Preferred Mode of Transportation!

Hinkle Family Fun!

Mason and her friends planned an end of the school year party at Hinkle today.  It was a long day, but everyone had lots of fun and they really deserved it!  The littles tagged along and brought friends, too!

Outdoor Movie Night!

This was so much fun!  We had outdoor movie night at our friend's house!  There were nerf wars, music concerts, yummy food, even birthday cupcakes for yours truly!  When it got dark, we watched The Secret World of Arietty on a big outdoor screen!  Since it gets dark later now, Dylan and Hannah were out cold within the first five minutes! :)  It was so lovely to be out under the stars with a chill in the air and a nice fire in the fire pit!  Here's to many more of these nights with friends!

Old Friends/ New Friends!

Our friends from Mississippi stopped by on their way to Utah!  Our kids have all met once before and had a great time playing together!  I sure wish we lived closer together!

First Piano Recital!

Dylan had his first piano recital today!  How very proud I am of this boy!  Since he was the youngest performer, he went first and he actually just stepped out and did it without any hesitation!  There was a lot for a little guy to remember and I worried that he would forget a lot of it.  The bows, resting his hands on his lap between songs, sitting up straight, not to mention simply memorizing his songs...  After his turn was over, he made his way to my lap with a huge smile and whispered, "I remembered EVERYTHING!"  Well, with one exception--he turned and faced the piano to bow!

The End of Year Parties!

I am always so thrilled when summer break is here, mostly because I get to spend more time with my kids, but also because it is nice to have a break from packing lunches, getting out on time, volunteering. This has been such a great year for all three kids, though, and it is bitter-sweet to say goodbye to their teachers.  It is also hard to spend the summer not knowing who will be their teachers next year.  Here are some shots from the end of the year parties.  Dylan's class had a hot dog/water party and Hannah's class went bowling.

Nobody's Dog

He's a fence jumper, a cat chaser and a run-away.  Adopted into our family from PACA (People Against Cruelty to Animals) six months ago, he is also one of the sweetest dogs I have EVER met!  He is calm and gentle, a bit timid, super sweet with the kids, and a general love.  I really feel a connection with this guy.  I think it is something to do with his sweetness combined with his independence.  He knows how to smile and he knows how to use it.  He'll jump the fence and run as fast as he can away from us when we chase him down, but he always looks back with that friendly smile.

Kindergarten Zoo Field Trip!