Happy Father's Day-2009!

On Father's Day evening we decided to take the boat out on the Potomac for a little boat ride. The night was perfect and so was the river! We grabbed a couple pizzas and enjoyed a nice night together. The kids had so much fun and it was so relaxing to just ride...

Weston's Last Day of Kindergarten...6/5/09

So, here is Weston on his last day of Kindergarten, (which by the way, was the grossest rainy day ever!) going to catch the bus for the very last time--or was he? Chad calls me from the bus stop and wants to know if the bus is running, since he is the only one there. Hmmm...let me check the school newsletter (as a little side note: they switched the newsletter from paper to internet about midyear, and now i can never remember to check it!)...oh yes, here it is! No bus service on June 5th. Yep, bring him back home! So, on this gorgeous day, i have just lost 30 minutes from my "getting ready time," since i now have to drive weston to school (45 minutes from our house) and be there by 8:15a.m. instead of 8:45a.m. (time chapel starts). Grrrrr....i hurry and get ready, gather the teacher's presents, hands full and ready to walk out into the pouring rain. Let me back up a little...i have been watching my mom's extremely disobedient, but adorable, goldendoodle for her while she is at my sister's house. This dog does not come when called. If you let her outside accidentally without her leash she is gone like the wind and will not be tricked into coming back. So, back to me walking out of the door, hands full, into the pouring rain, staring down at "disobedient dog" who needs to climb into my car and go home to her house for the day. I decide to make the worst decision ever and bet on the fact that certainly she will not want to be in the rain and will most definitely run straight into the back of my Tahoe (back door up and waiting for her in the garage). I have never been so wrong! Nearly 40 minutes later (the time school starts) we are pulling out of the driveway, with me looking like a drowned rat, headed to Weston's last day of school--LATE!! I'm sure this was just paybacks for all of the times Chad and I have left the kids with mom, headed safely out of state, and they've come down with fevers and "the worst flu mom has ever had." You know what they say about paybacks;o)

Mrs. Berkley was a wreck!! She cried so hard and picked Weston up and swung him around, crying all the time. Poor thing! She said that this was by far her most favorite class in all of her years of teaching. I really do believe her...

Weston's favorite teacher thus far...

Last day of school!!!

HELLO SUMMER!!! We rounded up our last day with a free doughnut from Krispy Kreme in honor of National Doughnut Day (i hope you celebrated it, danielle!) and then went to see UP. Great movie and end to a rocky start of a day:o)

Weston's Kindergarten Graduation...6/2/09

Weston's Kindergarten class of 2009...

Receiving his diploma from Mrs. Berkley...

Just a gorgeous picture! Hahahaha!

This is the girl Weston has had a crush on all year long. You can tell how weird he gets around her from the way his face looks in the picture! I was taking a picture of Weston and she came over and wanted to take one with him. He got all weird and started to try and scoot away from her. I could tell he gets so flustered when she's around! So cute!

Weston in his cap and gown before graduation. He is obviously so thrilled to be wearing this "man dress!" The teacher made their caps out of a bowl, cardstock paper, a button, some glue, a clear elastic strap, and thread for the tassle. How creative is that?! I am really going to miss Mrs. Berkley!

Ella's New Glasses

Please excuse the fact that we took this picture this morning after Ella at her breakfast (hence the jelly on her face) and we both have some fantastic bedhead! Matching glasses!!

Ella posing outside of the glasses store with her new glasses that she has to wear now for her astigmatism. How cute is she???

Baby Ava Was Born!!

On May 14th, baby Ava Dianne Bissoon made her entrance into the world. She was 9lbs. 2 oz. and 22 inches long!! She is super sweet and Ethan adores her! I am happy to have a new niece and can't wait for little Emory to be born in July!
*For those of you that don't know, Ava is Chad's sister, Kristin's baby:o)

Weston's field trip the National Museum of Natural History 5/14/09

On Thursday, i went with Weston's Kindergarten class as a chaperone (turns out i only had weston b/c so many parents signed up to come) to the National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. We had been as a family back in the fall, but were unable to make it into the butterfly pavilion because the line was so long. This was the main purpose of this field trip b/c the kids have been studying butterflies and even have a few chrysallises in their classroom ready to hatch. I have to say, it was a pretty neat experience being that close to the butterflies and really being able to study them. Weston had a great time and it was so nice to be able to spend some time alone with him exploring the museum.

This poor little guy was injured and definitely on his last leg:(

The chrysallis of a Swallowtail butterfly.

The butterfly's tongue is curled up in this picture, but unrolls straight out when it is sucking nectar from a flower. It was so cool to watch them drink the nectar!

Weston looking very scared in the dinosaur room...

Weston, Ahilleas, and Aiden...the 3 Musketeers!

Weston is trying to kill the bear like King David (his favorite Bible character:).

Fish in the Ocean life exhibit.

Weston pretending to get eaten by the shark.

Don't you love the awesome red headbands they all had to wear so we could keep track of them???

Mother's Day in Williamsburg-5/10/09

For Mother's Day this year, Chad decided to take the kids and i to Williamsburg. The weather was completely ideal! I hadn't been to the Colonial part since i was on a retreat in the 6th grade!! We walked the streets and enjoyed seeing the men and women in costume. Weston kept thanking us for taking him to "this magical place." He said it was even more fun than Kings Dominion!! How funny is that?! We didn't even have to spend a dime, and the kids had so much fun! We all can't wait to go back!

Weston in the gardens...

Ella and Weston thought it was great running through the gardens and trying to hide from each other. It was like one big maze for them!

Don't i wish i had some of these at home!! ;)

Do you realize how much i could get done if i did??

Ella Riding Her Big Girl Bike

Ella's Birthday Presents...

Here is Ella on her big girl bike!! She loves it and is learning how to pedal without falling over:o)

Thanks to my friend, Danielle's, blog (i'm not sure how you make a link here???) Ella has been able to see pictures and videos of her girls without ever meeting them. She adores Cambelle and Chloe and especially loves that they have their ears pierced. For her birthday she asked for a dog and to get her ears pierced. We said, "no" to the dog...so...

Since Ella is 3 now, we cut her gigantic "night-night" in half. She was actually okay with it and now keeps half in the car and the other half in her bed or in her mouth while she watches Curious George.

She picked out some cute little colorful diamond daisies. Two girls pierced them at the same time and she never even cried!! All she said was, "That really hurt." So brave!