Preschool Pictures

On the last day of school, Carter's teachers gave the kids a sand bucket filled with a few toys (a ball, watercolors set, some temporary tattoos, a pair of sunglasses) and a photo album filled with pictures they had taken during the year.

The first day of school (I think) ...

On the playground in the fall ...

The day the fire truck was at school ...

Carter apparently had some funny ways of napping.  Eventually he (as did a lot of the kids) started sleeping inside his mat cover directly on the mat.

The day the kids collected leaves for an art project ...

They didn't truly celebrate Halloween (the kids weren't allowed the wear costumes), but this was their fall celebration day ...

Thanksgiving celebration ...

Random day in winter ...

Christmas celebration ...

The day Carter and Sophie shared her Pillow Pet at nap ...

Valentine's Day ...

"P" is for Pajamas day ...

Spirit Week (the kids were supposed to dress wacky - Carter had his pants turned inside out) ...

Look at the hold Carter has on Sophie!!!

The day the kids made their "wind kites", as Carter called them ...

Dancing with Sophie ...

The day Carter was line leader and brought his safari hat for show and tell ...

Tired Boy

Rylan really can nap just about anywhere ...

These are the seats attached to the new carts at Target.  I was a little worried that Rylan would slip out somehow, but he was fine.

Gymnastics

Gymnastics is almost over for Carter.  He has one more class next Monday.  Today they let the parents come in and watch the preschool class from the gym (instead of just through the window in the waiting area).

First the kids stretched.

Then was the first of two courses.

And here was the second course.

Next they worked on their jumps on the trampoline.

Then they did some jumps on the trampoline runway.

Last was the awards ceremony.  Each of the kids got a medal and also a paper saying which skills they had mastered (they did two weeks of testing a few weeks ago).

I have no idea what a lot of these are, but these are the skills Carter has mastered:

Vault Jumps:
1. Straight Jump
2. Chasse
3. Running
4. Jump on / Jump off (Board)
5. Hurdle (One Foot to Two Feet)
6. Hurdle (One Foot to Two Feet) Board

Bars:
1. Touch Toes to Bar
2. 3 Tuck Swings
3. Chin-up @ Wall
4. Forward Roll

Beam:
1. Bunny Hops
2. Jump Dismount
3. Bear Walks

Floor:
1. Spider Walk Handstand
2. Jumps over Mat w/ Hands
3. Cartwheel

Positions:
1. Jump & Stick
2. Lunge
3. Squat
4. Knee Scale

Carter has loved gymnastics.  He is always trying to do handstands on the couch and practice other skills.  I didn't sign him up for summer and I think we're going to try to do soccer in the fall, but I do think he'll be doing it again at some point.

Recent Pictures

Last Friday we met Lauren with Sophie (Carter's friend from school) and Blake at Monkey's Treehouse.  Carter loved climbing up and down the cargo net but that meant Rylan also wanted to do it.  He's a bit too small right now - there were only a few falls (there is a gym mat underneath it).

I'm not sure Sophie liked Carter's outfit as much as he did ...

On Saturday morning I took the boys to Missy's house for Will's birthday party.  They rented a bounce house for the day that they put up next to their playset (which is what my boys played on most of the time).  Here they are swinging with Heather's son (Dowden).

The birthday boy with his Thomas cake ...

After the party we took the boys to Home Depot with Brian's parents to do their Kids' Workshop.  This week's project was a planter.  The boys LOVE getting to paint their projects.  Again, Carter only used orange paint.

I was finally able to get Rylan to put on his apron and that mostly saved his shirt.

We were off schedule the whole weekend and Rylan never got real naps.  On Saturday Rylan fell asleep on Brian watching a movie before dinner.  I ended up picking him off of Brian and moving him to the living room rug where he continued to sleep until we woke him up an hour later.

On Sunday afternoon we were playing in the family room.  I left the room for a minute and came back to find Rylan passed out on the rug again.

He slept through dinner, again.

And a couple of pictures from yesterday afternoon ...

Cheekwood

The boys and I met Missy and her boys at Cheekwood this morning.  We were planning to go to the zoo but when I was sitting in line for several minutes on the main road and still couldn't even turn into the zoo, I called Missy and we agreed it would be too crazy there today.  We didn't realize it until we were almost there, but it was "Free Day" at Cheekwood today.  Luckily we got there right after it opened so we both got good parking.  And once you have that, the grounds are so large that you still have plenty of room not to be on top of other people.

I brought the double BOB along for when the boys got tired but they both insisted on riding in it most of the time rather than walking.  They still burned off plenty of energy when we stopped but they sure are getting harder to push as they get bigger!

I love the fountains with the lily pads.  I've always thought lily pads are so pretty, especially when they are flowering.

This summer, Cheekwood is building several treehouses on their grounds.  One of them is already complete so we got to go up in it.  It was AMAZING!  It was huge, gorgeous, and just plain cool.

Under the treehouse, there was a fun swing.  Today was Will's 3rd birthday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Because it was "Free Day", there were a few special events going on, including some music in one of the gardens.  Carter and Will had a blast running around and dancing to the music.  Whenever a song was over and the few people listening would clap, I think Carter thought they were clapping for his dancing because he'd look down and act all shy.

The boys love climbing on the rocks near the waterfalls.  Luckily no one fell in!

We tried to get some group photos.  Getting two to look at you and smile is difficult ...

Three is even harder ...

And four is impossible, but cute ...

GG's Mom

Brian's grandmother passed away this past weekend.  Brian's parents were visiting us at the time and we were hoping to make it up there to see her on Sunday but unfortunately didn't make it in time.  We went to Cincinnati for the visitation and funeral Tuesday and Wednesday.

It was a sad reason to be up there, but it was nice to see a lot of Brian's relatives and see where Cinda grew up.  And Carter was super excited to spend some more time with GG and Papa Art.  Once when Rylan saw them getting out of their car, he even said "GG and Papa Art!".  I'm so glad the boys love all their grandparents so much!

Brian's sister Shannon also flew in from New Zealand.  Carter remembered seeing her at Christmas because when we told him that she was going to be there, he said,"She slept in the playroom," which is where she stayed.

The four of us shared a hotel room that wasn't a suite with a separate bedroom for the first time Tuesday night.  It was past their normal bedtime when we went to bed, but the boys did great.  Carter got to sleep in a real bed by himself for the first time (he's still in his crib with the front taken off - I'm shopping around for a new bed).  He was SO EXCITED.