great but we thought we would at least get our passes and see how the weather shakes out.

We got our passes and by the time we got to the kids area it was sprinkling. Thank goodness it never down poured but honestly if it did, it wouldn't have stopped us. We were ready with our rain jackets and wanted to ride what we could.

We met up with another family, the Morrisons, which made riding the rides even more fun. Steve and KJ with their adorable daughters, Tougy and Ry, were a blast to be with. Plus, KJ loved riding the crazy rides we don't go on with Ella (our little daredevil).

After the bumper cars, it was the annual picture with the snoopy.

Matthew made the height limit for the Beastie (forget what the new name is). KJ was excited to ride with Matthew, Ella with Ry and Laney (Tougy was too short for this one but was a trooper about it).

The kids rode this ride about 5 times, switching up partners.

Ella, Ry, KJ, Tougy, J and Laney

While Ella and the Morrisons rode the Beastie one more time, Laney and Matthew wanted to drive the cars.

I am thinking Matthew was excited.

Could they be any cuter?

There is a dinosaur exhibit where you pay $5 and walk about 1 mile through interactive dinosaurs. We haven't done this yet, but thinking this might be our year to try it.

KJ and Ry on the spider

Tougy looks happy here but unfortunately cried most of the ride.

Ella loved comforting her....thank you, Ella!

Ella said next time she comes to KI she is going to bring her own key (to unlock many of the seatbelts so she  doesn't have to wait for the workers)...oh El :)

Matthew and me riding the helicopter ride. He makes every ride fun!

The grand finale in Ella's book.

She wanted this insane ride that took you up higher than the Eiffel Tower while playing the Superman theme song. KJ wanted to ride it as well so together they went (I was secretly happy because I hate that I don't like these thrill rides and sad to disappoint Ella when I refuse to go on them). Thank you, KJ.

Both said the ride was great but you really got going fast when up high......KJ said it was really chilly up there but Ella, who was in a sleeveless shirt, said it was great :)