1st Swim Meet

Tonight started out very questionable if we'd even have a meet because of the weather, but it cleared and we did it - although it was a late night of swimming!  But, the kids had an absolute ball and enjoyed every.single.minute of the night so we'll call that a win!

C had a fantastic meet and improved from last year's times tremendously!!  He was also on both top relays:)
25 Free 25.38 (last year's best time 29.57)
25 Breast 37.25 (last year's best time 45.36)
50 Free 54.00 (last year's best time 1:14.90)

S didn't have as good of a meet, but maybe she got the jitters out!  She was also on both of the top relays, but I'm not sure if she will be next meet.  She's got her work cut out for her because her age group of girls is a very strong group! 
25 Breast 29.19 (last year's best time 27.95)
50 Free 49.54 (last year's best time 53.58)
25 Back 26.35 (last year's best time 25.54)

The only picture I got was during the storm delay in the car!  LOL! Maybe next time I'll remember to take pictures!

May 2018

We ate at Hare and Hound and dined al fresco and even scored
free desserts;)

Swim team  has started!

We watched Prince Harry marry Meghan Markle!:)

This kiddo got on a kick that involved taking electronic/
battery operated things apart!

Kids and I went to Travelers Rest Farmers Market and
caught a glimpse of the Scottish Parade!

Lots of ice cream these days!

M came home with new shirts for the kids and himself!  Can't miss them!!

1 - selling water balloons
2 - selling water balloons when it's raining out

Last year when we went to Williamsburg I had bought the
kids costumes to wear but thought better of it when we went
and didn't give them to the kids.  I pulled them out on a rainy
day for entertainment!

C's Awards Day

This morning was C's 2nd grade awards day!!

It's hard to believe that he will be in 3rd grade next year...tear!  

We started the morning with a celebratory breakfast at Einstein Bros before school!  I think we all enjoyed a change from the norm!  

His awards were done in his classroom which I like because it is more intimate than when the whole grade level is in the cafeteria and the awards were also more personalized!

C came home with 4th Quarter Perfect Attendance, A-B Honor Roll for As and Bs all year, the Basketball Award from PE(this was the award he was most proud of!) and the Positive Thinker Award from his teacher.

It's been a tough year for C between his first teacher being out a BUNCH at the beginning of the year and ultimately leaving in addition to having some rather "rough" kids in his class that were bad influences on his behavior, music, attitude and vocabulary.  

We are beyond ready for summer and some detox time!

Great job Little Buddy - you DID IT!!

Gavin, C, CJ, Garrett

Mrs. Grugan

Recital Weekend

Friday night was the rehearsal for the recital!  We ran a few errands around downtown and then had time to stop in at Spill the Beans and take a few pictures at the bridge before we had to be at the Peace Center.  

The rehearsal is enjoyable to me because it is super low key and we are able to video and take pictures as much as we want... and it only lasts about an hour total so it isn't too taxing on the sanity with the boy there!

Fueling up for the festivities!

Sun-in-the-eyes but still gotta have the picture:)

Little brother entertaining himself - he did a pretty good job
of it too!

Getting the spacing right with the artistic director and their teacher!

S was so excited to get to the performance!  She wanted to get there earlier than we needed to be so that she could go hang out with her friends!

Pre-recital picture

The grandparents and brother with the ballerina!

We celebrated with dinner at Brick Street Cafe with all the grandparents afterwards and it was a great way to end a fun evening of dancing ballerinas!

Post-recital picture

Greenville Drive Baseball Game

We were suppose to go to the Reading All Stars Greenville Drive game, but that one got rained out and we couldn't make it to the rescheduled date for that game, so we exchanged our tickets for a random other game which happened to be this evening!  We made it 1.5 innings and it POURED!!!!  Thunder, lightening, the whole shebang!  But, we got to exchange those tickets for another game in a couple of weeks, so we will keep our fingers crossed!

Mothers' Day

Today I was showered with gifts from the kids, we went to church, I picked the lunch destination and then Grandmamma and Granddaddy joined us for dinner!  It was a busy day but we were surrounded with family and that is what counts!

My lovely gifts from the kids:)

Mother/Son Cooking Class

I booked me and one of the kids for a Mothers' Day cooking class.  I couldn't decide which kid to take, but I decided to take C because I know S and I have several activities that we are doing coming up and truly C is the one who enjoys cooking(and eating for that matter) more! 

Brunch was on the menu with baked french toast, fruit salad and hash browns.  It was all absolutely delicious and C was a very good cook and even did all the cutting by himself which may have set me back a couple years on my life!  We ate so much afterwards and still had some to bring home for tomorrow morning to share with M and S!

It was a nice few hours together!

He has become a fan of eating lemons!

Strawberry Picking

The kids and I made our first trip strawberry picking this afternoon after school!  It is nice that we have a field close enough to just "stop by" on our way home!  The berries were everywhere and in great abundance and the kids were good pickers today and we picked 3 gallons while we were there!  I think I'll make a strawberry cake with some of them...Mmmm!!!

More Than Conquerors - Church Performance

The kids chose to participate in the church's spring children's choir production, More Than Conquerors.  Instead of a continuous one story line drama, it was comprised of several skits, songs and other music ensembles from the church accompanied the kids on stage during the performance.  I wasn't sure if I'd like it as well, but I was pleasantly surprised(as always!) at what an amazing and professional job these kids do on stage!  S had a speaking part as well as a solo and C had a speaking part.  Both of them did fantastic!!

This morning, the children's choir joined the adult church choir on stage for a couple of songs during the regular services.  One of the songs that they performed was the one that S had a solo in, so of course I was that mom that was front and center during both services to watch!  She did great and it was a good way to rehearse and get the gitters out before the made performance tonight!

Tonight was the big show that they'd been working so hard to prepare for!  C had a momentary freak out this afternoon and was practicing his part like a mad man which he has not done in the entire three months that he has had is script!  Such the little procrastinator!

S was a game show contestant during her skit!

I think she truly loves the stage!

She then did a quick wardrobe change and came back on just in time for her solo!

After all that worrying this afternoon, C nailed his part too!

The middle/high school choir joined the kids during a couple of songs!  They
really liked this, especially since their two main babysitters were up there with
them!  So neat for them to see the older ones worshiping too!

Grandpa and Gigi made the long drive to see their babies
perform!

Hannah, one of our sitter!

I love that the grandparents come to support them in what they do!