8* minus 1 day!

Saturday got away from us and we didn't take our weekly picture! Tonight before bed we quickly documented "8".    I am still feeling fine, a bit more tired each week which is why I can't wait to go to bed...right now!

*Kevin wants to clarify that we have never actually made

 it to 40 weeks, that both Emma and Ellie were born at 39

 weeks, so perhaps 8 is really 7?

Beauty and the Beast

Last night the weather was so lovely and we were lucky enough to have tickets to Beauty and the Beast at the Muny.  Thanks to my mom we had FABULOUS seats with a great parking pass.   Emma loved the show, she would happily go to every single play at the Muny this summer.  Ellie was a trooper and lasted for the whole show.   Although the weather was perfect, I was still hot and uncomfortable....maybe something to do with having a 4 year old on what's left of my lap for a few hours :)!

9

Our new baby will be here in 9 more weeks!  We're going to take this same picture for the next 9 weeks to see how she grows.

I'm happy to report...

that we are back on track!  The week was glorious with as few squabbles and ugly behavior as can be expected when one is four and one is six.  

My sweeties are back!  What fun!

I must remember this....

Somebody put me back on my schedule!!

I like schedules, I mean REALLY like them. Oh sure, I love the idea of foot loose and fancy free days where one thing leads to another.  Where children wake when then want and rest when they need.  Happy, happy days!  However, I have (once AGAIN) decided that I am a mother who craves routine and I am raising children who NEED routine.  After a week of being up WAY too late, eating at odd times, and being very loosey goosey (well, my loosey goosey, which probably isn't that wild, but it's all relative) the hammer came down last night.  It was back to reality.  It started out ok, but there was eventual resistance from the troops.  Although they are truly much happier on a schedule, their 4 and 6 year old selves don't realize this.  So, army mama had to make an appearance and it looks like she might be sticking around for a few days.  Wish me luck getting us back on track!

Life with a world record holder....

Last Thursday at 9:30 a.m. Ellie became a world record holder. She took part in the world's largest swimming lesson. At 9:00, pools all over the country held swimming lessons to promote safe swimming. If you can't tell, she's pretty proud.

Go see Hamlet!

We went last night and had a great time. We only stayed until intermission, which still meant no one was in bed before 10 but it was worth it. Pack a picnic, brush up on your Shakespeare and go!

It's good to be home!

It's 11:00 and nobody is dressed for the day. The girls just found a snack of cold corn on the cob and are enjoying it amongst the cushions on the floor which have entertained them in a variety of ways this morning. Summer vacation has truly started!

The last day of school!

What a great year! Kindergarten and preschool were wonderful but it sure was fun to wrap up the year and start summer! Here is a recap of our day......

Homemade cinnamon rolls...we had them the first day of school so naturally it only made sense to end the year the same way.

Good bye Mrs. Rosenkranz! We will mis you!!

A welcoming porch after early dismissal at school!

A bag full of activities to be completed on this first "free" afternoon.

First stop, pool pass.

Next up, a party planned by friends to celebrate the last day of school....clearly Emma and Ellie were distracted! The ice cream truck was driving by and I was saying "no way!" since they had each just consumed a popsicle, and a GIANT cupcake!

On to the library to sign up for the summer reading program...can you tell who was in a super silly mood yesterday?

In Forest Park for a bike ride!

A boat ride! At this point Ellie was beyond silly and I was just hoping she wouldn't fall out of the boat! Thankfully Dad joined us at this point, which was good because we needed some legs, other than mine to get us around!

We ended with dinner at the Boathouse.

It was a great way to start the summer and we all had fun but of course when asked by my mom what they did on their first afternoon off Emma replied "ran errands".

Memorial Day Weekend

It was a nice 3 day weekend full of picnics, yard work, swimming, and Emma's first race! Now if school could just end already!



Kevin and Emma before Kevin ran the U-City Memorial Day 5K.


An excited Emma after finishing her first Fun Run! She completed her mile in 10:34--Way to Go Emma!!