Rounding out the Month of May

Time for ending our school year and making arrangements for the school year to come.  I have purchased curriculum for Anna and working on plans for Amy.  We plan to take a little break and then get started again. We will also take time off for our vacations, but will sort of do year round school.  We just want to get ahead and have plenty of days to be flexible with on our school schedule throughout the year. We want to take some field trips next year and have some fun Fridays, cooking and art days.  Plus I need to keep these girls busy with something as the heat of the summer will keep us indoors for the middle of the day.  Not to mention, Amy likes to stay busy. Likes to have something to do.  NEEDS to have something to do.

 We blow through between 7 to 10 school pages in the morning, sometimes before Anna even wakes up.  Amy is our earliest riser.  Gets up and makes her bed then comes into the kitchen,  or more often, comes in beside my bed to wake me while I'm still sleeping....soundly.....to get started with our day of course.        She wakes up ready to roll.........and ready to talk.  

 She starts off just where she left off the night before.

Talking.

Great Day in the MORNIN!

Heaven help me.
I need my cup of green tea.  Pronto.  

It is all good.  It really is.  People say it will keep me young and sharp.  

Is that sharp as in smart or sharp as in grouchy?!!! HaHa

I think it is a little of both.

Here are some May pictures.

Anna's Science Presentation Poster
 Each student picked a vitamin to research and report to the class then bring in a food item .
We made our fresh milled, whole grain bread and the students liked it a lot!
Great job, Anna 

Will in "his porch office" studying for his final exams at KSU.
Getting ready to take some classes this summer at UGA online and transfer there in August.

Been to a playground and rosy cheeked. Watching a Horseland episode on the way home.
Our peanut is still so little we have to pad the headphones to fit her head. Not the best fix.
She is not crazy about it but it is the only thing that works for her to keep them positioned on her ears.

Shopping trip to celebrate the end of school. My girls love jewelry. Amy especially.
Always have to stop here.  Amy absolutely has to touch some shiny things everywhere we go!
Even if someone happens to be wearing said shiny things. She will inspect ladies'  jewelry, stop them or comment.
Learning to ask before we touch.  Big earrings are her most favorite.

Now something has caught Anna's eye.  One can not be in a hurry when shopping these days!

Anna's idea of matching skirts
We also got matching bracelets
Amy likes to say we are a team or that we are "club members"
When someone tells us we look nice, Amy answers back with, "and You look Fabulous " .

New Haircut
Anna practicing knitting as we took a class at the library.
Looking so grown up.  Can't believe she turns ten on May 30th.

Amy's new haircut for the summer .
It fits her sassy self.

We made our own Asian potstickers,  and even though they were all different sizes, and don't look exactly like ones at restaurants......they tasted delicious and the girls had fun filling them and pinching the dough together.

Amy's Turn to be on Stage

Amy sang "Hosanna...Ho Ho Hosanna, everybody praise the Lord!" She clapped, waved,  pretended to play the drums and guitar .....with all the gusto she gives to everything she does!  When they handed her diploma and shook her hand, she smiled so big her eyes closed. 

 I love the way she smiles with her whole face! 

 It was a happy day and we are so proud of our girl!  

 Something I think is just as important,

 Amy is mighty proud of herself!

 We are all celebrating her accomplishment!

Amy's teachers both told me what a lasting impression Amy has made on them and they truly believe she will accomplish great things.

In her classroom on the big day

The prizes she knew were coming in lieu of flowers! Nannie also gave her a little mermaid sprinkler but the picture of it was blurry do to Amy's excitement!

Mother's Day

Children are a gift from God, they are His reward.  Psalm 127:3

Mother's day is always special as I am thankful I have the best mother ever, and grateful I get to be a mother to the best children ever!  

Counting my blessings.

My children each gave me a gift.  It was a day of spending time with my family which is a gift in itself.  

Anna's gift, painted with love.

Wesley's gift, he got photos developed and put them in the frames.

From Will, who also hosed my dirty car off the day before.

Hand/foot salts Amy made at school.  She could't wait for me to open it!

