Summer Pictures

June is just flying by!  We are spending plenty of time relaxing and decompressing after the school year, but also having plenty of fun.

Ava and Carter both finished the summer reading program for one library and are moving onto another.  The sign says "Home of an Epic Summer Reader."  They are pretty proud.

The kids said good bye to their friends this week that are moving out of the country for two years.  It was pretty tough, especially for Ava and Carter.  We will miss their family!

There is a reason that after Dada and Mama, Owen said Ava next.  She loves to take care of her little brother and she is fantastic at it.  

My summer boredom buster:  science experiments.  All day every day.  This particular experiment was fireworks in a jar.  We've done it several times.

Ava and Dawson participated in VBS at our church.  They had a blast and loved every day.  Although they were able to relate the bible stories to me, they also very excited about how many cookies they were allowed to consume.  Carter doesn't like the singing and dancing so he choose not to participate.  

Dawson did safety village during June as well.  Every one of my kids has had a blast at this program.  They also learn a lot which is nice to reinforce things we have discussed at home.  Look at the crazy face he gave me when he saw us at the final ceremony!

One of my favorite milestones: writing.  I love the little notes that I find all over the house. Dawson wrote these notes to Carter:  I love you Carter.  You are kool. 

More Dawson to Carter notes:  You are Kool.  You are nice.

My kids and random socks.  They are everywhere!  In fact, this winter the kids decorated the bare christmas tree in the basement with socks.  No wonder they can never find any!

I'm so excited for July.  Now that the camps have ended we are going to visit family, go to the pool and have plenty of fun.  More pictures to come!

10 months for little O!

Little O, you are ten months old now!  Little by little I see my little baby growing and changing into the beginning of a tiny toddler.  

Look at you sitting in the car at the grocery store!  You loved everything about this experience and I could hear you squealing over and over again.  Normally I would not have put such a young baby down below, but you were strapped in and I trust Ava to make sure you stay put.  You were so happy in that car though I doubt you would have tried to go anywhere else.

Another one of your faves:  water.  Everyone has been enjoying the little pool including you.  You get in and splash splash splash.  You laugh and squeal and have a blast.

The two comments I get most about you?  You are so snuggly and you are a happy boy.  I have to agree, you are happy most of the time and you do love a good snuggle!

This month you have began taking a couple of steps on your own while holding onto my hands.  You also love to practice standing.

Owen right now your favorite song is the wheels on the bus.  When you are fussing or upset if I sing this song you immediately stop and listen.  Earlier this month we went to my grandmother's funeral.  It was a tough day for you and you were unable to nap during your typical times.  Whenever you got upset we just sang the wheels on the bus over and over and over......but we had fun making up entertaining new verses.

My baby in a bucket!  You didn't want to get out.

You are also talking up a storm!  Your first word was "uh-huh."  I will ask you questions like "do you want to eat?"  And you will answer me "uh-huh."  Your next word was dada.  We were sitting on my bed and you saw Daddy walk into the bathroom.  You looked directly at him and yelled "DADA."  It was very clear you wanted him!  You have also said Mama and Ava as well.  You are attempting to imitate the animal sounds of a cat and dog and you repeated ba for a sheep.

I'm also happy to say you are a HUGE Daddy's boy.  You prefer him to me and practically jump out of my arms if he is around.  You put your head down on his shoulder for a little snuggle.

But your biggest change this month?  We have a crawling baby!  

We love you are sweet baby boy.  Happy ten months!

Summer fun has begun!!

Owen is so excited to have three awesome friends to play with!!

I love convergent play activities and the kids orchestrated this all on their own.  First the kids used the toothpicks in their wraps and some grapes at lunch to build.  So then we used marshmallows and toothpicks to build all kinds of different structures.

Initially the summer started out with some cooler temperatures.  These crazy kids insisted on water balloons when it was only 62 degrees outside.

But they had a blast!

Owen never has a lack of play mates.  He is going to love this summer!

His little smirk kills me.

This is the face he made when he recognized the baby on the screen.  So cute!  We were hanging outside in the shade while the big kids decided to have a popsicle sale.  I think they made two dollars each!

Thanks Ava for helping little O!

Happy Summer!

The Last Day of School

Well, the last day of school has come and gone.  This means that we now officially have a first grader, third grader and fourth grader!

