Kindergarten send off

Our friends. We love them. They are just fun!  There are 8 of us that hang out and play together and our kids LOVE each other. Ben, Addie and Lindy are the oldest and are off to kinder soon. So the moms threw them a kinder send off bash/dinner at cara's. It was perfect. Hot as hell, but perfect. The kids played in blow up pools, slip n slides, trampoline and sandbox. The mommas chatted and enjoyed some cold beverages and laughs ;). We had hot dogs, chips, fruit, pasta salad, cookies and cupcakes. It was a perfect evening. I honestly could not imagine doing life without these families!  

Random summer pics

Splash park with friends

Moustache sillies 

Baseball in 100+ temps

Science experiment afternoons

Allergy testing 

Legoland

Our new sitter, Ashleigh. She used to be one of my students!!!  How is this six year old old enough to watch my boys??  There's a good chance she's my very favorite student ever, too!

Me cool

Dancing in the driveway

Pool time with friends

Camp

Busy Ben had quite the summer. Two weeks of vbs, two weeks in lake Geneva and FOUR weeks of camp (vbs and camps were all three hours a day)!  Crazy life of a five year old!  It's hard being his mom and having to keep up!  

He did vbs at prestonwood north again and this year Briggs got to join him. Briggs HATED going (surprise) and ended up catching strep during it- who are we kidding, he probably sought it out just to get out of going. The following week Ben LOVED vbs at first baptist where he went to school. 

Day one of vbs

Before we went to the lake, Ben did a week of sports' camp. They learned playground games like capture the flag and ultimate football. He REALLY enjoyed this camp!

And then when we returned from the lake, mommy scheduled her sweet boy for three straight weeks of camp. What was she thinking!?!?  He did a week of science camp which he enjoyed - who doesn't love experiments. The following week was art camp. Hands down the best camp all summer. The last day he had an art show. B and I were blown away with what he did!!!  These pictures aren't even half. 

HE had four friends from mops and cubbies in his art class. 

I'm seriously in love with his first self portrait painting!!!  

And I have a whole bag of drawings and stuff that he did!

Last week he finished his camps with kinder camp.  I love b's comment when he found out Ben was going to another camp- "can't the kid catch a break?!?" I thought a week of focusing on letters as numbers in a classroom setting would benefit him. He seemed to enjoy it and had a friend he met at sports camp at his table. 

So now I have him all to myself for the last two weeks of summer.  Soaking up every last second with my big boy. Oh how I love him!!!

Last day, hurray!

Ben on his very first day at sonshine and on his last. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!  He was just a baby and now he's my big boy!

Graduation cupcakes to celebrate the last day. 

Best pre k teacher we know!

Ben and Colby. The only kid in Ben's classes all three years. They are very good friends!

Hugs to Briggs' first teacher ever. We adore mrs brom!  She taught him so much and has a huge heart. 

We continued the tradition of ice cream on the last day with Addie. A side by side of the first day of the 2's and the last day of sonshine. I still can't wrap my head around these two not going to school together next year. 

And a side by side of the boys' first and last day this year. Briggs lost his little fat ankles!

Graduation

Sadly, graduation fell exactly when aunt Tina was getting married in Mexico. All year I knew this and it bummed me out. And then The Lord blessed me with sonshine and their amazing directors. One request to his teacher to just watch them practice led to an invite, Ben wearing his cap and gown and mommy getting a front row seat to Ben graduating early.  It was perfect!  And because I'm such a strong person (ha), it was probably better I missed the whole pomp and circumstance. 

I will forever remember the kind gesture from sonshine academy. They are the best! 

They were all in red because they had gone on a field trip. It was easy to find my little man in the sea of red!

Think he will frame this in his office one day next to his medical or law degree ;)

Mrs. Reck- a truly amazing teacher with a heart of gold!  We LOVE her! 

And just like that we have a kindergartener in the house!  Say what?!?!?

Wrapping up soccer

In May Ben finished his third season with the Titans. He's improved a bunch, but still so timid and shy out there. Not the aggressive kid I know he can be. But- we love our Titan family and will return for another season next month. The boys finished the year with a party at Chase's house. 

End of Sunshine fun!

The end of the school year FLEW by!  And when you're in the 4's, it is jam-packed!  Lots of fun things going on. Ben had TWO field trips. One to the park and the other to Double Dip for ice cream. Mommy may have been a little emotional about my baby ring on a field trip. And se may haves one a couple drive by's to see how it was going. Maybe ;)

There was a wedding!  The letter Q married the letter U!  It was ADORABLE!  Afterwards the kids had a reception with cake and punch. 

Balloon release!  The 4's had a reading incentive throughout February and March. If they read so many books they got a balloon for that month. Each balloon had a card attached with the name of the student. 

Adorable!!!

Mother's Day Tea

They played the sweetest video and slides how. It was so darling. And the boys came in wearing their daddy's ties and the girls in hats. The thought that this cute, fun stuff may be over makes me very sad :(

And the Tuesday after another's Day, I had brunch with this little guy!  Such a ham!  But man I love him!

Ben got to bring the letter bag home and fill it with his favorite letter on one of the last days. He was so happy. 

Chapel!  When Ben was in the 3's, I had Briggs and couldn't make his chapel times. And then this year something happened EVERY time (flat tire, sick kid, out of town, etc). I FINALLY made Ben's last chapel of the year!  He was soooo proud and happy!!!