Dance Recital

Anna's annual ballet recital.  Amy gets it (doesn't necessarily like it but understands) that she had to wait until she could really understand English before she could start ballet.  She was just not ready last year during sign ups and she could not start in the middle of the year as classes are set.  At home, Anna and I have taught her some ballet; we have dressed her up in costumes and danced to the music many times. Amy knows that this August she will officially begin in a ballet class herself.  None of this information stopped her from feeling the music all night and wanting to dance up on that stage!  We had a long talk about Anna getting flowers as is the tradition for dance recitals and next year Amy would get flowers too.  Amy also knows that she will get flowers the following week for her end of the year program at school.  Her comment was that she would rather have a toy than flowers so we will make that happen for her.
The funny thing was that during Anna's dance recital, every time a toddler would cry, Amy made this  statement:

"I know why they are crying.  Their big sister is getting flowers and they are not!'  Then on the way home, Amy kept saying:  "Look mom.  I am really trying to be happy for Anna and her flowers."

I reassured Amy when we got home that we all get to enjoy Anna's flowers in the vase on the kitchen table.  Then the next morning we went to dig out the real deal dance wear for little sister ballerina.  Now all is well with the world.  She is also counting down the days for her own performance at school and the much anticipated toy in lieu of flowers.  The toy that Anna will in turn, try to be "happy about for her"!

Sisters.

She is ready!

Wesley and Will always come to the show! So does Nannie and PaPa.

So pretty.  Well done Anna!

Hot Fudge Brownie Sundaes at home afterwards

Anna's Braces Off

Anna has looked forward to this day for a long time, about two years in fact!  This was the first round as they had to expand her palette to correct an underbite. She will need a second set of braces after her permanent teeth are all in. Thankfully that will be several years away.
Anna you are truly beautiful with and without braces!

Before

After 

We celebrated with a stop at the store for chewy things that have been off limits.
Bubblegum ice cream, gummy bears and chewing gum.

Anna went out with Wesley to a play at the school.  She looked so grown up!

Amy Met A Friend

Anna is playing soccer this spring and Scott is coaching the team.  There are three girls adopted from China on the team.  One friend Aria we already knew and have treasured for years.  The other little girl, Lily,  just happened to be put on our team.  Wonderful for the girls to have things in common as they get to know each other and play soccer. And guess what????? Lily just so happens to have a little brother named Jack adopted from China.  When he and Amy met,  Amy got so excited. And so did he.
Amy said, with great joy all over her face:
"Momma, his hand is like mine!  Look!  One good hand and one like this.  We can wave, and clap and do lots of things, and one day when we get to heaven......bump, bump, bump......our fingers will come out and all be there....... just like our other hand!"

Amy told Jack's Dad they were getting married.  Then I had to go tell Jack's Dad that Amy doesn't  really know what "getting married"  means!   :)  

They play together while their big sisters play soccer

They went around showing everyone!     Precious.

Yes He Does! Thank you Lord for the gifts you orchestrate on our behalf. Amy and I sing this song almost every day!

Easter

He is not here;  for He is risen, as He said.  Matthew 28:6

We had a wonderful Easter.  This was Amy's first time to experience it. We read our Bible, read several   children books about Jesus and Easter, and talked all about Jesus on the cross who rose again.  Amy understood Easter to be a day of celebration in spite of His death on the cross, because He lives, we all get to live forever with him in heaven. One evening I was concerned about her looking at the pictures in the children book, as it was bed time.  Amy let me know in no uncertain terms that she wanted to look at the book, she wanted to see Jesus and what happened and if the pictures were scary......well she would just pray to Jesus to help her not be afraid and He would do that.
Well then, ok was all I could say. After all, she is right and the pictures show truth. She wants truth.
Easter morning we went to church and Amy sang and clapped her hands to the music.  When the teaching began, she asked when it would be time to go eat or go home!  Then she squirmed and ate goldfish crackers and  then moved about from brother to brother to grandparents until Scott took her for a walk!  Attention span is still growing but has a ways to go!!!! So hard for her to be quiet!
We had a great day and enjoyed all the activities that go along with Easter.

Coloring Easter Eggs

Amy ate several of the cracked eggs after coloring them

She found her Easter basket and lots of eggs

Anna's was hidden in a more difficult spot this year.  The girls got all the same treats and gifts.

Amy learned quickly there are good things in the eggs!

We tried for a family photo

Fun day at my brother Jack's house petting rabbits

Outside Easter egg hunt with cousins

Amy loves having a "bigga family"!