He finally got his...

game pin for player of the game. Hunter has been waiting all season for this little pin and he finally got it last week. He has played so well this season (he is actually one of the best on the team) and constantly asked me why he wasn't getting the pin even though he had multiple hits and some great outs at first (he is playing 1st base and pitcher). Reassurance of his successes always made him proud but receiving the pin was all he could think about. He got it last game for an amazing play at 1st and several doubles with RBIs. He was PUMPED! Kadan received his pin the first game but since I did not have my camera with me I did not get a picture of his moment of glory. That game he got on base every time he was at bat and had some amazing plays as short stop. Last week the moment that he had been waiting for arrived -- to play catcher. The pads barely fit but that didn't matter to him. He was in his moment of glory! It is so fun to see your boys start to learn how to play the game.

It just HAS to be polka dots...

or Bo refused to wear it. She is so funny. I have even tried to hide all her polka dot dresses in the back of the closet so that she will have to wear something else. But this little trick never works -- she has her favorite outfits and will stop at nothing to find them. How can a little 2 year-old be such a clothing diva?

My baby girl is graduating...

from preschool. If this is what graduation from high school feels like, then I am in a load of trouble. There was such mixed feelings. I was totally proud and excited for all she accomplished yet was sad to see the finality of no more preschool for Addy. Time is just passing too fast! It was so great to see how much she has grown since she started (I MUST find a picture for comparison). She went from little short curls to long golden locks, from singing a jumbled, barely understandable ABC song to being able to read and write all her letters. What in the world happened? Can't I just keep her little forever? She is such a joy, my little Addy May.

Every morning they started their day off by sitting at the red circle carpet for "circle time" -- a time to show and tell, to go over the weather, to perform warm ups, to sing songs and to discuss the letter of the day.

Then they would say the Pledge of Allegiance and follow it with their version of the National Anthem. The song goes like this...

Some stripes are red

Some stripes are white

And in the corner there is blue

Oh our flag stands for our Country

How I love red, white and blue.

Then it is singing time. We heard so many children songs (Addy's favorite is the "Spooky Walk"). They also learned a long rendition of Jack and Jill (since she did go to Jack and Jill Preschool). For the graduation party, Addy played the "Mother" in the song -- check out her little shyness while she accepted the bucket full of water from Jack. Bo was camera-gal and was so excited for Addy. She would cheer, "Yeah Addy, you did it!"And of course, the event finished with snack. The girls were introduced to orange floats. It was an instant hit.

Mrs. Fran Timmerman is the most organized and creative preschool teacher. It was a joy to see her two days a week for 3 years.

We've been so CRaZy busy lately...

having so much fun that I just don't have enough time to blog. I have a few minutes today before the visiting teachers come over (and they are the BEST VTs in the whole world, I might add) so I decided to get a little posting done. With mother's day, Ian's graduation, a trip to DC, end of the school year fun, baseball and just hanging, there is barely enough time to rest before the next adventure comes. I finally downloaded some of the most recent pictures yesterday and would love to share some of our happenings.

Happy B-day Grandma B...

Today is my MIL's b-day. We love and miss her so much. Ian and I were talking the other day and noticed that b-days and holidays are just not the same without her here. We miss calling her to tell her all the funny things that our kids do and say -- she always got a kick out of the stories and had such a fun laugh. Her laugh could make anyone happy. She was such a beautiful woman. In Ian's words "Happy Birthday Claude" (Claude was a nickname that Ian loved to tease his mom about -- she hated it but tolerated it with a smirk).

No matter what the temperature is...

we cannot be stopped from enjoying the spring! It was totally cold over the weekend (in the low 50's for the high and contant rain) but the gals still wanted to wear their bathing suits. So, here they are in their coats and their boots over their swimming gear. Come rain or shine, cold or hot -- they can enjoy themselves no matter what. They CRACK me up!!!

Making the right decision...

can definitely be hard, especially when you are only 9. This past Sunday was the opening day for the boy's baseball team. They had a parade, the Detroit Tigers and lots of food during the festivities. On Thursday, I told the boys of the activities and that they would be on Sunday. Then I asked them to make the decision to go to keep the Sabbath day Holy or to play ball. We weighed the options and talked about how last year not playing in the first game (which was also on Sunday) really had a large impact on the positions that they were able to play the rest of the season. Instantly Hunter started to cry and said, "Mom, it is so hard to make the right choice. I really want to play baseball but I love Jesus more. I wish I did not have to make the choice." I put my arms around him and told him that I loved him and trusted him that he would make the right decision. The next day he came to me and told me that no matter what he would go to church to show Jesus how much he loved him even if he missed the opening day. I am so proud of him.

It's the SIMPLE traditions...

that make a family. One of my favorite childhood memories is spending time with my Dad out in the yard or on my Grandpa Jensen's farm. After a little hard work and loads of fun, we would get so famished. In an instant my dad would be next to us with the garden hose. We would guzzle down the most refreshing ice cold water as fast as we could. Many times the drinks would turn into water fights. What fun!

This morning, after a little bit of weeding and a long bike ride, the girls came home totally thirsty. So, out came the garden hose to quench their thirst. I just had to capture the moment, knowing that this is a tradition that must be passed on for many generations to come.