Kindergarten always amazes me.  Dawson went into kindergarten barely able to write a sentence and here is a paragraph that he wrote at the end of the year.  If you can't read it, this is what he wrote:

First we gat on sunscren.  Then we gat in the pool. Now we swim for six minits. Last we go home. Brovo!  Brvo!  

Everything about this makes me laugh.  I'm pretty sure I have never taken the kids to the pool for only six minutes.  Also the Bravo! Bravo! part?  Where does he get this stuff?

For the second year in a row, this sweet little girl got teary on the last day of school.  She is so sad to leave her wonderful teacher and she liked her classmates so much.  What a change from kindergarten Ava!

Dawson, you rocked kindergarten!  I'm so proud of you.

Carter, third grade was academically a challenging year.  Although you aren't convinced that school is for you, third grade is over and completed.You have told me that all you want to do is be a video game designer and clearly you don't need any more school for this particular job.  

Owen, the planking expert

Well Owen, things are about to get a whole lot crazy.  But I wouldn't have it any other way.  I really love having everyone home during the summer!

Baseball 2017

So this year Carter played on the Jackson Baseball league for the Giants.  Mike was the coach again.  I was finally able to get some pictures because Bo and Grandma came to watch him play a game so I had someone to keep the little guy company.

It is fun to watch him getting better each year.

He really likes playing catcher.  

He plays the outfield as well.

He had an RBI during this game.

The peanut gallery was munching on snacks and playing with toys.

(Carter, there are no actual peanuts, its just an expression!)

Beautiful, smart Roover girl

Carter has learned and grown so much this season.  His team started off pretty hot, but they have lost their momentum as time went on.  Plus it didn't help that many kids went on vacation, leaving their team without enough players for an entire team.

We love watching you play Carter boy!  I can't wait for next season!

Dawson is six and a half!

Dawson, you are such a curious, hilarious, smart, helpful little boy.  Now you are six and a half and have finished kindergarten.  I'm so proud to be your Mommy and I'm so privileged to watch you grow and mature.

Out of 3,000 students taking art classes in five elementary buildings, your artwork was chosen to be displayed at an art gallery in downtown Canton.  

This is your ladybug, whom you have named Dawson S.  Sounds familiar?  

I love having dance parties with you.  I always end up rolling with laughter at all your little dance moves.  You enjoy listening and singing new music.  In the car we have been using my phone to stream your favorite songs and you love learning the words to new songs.

You are so curious and eager to learn.  I hope you never lose this because it will serve you well in your life.  For example, in Pittsburgh this weekend you saw a lemon juicer and you had to learn how to use it.

This is your picture on the last day of kindergarten.  You have flourished this year!  Summer vacation has proven to be a little bit of a challenge to you.  Life is slowing down but you do not want to relax!  It has been fun though, we have been doing science experiment after science experiment.  You are really interested in science so this has been keeping your interest.

You just came to me and asked if we could have chili for dinner.  It's one of your favorites, but I don't typically make it in june.  Carter also hates chili so we were joking that it has become the "potato soup" of our family.  But boy can you put away bowl after bowl of chili!

Right now you are going through a tough spell.  We have had three funerals to attend in six months.  You have been so curious about everything regarding the funeral and I explained it to you as best as I could.  You have been crying at night, because you are afraid that Daddy and I will die.  You seem to be content sleeping in our room at night, so that is how we are helping you.

Dawson, we love you sweet boy!  We love you to the moon and back!

Grandmother Alice Jean Jeffries Chester

This is for Carter, Ava, Dawson and Owen:  I want to tell you a little bit about your great grandmother, Alice Jean (Jeffries) Chester.  She was your Meme's mother and lived to be 91 years old.  We went to her funeral this weekend.

When I was a little girl we called her Grandma Jeff (for her maiden name Jeffries.)  She was a nurse and worked second shift to support her eleven children.

She was so beautiful!  I find it interesting that many things she enjoyed are also important to me.  I've seen so many pictures at the beach or Lake Erie.  I also love to be near the water.  I love to read, and I want you four to also grow up loving books.  Grandma never showered us with toys but I still have some of the books that she gave us, most of which were religious.  And speaking of her faith, it was very important to her.  Grandma was staunchly pro-life.  She often prayed at abortion clinics and more than one time this ended up with her going to jail!

In the later years of her life she suffered from dementia.  Carter, Ava and Dawson did met her but she was not the same grandma I remember from my childhood.  I'm so glad that I did take one picture of you all together.  

Rest in peace Grandma.