WATER BALLOON FAMILY

This was so cute. Wyatt and Lily made this water balloon family the other day. I love the itty bitty one that is the "newborn baby". They were excited because they both learned how to tie them by themselves. They were running to me every second to tie them while I was trying to garden, so I told them they had to learn-and they did!

1ST GRADE WATERMELON DAY

Getting sprayed with the hose by Mr. Gibbs.

Lily getting ready for the relay.
Wheelbarrow with her favorite boy, Nick.
Yummy watermelon.
Water balloon toss with her other favorite boy, Reid.
Lily with her friends from her class, Anna, Cassie, Lauren and Leia.

The first graders had watermelon day today which has turned into way more than watermelon over the years. It was basically like a field day/cookout/picnic. They played games, then had grilled hotdogs and watermelon. They were out there for over 2 hours. It was so darned hot, I didn't feel very well the rest of the day after being out in the heat.

I am really sad for this year to be over for Lily. She has had the best year. She had the greatest teacher and a class full of great kids--she made so many close friends, it will just be sad when they are not all in the same class together next year.

We went to the neighborhood pool for the first time this season today. The water was amazingly warm. It felt great. It's finally feeling like summer. Only 3 more days of school!! YAY!!!
We took Wyatt's splint off so he could swim-he gets it off in a week. They both got in and started swimming like they had been just the day before. I was especially afraid that Lily would forget how since she just learned last summer, but she did great. She even remembered her strokes and was swimming across the pool to me. It's so nice now that they both can really swim-it definitely gives me peace of mind.

Memorial Day Fun

Michael, Sam, Abbey and Lily with their glow sticks. They seem to have become a tradition at our get togethers.
Boogying down. I don't know who was having more fun dancing---the kids or the grown-ups!!!
Abbey and Lily in their "party clothes". Lily said she was going upstairs to change into "party clothes", so Abbey made Ashley take her across the street to get hers on-it was funny.
Dancin' some more--disco tunes.

The 3 amigos---Chris, Joe and Jeff.

Abbey and Lily with water balloons.
"Rambo Joe" with the water guns.
Me and Ash.
Lily and Sam playing badminton.
Joe playing squirt guns with the kids.
The kids with their ice-cream sundaes.
Back yard fun.

Ash when we gave her her graduation gift and cards.

What an awesome time we had tonight!! We had a couple of our neighbors over. I tell you, we have the BEST neighbors! It is one of the things that keeps us from moving-it would be so hard to leave them!We get together with these neighbors for pretty much every holiday. Ashley just graduated from nursing school, so it was kind of a graduation/Memorial Day party. We had a few too many margaritas and some wine and had a great time. The kids had a great time, too, playing in the water and dancing.

Ashley squirting whipped cream into the kids' mouths. They thought they had died and gone to heaven!!
Chris with his 40. Jeff bought these as a joke.
Ashley and Sam dancing.

Here we are(Mimi, me and Ashley) after several Margaritas and a bottle of wine, I might add. I think one of the kids took this one.

Lily wanted to go to Cheeseburger in Paradise on her birthday and we weren't able to because of baseball. So, we promised her that we would go soon. We went tonight. It was really good. Fun atmosphere. These were some really cute chairs they have in the front--it looks like you're on the beach---if only.... We left pretty much right after they got home from school and got there right around 5. We heard you have to go that early to not have a wait. Sure enough, when we left at 6, there was a wait.
Lily bought this white crocheted skull cap at Libby Lu and wears it all the time now! I don't think Jeff is so fond of it! A little too gangsta for him--HAHA!
We have a busy weekend ahead. Lily has 2 birthday parties tomorrow. We also need to do some yardwork. I'm wanting to re-do one of my flower beds. I finally got a peony and figured out where I want to put it. Oh, also, the drywall finisher is coming. We are seeing the light at the end of the basement tunnel! As soon as he is finished, we will be able to paint!Then Sunday we are having the neighbors over for a cookout. So far Monday looks clear! Hopefully I can get caught up on a few things around here!!
I posted Lily's newest art peices below! Next week is her last class til Fall. It goes through July, but I like to take a break from all the activities for the summer. For my sake as well as theirs!

LILY'S ART

Sea life. The fish and diver are 3-D on the page. They were cut out and applied with those thick, sticky dots--I know you scrapbookers will know what they are called. The background is chalk pastel.
Some kind of fish. Lily said she has no idea what kind it is. Done in marker.
It took me a while to figure this one out. It's a bunny with grass in it's mouth. Oil pastels. The colors are great.
Carousel horse. Done in marker. I think she did a great job on the head. Horses used to be my favorite thing to draw at her age.

OK, I was having picture taking withdrawals. We were outside filling the bird feeders and watering. Lily cleaned and filled the bird bath for me. While we were out, we had a hot air balloon and an ultra light fly over--great spring evening!!!

Just had to add this about Wyatt because it blows me away how much he likes to read. We bought him the 2nd Harry Potter novel on Saturday night---it's 341 pages! He is, of course, in there reading it right now(he's just like me when it comes to a good book--can't put it down til it's done!) He is on page 259. We also bought the 3rd one-I think I may make him save it til our car ride to Myrtle Beach. He read all the way back from Kentucky and it was SO peaceful in the car!!

