Those Lazy Days of Summer

Ahhhh... I remember those lazy days of summer all too well. We are hoping we can keep the kids relaxing and having fun this summer even though we are in crazy packing and moving mode. Maybe next summer Brian and I will get to have a few lazy days too.

Last Day of School 2009

Olivia on her last day of Kindergarten!

Boxes, boxes, and more boxes

Our exodus has begun. For the last couple of weeks we have been packing up as our house closing date is now drawing near. The girls are starting to see some of the changes we have been preparing them for such as decorations coming off the walls and loads of boxes everywhere. They have been enjoying decorating the boxes with their drawings which is also giving us some time to get some serious packing done.

Whenever I experience a major change in my life, work, etc., I tend to search for something to focus on. Finding something that is stable helps me get through what sometimes feels like chaos. It seems Olivia is like that too. She decorated a box like a lion's den and poked little chimney straws all through the top. Then, she attached plastic army soldiers to the straws to protect her and added some special trinkets that had yet to be packed up. She set the box in the middle of the kitchen floor which was a little difficult to get around. When I told her we were going to have to move it some place else, she started to cry and said that we were moving everything and could she please keep the box. What a dagger to the heart! I started second guessing our move because of its affect on the girls. For the past three days, Genevieve has woke up in the morning calling out, "Where is the letter 'B'?" referring to the alphabet decorations that used to be on her walls and are now in a box in storage. Did we really do the right thing here? Are we following God's plan for our family?

I barely slept last night because today our furniture would be moved to offsite storage. I worried about how the girls would react. We were gone all morning because I was hoping to shield them from the change. We went to Jungle Java and they had a blast. Unfortunately, the movers were running late, so when we got home for Eve's nap, they were still doing their thing. Olivia stayed in the study where we had all the boxes that would remain until Sat. and not until Eve woke from her nap and the movers left did the girls look around. I held my breath....

Guess what they did!

They ran around the house doing karate moves (or their versions at least)! They loved all the empty space and made all kinds of loud noises to try out the new echo. Brian and I just sat down on the floor and watched them and laughed. Kids are so resilient! Empty space and a lot of love and they can still be happy. :)

Kindergarten Graduation

Miss Soon-to-be-First_Grader

Olivia and her Kindergarten teacher, Ms. Boone.

Olivia and her sweet friend, Emma.

I spy with my little eye some happy Kindergarteners.

Click Play to watch Olivia's Kindergarten class singing their class song.

Click Play to see:

Today...Kindergarten
Tomorrow...A Whole New World!

Walker, A Good Walking Stick

:(
The picture says it all.

Our New Pet

Olivia has been asking for a pet for the last year or so. We have been telling her that Genevieve is like her pet, and she can help us take care of her and play with her anytime. Well, we got away with that for a little while, but now Genevieve is "asserting her independence" and is no longer the docile little pet she used to be! ;) With the moving preparations and the business that entails, the last thing I want to worry with is a pet (Of course, I might be tempted if it was a mini pig!) And although Grandma and Papaw Yeager have welcomed us with open arms this summer, they might not be too keen on a summer guest of the four-legged variety.
A creature of the six-legged variety, namely a walking stick, came to visit our porch a week a go. Olivia latched onto him, and declared him her pet. His name is "Walker" (although after reading about walking sticks on the internet, I think "he" is a "she"...most are.). He likes bramble from our berry bush, and Olivia takes him out of his terrarium (she emptied her piggy bank funds to buy one) for his daily playtime. The first night we had him, he also had storytime, and both girls sang "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" for a lullaby. Eve asks to hold him, but I still think she can't decide if he is really an insect or a stick because she keeps talking about a stick on a tree. The whole mimicry/camouflage thing could be pretty confusing for a toddler, I imagine. Well, it's not a mini pig, but I have to admit, Walker is pretty interesting and a very low-key pet. Maybe we'll just have to ask Grandma if we can keep him this summer.

Cox Elementary Field Day

If you went to public school, do you remember as the school year drew to a close having a Track and Field Day? You might remember the water balloon tosses, relay races, or picnic on the playground. Well, Olivia participated in her first elementary school field day in May. There were water balloon tosses, relay races, and a picnic outside, as well as dancing, tug-of-war (for the older grades), and even a water slide. The kids had a blast! Eve and I volunteered at the balloon release event, where the kids released balloons (earth-friendly ones) with messages of hope inside. I was so thankful for being stationed at this event because I figured Eve wouldn't want to get too involved (she would have been upset if we were stationed at the water slide and she wouldn't be allowed to participate) as long as she got to hold a non-helium balloon. Silly me! She cried each time a class released their balloons and the balloons floated into the sky. She wanted them to come back down and felt they were lost forever. Finally, I told her that the balloons were a present to Jesus, and that seemed to satisfy her a bit, but unfortunately I didn't think of this until there were only two more classes to go.

Olivia had so much fun and didn't want the day to end. She told me her favorite event was the water slide. I was able to watch her do a couple of the events next to where we were stationed, and she had the biggest grin on her face. It's so lovely to see her smile at school.