6-13-2010 Week in Review….

So, we’ve been trying to find out what would be a good outlet for all of Ella’s energy.  Gymnastics has seemed the obvious choice so I signed the girls up for a free trial class.  Okay, the first thing I can tell you is that….if they can’t take the class together I will NEVER be able to let them both go.  Luckily, today, my neighbor’s wonderful daughters were tracked out and tagged along to babysit in the waiting room.  I could not have done it without them!!

Sylvie was shy at first but then started getting excited.  She ended up jumping right in and having a ball.  She was actually the most fearless of the bunch and the most agile…I guess seeing her next to Ella I always think she’s calm but next to these kids she was on fire!!

She was even making friends….

The (more than) Fabulous babysitters!!

Sylvie was SO excited to get her “Gold”….the bonus you get when you take your free class on presentation day!!

So, I know it was just one class and it was presentation day but I spent the entire time analyzing if this is what was right for Ella.  I know they organize this class to not only teach gymnastics but to teach children good social skills and patience.  However….I don’t need her to learn patience, she gets that at church, I need her to RUN!!!

I try not to laugh when Ella almost busts it at the end of this one…..

 

She had a lot of fun but had a VERY hard time with all the waiting your turn stuff.  (She was the only one throwing circles…at first…they she got the rest of them into it and everyone got scolded by their parents (incuding her) and then she started bawling!).

So then she was upset when it was time to go get her medal.  Oh well.  She had fun….right?

Then we have broken water pipes….but Ryan fixes them.

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Okay, so I was a bit worried that the girls didn’t gain enough weight over the last month but this morning at their weigh in things were great! Sylvie put on 2 lbs in 3 weeks.  (I think the rocks I put in their pockets definitely helped!)  We left with smiling faces….oh, and a huge blue ice pack shaped like a hand…held against Ella’s swollen purple cheek.  That’s what happens when you trip in your new Crocs and hit the corner of a metal door frame.  She was crying and saying, “The purple is spreading!  It’s going to make my toes and fingers purple!”  She’s funny.

We then headed over to Corben’s award ceremony at school.  He got an award for Show Choir and a gold medal for Falcon’s Nest (Amazing Grades).  I’m so proud of him!!  He was also voted Most Likely to be President of the United States and Most Likely to Graduate High School Top in his Class!!  Way to Go, Corben!!

 

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Today was AWESOME!!  We headed out early to go to my sister’s new place and WOW is it amazing.  I’ll have great photos for you Sunday but for now you’ll have to take my word for it.  While I toured the glorious house the girls had a blast.  We headed outside to play in the Plane…yes, I said plane (and it’s a REAL plane) and then the girls headed over to go for their very first horse ride!!  Ella was so excited riding bareback while Aunt Tammy lead her around.  She even turned to me mid ride and said, “I love you, Mommy!”.  Sylvie (who is scared to death of most things with fur…at least at first) let Tammy hold her near the horses but had a death grip on her and wouldn’t touch them much less ride.  Oh well, maybe next time.  Then it was MY turn!!  They keep telling me it’s in my blood….however, I have my doubts….STILL it was a ton of fun and I can’t wait for my kids to get to enjoy more Horse time now that we have Tam and her Fam so close!!  After the kids started showing signs of needing a nap, we ensured their exhaustion by pulling out the slip and slide….YEAH!!

 

I love the picture below….it has so many different elements!!….

Here it is broken up into my favorite parts…..Ella’s enthusiasm…..

…and what ever just happened to Monkey Man!! LOL….he was fine….I promise….

My niece, Bean…..

Then…..

I have to tell you that my teenager is rather sad that school is out….he’s very social and has many, many, many friends.  I let him take his camera to school today so here’s some proof!

    

(He did take pictures of guy friends, too, just somehow all the ones I grabbed where girls lol)  He also came home with several awards!  He received an Academic Excellence medal and was also voted Most Likely to Succeed by his peers!!  His math teacher awarded him the Best Mathematician award for Algebra and his PE teacher gave him the Best Attitude/Behavior award!  Go, Dade!!  I’m so proud of my boys!

We picked Corben up from his last day of 4th grade and headed out to celebrate with Ice Cream and a stop at the library.  Then we all came home and headed to our respective quiet places to READ!!  I love that my kids love to read and that we all love to read the same things!

Tonight I got a link from my Sis for an AWESOME commercial…yes it’s a commercial but I LOVE it….so much that I want…NEED to do a remake…The Schnegel Wagon….(if only my brother and his mad video making skills lived closer….hint, hint….HINT…)

 

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So….now it’s SUMMER VACATION!!  And what do you DO during summer vacation??  You do FUN stuff!!  Even though it means packing up 4 kids and trying to get everything ready all by yourself.  It means telling yourself over and over that you really DO want to go to the lake with said 4 children because after all, it will be fun and they’ll thank you for it.  It means Actually doing it even though it takes 2 1/2 hours to get out the door and knowing that you overcame all the little/big voices telling you to just hang around the house because it would be easier…..AND, best of all, we did have fun!!  And here’s proof….(oh and I think Swimming is Ella’s outlet!!)

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The weekend started off full!  My feet hurt even thinking about it but it was a great (though hot) day for pictures!!

When I got home, finally, here’s where I found the girls….

Ryan found a great place to keep them busy and contained while he was outside.  They ate popsicles, honked the horn…over and over and over….and played in the rain.  They were VERY happy.  Ryan took several videos of their happiness but since they’re all about 5-15 minutes long I won’t even attempt to share them…..

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And now…the PARTY!!  (It was going to rain so the light was terrible and I had to use my flash most of the time….grumble grumble….)

Okay, I lied….I don’t have time to go through all these photos so I’m just going to break with tradition and post Mon – Sat….  I’m sure we’ll all survive….I hope….if not, let me know…..thanks.