Toronto

We started our summer adventures right away!  Mark competed in the Spartan Race in Toronto on Saturday and Sunday so Friday we packed up and headed to Toronto.

While Mark raced I took my buddies and we headed over to the Science Museum!

We had a blast!

Oliver loved the radio exhibits.  He was fascinated with the fact that families used to sit around the radio instead of watching tv!

Claire loved checking out all the old phones!  I was dying when she didn't know how to work a rotary phone!

It was a fun day with just me and my buddies!

After the museum we headed to Medieval Times!

After  Daddy finished his race and met us at Medieval Times (and I am proud to say that I drove us all over Toronto, BY MYSELF) and we had a blast!!!

Then of course, the most fun of all was the hotel pool!!!

Congratulations Daddy on both of your races!!  We are so proud of you!!!!

Greatest Day

Last Thursday was "The Greatest Day"!!!  I work with such an amazing group of people!  They say "If you love your job you never work a day in your life!"  and that could not be more true!  I love teaching but I also love the people that I work with.  I have so many wonderful relationships with these people and I could not imagine my life without them!  There are many people missing from this picture but I am so glad that we got a group picture!

Some more of my buddies!

Love these faces!!!

Now, LET THE SUMMER SHANANIGANS BEGIN!

Terrific Kid

Last Tuesday was quite the eventful day!  Not only was it the kids' last day of school but it was also a day full of recognition for my babies!

The day started out with me getting the kids on the bus (my favorite).

Then we headed over to the kids's school to see them both receive amazing awards.  Claire won the "Terrific Kid" award (for the second time) and a perfect attendance award.  And Oliver also won a perfect attendance award!  Both of my kids love school and never complain about going! They are actually nervous that they will miss a day.  The love their school and it has everything to do with what an amazing school they go to!  Windom has been full of excellent teachers and wonderful experiences. 

We were so proud when this letter came in the mail!  We know how amazing Claire is but it is always wonderful when others see it too!!

After a great last day it was time for the annual "Last Day Pool Party" at Kathleen's house!  Even Mrs. Schaner stopped by!

Claire has made some wonderful friends this year.  She had a great group of friends and made many wonderful memories!

So as another school year comes to a close I am sad to say goodbye to my Kindergarten Monsters!  I had a great class this year and I will really miss my buddies.  

I can't believe that my babies are finished with 1st and 4th grade!!!  Times flies by but everyday has been awesome.  I am so proud of Claire and Oliver for working so hard and doing so well in school.  Both of them got "perfect marks" on their report cards along with wonderful and heartfelt comments from their teachers.  They are both reading above grade level and I could not be more proud of what incredible people they have become!

1st Grade Awards

Yesterday Oliver had his first grade awards ceremony at school! Oliver had a great year in 1st grade and I am so proud of how well he did!  He worked so hard and learned so much and made so many wonderful friends!

Oliver earned the "Giggle Monster" award.  It was so cute, as his teacher was passing out the award and describing him all of his friends were shouting out "IT MUST BE OLIVER!!" and "AND THAT IS SO OLIVER!!"  It was adorable.

Oliver loved Mrs. Biondo!  After we took this picture he cried because he doesn't want to leave first grade!

Oliver made so many new friends this year!

Oliver and his best buddy Sully!

Oliver and Olivia!

Oliver and Izzy!

Oliver and Avery!

Oliver and Kezia!!

As you can see, Oliver loves the ladies! 

To say that I am proud is an understatement.  Oliver is such a great little person.  He worked so hard in school this year and made so many friends.  He is a great reader and loves math.  I can't believe that he is going on to second grade already but he is so ready for it!

I love you Oliver and I am so ridiculously proud of you!!!

Superdad

Mark and I make a pretty good team when it comes to parenting. We are always a team and  we split the responsibilities 50/50. But I will say, there are definitely times that I think he is "Super Dad". I get tired after a long day, especially at the end of the school day. But not Mark!! It doesn't matter how tired he is, if the kids ask him to play a game or read them ANOTHER story he does it! Every.time.

So today, even after spending the whole day at Oliver's field day and then taking him to get new sneakers, he still went out in the driveway to play yet another game of street hockey! 

And as you can see, Oliver loved every second!!!

Oliver's Birthday

Today is Oliver's birthday!  He is  SEVEN years old!!!  That is right, I said SEVEN! I cannot even believe that my baby is growing up so fast!

Yesterday the whole family came over and we had a great time celebrating the big guy's birthday!

Claire and Camden had a great time playing in the yard.  It is so crazy because I can remember taking Claire to parties when she was Camden's age and there would be these giganticly old 10 year olds there.  And the giganticly old ten year olds would take Claire and play with her and occupy her for hours.  Well, now Claire is one of those giganticly old 10 year olds!!!!

Everyone enjoyed the food!!

The kids' table is growing!!!

Everyone finished eating and it was FINALLY time for cake!!!  We even got a nice family picture!!!!

Look, I made it into another picture too!  Thanks Uncle Greg!

This one too!  Look at the beautiful photobomb!

Oliver loved all of his presents and he really loved playing with his cousins!

Then today for his actual birthday he got to celebrate at school, the boys sang to him at lacrosse practice, and we got to have another little celebration at bedtime.  

I am so proud of the little man that Oliver is growing up to be!  He is so kind, funny, thoughtful, and smart!  He loves to do little things to make other people happy and I absolutely love that about him.  He works so hard at school and at playing sports.  I love his imagination and his positive attitude. I hope that he always loves life as much as he does right now!!!

Happy birthday Oliver!!  I love you!!!!!!!!!!

  

Zoo Field Trip

It is no secret that the Zoo is my absolute favorite place to go with my kids!  So I was SUPER happy when I got to go on a field trip with Oliver to the Zoo!!!!!!

As an added bonus I got to put the kids on the bus!  I love putting them on the bus!!! It is a small thing but it makes my day!

It was so fun to spend the day with Oliver and his buddies from school!

Especially his best buddy Sully!!!

It was a great morning!  Oliver was so sweet! He loved hanging out with his buddies, but he was always looking over his shoulder to make sure I was close. Then he would sneak over and hold my hand for a few minutes and then run back.  My favorite part of the whole day was when he ran over to me, grabbed my hand, and pulled me closer to him and whispered "I love you Mom!" and then ran back with his friends!  I am so glad that I was able to go to the zoo with his class!