Summer Vacation

It seems that I spend less and less time blogging.  This could be good and bad.  The bad would be that  I keep less people informed on our family's happening.  I originally started blogging at my sister's suggestion to help me stay organized.  It helped me keep all my photos and events together.  The good, my pictures are all neatly organized by year and month in folders on my macbook.  After a near scare at Christmas, they are also backed up on my external hard drive.  So organization has been accomplished.
Lots has happened since my last blog entry.
We have moved past spring and after an up and down thermometer in June, are in a nice July heat wave.  June brought about the end of the school year.  But before that was the business of marking projects, exams, and report cards.  As for Jaelyn and Ava, that meant a year end class trip and  graduation from Junior Kindergarten. 
Brian had the opportunity to go on the field trip to Greenview Aviaries with the girls.  He got his bus license this year so he could drive them on field trips and not miss out on their fun. They had a beautiful day and made lots of memories.

Monkeying around

Checking out the tiger for mommy

Jaelyn feeding the goats

Posing with the chicken

Preston and Jaelyn pulling Ava

Jaelyn, Ava, & Preston riding a bear

Jaelyn jumping into the balls

Ava practicing the balance beam

Jaelyn climbing the ropes

Ava in the ropes

Ziplining

Enjoying the splash pad

The girls had an awesome year with Mrs. Vyn and Mrs. H for JK and Mrs. Koomans for the Play and Learn program.  We are truely thankful for the Christian example these teachers have provided.  We wish Mrs. Vyn the best as she begins her retirement and to Mrs. Koomans who will be teaching JK.  Jaelyn and Ava are very excited for the start of SK with Mrs. Rauwerda.

Ava singing and doing the actions

Jaelyn and Mrs. Vyn

Ava playing the recorder

Jaelyn playing the cymbals

With Mrs. H

Class gift for Mrs. Vyn 

With Mrs. Vyn

Jaelyn and Ava struggled with the fact that the sun was still up and it was bedtime during the month of June.  Many nights it was after 9 PM before they went to sleep.  Mornings were difficult as they wanted to sleep but school awaited them.  We were very excited when Ava slept past 8 AM during the early parts of July.  However, her 6:30 AM alarm clock is going off and she has been up bright and early during our vacation.  Jaelyn continues to be the night owl, talking many nights well past 9:30 PM to her animals, and/or anyone or thing that will listen.  She is then the late riser in the morning with her mom.

Our entire family is now playing soccer.  Fortunately we are only running around 3 nights a week.  On Monday, I play in the women's league with my sister Melissa.  There are 10 teams and we play either at 6:30 or 8:30.  I am able to walk to the games most nights as we back onto some of the fields we are using.  Jaelyn and Ava are playing on Wednesday nights in the Girls Under 5 League.  They are doing a grassroots program so they practice for 30 minutes and then play for about 20 minutes.  They do not play with a goalie, there are no throw-ins, no refs, and they do not keep score.  However, the girls are keeping score of how many goals they score.  Ava has 10 goals and Jaelyn has 8 goals.  Brian is playing on Thursday nights at 8:30 PM in the Men's Over 35 League.  

Jaelyn

Ava scoring her first goal

Ava celebrating her goal with Jaelyn

Jaelyn kicking the ball into the net

Jaelyn #4

Ava #5

Jaelyn, Ava, and I planted a garden at my parent's house as well this year.  We planted strawberries, beans, corn, onions, carrots, garlic, tomatoes, peppers, squash, zucchini, honeydew melon, watermelon, and pumpkin.  The carrots were overtaken by the weeds and we tilled it back under and the garlic never came up.  They rest were growing quite well.  We can't wait to enjoy some food from our garden.  I really hope all the time and energy spent weeding will pay off.

The before

Helping plant the seeds

Ava watering

Then there is the pure craziness that goes on at our house.  Once I was done school, the girls seemed to think that they had to do everything possible in an evening.  Badminton, bikings, rollerblading, swimming, and a manhole race that Jaelyn created.  I decided to capture some of their energy and pulled out the camera.
BADMINTON

BIKING

ROLLERBLADING

SWIMMING

MANHOLE RACE-run around a manhole to the next manhole and continue until tired.

CRAZINESS

We are now on vacation and I have been using my phone as a hotspot for my internet access.  Ava just loves tubing.  The first night the girls went together and all was good.  When their cousins arrived, Jaelyn, Ava, and Savannah had a turn and they were dumped off at take off.   Let's just say Jaelyn wasn't too happy and is now content to watch from the boat.  

They are enjoying the beach and pool as well.  Savannah recruited the girls to do the triathlon this past week together.  Savannah swam, Ava biked, and Jaelyn ran.  They called themselves team Superman JAS.  

Well I will continue my vacation blog at some other point. 

Until next time,