Neighborhood Summer Fun

The other day our neighbors (one of the VERY few that don't have kids) were watering their lawn and the neighborhood kids decided that was an invitation to come play in their yard. (I did make them stay off the grass, but let them stand on the sidewalk and wait for the water to come to them.) Luckily these neighbors are very nice and don't mind the kids.

Love Thad's face in this one. They were having a ball.

Love this picture too. Two of Hollace's good friends in the neighborhood are sisters who happen to be half Hispanic. Look below and see if you can pick Hollace out. The three of them just finished 1st, 2nd, and 4th grades, but they are about the same height, and look at their skin and hair. They look like three little Hispanic triplets! Ha! It's really funny to see them together. Hollace is in the middle by the way :)....and Yes, I am jealous of her tan. She has her tan for the summer after one day in the sun!

Group Hug

Loving Summer fun!

Rhett's Big Week!

The last week in May was a BIG week for this big guy!

Tuesday evening his pre-school had their end of year program. It was sort of a graduation as many of them will be going to kindergarten. Since Rhett won't be 5 until August, we aren't going to send him to kindergarten until next year. SO....it wasn't a sad graduation for me, but it was very cute. Each class sang a couple of songs and each child had a very short little speaking part. Rhett's was "on the word of God." I was SOOO proud of him. He spoke loudly and clearly and honestly was one of the best ones! He looked so handsome and grown up on the stage.

He knew all the words and motions.
Here he is receiving his pre-school "diploma" from his teacher, Mrs. White.
There was one other little story about the night that I will NOT be able to do justice with words, but I will try.......

Thad was not behaving very well toward the end of the program- I know you are all as SHOCKED as I was!....so Brent took him and was standing at the back of the fellowship hall. While one of the classes was on stage doing their part I was watching, but not intently b/c it wasn't Rhett's class. Out of the corner of my eye I see Brent full out sprinting up the aisle toward the stage. I was thinking "Oh no, Thad got loose and is running toward the stage." I am looking down the aisle for him and NOT seeing him. At about this time I start to hear chuckling and snickering from the audience. I look and to my HORROR, Thad is ON the stage. YES....ON THE STAGE!! in front of about 400 people. Brent is standing in front of the stage by now and Thad is up there with the 4 and 5r year olds pulling on a decorative balloon bouquet. I can see Brent is trying to decide how to retrieve our son. There are stairs at each far end of the stage, but no stairs up the front. I just know Brent was thinking that whichever way he decided to go, Thad will promptly run toward the other! I meanwhile am trying to decide do I go up there and try to help or do I continue to sit here and pretend I do not know this unfortunate pair!?!

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Wednesday night Rhett had his choir performance. It had a construction theme and was really cute. I have to admit I wasn't quite as proud of Rhett this time. I'm not sure why, but he didn't seem as interested. Most of the time he wasn't singing or even paying much attention. The silly guy on the left is his choir teacher. After this part he went over and stood behind those balloons. Rhett spent a lot of time poking and kicking the balloons and then looking behind at the teacher to see if he was getting a response. At one point they brought out inflatable little hammers and gave one to each child. They were suppose to raised and lower them to the beat of the song. Of course Rhett just "happened" to lower his EvERy time onto the head of the kid in front of him which did not make said child very happy. I was really irritated at him, but really- whose idea was it to give inflatable hammers to a bunch of 4 year olds standing that close together. Oh well, at least Thad stayed off the stage this time!

The little construction worker at the after program reception.

Thursday night was Upward Soccer Celebration Night and Saturday was his final game of the season. I didn't even take any pictures at the Celebration, but thought I would include this one of our little #9 in action. I still need to post some of the other soccer pictures I have taken.

Memorial Weekend 2011 Recap

We had a relaxing weekend here at home. It was nice just to have Brent home for three days. We cooked out and ate outside. The kids love to do that.

Mmmm....Chicken, veggie, and pineapple kabobs.

Yummy, healthy almond flour chocolate chip cookies
We had lots of fun playing outside. Our neighborhood pool opened Saturday, so we went Saturday and Sunday and Monday. Whew! I forgot to take my camera-every time, but I'm sure there will be many more opportunities for pool pictures.
We played outside with this big inflatable ball Brent's parents got for the kids a while back.
It was fun, but could be a little dangerous with this big hill in our back yard.

Monday morning I ran in a 10K (6.2 mi) here in town. I placed third overall and got an actual trophy. I thought that was kind of funny that they gave trophies, but the kids, Rhett particularly, were SOOO impressed! My time was 49:24, which is a 7:57 pace. It was a pretty hilly and hot course. I think it was 85 degrees plus when I finished. I was surprised to place overall with that time, but it was really hot.

It feels like it is officially summer time now!

**Correction: Hollace just told me the big red ball was from Uncle Scott.