School Dance Party

Claire and Bryce's school had an end of the year dance party on Friday, June 8th.
Usually they have a carnival but that didn't happen this year.  The kids had a fun time.

When we got home from the dance party I took the kids down for a night swim!

One More Field Trip

Bryce had one last field trip to the Botanical Garden and the MK Nature Center.
At the garden they learned all about plants and garden stuff.  They learned about roly-polies and even got to hold one.  I think only one roly-poly got smashed which is rather amazing.

The Koi Pond.

Looking for bugs and frogs.

At the MK Nature Center.

We saw lots of rainbow trout.  We saw one of the sturgeon, too.

Spring Soccer

Claire's season of spring soccer came to an end last weekend.  There are a couple more tournaments but we didn't sign up for them.  Claire did a great job this season! 

It was really wet at the last tournament game Claire played in!  Luckily we had our little pop open shelter!

The teach got pretty wet though!  The ended up winning the game in PK's so that was an exciting finish!

More Basketball

Claire had another basketball tournament last weekend.  They lost the first two games but won the third game.  Claire did a good job.

Claire also did a little basketball camp last week.  When I got there to pick her up on the last day she was just finishing up a game of Lightning and she won!

School Christmas Parties

Thursday was the kids last day of school before Christmas break.  They had their Christmas parties that afternoon.  Claire's class had a mug exchange.  Her teacher read a story and every time she said "right" they had to pass to the right... every time she said "left" they passed to the left so you didn't know which gift (mug) you would end up with when the story finished.  Then after last recess they had hot chocolate in their new mugs and watched a movie.  I helped rinse the mugs and fill them with hot chocolate and then went over to Bryce's classroom to help out there.

Bryce's party had three stations.
Crafts: 

Food/Cookie Decorating: 
Note that I had also volunteered to bring fruit (as requested per the sign up) and so thanks to Pinterest I made these cute Grinch fruit kabobs (a green grape, sliced of banana, strawberry, and mini marshmallow).  After sitting for several hours they weren't as cute as the Pinterest pictures of course.  Several kids (including my own of course) didn't want one but I forced them to put it on their plate and said they could throw it away.  Who wants a fruit kabob when there are cookies and frosting in front of you!  Well school nutrition advocates, all I can tell you is we tried.

And Games: 

We had a party at my work on Thursday, too.  This is our new manager, Pinky.

Christmas Concerts

Claire participated in her school's new Honor Choir this fall.  They capped off the season with some community performances.  Last Tuesday they sand at the Idaho State Capitol and then at Touchmark (an assisted living/care center).  I got to the care center in time to see their last set of songs.

Last Thursday they performed at the Idaho Botanical Garden.  It was a little chilly but very pretty.  It would have been a better experience if the choir director hadn't been about an hour late... but that's another story.

 

Then on Wednesday of this week Bryce and Claire both had their regular Christmas concerts.  Their school breaks it up into 3 concerts... the Kindergarten and 1st Grade, then 2nd & 3rd Grade, and last 4th & 5th Grade.  Lucky us... with a Kindergartner and a 4th Grader I got to watch all three shows.  Claire actually performed in all three with the Honor Choir.
We were a few minutes late getting to Bryce's concert (that also is another story) so we were way in the back.  Do you see Bryce on the far right in the photo below?  Neither do I, but I assure you he was there.  Did I mention that while we were stuck in traffic on the way to the concert Claire says to me, "So Mom... maybe between the shows you can run home and get my recorder?"  (Luckily the neighbor Allison was able to bring it for us!)

Claire is in the front row right behind the piano bench.  The good thing about being at all three shows was we were able to move up to a seat really close to the stage by the end so I could actually see Claire this time.

Bryce's Yball Season

Bryce completed his first season of Yball last Saturday.
He was in dire need of a haircut!  Here is his team.

Playing defense.

Putting up a shot.

Dribbling up the court.

Staring lineups.

Track Break Fun

Neighborhood Kickball Game

Fall Firepit

Fun at Storey Park 

Bryce was in heaven watching all the buses drive by while we were at the park.  Grammy asked if she could push him on the swing and he said "No!  I"m watching the buses!"

Claire had a scrimmage the night before the kids headed up to Tekoa with Grammy and Grampy.  Her team did really well, but somehow this was the only picture I took.

Claire's Playing Basketball

Claire had her first basketball tournament a couple weeks ago.  That same weekend there was an all-club rally and skills camp.  That's what these pictures are from.

Summer Pics

The mall had a special Lego display for a couple weeks in July.  They have replicas - made out of Legos - of various landmarks in the USA.  The US Capital Building was the largest.  All the models were built to scale and the Liberty Bell was actually the same size as the real one.  Pretty cool.

The kids have been taking swimming lessons at the Meridian Community pool the last couple weeks.  Last Friday we stayed after "Pirate Safety Day" for the public swimming so that Claire could go off the diving boards and slides.  Cole and Charlie were stayed to play, too.

Bryce and I had the Woodbridge Pool all to ourselves for a while last Sunday!

The coneflower are blooming!