Ready for Summer

GOT SHADES...

BRING ON SUMMERTIME FUN!!!

End of School Party

Each year our neighborhood gathers for an "Last Day of School Bash" in someone's backyard (it rotates.) The host provides hot dogs and drinks and then it is potluck for all the salads, chips, and desserts. There is always water involved. The kids love it and have good memories of this yearly tradition---and so do we as moms!

Dance Recital

Josanna and Madelyn also had a dance recital in May. Their company put on "Where the Wild Things Are" through dance and narration. It turned out wonderful. I was on the set crew that helped with background props. Josie's little class were the princesses from Ivy's birthday party at the beginning of the story. I love Josie's dress above. We were able to keep all the costumes---yah!

Madelyn was in two classes, ballet and modern, so she had two different parts. First she was part of the Ocean ballerinas, that danced when Max first got in his boat to set sail. Then she also played one of the wild beasts (the lion hair looking one.)

Here is a picture of most of the dance company together in various costumes. And then one of the sisters after the production.

MAY 2010

Besides Josh having his last soccer games and Madelyn being narrator in the play "Hamlet," we also had some of these end of the school year events. First, a piano recital for Josh and Alyssa. They did fantastic.

Second, a school dance festival. It was very windy that afternoon.

Third, Josie had her last day of preschool. She came home with her face painted as a clown because they had a circus party.

Fourth, Alyssa had a singing concert as part of her specialty class at school. It was fun to hear her sing songs that I remember singing like, "Never Smile at a Crocodile" from Peter Pan and "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music.

And finally the kids on the last day of school (Maddie did wear sandals.) These were the teacher gifts. The card told the teachers that they were wonderful and "berry smooth" this year. They got blackberry pies and a free smoothie coupon from Roxberry. It was a great school year with a lot of fun memories. Next year Maddie moves on to Jr. High! Aly will be in 5th, Josh in 2nd and Josie in preschool for another year, with Chelsea at home. Amazing. For now we are celebrating summer. . .

Rainbow Clouds and a Hummingbird

I had never witnessed Iridescent Clouds before and had to take some pictures. Josie looked up in the sky in May, while coming home from preschool, and told me there were rainbow clouds---and sure enough there were! I saw a news report about them earlier in the week, but this time I was seeing them in person. I guess these clouds are full of ice crystals and on a sunny day at the right angle they have a rainbow color. Nature is amazing!

Have you ever held a hummingbird? Michael did! We had a hummingbird fly into our garage and even though our garage door was open it couldn't find it's way out (we have very high ceilings in the garage.) Finally the hummingbird flew down low enough by the window and stopped. It was covered in some of cobwebs and dust and when Mike reached up to capture it and take it outside it didn't resist at all. Once outside it just rested in Mike's hand. He carefully cleaned it off while it was in his hand and set it on the branch of one of our maple trees. After a minute or so it finally flew away. I had wanted to grab the camera, but because I had no idea it would actually stay in his hand---and I wanted a look at it up close myself---I don't have a picture. It was just another really neat moment with nature.