Pre-K Graduation.

Last week was David's pre-k graduation ceremony. You'd think at this point I would have gotten used to seeing him perform, especially since he's been doing it since he was 3 years old, but I don't think I could ever get used to seeing him on "stage" singing with his friends. It's one of those priceless moments which is always so emotional to me. (Just how do the teachers get the entire school of kids - ok, 35 kids in the whole school - aged between 3 and 5, to stand still for an entire performance?)

David gets excited at the start of the first rehearsal and works hard to memorizes all his songs in a week. He had sung two of the songs to me days before the show, but said that the other songs were a secret. The theme of their performance was "I'm an American". Julia seemed as excited, if not more, than David to attend the ceremony. She even picked out a dress first thing in the morning. However, she broke down crying in the middle of the ceremony, and not because her big brother was graduating, but because one of the graduating girls received flowers from her older brother when she was getting her diploma, and Julia wanted flowers as well.

David is headed to receive his diploma.

And this is how much he cherishes his diploma.

Once the ceremony was over, the kids were able to stretch their feet and get nutty.

Initially, I intended to give him a little present (not much, just a new bicycle helmet that he really needed and a pencil case filled with chocolates that I brought back from Geneva and never gave it to him), but then I reconsidered; if I set this precedent now when he's not even in a real school, what will I need to give him by the time he graduates from high school? My 401k?

Instead, we celebrated David's graduation and his wonderful little performance by treating the kids to ice cream at our ice cream shop in town.

So... kindergarten, here we come! I have a feeling that the principal will have my cell number on her speed dial!

It's Officially Summer Here When...

the kids don't leave the pool even when it's raining.

Father's Day.

Bicycling Just Got A Lot More Fun.

While one kid performs stunts on his bike

the other mastered riding her bike without any training wheels and rode 10 miles on it last Saturday.

He's Finally Here.

David's teacher had a son this week. If you remember, I knitted him an alphabet blanket. Once I found out his gender on Tuesday, I completed the rest of the gift -- a bib, a pair of booties and a hat. David wrapped it up last night and brought it to the school this morning.

Considering I didn't know the baby's gender until this week, I figured there's a 50% chance it might be a girl (just because I prefer knitting for girls), so I had knitted this skirt and a pair of girlie booties. I still need to finish up some details, but otherwise it's ready to be gifted. Anyone's expecting a girl?

Our Saturdays.

Saturdays are not what they are used to be. But they are sure what I want them to be. Ask Seth though and he'll probably give you a different answer. I'm usually up early and go for a run before the kids are even awake. Later, we tend to our lawn, garden and trees. We also try getting the kids involved even if it's only a few minutes before they run off to play soccer or baseball.

Seth taught the kids when taking the weeds out, making sure to get them with their roots.

With Julia's help, we might need to bring another truck load of dirt in our backyard.

As soon as David's hands get a bit muddy, he preoccupies himself with more fun activities.

Meanwhile, Julia and I have only one thing on our minds -- food.

It feels good to take care of our "land" and teach the kids a thing or two about responsibilities, hard work and being good to our planet.

A Dream Job.

I found the above picture in David's school folder the other day. I guess it takes the pressure off Seth and me to save up for this kid's college education. I saw he misspelled STOP and instead wrote SOAP. I tend not to correct my kids' spelling and have them eventually figure it out on their own. I had noticed before that David gets very discouraged when he realizes he made a mistake and eventually doesn't even try again. It might not be the right strategy for every kid, but it works for mine.

A few weeks ago after being frustrated that Julia enters his room anytime she desires, he attached the below sign on his door. When asked how he knew how to spell these two words, he said "I thought and then my brain told me how". I guess it pays off him reading for an hour every night.

Memorial Day.