School's out for Summer!

Last week was the last week of school, and it was kind of crazy. I feel like the communication to parents at this school is not that great. One morning Ali asked me if I was going to come to her presentation. A presentation that I knew NOTHING about of course. Luckily I only had to cancel a day full of laundry (which I was happy to do).

Ali is such a smart girl. She made a diorama of a seahorse habitat, and she did a report as well. When did she grow up!?!

 Kat had a birthday celebration on Friday, and I took Jack with me, and he kind of dominated the spotlight. All the kindergarteners thought he was hilarious, which, of course, made him act like a nut.

After singing Happy Birthday to the summertime birthdays they had some brownies and fruit. Jack was a big fan of this part. Such a pretty girl, but I am not ready for her to be a first grader!

 She is also very popular. Later in the day they had the wedding of Q and U. (This school doesn't have a kindergarten graduation)

It was really cute, they gave each of the kids a puppet with a letter of the alphabet and then Q and U got married.

The kids sang some songs and read a  poem. This is them reading from a script that all the kids followed. It was all real cute.

 We also got to make a short trip up to Boston.  We visited the temple and our friends, the Jones' and Jim. I really need to take out my camera more, because these little guys are just so adorable. I managed to take a picture of them in front of the temple at least.

 It is a rare treat, but we also got to go the movies as a family! We saw How to Train your Dragon which was really great.

Update: Our garden is super crazy awesome. Even our landlord was impressed with its growth. Those huge plants (that is Ali behind the plants to show scale) are snap peas and it is really productive. We get a full bowl of snap peas everyday, and they are seriously delicious.

vox box

I am part of Influenster, which is a web site that allows us to try new products... for free! I am so excited to try out these new products!

Jack skills

Here are a variety of Jack's skills. Enjoy.

Hershey

 

Nick had a week off of work, so we went down to Philadelphia and picked up Malena and then headed to HERSHEY!!!! They have the factory tour there, and a theme park. At the factory they have a ride/tour where they show you how they make chocolate. We were all in heaven.

 

The factory also had a 3D movie which was a lot of fun. Mostly I think these girls (and Jack) loved the fashion statement made by the glasses.

As soon as we got to the theme park the girls found maps and began to plan their day. Even when the ride was about to start they were busy planning.

 They soon put their maps down and just enjoyed the rides. There were about 50 of these type of rides. The kind that little kids sit in some contraption and go in a circle, pretty much their favorite type of ride.

 Kat was really excited to go on this ride until the ride started, and then she freaked out. Jack, next to her, is perfectly fine, but she was screaming and holding on like death was coming after her. I was laughing so hard. Does that make me a bad mom?

 Jack was weary of Mr. Hershey. He liked most things in the park, but this guy scared him. Not the girls though, who are happily posing.

 Rare selfie with my little guy on a train. Isn't he so handsome?

 

 Family shot in front of the zoo. Hershey has a small zoo that is right next to the theme park, so we made a quick run through the zoo to see all the animals there.

 Then we went back to the theme park and rode a few more rides.

 Okay, so maybe selfies aren't that rare. Here is my 20 week belly. I am halfway through!!!

More Spring, and it's a...

 

To start this post, we are having another boy!!! May be a bit weird to post a picture of my kids junk, but the ultrasound tech said that it is pretty definitive proof, so I had to share it.

Now that that is taken care of, I wanted to post about spring. I am very excited to post about my flowers and garden. I feel somewhat vindicated about my black thumb posts, as this year I grew lots of stuff. Perhaps it is all this East coast rain and great soil, but I will take credit anyway.

To start, my tulips are beautiful! Perhaps it was these great helpers.

We also have these beautiful flowers growing in our garden, and I am not sure what they are. If anyone knows, let me know.

 

We also have grown a vegetable/fruit garden. I grew all the snap peas from seeds, but when the tomato, strawberry, and pepper seeds failed to grow, I just went out and bought already grown small plants. Now they are big, and about to get fruit. We are all very excited.

I can't take credit for these beautiful flowering trees that are popping up everywhere in Connecticut, but I did manage to get all my kids looking at the camera at the same time.

As a side trip, this spring we went to a science center that here. It was pretty ghetto, but they do have a mars landing simulation that the kids found fun

I know it is cliche, but sleeping children really are the sweetest thing ever.

I went to my brother's wedding in Utah mother's day weekend, and spent time with some of my favorite people. I find it crazy how I go to my brother's wedding, and even though I managed to actually remember my camera, and even though I managed to bring it with me at all times while there, I STILL managed to not get a single picture of my brother.

 I did manage to get a few pictures while there. This is just seven of us, but you can see how much fun we have as siblings.

When you add just a few spouses and a few kids, this group gets a bit bigger.

I love my sisters, and was slightly sad that all of them couldn't come, but at least a few of us were able to get together. (And 2 nieces too.)

Spring

I am not sure if anyone is as excited for spring as I have been. I am TIRED of the cold, and it is finally getting warmer. (Note that I said warmer, not warm)

 

I planted tulips in December, and worried that I had waited too long, yet they sprouted! Now to see if we will get any flowers. I hope so.

 Spring break was filled with lots of fun. To start, we found a park on the beach, which is awesome.

  

 It also had this sweet lighthouse. Oh and to top the day off, Nick was home!

 

 Spring break was filled with chalk art. Though this picture in particular makes me miss California like crazy because the two "extras" in our chalk family are Desmond and Dominic. I really miss those boys.

 

 There was a community event, with a fire truck. Jack did not want to leave.

They also had a bouncy slide which is always a hit.

I had a birthday. (which wasn't technically during spring break, but I didn't post about it earlier) The girls picked the restaurant, Friendly's, and Nick was able to come! Which was nice, since he was on call.

Jack had his first driving lesson.

 We went to Ikea. I know, I know, we are so fancy.

 

We also made it to the Peabody Museum a few times. Kat was sad to learn that the Dodo bird is extinct.

 

 Making dinosaur eggs made up for that.

 Of course there was an Easter Egg hunt. Jack got into it much better than I thought he would.

 

 This is the most aggressive Kat has ever been, so I am glad I got it on film. The rest of the time she kept a solid distance from the other kids, which really is not helpful when trying to get the most eggs.

 

 I am not sure that this stance helped her very much in egg retrieval.

To top off a great Spring break, we had a great Easter Sunday. I really have some great looking kids. I sure am lucky.

Ballet and a baby

Ali and Kat have been taking ballet classes through the city for about 6 months. It is really a low key, and mostly low cost, dance class. This week was their performance/last class where us parents got to see them perform/ learn. No cameras were allowed, so excuse the bad video as I was illegally filming here.

Here is my ballerina Kat. She is the front right ballerina, in case it is hard to tell.

Here is my ballerina Ali. She is in the back row in the pinkish purple leotard.

And for those who don't know yet, we are expecting number 4 in October!