No more pencils, no more books.....

So, it's official I have a 4th grader and a 2nd grader! How did that happen!?!?

The kids finished school! The last day was pajama day. They went for only an hour and had breakfast with their teachers and classmates. It was a great year for Isabelle and Jack! I'm so proud of how well the did. (Time for me to shamelessly brag.) They came home with straight As (again) and glowing reports from their teachers. Isabelle will continue in the gifted program next year. The gifted program does not start until 3rd grade, but Jack will be doing math with the gifted teacher; who is starting a new math program for kids in 1st and 2nd grades. He ended the school year with 98% in math and similar percentages in other subjects. He was honored with a special award for straight As the entire school year! He also got an "Excellence in Citizenship" award (basically for being such a nice guy to teachers and kids). Isabelle ended the year with mostly As and one B, one quarter. She was awarded with high honor roll and an "Excellence in Education" award that was signed by Barack Obama! We are so blessed that school has been easy for them so far. I hope they continue to enjoy school as much as they do now. Over the summer they are expected to finish work packets that will turn in the first day of school. Jack is thrilled that he will be having the same 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Fuss, that Isabelle had 2 years ago as well Ms. Newman the gifted teacher that Isabelle has and will continue to have.

Splish Splash!

We decided very last minute to take the kids up to Key Lime Cove Water Resort in Gurnee. We didn't tell them where we were going until we parked in front of the hotel. Kevin and I told them we were going out to a tree farm to get new trees for the yard. The were MISERABLE sitting in the car thinking all we were doing is getting trees! You can imagine their surprise and excitement when they realized what they were really doing! It wasn't easy packing or loading the car in secret. It was worth the effort. Everyone was thrilled!

Ella Jane liked the water! She was a little hesitant at first, but soon decided to it was great! She really liked the "bath" that had a slide. She also liked to watch the giant pineapple fill with water and dump on the the kids below. Every time she saw it dump she would put her hands to her mouth, gasp, and say, "oh no! I'm scared!".

Isabelle loves water, loves the slides, loves swimming, loves it all! We get the biggest bang for our buck out of her! She went on even the fastest and biggest water slides. Mommy was right there behind her. She reminds me of myself when I was a kid.

Patrick was very hesitant at first of the water. He stuck to the kiddie pool, but pretty much stayed in one spot. Something like this is an overload for his senses, with the movement, noise, water, etc. His occupational therapist loved that we did this with him. Finally the second day he got brave enough to go on a raft down the Lazy River with Daddy. They did this several times. He did go on one baby slide. It wasn't easy to get a picture of him actually in the water. He did spend a lot of time on the side watching, which is also good for him. He did a great job, especially since big crowds and lots of noise is often difficult for him.

Jack enjoyed himself also, but he's not as much of a dare devil as his big sister. He stuck to the wave pool and lazy river. I think he must have gone around that lazy river more than 100 times during our stay. He was the first asleep when we got back to the hotel room.

Jack on the lazy river again (see the center of the pack).

The Bowl Slide is supposed to be the fastest and scariest at the park. It's so fun! Here are a couple shots of Kevin and Isabelle coming out at the bottom of the slide.

In the end we had a great time! Everyone was very tired when we left. 75% of the kids were asleep in the car (Isabelle managed to stay awake). Everyone slept well last night, as you can imagine. I think the most worn out of the family were Kevin and me!

Springtime Fun!

It's been a busy month, so I haven't done much blogging. Here's a little snapshot of what we've been up to.
For the first time in 15 years Mom and I spent Mother's Day together. It was lovely. We went downtown, did some window shopping on Michigan Ave., and then had Afternoon Tea at the Drake Hotel. It was a great way to spend the day!

Isabelle's gifted class has a garden at the school. Because of mom's talent with gardening they invited her to spend the morning with the kids working in the garden. Jack was lucky enough to join them. They planted some bushes, spread mulch, and did some weeding. Everyone really enjoyed having Baba there.
Isabelle's 3rd Grade Gifted class with Baba


Of course the nice weather means being outside as much as possible. Patrick and his friend, Maddy, are learning how to pump their legs on the swing. It will be nice for the Mommies when they master that!

We got a new Gazebo for the backyard. It's been so nice to sit back and relax, bug free! Now, I just need a pool and I'll be all set! (I wish)

I threw a little "Baby Sprinkle" for my dear friend, Melissa, who is having her second baby any day! The ladies and I had a lovely time. The peonies were in bloom and the weather was perfect for an afternoon in the Gazebo!