Hello,
This post is all about updating what has happened in our family for the past few weeks. We have been busy and we are just now getting able to slow down.
First thing that happened was Liesel had her awards ceremony at school. She won two awards. One was a fitness award for completing fitness units at home through out the school year and the second was the reading award. She read over 300 books at home during the school year. I was very proud of her for that. This is above required reading homework each night. Liesel's class was full of awesome readers because I think her whole class was up on stage for getting the reading award. Here is a picture of her with her teacher Mrs. Gore.
I just wanted a picture of Liesel showing off her awards but I think I may have become that embarassing mom taking pictures too much. LOL! She was not too excited.
Then I of course wanted a picture with all three kids. So I sat them in the grass and after 5 attempts, I never got one with all three looking at the camera. Am I going to have to deal with this dilemma for a few years? Do they not know how much their mother loves to take pictures? LOL! These are my two favorites: Jensen trying to steal Liesel's glasses and the other one captures their personalities a little bit.
Finally, the whole family picture attempt.....Not Bad!!! I guess..... Caedmon has just determined in his mind lately to not look at the camera and stress his mother out :(
So now school is officially out and for Memorial Day weekend we headed to Morganton to visit with Craig's family. It was nice to spend time with his family. The kids always love all that extra one-on-one attention they get from grandparents. Liesel and Caedmon got to go to a rodeo with their Memmaw and Pappaw and they got dirty. Too bad I was not there to take pictures. Since I do not like dirty kids too much, maybe it was a good thing I was not there. LOL!! Caedmon loved telling me how all the kids got to go out on the field and run around and get messy and how there were clowns being funny. Sounds like fun :)
Monday morning we got up early and headed to Asheboro for our second annual Zoo trip on Memorial Day. We met our friends Scooter and Jeni and their kids there. Since this was our second year going with them, it was labeled in my mind an annual event but I am pretty sure there will not be a third trip to add to the annual tradition. In case you did not know, it is VERY HOT on Memorial Day!!! Last year I was pregnant and uncomfortable and this time I had a baby to keep as cool as possible. Plus I had the added fun of trying to locate spots to nurse him at the zoo. Thanks Scooter for the suggestion to go into the chimpanzee exhibit..."No one will notice you Heidi" HaHa!!!
Here is a picture of Caedmon wet. I know a lot of this is sweat but one time he had fun at a water fountain. His shirt says it all! :)
Jensen wants to be held a lot, by me of course, since I am usually the only person he wants to hold him lately. That is another story for another day but I kept assuring myself that it was just a phase but this phase has lasted 3 months and we are still going strong......
The whole group of kids (minus Jensen and Isaiah)
At 3:00 we called it quits and headed home to hit the pool. We all decided we are going on a cooler time of the year next time we go to the zoo.
Caedmon and Jensen have a great relationship but Caedmon at times can be a little "too loving" with his baby brother. I love watching them interact together. I got the camera out one day and got some fun pictures.
Here is the picture of Jensen biting his bottom lip. He does it almost all the time. I call him my "little old man" because I think he looks like an old man without teeth. LOL!
Jensen was trying to tell Caedmon and I something:
If I had to add a caption to this next one, it would be "What's up my brother!?!"
Here is the best picture showing the "brotherly love" that will continue to blossom for years to come!
Liesel has now been in dance 4 years and completed 3 recitals. This is her second year performing at the big auditorium in downtown Raleigh. We had the dress rehearsal on Thursday and the actual recital was Saturday morning at 10am. We are only allowed to take pictures of the actual dance during the dress rehearsal. Liesel did a great job. I loved practicing with her leading up to the big day. There was a moment in the dance where each girl got to shine. They entered from one corner of the stage and did these fancy steps and ended with a leap in the middle of the stage. This is a big stage so this takes bravery in my opinion for a 7 year old. Liesel practiced her leap multiple times throughout the house. When the big moment arrived.....SHE NAILED IT!!! I was so proud I said Yes!!! not too loud I hope and shed a few tears. I loved seeing her face and how proud she was throughout both dances. She did a ballet piece and a tap piece. She is much better than her Mama.........who froze on stage as a kid at her dance recital and her mom had to come get her of the stage. Yes I am talking about myself!! LOL!!! If you want to hear about it....ask my mom! Watching Liesel dance is like reliving what I always wanted to do but was too afraid. I love dance and think it is a wonderful expression of joy in your heart. I turned to Craig and said maybe in a few years I am going to take some of the adult classes at the studio. Hopefully, I will not freeze and have my mom come rescue me again :)
Craig and I realized during the dress rehearsal that it is time to upgrade to a better camera. They would not let you use flash so we did not get any good pictures but here is Liesel at the end of the tap piece.
Here is Liesel the morning of by the fountain.
I just love dramatic pictures like this one:
After we met our "star" and gave her some flowers. I told her she did awesome. She was very excited to eat an airhead...LOL!
Once again I wanted a family picture but as you can see by my facial expression, Caedmon would not even look at the camera and everyone was ready to go since we had been there for 3 1/2 hours by this point. Time to go! See me squeezing his hand? LOL! I think I was trying to smile while I said..."Caedmon TURN AROUND!!!"
After the dance recital Craig had an opportunity to go with his dad on a fishing trip to Ohio so he left that afternoon. My friend Jeni and her kids spent the night Saturday night and we painted nails together and talked till 2am. It was fun having a sleepover. My parents stayed with me 2 nights and then my other friend Wendy spent the night last night. I do not like to stay alone. Craig should be home in about an hour and I cannot wait to see him!
Thank you Jeni and Wendy for staying with me.
Thank you mom and dad as always for keeping me company and helping around the house. One day my mom had the idea to have the kids do some de-cluttering in the living room. She asked the kids to find some toys to donate. Liesel is very good at finding things to part with but I think Caedmon takes after me and has a hard time letting go. He came up to my mom and said "I found something to donate." Want to guess? An orange crayon!!! LOL!! Who knows??? Later on, he came up with more things.
It has been a busy few weeks but lot's of fun!!
