More May (2009)

(Yes, it's been over 8 months, so I'm pretty sure no one even reads my blog anymore. :) But one of these decades I want to get a blog book made. And since I don't scrapbook anymore (who has the time??), then I really, really need to keep the blog updated. It's my new mid-year resolution!)

END OF THE YEAR
The end of the school year always brings lots of BUSYness! Here are some tidbits:

Field Day

For some reason I have no pictures of Maddie's Field Day. :( Not sure what happened there. But I did manage to get pictures of the big waterslide that Aaron has every year. I think he has more fun than the kids.

(Aaron and Mr. W racing down the slide.)

(Wesley never did go down the slide. Not that any of us were surprised, seeing as his self-proclaimed nickname is "Chicken Little.")

Gymnastics Awards Banquet

The Athens-Clarke County Gymnastics Academy hosts an awards ceremony every year for the team gymnasts. And since Maddie was asked to be on the team, she was invited to the banquet as well.

Level 3 and 4 gymnasts with Tina, the coach and program director

Miss "Most Improved All-Around"

We were really impressed with Maddie persistence and determination. Although Maddie is definitely a great gymnast, things don't always come easy to her. She really has to work hard. We are very proud that even when things get difficult, Maddie sticks it out and pushes through. She is definitely an example to us!

Awards Day

Maddie won the Principal's Award for her class. This award is given to the best all-around student in each class. We were pleasantly surprised when her name was called. Maddie is such a good girl!

Last-Day-of-School Talent Show

It's a Cleveland Road Elementary School (CRES) tradition to hold a talent show on the last day. It's LONG (like 4 hours) but even the little pre-Kers love to see everyone perform. Maddie's class sang "We All in This Together" from High School Musical. It was really cute! (Aaron recorded it but I have no idea how to get it from the camcorder to the computer.) Maddie and Harold, a little guy in her class, sang lead vocals and the rest of the class sang back-up. Again, I was super impressed! There is no way I would ever sing in front of a group! I wouldn't have done it as a first grader and I would never do it now! (I don't even like playing charades. lol)

After all of the kids performed, the teachers took center stage. Aaron and most of the other male teachers performed "Single Ladies." I wasn't sure how to react--pride at my husband for having such a great sense of humor or disgust at seeing him in my red plaid skirt . It was like a train wreck I just couldn't stop looking at. I'm pretty sure Wesley felt the same way, because he was laughing and crying at the same time.

Aaron is in the red jacket and plaid skirt.

School Friends
I gave Maddie the camera, and she (with Aaron's help) took a couple of pictures of her first grade friends.

No More Pencils, No More Books, No More Teacher's Dirty Looks!

Here's what the kids saw as they left the school on the last day of the 2008-2009 school year at CRES. Sweet, huh?

Beach 2008

So we went to Ormond Beach back in July, but I just got the picture CD from my dad.
Wesley "inherited" Aaron's love of the beach. (ie--They tolerate it because they love Maddie and me.) They spent most of the day inside so Wesley could nap and Aaron could eat ice cream and watch ESPN. Actually it worked out perfectly, because Maddie and I could stay on the beach for at least 10 hours, so I was grateful to not have to give up my beach time to sit in the room while Wesley slept. We have decided that when Wesley's older, they'll probably end up playing golf the entire time Maddie and I on the beach. Sounds good to me! :) As long as I have a good book and some good SPF!!

My grandmother very generously lets us use her week at the beach. (Thank you, Grandma Charles!!) We went to the beach for the third week in July and my parents came the next week. Our times there overlapped, so we got to spend time with my mom and dad before Aaron, Wesley and I left to go home. Maddie was a lucky duck and got to stay an extra week with my mom and dad. Aunt Corie, who lives in Athens, was there with her boyfriend, Josh. They were going to bring Maddie home when they left at the end of the week.

Aaron--being a very good sport--with Maddie and my cousins, Nicole and Natalie (He will only do this one the last day we are at the beach, right before we go in for the night. He HATES the sand.)


Sweet, sweet!

My Aunt Charlotte, Uncle Jamie and cousins, Nicole and Natalie

Wendi, Aaron & Wesley on Poppa's dune buggy (This thing is famous! Seriously! People will stop us and ask to take pictures when we're riding down the beach.)

The little fish.

Wesley LOVES to swim! Once we figured out he could float with the swimmies, he was a happy little boy! He's in the baby pool here, but he loved the big pool too.

Sassy pants

Wesley, tolerating the sand, sun and salt water

Since Wesley was still crawling when we went to the beach, he developed his own kind of crawl--the crab walk. His poor little knees couldn't take the sand, so he starting crawling on his hands and feet. He's been doing it ever since. (That kid is FAST!!)

My family is BIG into the beach. My parents bring nice patio chairs to lay in, big umbrellas to provide shade, coolers, a boom box, a dune buggy that acts as a fun way to cruise the beach and a way to get everything down to the sand every morning. My dad also has an icee machine that he hooks up to the dune buggy's battery to make shaved ice on the beach. No need to run upstairs! Maddie LOVES going to the beach and she loves going with her Poppa and Nonna!

Silly girl!

Not happy with sand on his face. :)


Playing

Maddie and her beach twin :)


Maddie, on her way to becoming a professional surfer.

Flying a kite--it's hard enough with one spool of string, but two?
Playing Bocce ball--Maddie's telling everyone which ball is closer to the target ball


My youngest sister, Corie, and her boyfriend, Josh, drove down to the beach. Josh brought his skim board and Maddie tried learning how to do it. It didn't quite work, because she ended up stepping in front of the quickly moving board and it smacked the side of her foot. She was pretty upset and ended up falling asleep from the exhaustion of staying up too late, playing too hard and crying because her foot hurt so badly.


Maddie, the budding actress, pretending to be scared of the cemetery at the pirate-themed mini golf place.

My little beach bum.
If she ever runs away, we know where she'll be!!