In Which I Brag on Memaw

Memaw and PapaJohn came for a good, hearty visit last week.

They must have brought their Florida sunshine with them to chase away all the rain we'd been getting.  They got to see one good downpour and the rest of their visit was sunny and so sweetly cool. So perfect for all kinds of activity. (picture taken by a friend of mine)

    Papa had some shopping to do and a small construction project to help Josh complete, but Memaw was ALL IN with Noah and Anna.  There was no shortage to her energy.  Just see the many things my babies shared with Memaw and Papa!

Strawberry Picking!

Tea Party catered with Memaw's fresh tea and fruit salad.

Anna says this was her favorite thing to do with Memaw all week so I gave it a bonus shot. ♥

Marble races and blocks!

Picnicking with Anna's kitchen stuff.

Sweet CeCe's!

Joint iPad time.  Memaw is a Pinterest-fiend, I tell ya!

Noah's personal favorite thing to do with Memaw and Papa - "Basketball".

Nail Painting!

Whipping up some Strawberry Jam!

One day us girls hit MANY little local shops around town and Anna got a TON of compliments on her cutie patootie outfit.  She then declared, "I fink dis is my lucky day!" {Cue the song, "I Feel Pretty."}  

Noah's other obsession lately for which Memaw obliged him over and over again - Kickball!

Smores via Firepit!

Sparklers!

Fireworks!

They loved it ... I think!

Water balloons!

I tried to give Noah a run for his money, but Carol put me to shame.  That woman has some SERIOUS aim.

Lounging poolside!

More water balloons! 

Then an all-out splash fest!

But wait, there's more!  Water guns!  

We wrapped up their visit with a shrimp/sausage boil on Memorial Day complete with sweet tea and potato salad all pulled together by Carol and Josh.  Then it was on to watermelon and homemade ice cream.  

Other highlights included John taking the kids to feed ducks at the park, Anna getting to show Memaw her swimming class, and having Memaw and Papa John able to cheer Noah on in one of his tball games. Josh and I even got to sneak out to a movie while John and Carol put the kids to bed for us one night.  It was such a good week to be together and we are so thankful for grandparents that will come so far to see us and play and play and play with us, too.  Noah was in tears when it came time to say goodbye, which is just more proof of how bonding the week was.  So blessed!  Thank you, John and Carol!

First Grade, Check!

Goodbye, First Grade!  Hello, Summer!

Today was Noah's last day at Union.  As in most big transitions in life, I am not sad to see this year end even though it was a great year.  I checked him out a little early today but not before we picked up Noah's epipen/Benedryl from the nurse, gave the long-term sub a thank-you gift, hugged Mrs. Arnold's neck one more time whilst cooing over her new baby, and then we waltzed out the front doors without even looking back.  Well, except for when we stopped to chat with the PE teacher and accept her invitation for Noah to come participate in any event she does next year; she said she'd plop him right in a class with all his buds.  So sweet! I loved that idea.

Anyway, like I said, Noah didn't look back when it was time to go.  He had to be told to even say goodbye to his buds, so ready was he to head home. We are excited about trying something new come August. See ya in the fall, second grader! :)

(PS - Way to go getting Straight A's for your Final Grade averages! Nice work!)

Ending an Era of Anna

Oh, don't mind me.  I'm just thinking about how today is Noah's last day of school and how that also means that it's Anna's last day of having me all to her herself (and vice versa) on a regular basis.  For two years it's just been my girl and me and it has been a sweet, silly, sometimes sassy, run.  What a trip.  So blessed!

Never a dull moment. :} And I am sure that trend will follow us into our home school days which, by the way, Anna thinks she will be my assistant teacher for.  I know this because she keeps coming up with ideas of things we can do and ways we can do them when "we home school Noah."

She is one lucky, type A girl.  When I was a child, my friends and I played pretend school all the time.  This girl of mine will get to take part in the real deal!

I Spy: Garden Variety

After a month of rain and now a solid week of sun, our garden finally seems to be thriving.  I enjoy watering it every day, sometimes twice a day.  This afternoon, I enjoyed it so much, I snapped a shot for your viewing pleasure.  We are growing three things this year and a bonus last minute addition.  

I spy cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli ... and a baby oak tree!

I also spy a floating tea party, but that's another story.

It's Official!

It's official!  Josh made the call to Union this week to let them know for sure that Noah would not be returning in the fall.  They are in the process now of forwarding his file to Aaron Academy.  His Speech teacher has forwarded his IEP to the contact in charge of speech services for homeschoolers.  And sooooo,  I just enrolled Noah online in Aaron Academy for the fall as a second grade homeschooler and submitted our curriculum list. Eeek!

T minus two months and counting.  I better get upstairs to the classroom and get my ducks in a row!

I so can't believe we are doing this.  But doing this, we are!

MyGym No More

I know, I know.  May is already full enough of all manner of nostalgia from the beginning of the school year and previous years.  But it really lays it on thick when it's reminiscing to FOUR years before.  Anna just finished her tenure at our beloved MyGym Kids Fitness Center as she aged out of her Mighty Mites class.  She's been going there since she was 18 months old.  To make it even sappier, Noah started there when Anna was an infant and he was not quite three years old yet.  

I have to sit back and let those numbers and memories sink in again. Just, Wow.  

Can't believe we've come to the end of our kiddos' MyGym days.  

It's been real. It's been fun. My kiddos learned so many great skills there. These days will always be remembered with a smile. ♥

Some closing shots of Anna's last class...

  Thanks for the memories, MyGym!

This Plus That

We are in the middle of a weeklong visit from Memaw and PapaJohn this week, but I feel the weight of not keeping up with blogging all the while.  So today, I alleviate a touch of that guilt and post one of many bright spots of our girl time with Memaw.  We headed to the berry patch bright and early one morning after a good rain.  Notice the rainboots.  

We picked and picked!  And via a new recipe, we learned that THIS

(this being: strawberries)

plus THAT

(that being: smooshing, sugar, pectin)

makes Strawberry Freezer Jam! 

Taa Daa!

I'm not much of a jelly/jam girl myself, but I hear from reliable sources in this house that have actually tried our finished product that this batch is a keeper.  Yum to that!

The Boys' Trip

Oh!  I almost forgot to report back about Josh and Noah's FL trip last weekend!  They went, they witnessed, they played, they made it back home safely, thankyouLord.  Happy Graduation to our eldest niece, Beka, and Josh's eldest bro, Johnmark!  Here are some highlights in pics that I am so proud of the hubby for being sure to take in my absence. :)

At JohnMark's college graduation.  Isn't it neat how much Noah resembles his cousin Aaron?

Somehow, no pics were taken of the actual graduate?  Sorry, JohnMark!  Hook me up, Amy!

Nevermind!  Josh found some he took after all - Hooray!

Many congrats to Amy on this occasion as well - wink, wink.

A quick trip to the beach.

Waiting for the class of 2013 to make their way out.  Noah was intrigued that this took place on a football field. 

Here they come! It is amazing how fresh my high school graduation memories are.  Can't believe I just got booted out of those fond memories by the next generation. 

Memo to me: Check with Amy for a better Beka cap/gown pic for this spot. :S

Memaw and Papa John who brought the party to TN straightaway after the weekend. They've been here since Monday and we'll keep them around through this Memorial Day weekend. 

Noah has two days left of school and I'll use them to catch back up on all we've been up to since John and Carol have been here.  I better because we have travel plans next weekend.  Once Thursday rolls around, it'll be time to boogie our way right into summer busy-ness and blogging of all that!