Haven't taken any pics at all lately. It's been so busy. We decided at the last minute to go to Lexington last weekend. Jeff wanted to help his mom with some outside things at her house. Lily, Mom and I went to the mall, of course. We got to go see Jeff's dad and step-mom, too. It was a good family visiting weekend. I forgot to take my camera---which NEVER happens. But it was OK, there really weren't any picture worthy events anyway.
It's been busy with the usual stuff since we've been back. Working everyday has forced me to do a lot more running around at night. I was out til 11 last night going from store to store. I think it just felt good to be out by myself! I don't get that during the day anymore!! I feel like one of the kids waiting to get out of school-I can't wait!
Well, guess I should go get my mountain of laundry folded--UUGH!
We have a busy weekend planned, so hopefully I'll have some pics to post next week!!

GIDDY UP!!

Learning about horses.
Feeding Zeb a biscuit.
Cassie and Lily Grooming Zeb.
Lily and Lauren goofing off on the swing before we went in.
Lily riding. She loved it!

Lily had her last brownie field trip for the year today. One of the girls in her troop takes horseback riding lessons so they got to go and get a mini lesson. They really enjoyed it. It was something a lot of them had never done before. The horse, Zeb, was so sweet and good with them. I even got a turn!! I love horeseback riding and wish it was something I could do more often.
We have run non-stop all week. The kids have had after school activities every day and we have been running pretty much til 8 every night! I'm so glad we have nothing after school tomorrow! I can't believe only 10 more days of school! I am SOOO looking forward to that first week of relaxation and nowhere to be! Of course we still have baseball and ballet, but that's it! I have really enjoyed this job and love going to work every day but it's definitely taking a toll on my house and everything I need to get done. I told my mom today that I don't know how she did it all those years she worked when we were young. The house was always perfect, we had a huge meal every night and she ran us all over! WOW-my hero!!
Well, need to go get the kids in bed and then do nothing to my messy house!
Sorry, Mom!!!!

Lily and Lauren at Hinkle Hey Day. I only got a couple of pics because I was busy in the kitchen. Never got one of Wyatt-he was pretty much MIA the whole night(with his friends).
Lily and Reid.
Lily and Rachel enjoying ice cream sundaes at Max and Erma's.
Lily and Emma before church.

Well, it was a pretty eventful weekend. Friday night was our big spring carnival at school--Hinkle Hey Day. I was in charge of the food and I think it went pretty well. Glad it's over! I was at school for 12 hours straight Friday--8:30-8:30! Yikes! I wasn't really as tired as I thought I would be, though.
Saturday, Lily and I went to see Cinderella at Carmel High School. Their productions rival broadway. They have enough money at that school to make it that way. The costumes and sets are unbelievable. We went to Beauty and the Beast there last year and we will go to whatever they have every year-it was great! We went with Charlene and Rachel. Wyatt had a sleepover birthday party at his friend Trevor's, so his sister Emma, who happens to be Lily's good friend, slept over at our house. They had a great time.
Today was a good day. Got all kinds of wonderful homemade cards and gifts from the kids--aren't those the best kind?!?! Also got a nice RL purse and a gift card to Lowe's for flowers. After church, went to lunch, shopped a bit and bought flowers which I spent the afternoon planting.
Jeff got the drywall hung in the basement. It is finally looking like a room now--exciting!
Well, another full workweek looms ahead. Can't wait to get to school and see how the kids in my room are!!

Wyatt took this picture of himself. He is so into taking pics lately! He has his own digital camera, but we haven't taken the time to look at it and figure it all out--it was a Christmas gift. I guess we need to do that so he will leave mine alone!!

A picture from Lily's birthday when we went to O'Charley's. I just think she looks so old in this picture-Boo-hoo :-(

VERY interesting day in the ole ED room today. Had a first grader that was throwing things at us and kicking, spitting, etc. At the same time there was a 4th grader under a desk ranting for about 10 minutes to himself. I had 2 other 4th graders having a debate over religion while I was walking them down the hall and a 2nd grader making the weirdest noises I've ever heard because he was so upset that he had "thrown a hissy fit". Bless his heart. I must say this job is never boring. I'm actually really enjoying it. I'm learning a lot about how to handle my own kids in certain situations. Well, off to take the girls to art class and try to fit in several errands in that 1 hour!!!

HODGE PODGE PICS

This is how Wyatt has spent the last 4 hours. I told his friend that came over that he was at another friend's house, then happened to see him on the back patio engrossed in a new book. He is still out there and has hardly moved--he's read over 150 pages of it! I'm sure I didn't read that fast at 9 years old! He's such a bookworm! This is what he's doing while other boys are out playing sports. Hopefully it'll pay off someday when he goes to Harvard ;-)
This is a frog that we found in our backyard last night-he was huge! I think we scared the poor thing to death with the camera!!
Lily and her friend Emma playing with the sidewalk paint that Emma gave her for her birthday. They had a blast with it!
My Lily of the Valley. Lily's old preschool teacher gave me a start of these and I was so happy that they came back-they are so delicate and pretty---and smell great, too!