Matchbox Cars and Building Blocks

We have a new favorite toy in the house. Actually, it's an old toy we just got off the shelf again: building blocks. Sterling had some quiet building time in his room. Pictured is our house, fully fenced, with as many matchbox vehicles as could fit in it. He had to build a separate store so he could park his little semi-truck. Then work, so Daddy's pick-up truck could go somewhere.

Last Day of School, 2011

June 3, 2011: the last day of 2nd grade, 1st grade, and preschool, respectively.

Here, Trevor shows off his reading score: 99% on the MAP test. Apparently that earned him a free kids meal at Raising Cane's. I was more impressed with his report card that was full of 3s (3=A or Outstanding, in this district). Didn't see that coming, did you?

They do gifted testing in the fall of second grade. I vote Trevor Most Likely to Qualify.
Kaith (not pictured, sorry) is Most Excited to Promote. This means moving from the Primary (K-2) School to the Intermediate (3-5) School. It's a big kid thing.

Below, we have Miriam with a fever of 101*. That's right. Her teachers begged us to bring her in, sick or not, for the last day of school. She wins Little Miss Popularity. We came for the last hour and took pictures with people-who-used-to-be-little-last-fall.
Notice how Sterling (holding the end of a long train he built) is nearly as tall as the preschoolers two years older than him. I'll miss this class. I could drop in any time and Sterling would just play at the centers with all the other kids. Sterling is Most Hyper to Have all the Siblings Home.

Trevor's Birthday

Trevor turned 7 this May. He got his own birthday cake a week early, at his Bakugan Birthday Party. Then, the night before his birthday, we had cheesecake for Cory's birthday. I told Trevor we could make a breakfast ("coffee") cake the morning of his birthday, then he could open his presents that morning (Dad was Night Duty Instructor that evening anyway). I was sick and sleeping in, so Cory made chocolate waffle brownies, instead. Trevor loved all his birthday presents, but we got the best photo of him putting together the k'nex rollercoaster.

(Grand) Mothers' Day

For the grandmas: here's a recent photo of your peas-in-a-pod.

"I really miss you." ~Kaith

"Happy Mother's Day and be a pea in a pod." ~Trevor

"I love you." ~Miriam

"I love you. Bye-bye. ~Sterling

See y'all in a couple months!

Cleaning the Church

Cleaning the Church as a family used to be a losing battle. This time, the kids were able to accept simple assignments: erase the chalkboards, dust the chair rail, etc.

Okay, so it worked for a few minutes.

Then they found the stack of rugs in the nursery, and industriously spent about an hour making a path down the hall for Sterling to drive his new train on.

It was so worth needing a second vacuum.

Creative Watering Methods

When it was getting a little warm in March for the ornamental kale to continue thriving under neglect, I asked Miriam to water it. It had never occurred to me to use pieces from the marble set to do so.

Back to School

6:45 am Sneakers velcroed. Backpacks on. Lunchbags packed. Bubbling Excitement. Board the bus!

Miriam grabbed a window seat, looked out at me with the biggest, most excited smile I've ever seen on her, and waved good-bye. It's just Sterling and me.