Thursday, August 13, 2009

Alli's Kindergarten Graduation

On June 3 Alli graduated from kindergarten at South Bosque Elementary School. We were thrilled to have survived the year! Part of the program for the graduation ceremony included the kids performing some songs and poems that Ms. Flowers, their music teacher, had taught them. Alli's favorite was a song to the tune of "New York, New York." It went something along the lines of "Start spreading the news...We're leaving today. We want to be a part of it...1st grade, 1st grade." We videotaped it so I may try to upload a clip of that song if possible. After the kids performed and walked across the stage to receive their "diploma"/certificate, they had a reception with cookies, cupcakes, and punch in the gym for everyone to take final pictures, etc. We went ahead and warned Alli's teacher that she only had 4years to get ready for Madi's arrival, and then we proceeded to Mazzio's (Alli's favorite) to have a pizza lunch with Nana and Billy and Theresa.


Waiting in line to receive the diploma...



Alli and her friend Ella



South Bosque Kindergarten Class of 2009...



At the reception with Mommy & Daddy & Nana



Saturday, August 1, 2009

Slip n Slide Fun



We bought a Slip n Slide early in Summer for the girls to play on at home. Nearly every time we set it up, we attract quite a few kids from the neighborhood. James has even gotten in on the act to show the kids how it's done a couple of times...hmmm, could that have contributed to his back problems? Anyway, on this particular night, it was just Alli and Madi, and we were able to take a few pictures of them playing in the water after sliding for awhile.

Just Clowning Around



Alli decided to try out an activity she saw on a TV show and decorate a box in order to use it for imaginary purposes. We gave her a box and some crayons and markers, and she was having a great time...until Madi wanted in on the action. We didn't have any more boxes so we had to improvise. We used a laundry basket and gave her some paper inside and washable crayons. Some of the crayon marks were on the basket instead of the paper, but it wiped clean pretty easily, and everyone was happy.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Updates Coming...I Promise

Well, I got the blog somewhat caught up and then I let it get behind again. I've got lots of updates on Alli's kindergarten graduation, a wedding, and a trip to the beach in addition to some other items, and I hope to get those loaded sometime this week...maybe :)

Monday, April 27, 2009

Easter 2009

Easter began a little early this year with egg hunts at Alli's school and Madi's daycare on Thursday.

Alli's class had an Easter party and then went outside for an egg hunt with a twist. Each child had to bring 12 candy-filled eggs earlier in the week. The room moms took each set of eggs and numbered them 1-12 and then mixed them. During the party, the parents went and scattered the eggs. The kids then had to find 12 eggs each, but the catch was that they had to find the 12 eggs in numerical order. For example, they couldn't have two #3's or they couldn't pick up a #5 egg before they found a #4 egg. I thought it was a pretty cute idea, encouraged them to use their numbers, and took a little longer than everyone racing out and grabbing as many eggs as possible.



"Hmmmm...is that a 6 or a 9?"


Alli and I left South Bosque after her party and went to Madi's class at Central Faith for her Easter party and first Easter egg hunt. After the class ate their treats, they headed out to the playground for lots of eggs. Unfortunately, though, Madi's first egg hunt didn't go that well. As Alli was excitedly trying to show Madi all the eggs and get her to pick them up, I was videotaping and taking pictures like crazy so that everyone that couldn't be there could see it later. Well, I guess I should have been paying attention to what I was actually taking pictures of because she figured out pretty quickly that there was something in that plastic "ball" as she calls it and got the egg open before I realized it, and of course it contained chocolate (specifically against the rules sent home by the school I might add...grrr). Anyway, so she proceeded to squeeze the little foil covered chocolate that had been sitting there roasting in the sun for 30 minutes prior to the egg hunt. Well, you can probably guess what happened next. All the watery chocolate squished all over her hand...which really got her attention so then she grabbed the brown mess with the other hand. If one hand is good, two hands covered in brown goo would be really cool, right? In addition, while switching hands, part of the chocolate dropped on the ground and she stepped in it so we now had chocolate on both hands and at least one shoe. At this point I'm hollering for Alli to come help me because I had a camera and a video camera in my hands that I didn't want to put down to be trampled because there were people everywhere in this little playground. Alli did the natural thing and grabbed the chocolate from Madi, and then they both had it all over their hands. Arghhhh!! Fortunately, one of the teachers had a box of tissues and saw our dilemma so she brought those over and we began cleaning up the mess, but by this time, all the eggs were swiped up and there wasn't much left to look for. Oh well... Madi didn't care one way or the other and was as happy as she could be because at least part of the chocolate ended up in her mouth as she licked her fingers during the chaos.



"Which way are the eggs?"




(Yes, there is chocolate and pending disaster in that cute little pink egg!)

It stormed on Sunday morning, but by the afternoon the weather was wonderful and the sun was shining. After church we went to Wayne and Brenda's for their annual bar-b-q and egg hunt. After Madi and Alli "practiced" hunting eggs on Friday and Saturday in the house, Madi was ready to roll for the real deal.




When the egg hunt is finished, all the kids are supposed to empty the candy into their own baskets and then put the empty plastic eggs back into a big basket to be reused again the following year. Madi and one of the other little girls discovered the empty egg basket and decided it was as much fun as the egg hunt.





After the egg hunt, the kids had two pinatas to break with yet more candy. Madi wasn't too excited about hitting the rabbit, but Alli thought it was great fun this year. Ask her about the pinata almost falling on top of her the next time you see her!