Happy 4th of July!

We stay so busy and I have neglected my blog.  We finished out our semester with a lot of issues. My students were not up to par and a 6 week online course was too much, so they were all shocked by their grades.  One even yelled at me for an hour and a half.  But grades are in!  And I am updating on some recent happenings.

For our bookclub, we read a novel about Frank Llyod Wright's life called Loving Frank.  It was a super sad book, he had a crazy life, but it was interesting and he designed most of Florida Southern, which is really close to us.  So it was nice to read.  He had the saying "Momento Vivere" in one of his houses and I love it.  It means "to live in the moment", so kind of like carpe diem.  So when I bought my 31 blanket, I had this phrase put on it.  I am trying to enjoy every moment with my kids while they are small, it goes by so fast.  Of course, I also believe the days are long, but the years are short.

We went to the fire station with PALS.

My mom got Sam a doll hair kit and she used the curler to curl her hair.  She said it looked like the boing boing curl in the Ramona series, which we have been reading.

She did these monkey bars by herself and wanted me to get a picture.  Such concentration!

We had a long day recently and she ended up asleep on the couch!

At the dock in our neighborhood a few weeks ago.

When gymboree was having their sale, I ordered both girls zebra sunglasses so they could be like mama.

Zoey and her best friend Nick.

We have been to legoland a few times now.  We went in June (and today actually, but no photos today) to catch a few rides and go to the waterpark.  Such fun!  Sam drove a car.

Zoey driving a boat.

Sam visiting her piece from in May that was in a display case.  It is in the back behind her, the purple and pink one.

The local triple A team had a free day.  We went with my parents.  A self portrait of us.

Sam loved the game.

Zoey loved the snacks!  She did baseball right; popcorm, peanuts and frozen pink lemonade.

After we stopped at McDonalds.  She was playing with her ketchup and said look at her art.  My mom said maybe I need to cut back on the playdates.  :)

Last night in Lakeland was the town's fireworks show.  The girls split a treat while waiting patiently.

Sam trying to get Nick to stay near us ended up with him on her lap.  Such a sweetheart to try and take care of the little ones.

It was threatening rain, so although I have been taking a photography class and really wanted to use my new knowledge to shoot the fireworks, I left my dslr at home.  Nick got a few good shots with my point and shoot Olympus underwater camera.  It has some great settings and I love it.

Happy 4th from the Southern Kellings!

Changes

Here is Sam on her first day and last day of VPK.  She is standing in a slightly different spot, but I think she has had a growth spurt recently. The changes are dramatic to me. 

Zoey in her romper with pockets.

Here is science Sunday elephant toothpaste.  I added just a tad bit too much water when I did the yeast.  And the girls got in on their clothes.

So we tried again without clothes and it was thicker.

Both girls dislike the vacuum, which is not too bad since I am not a frequent vacuumer.  Nick got Zoey to help and she seemed to like it better.

After antibiotics, Zoey went back to a bouncing fever.  But she finally seems better.  Her cough is lingering and she has some mucous, but I think she may be mending.  It will be wonderful to be able to leave the house on a regular basis.

The students in our classes are driving us crazy, even with our current low expectations.  But we only have a week and a half until we are finished!

Summer is here

It is so hard to believe Sam has finished PreK and will start Kindergarten in a few short months.  She learned so much this year.  Her teacher is an amazing woman, so patient and focused on peace.  She was a blessing and we are so thankful.

Some art from this year...

Her whole class on the world.

The family in a blizzard.

Ocean Animals.  Such detail!

Hand painting art for the celebration.

Ready for the end of the year celebration.

Sam and her amazing teacher.

Singing in the show.

Then the girls and I got sick.  Sam missed the Monday and Tuesday of school.  She recovered from swimmer's ear to get a cold. She had a bouncing fever and just made it back for the last day and ice cream party.  Zoey ended up on antibiotics for an ear infection.  I was hesitant, but with the bouncing fever, it was Friday, and she was complaining, the doctor suggested not gambling.  I had a cold and cough.  We are all better now, with just some lingering cough.

We have been busy recovering with some time for fun.  We have been doing more lately with friends for dinner and brunch.  Today we got in the pool and used my camera's underwater feature.

My self portrait.  

Sam finally swimming after so long on the floatie.

Zoey is more fearless, but sometimes cries afterwards.  But she is willing to go again, although asks for me to hold her.

Happy Summer!  We just have 2 weeks of summer classes and then our real break starts.  Although we have a lot on our to do list.

Swim lessons

Both girls had swim lessons together.  Except for a make up day after they missed for a stomach bug.  

Zoey started the week miserable with lots of tears and trying to climb out.  She made huge strides except she still hated jumping off the steps to her instructor.

Sam did well in the beginning, but then swallowed some water and never really got coming up for breaths.  She could do it but cried about it and had a mental block.  So both girls ended the week at the same level.  We will have to work with them this summer, but Sam has been out of the pool lately because she got swimmer's ear.  And now I have a cough.  Fun times!

Both girls loved the noodle work after a few days.

Sam swimming.

Look at these tiny legs go.

The rest of May

In no particular order, for May...

We saw baby swans.  Squeeee, so cute!

Celebrated mother's day.

Went to Legoland with my parents.  Sam loved this ride.

She rode the roller coaster but was not a big fan.

She loved this horse ride.

The safari ride was fun...

for all ages.

The girls had swim lessons (I will add that post next), and I tried to do something fun after every day.  One day we went to visit kittens at the SPCA.

 We went to a jeans fundraiser for a kid with cancer.  I bought some jeans and we got the girls passes to jump.  Unfortunately, this was a couple days after Zoey's first time throwing up and the heat, jumping, sugar and everything was too much.  Poor kid threw up right there behind me on some jeans.  What a mess!

We went to an indoor play place called family fun center with friends.  Poor Zoey got jumped on and fell off a bench.

 We went to the mall and rode the carousel.

And we went horseback riding.  Well the girls rode and we walked.  It was a 20 minute pony ride with someone leading it.  

All ready.

Sam was into it, but not as much as I used to be.

Zoey was unsure some of it, but in the end did not want to get off her pony.

Science Sundays (although sometimes Mondays)!

We continue to do science time.  We did take a week off because of illness.

Recently were...

Pressure, which involved a balloon that zoomed through the sky.

 Buoyancy, which involved the dancing raisin experiment.  I* did learn it works better if they are cut into pieces.

And insulation, which involved sticking her hand in ice water without

and with insulation (see the crisco on her gloved hand?) to see how a polar bear can stand such cold water.

Photo fundraiser

Wow, it is almost the end of May and I have been horrible about updates.  We stay busy, so I will do my best to catch up on our lives.

We participated in a photo shoot fundraiser, we paid a small fee and got 5 edited images from the same photographer who normally does the girls birthday sessions.

I love these.