Thursday, May 22, 2014

End Of Year

The school year winds down, but since I have three children if 5 different schools (which made Valentine’s Day a bear), there were recitals in the preschools as well as the elementary.  But the Montessori is the most fun.  Since Piper and Wes are both in this afternoon program, I really got to see the difference between the youngest and oldest students in this multi-age classroom.  The class writes a play together and different children recite poems and sing songs.  Piper, as one of four graduating, Kindergartners, got a little extra “show off” time. 

 

 5-22 Montessori Program 45-22 Montessori Program 25-22 Montessori Program 135-22 Montessori Program 14  As my friend  who has a 6-year-old boy (who played the prince in their Cinderella skit) remarked, the three-year-old boys do turn into princes…eventually.

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Sunday, May 18, 2014

Happy Mother’s Day to ME!

Dwayne always gives me the best gifts. I’ll admit, although I specifically asked him to build me this particular trellis, I had not idea how wonderfully it would turn out.  This man really rocks!  Well, actually, he hammers, saws, and mortars, but that’s not as catchy.

 

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Wesley and Isaac

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We meet up with Dwayne’s brother about once a year, so Wesley and Isaac, separated by about 15 years and 4 girls (Kara, Esther, Kyla, and Piper) seem to have a bond from when Wesley was quite little.  Wesley spend the weekend ignoring his aunts and grandparents and throwing himself into Isaac’s arms.  These two get their own post, as I couldn’t keep my camera off them!

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And I love this time-lapse of Wesley falling asleep in Isaac’s arms.  The placement of sucking fingers is the clock to measure Wesley’s fall into slumber.

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California Cousins

My kids are the youngest on Dwayne’s side of the family (there are 21 years between Wesley and Aaron, the oldest grandchild of Dick and Darlene), and the oldest on my side.  This is leads to different dynamics depending upon the state we are in. 

The map of affection resembles a web, with Wesley adoring Isaac, a college frosh, and the boy cousin he best knows, but finding in 25-year-old Aaron a perfect playmate.  Esther and Esther’s bird held no end of fascination for Piper, and Kyla simultaneously liked and shied away from everyone but sought out Kara if anyone at all. There were “extra” cousins, with both Aaron and Jeffery bringing girlfriends, and the third generation were a pretty jolly bunch.

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Kara is an amazing athlete, and willingly shared her talents.

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Esther does great hairdo’s, so both girls benefitted from her touch.

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Esther sweetly sat at the “kids’ table” with our three.

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The bigger kids read bedtime stories on our first night together.

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We loved out evening adventure jaunts!DSCN1209

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Aaron and Wesley tried in vain to get the Superman kite to fly.  Even Wesley’s good karma was no help.

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Check out these soccer moves!

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I don’t know what Wes is doing here, but I love it!

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Isaac was out playing frisbee golf so Wesley had to find out how awesome Jeffery and Aaron can be.

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Not so long after this last photo, Wesley threw up everything he ate for breakfast that morning.  No one’s pointing fingers, but there was a lot of tossing and bouncing up to this point.  Aaron.

 

Thanks, Cousins, for making a special occasion even more memorable!

Friday, May 16, 2014

A Golden Anniversary

Dwayne’s parents were married 50 years ago today.  That’s worth celebrating, so a few days ago, we jumped on an airplane and flew down to California were Dwayne’s parents and three siblings live.  This is not to imply they live close together, but we all met up in Auburn, close to UC Davis.  Our nephew’s fiancĂ© went to school with the daughter of the owner of a Victorian B&B up north, and, amazingly, managed to arrange a wonderful deal for the entire family to be all together for 4 days.

Debi is Dick and Darlene’s only daughter, and she has more style and party-sense in her little finger than the rest of us put together.  Honestly, I thought that getting ourselves down to CA was present enough (it never occurred to me to even get a card—but I got us down there!) but Debi made sure it was a very special occasion. 

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All I’m saying is that this….

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…led to these….

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….which gave rise to all of those!

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Look how two turned into nineteen…and counting!

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Congratulations, Dick and Darlene!  The best gift was getting time together.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Even the Shuttle Is Fun…

…when one is going on a five day trip to California to celebrate a golden anniversary?  We’re not even technically at the airport yet.

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None of the kids have been on a plane since turning two, so this was an adventure indeed!

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Thursday, May 8, 2014