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This last month has been fun. We are just starting to fall into a bit of a routine after school let out a couple weeks ago.
Started off the summer on Memorial Day weekend with a picnic at City Park and had to make sure all the rides are still in working order — especially the train. Everybody loves the train!
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Here’s one of AJ from that day at that park. I tell ya, that kid is too cool. He’s constantly adding new words to his vocabulary and is so funny. I’ll have to devote a whole blog here to just AJ pretty soon. One little warning in the meantime, however: Don’t look at him and say the word “bath” unless you mean it. The second he hear the word he goes squealing with excitement to the stairs as fast as he can go in anticipation. It’s very funny. However, if you are not really going to give him a bath, be prepared for a dramatic mood swing!
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Kaylee played softball this spring for the first time. 2-nights a week we’re out at the ballpark cheering her on. I got to help coach too, which was fun. It’s set up so the coaches pitch 4 balls and then we pull out the tee. Everybody bats every inning and nobody gets out. Not a real cut-throat league, but considering a good portion of my coaching responsibility is just to remind the girls to stop playing in the dirt while in the field, that’s probably for the best. Kaylee and all the girls have shown a lot of improvement this year. Kaylee can totally crush the ball when she gets a hold of it!
Speaking of Kaylee, we attended a spectacular Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony for her and her classmates. It was complete with a slide show, musical performances by the kindergartners and the handing out of certificates from the principal. (Somehow I don’t seem to remember a formal ceremony when I “graduated” from kindergarten? What a jip.) Anyway, it was quite a deal and we are very proud of her. Both of the girls, for that matter. Not to brag, but their report cards go on and on about what great students and role models they are. We are very proud, indeed!
Emma had a fun opportunity this last weekend. The Iowa City Airport was running a program with Girl Scouts and the Young Eagles, giving out free airplane rides to girls between the ages of 8-17. Emma was in an airplane once before, but she was only 6-months old at the time, so it doesn’t really count. This one totally counted!
She was pretty nervous strapping in. (We were a bit nervous too! It was an odd looking plane with the propeller in the back and the word “EXPERIMENTAL” painted in big letters on the door that opens up. Umm. Experimental, huh?) Anyway, all went well and Emma had a blast. She was up for probably 15-20 minutes and flew around south of town. She said they were going 160 mph and the pilot let her steer it left a right a couple times while there were up! In her own words after she landed, “I can’t stop smiling!”
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And last, but not least, check out Thomas’ new haircut. As the weather started getting hotter and hotter, Thomas’ floppy curls started looking more and more uncomfortable. Then Michael, next door, got all his hair cutoff for the summer, and Thomas thought he’d like a short cut too. Well, 5-minutes with the clippers and the rest is history. Went to church today and people didn’t even recognize him without his trademark curls! He looks so much older, doesn’t he? Thomas said he wanted it cut even shorter! (They’ll grow back, right?)
