A Little Time Spent With Good Friends

Emily 10, Kelsey 12, Hannah 12, Ryan 9, Jacob 6 and Andrew 7

On Friday we were able to visit with some good friends. It doesn't seem like long ago that Kelsey and Hannah were in kindergarten together and now they are headed off to 7th grade. The girls have not been in class together since kindergarten, but have remained great friends. Emily and Ryan got to know each other in preschool, Jacob and Andrew were just babies and now they are going into 2nd grade. Thanks to the girls meeting, I also got to make a great friend, their mom Susan. We now live 30 minutes away since we moved 2 summers ago, but we still enjoy the times we get to share. We have had a lot of fun with your family over the last 6 (almost 7) years and we miss seeing you on a regular basis....thank you all for being such great friends. We love you guys!

A Visit With Jenny, Kim's B-day, and Silly Dog Shirts

Mike's sister Jenny came to visit from California this weekend. We enjoyed her visit and we were sad to have to take her to the airport today. We had very sad kids today.....we miss her already.

Mike's sister Kim turned 39 today. Happy Birthday Kim!!! There is no one who loves a birthday more than Aunt Kim. The first time I met Kim was at one of her Birthday dinners, she was turning 23.....where has the time gone?!?

Jacob and Jenny....getting some love.

The girls and I went to Target and we found these funny dog shirts in the dollar section....we couldn't resist buying these.

Last Day Of School and Some Animal Pictures

Everytime I turn on my camera I keep finding pictures that Kelsey keeps taking of the animals. She has taken some cute ones. I can't seem to get them to stay still....somehow she keeps getting them to stay for her......... Zack in his favorite spot.

Zack and Zoey....they are always together.

Today was the last day of school. Emily and her teacher Mrs. Lyle.

Jacob and his teacher Mrs. Waller. (He wasn't feeling great today.)

Today Kelsey was given an award for track. She was voted.... "Most Inspirational". There was only 4 awards given out to each grade......way to go Kelsey!!!!

I couldn't get this to turn for some reason.

Mr. Charlie Cat.......if he only knew he was wearing pink!

Field Day

Jacob filling up a little squirty fish to get his classmates wet. He only wanted to do the squirting and not be squirted by others.

Jacob playing pop bottle soccer.

Emily and her friend Emma dressed up for twin day on field day.

Emily playing Drip-Drip-Dunk. This game is Duck-Duck-Goose played with water.

The girls had a piano recital this weekend. The pictures didn't turn out great, so I didn't post one. Jacob asked if we could have the 'treats' first before the recital.....thinking like a true man. He had that plate piled with goodies......I think he had eaten two cookies already before this was taken.

The kids get out of school tomorrow for the summer. We are all ready for some down time. The last 7 days have been jam packed with a band concert, talent show, swimming lessons, field day, a piano recital and playing the piano for some people at a retirement home. I have been at the elementary school every 4 out of 5 days for the last three weeks helping in Emily's class. I have been helping with a scrap booking project in her class that was very time consuming. Today I packed my last lunch for the school year...it's funny what can make a mother happy. Talk to me in another two weeks and I will probably be wishing for summer school.

A Talent Show and A Little Swimming

Emily was in the school talent show last Tuesday, she did a great job.

Nana and Papa Childs treated us to some Ben & Jerry's...Emily had to strike a pose.

Emily and Jacob at swim lessons.

For many years I'm sure our neighbors have heard a lot of screams coming from our house. I have always wondered what they thought.......

A. Jamie is beating the children.

B. Mike is beating the children.

C. The kids are getting their hair washed.

I hope you all picked C. These two children have finally stopped screaming when they take a shower. They didn't scream because they had soap or water in their eyes....they screamed because of the fear of getting water in their eyes. (Yes, we did use a wash cloth to sheild their eyes, they just screamed anyways.) This made it impossible for them to take swim lessons. We tried several times with Emily (with goggles) but she just couldn't handle it. Emily finally decided it was time to learn to swim and Jacob still didn't think it was a good idea. During the first class he got out of the pool 6 times with a pouty lip and tears in his eyes saying he just couldn't do it. He finally has decided it is not to bad. The last lesson he finally stayed in the whole time.
I think it may have been a small miracle.

Band Concert and Tween Fashion Consultants

Tonight was Kelsey's 6th grade beginning band concert. We tried to get pictures of her playing, but she was always behind a music stand. (She is in the orange shirt.)

Kelsey and her friends Jennifer and Theresa (they all play the flute)

Kelsey has learned a lot this year on the flute. We have two flutes, but our fourth invisible child some how smashed the keys on my flute....so we haven't been able to play any duets together yet.

Emily and Jacob hanging out and waiting patiently.

This weekend the girls and I went out shopping together. I told the girls I wanted to look for a new fleece jacket for myself because I was tired of the one I was wearing. Out of the blue Emily says "You need a new jacket...that one is frumpy looking." I laughed...(what 10 year old says the word FRUMPY!) and then Kelsey adds to the comment..."If you were on 'What not to Wear' they would tell you to throw that in the trash." At this point they have me laughing. Oh yes, Emily has more advice for me..."They would tell you to wear tighter clothes too." Thanks for the fashion advice girls, I'm feeling great about my clothes now!

When we left the band concert tonight it was windy, raining and 48 degrees outside. The local news here has renamed the month to....'June-uary'........Seattle's average high temp so far for the month is 57.2 degrees. This is the coldest first 9 days of June in Seattle history. (I guess I better find a new coat soon, or that frumpy one may just have to come back out of the closet!)

Something New

Recently I came across some blogs that people had created as a way for family and friends to keep updated in their lives. I thought they were pretty neat. So here goes my attempt at being a blogger.


Things have been very busy around here since school is getting ready to be out for the summer. Kelsey just finished the 6th grade track season. She was glad it is over because..."All that running was horrible." We think she liked it only for social reasons....2 extra hours with her friends each day. I'm glad that it is over because I was tired of having to drive to get her everyday.





Jacob and Emily are finishing up 1st and 4th grade. They had some art displayed in the school art show....these are the apples they both drew.





Emily was in the Circus Club at school this year. She had practices every Friday before school all year. She was in the Maritime parade this Saturday. She rode a monkey bike. Jacob and I both walked in the parade with her. Here are some fun photos from the parade.







We have a pretty busy week coming up....a band concert for Kelsey tomorrow (she plays the flute), Emily is playing the piano in the talent show, and a piano recital. I will try to update again later this week with some more photos. Poor Mike, he had to come help me about 5 times just to get this page done! I guess I will get the hang of this sooner or later.

Jamie