Banzai Initiation

We initiated the banzai slide for the first time this summer. The kids had fun on the slide. Emma came over for a mini impromtu playdate.

Henry and Emma

Crafts

Aida and Henry did some crafts this past week since school is out. Aida painted a ceramic piggy bank and only wanted its picture taken - She didn't want her pic taken with the pig.

Henry's car - Henry and I mixed the plaster for this car, and then after it dried he painted it.

Henry with his car!

Sarasota Trip

We went to Sarasota, FL to visit Nate's mom. We haven't been there since I was 32 weeks pregnant with Aida! Henry and Aida have both been on a plane, but couldn't remember, so the plane trip in itself was exciting for them. They felt so "big" with their rolling backpacks at the airport! Here they are at XNA ready to go to Florida.

Henry got the window seat!

Henry and Aida loved the beach this year. Last year they didn't have as much fun. Henry loved the water and loved to jump over the waves. The water was perfect - clear and warm! Not a lot of icky seaweed either!

Aida had a much better time this year since she wasn't afraid of the sand and water! You can see Henry in the background in this pic.

Henry had fun building sandcastles. Papa T taught him how to build drip castles last year. He was perfecting the craft!

The tide was low the last day we went to the beach. Aida is getting seashells in this little tide pool.

She insisted I take a picture of the shells she had collected! They collected enough little shells for me to put them in glass jars. I put them in our bathroom as decor and as a great memory!

Henry and Daddy

Aida liked to go out into the water if someone held her. She did play in the very shallow water by herself, but wanted to be held to go out deeper, which was fine with me!

I took this picture at Granny Pam's house. It was so hot out, we didn't get many pictures away from the water.

Nate after a bad day at work! He He... Actually it is an eel at the Mote Marine Aquarium we visited one day of our visit.

Henry, Aida and Daddy looking at a large tank of Jellyfish - yuck!

This is a cute little dolphin who kept smacking his lips at us.

Waiting to go home. The kids watched the planes come and go from this big window.

I had to get this pic - so cute.

...this one too.

Henry took this picture - and did a good job!

Family pic...

Henry and Granny Pam

The kids and Granny Pam on the infamous golf cart. They loved driving the cart around Granny Pam's neighborhood.

Henry's Graduation

Henry had his KDO graduation ceremony on Friday. It was so sweet. Kristina put together a slide show of pictures of the graduates from birth to now. Then the graduates walked into the sanctuary to Pomp and Circumstance in little graduation caps that they made in class. They sang several songs that they learned over the course of two months. Henry had a solo and did great on his performance. They then received diplomas and afterwards there was a nice reception with cake and meat/cheese/veggie trays in the fellowship hall for all graduates and relatives who attended. My parents and Nate's Dad and Fay all came to watch Henry go thru this milestone. He has learned so much at KDO and has made some great friends. We will miss everyone there! We have a busy summer planned with trips to Florida and Illinois. We have already been swimming several times and played in sprinkler toys a lot too. We are also planning Friday pizza parties on our block every weekend of summer! We are looking forward to all of this before Henry's big day of Kindergarten and Aida's first day in a new preschool! It all goes so fast!

Henry's diploma. They also received the book "Oh, The Places You'll Go" as a graduation gift.

Henry receiving his diploma and book from Ms. Kristina. Ms. Trish and Ms. Jessie helped out.

Henry and Alyssa



The graduates all lined up in the Fellowship Hall after graduation.




Singing the songs they learned for the ceremony.

Nana and Henry. You can see the cute centerpieces made of crayons on the table.

The Graduate!

Their cake and cupcakes.

Henry was surprised to see Gramp Gramps and Grandma Fay!

Henry and I before leaving for school. Aida came with Nate, Nana and Papa T. Henry looked so handsome in his dress clothes. Aida even told him so herself!

Our family pic didn't turn out fantastic, but here we are!! Henry had the sun and wind in his eyes!

Papa's Birthday

Nana and Papa T came up for Henry's graduation. They came on Daddy's 60th birthday, so we had a small party for him with a few presents and cake and ice cream.

Henry painting

I bought these little ballerinas for Aida to paint. Aida was napping the other day, so Henry got to paint one.