Memorial Day Weekend

Whew, time sure is flying by!  It's almost June!  And I still have kids in my classroom!  Arrgh!  Darn snow days!  Anyways, the time will come soon for summer break... so I will try to be patient.  Try is the key word.

Anyways, we had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!  We went up to the Mountain House Saturday morning.  When we arrived, the kiddos got in their bathing suits and we hit up the lake.  The water was pretty chilly, so we stayed about an hour before heading back home.  Naps followed for Parker, Taylor, AND myself.  We had the annual Memorial Day picnic/square dance that night, and the kiddos danced until almost 9 PM before we took them  up.  Sydney spent the night at my sister's cabin with her cousins.

Parker edu-ma-cating himself in the car.

My favorite view from the highway!  Almost there!

My two boys.

Picnic time!

Taylor and Grace breaking it down.

Madeline and Parker!

Sydney and Uncle "Mashoo"

Sunday morning, Stephen and I went for a run while mom and dad watched and fed the kids for us.  Chapel was next, followed by a huge lunch, followed by naptime- this time, for Parker and me.  Yes, I definitely made up for lost sleep and lost calories this weekend. ;)  The rain (and hail!) came into town that afternoon, so we hung around the cabin the rest of the day.

Some views from our run.  

After the storm!

Dee Dad and Taylor went to the library to get some books to read.

Monday, Taylor, Sydney, and I went for a little walk.  Then we all went to breakfast at a local eatery, then headed to Whitewater Falls in North Carolina.  It was a short enough hike that made it do-able with 5 kids 11 and under (and two senior citizens!), but it was a pretty decent workout.  The falls were beautiful!  Parker enjoyed seeing them, it was his first experience with a big waterfall.  

A view of the lake.

I think they were a bit sleepy...

Then, we headed home (with me taking yet ANOTHER nap on the ride home!), unpacked, got settled and ready for the work week.  Two more days with the kids... I think I can, I think I can...

20 months!

Parker is 20 months old!  Can't believe he'll be 2 in just 4 months!

Accomplishments this month include:

• More new words!  "mine", "DeeDee" and "Katie" (his teachers), "monkey", "boo boo", "eat", "please".  He's starting to put words together, like "Bye Bye, Sydney".  He's talking more but I've been bad about keeping track!
• He really shakes his head "no" now and nods "yes".  I think this just started this month!
• He is good about climbing on and getting off things.  He's getting to the point where I'm starting to be comfortable with him climbing on chairs, up stairs, on the playground by himself.  We are still there to guide him, because I'm not totally 100%... but he's getting there! 
• He's going up and down stairs by crawling, and he walked up and down the short stairs at my parents' cabin a few times.
• He ventured to North and South Carolina this month.
• This boy LOVES fruit.  Strawberries, grapes, blueberries, bananas... I can't cut them fast enough!
• He loves to sleep with his little monkey doll and his blanket.
• He was diagnosed with non-viral croup again!  Looks like he has allergies. :(
• He loves to push anything he can (chairs, things on wheels, tables, laundry baskets) and he still loves brooms or anything that's a long stick.  
• This boy has a temper!  But he'll follow his fit with a big hug.  Don't know if that's a good or a bad thing. ;)
• He got his first real haircut this month.

He loves his monkey and blanket.

Did I mention he loves corn, too?

Walking down the stairs.

Whitewater Falls, NC.

He's freeeeeee!

Sydney's K-5 Graduation

Sydney is officially a K-5 graduate!!

Her class celebrated their graduation earlier this week.  My mom came down for it, and all 6 of us headed to the school Tuesday evening.  The class did a bunch of songs, "show what you know" activities, little skits, sign language alphabet and song, and more!  It was absolutely precious.  They've been working on this for weeks!  The best was that Sydney won an award for having the Highest Average in her class!  I am so proud of that little girl.  I told her that she's the Valedictorian. ;)

We got some great video and photos from it, but I can't find the cord that hooks my camera up to my computer anywhere!  So, I settled on taking pictures of the pictures on the camera screen.

Here are some pics from Sydney's graduation!  (and also pictures they took on a field trip last week!)