Our Pizza Playdate

Here are pictures from when Kelsey, Caitlyn and I went for pizza while Keegan was at Dollywood. Keegan did have a great time, btw. She did not spend the time pining away for her mother. She bravely rode several roller coasters, had a ball, and is still talking about it constantly. Thank you, LoriAnn! Kelsey in the playground. She spent all of her game money playing the crane game. To my surprise, she won this green monkey. He is now well-loved and named Muh-muh.

Caitlyn and Kelsey enjoyed the giant soccer ball. I won't post the one that shows a big black and white thing flying straight toward me :).

The percussion game. I tried this one. It's hard!

Kelsey on the merry-go-round.

Kelsey's Quote

Upon seeing that we were buying a watermelon, "Caitlyn has a touch for dance, Keegan has a touch with animals, and I have a touch for eating fruit!"

Soccer Party

Last night was our end-of-the-season soccer cookout. Our team was made up of 9 sweet 5, 6, and 7 year olds. All except one also took dance, so, as soocer season coincided with recital season, we usually ended up having just enough girls to play.

Our team, the Orange Oranges. The name was Keegan's idea. We put everyone's ideas into a cup and one of the girls drew it out. Kelsey and Keegan are both on the front row.

Kelsey, ready for the party.

Our soccer cake, with a chocolate soccer ball. Caitlyn, Keegan, and Kelsey all cut out pictures for it. Caitlyn colored the coconut and made the goals.

This is our future tire swing. In this picture, Keegan enjoys playing on the rope.

Catching up

Just because I haven't posted, don't think we haven't been doing anything.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday Keegan and Kelsey had their last three soccer games. Their team won good sportsmanship medals. We were so happy for them. It was the nicest group of girls and they really were good sports all season long. It was great to see them recognized for it!
Also Saturday we were so excited to spend the day with our nephew and his wife whom we hadn't seen in ages (hint, hint Robbie and Gail.)
Sunday, we left church after Sunday School to head to a Scottish performance.
Monday was the girls' end-of-the-year dance recital and reception, with Caitlyn wearing nine different outfits! It was a long, late night, but I love this recital. Most of the choreography is done by the students, not the teachers. It's great to see what they can do! Fear not ;), I'll post recital pictures soon.
Yesterday, the girls went to an awesome birthday party. There was a home made slip and slide down a huge hill. So fun. And I forgot my camera!
Keegan had her first-ever sleep over last night and today is off to Dollywood with her friend. I am missing her terribly, but doubt that she is missing me at all, she was SO EXCITED!
Caitlyn, Kelsey and I are going out for pizza to console ourselves. (It also helps that Caitlyn and Kelsey happened to win gift cards at field day :). We will also hit a book warehouse sale, just in case the library sale wasn't sufficient. Just because we still haven't found a place for all of those books doesn't mean we don't need more :).

Hopefully these pictures are clearer on the blog than they are on my computer right now. These are from Sunday's Scottish performance.

First is Caitlyn in her National dress, then Kelsey and her partner doing the for-fun Scottish dance.

This dance is done by the youngest girls. Initially they would get all turned around when they danced on a stage instead of in the studio (where they did it perfectly.) I think they have it figured out now.

Keegan and a friend after the show

You've got to love the twirl of the kilts.

Carnival

This weekend, while looking for something else, we found a carnival. It was a nice surprise, especially since we never found the workshop we were looking for in the first place!

Kelsey had a ball in the ball pit :-).
Caitlyn and Keegan rode the Scrambler by themselves, and liked it!

We went directly from Keegan and Kelsey's soccer game, hence the clothes and shin guards.
Caitlyn really likes to spin. Years ago, I did too, but now am one of those moms that gets dizzy after the first spin or two.

All in all, a good way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Field day

Friday we went to a home school field day. There were 80 kids ages 4-13, on 10 teams. Yes, it was just as noisy, chaotic, and fun as you would imagine :-). Teams were determined ahead of time so everyone could wear their team color. Caitlyn and Kelsey were on the black team. Keegan was on the orange. I took many, many pictures - too many pictures, in fact - but anyway, here's a sampling! This was a funny race. The entire team had to scoot together like this, all the way across the floor. The black team actually came apart in the middle.

Being small team members, Keegan and Kelsey both got to ride on top of their team mates. The idea was for the people on bottom to roll, thereby carrying the person on top. It was very neat when it worked, but getting it to work was pretty tricky! The people in the back kept forgetting to run to the front, causing Kelsey and Keegan to roll off their team mates, on to the floor!

Tug-of-war

Keegan can smile for a picture even in the midst of a tug-of war :-)

Wheelbarrow race

Above - This was another very silly race. The kids had to run across the gym, put their head on a bat, spin around 7 times (4 for the younger kids), then run back. This is Kelsey spinning around. Below - the three-legged race

Kelsey liked the piggy back race best :-).And the grand finale - a huge water balloon battle. Keegan and Caitlyn stayed off on the dry side, but Kelsey went right into it.

Tea for Two...

...or thirty or forty.

Our church had a ladies' tea to raise money for our youth group's mission trip. It was so fancy and fun and frilly. There were even chocolate-dipped strawberries - yum! The ladies who decorated used teapots, and did a wonderful job.There was even someone taking pictures in a special area (the ones with a white background.)

The younger girls were each given a crown and earrings.
Anyone who knows me knows I am not fancy and frilly, but this was great. It was so much fun. The youth raised over $600 and we loved it!

Walkers' week

Twenty-three dollars and fifty cents.... can buy A LOT at the library book sale. Here is part of what Caitlyn and I bought on our shopping trip. It's all justified since we homeschool, right?

One day, Kelsey decided to wear her dance shorts on top of her head. She called them, "my famous hat," and wore them for most of the day :-).


Can you tell who this cutie is? I think the eyes give it away. The answer is at the bottom.

Soccer game

Since Bill and I are coaching, Caitlyn is our stand-in photographer. She took all of these soccer pictures.

Kelsey enjoys climbing on the dolly we use to move the cooler.

Warming up with Bill before the game (Keegan is #9)

Keegan is a go-getter. If the ball is anywhere near her, she goes after it!

Keegan at half-time. Neither of her ribbons survived the second half of the game.

The close-up picture towards the top is Keegan.

Stickers and string

After watching a storyteller using a string, Caitlyn checked out a book from the library that tells how to make cat's cradle. She has now mastered the broom, man climbing a tree, the door, cup and saucer, Eiffel Tower, hat, and Jacob's ladder. These are added to the mosquito, which she already knew because that is the one thing I can make :-)!

Keegan has also mastered the broom!

Kelsey is definitely enjoying her birthday stickers!