We're Proud of You Thomas!

We got a call last week telling us that Thomas was going to win the Keithen Award/Scholarship this year!  The principal called to let Jeremy and I know so we could come see him receive the award, but it was a surprise to Thomas.  It is an award given to a third grader each year in memory of Keithen W, a little boy who passed away when he was three.  His family is from our parish and his brothers and sister attend/attended St. W school.  I think he must have had a brother in third grade the year he died and that's why a third grader gets it but I'm not sure.

Happily Thomas didn't notice the eight people he is related to (only three of whom normally come to school Mass) sitting in the back rows of church so the surprise wasn't ruined.  Samuel said he figured it out but I think it was probably about the time the principal said, "Each year we give an award to a third grader..."

Thomas got home and asked "Mom, what was that reward for?"

Guess it didn't really get explained and I took it home so it wouldn't get all smushed up in his bag at school so he didn't get a chance to read it.

 He was pretty happy when I told him the two third grade teachers picked him out of all the 3rd graders.  Aside from being proud of his good behavior, I was pretty happy because I think sometimes it's hard for Thomas to be so close behind Samuel who is good at everything he does without having to try very hard.  It's nice to earn something your brother didn't.  :)  

We're so very proud of you Thomas!

Be Careful...

...what you throw together on the last day of kindergarten for your first child.  Be mindful that you are quite possibly starting a tradition.  It might seem easy to grab the half-used roll of crepe paper and string it around leading to a water gun when there's just one celebrating the last day of school.  But the number of kids having their last day goes up long before it goes down so you may end up stringing crepe paper around your house or yard on the last day for the next 15 years or so!  And you won't be able to just grab stuff from around the house to make it work when there's more than one.  No, you'll have to be smart enough and organized enough to have four (or more!) rolls of crepe paper to string around and more than just one measly water gun at the end!  (Or a mother who is kind enough to bring you something good for the end at the last minute and a kid-less holy hour on the last day of school that you duck out of ten minutes early to buy the crepe paper.)
That being said it is kind of fun to string the crepe paper around and very fun to watch the excitement as they roll it up and find what's at the end.

Thanks for the sprinklers, kites and snacks Grandma Susan.  I only put the sprinklers at the end so their expectations aren't too high next year.  The rest I gave them inside and told them grandma sent them.  :)

Family Pictures!

We had family pictures taken by an old college friend just before Easter.  Not just us- my whole side of the family.  We got them last weekend and I've been having fun making collages.  :)

 I think these capture their personalities really well.

 I think these will go on the wall.  (Despite Philip's tongue.  He just looks so happy.)

 More cute poses

His Philip-ness was overflowing that day I guess.

 This is my favorite one.  It's our new computer wall paper.  

Yes, we still use a computer that has wall paper in the background.  :)

Pioneer School

It was a little hot for Pioneer school but fun anyway!

Best Adventure Walk EVER

I hate how all the cartoon characters are always having their "best Christmas ever" or "best party ever" or "funnest day ever" but this really was our best Adventure Walk E.V.E.R.  What is an Adventure Walk?  Well, an Adventure Walk can be anywhere, today's was just around our yard.  The important thing is that you are in observation mode.  You walk along looking for interesting things and you take time to investigate and explore them.  My dad is king and family inventor of the Adventure Walk.  (Also of playing really fun,engaging games with kids that do not require toys or him to ever move from where he is lying on the floor, but that is a different story.)  On our adventure walk today we turned over just about everything turn-overable in our yard, looked in every tree or bush we could peek into and poked around the burn pile too.
Along with the normal bugs,

flowers,

and interesting tidbits we saw lots of extra exciting stuff.

A cute boy in the clover.  Oh, wait, I get to see that all the time!

We saw a robin sitting on her two eggs.

How did we know there are two?  Four children (Sam's at Grandma and Grandpa's) can't stay quite long.

We also found another nest with four eggs in it!

Our windbreak trees are big enough for birds to want to build nests in them but small enough that we can see in!

Another cute boy (who sat in the grass voluntarily and long enough for me to snap a picture!)

We followed some deer track until we decided the deer probably went the whole way across the field and we didn't want to.

 We took a little slide break.  Nicholas LOVES to slide.

Climbed on the trailer and tractors some (no adventure around the yard would be complete with out tractor time)

 And  the most exciting of all- we found a bunny nest!

 There were four or five tiny bunnies in it.  They were so little their eyes aren't open yet.

 Julia would have held them all but we thought it best just to look.  :)

PS Don't be jealous of my beautiful purple nail polish.  Julia will do your nails at her salon too! (If you are lucky Philip will even help!)

God Bless America!

The big kids' spring program had a patriotic theme this year.  It was a nice program as usual.  Nice job!

They dressed to look like a flag on stage but I didn't get a picture that captured the effect.  

Congrats Max!

Congratulations to my Godson Max who received his First Communion on Divine Mercy Sunday and the day JPII was canonized to boot!  What a special day.  Glad we could share a little bit of it with you Max!