Ellie's Birthday Part 1

Way back on May 21, my Ellie turned one.  I took some photos through out the day.

And then dressed the girls in their outfits for her birthday for my own 'shoot'.

Trying to get all three.

Ellie really thought her necklace tasted great.

My favorite.

Not quite walking much.

Adorable piggies.

The older kids only sat so long.  I was really sick all week and ended the week in the hospital, so these photos got lost in that.  But hard to believe time has passed so quickly.

House Progress

This may not look like much but it's kind of a big deal.  It's the upstairs piece of banister.  Replaced and gorgeous.  The old one was cracked in two and it's not an easy fix or replacement.  Todd even suggested replacing it with a half wall. But Kevin's dad came in and said hmmm I think I can fix that.  (He was a long time friend of Todd's dad).  And he did.  It's absolutely gorgeous. And sturdy.  Exciting stuff.  

Adam in his room deciding where he's going to hang his giant Luke Skywalker, Hans Solo and Darth Vadar wall decals.  The toilet in his room works now and the kids were thrilled to use it.  

More decisions.  All the original doorknobs are chipped and worn.  I have to replace them instead of clean them up as I had hoped. Guess silver.  Sad to see these go. 

And we have walls and a floor in our kitchen!

And paint progress in the purple room. 

House Updates

These were on the small windows on the second floor.  They are heavy metal and I'm assuming original to the house.  There was a suggestion I not put them back up as the rest of the exterior will be updated.  I considered it for half a second then I saw them up close.  How could we not?  They are a part if this house.  Kevin's dad is going to sandblast and repaint. Now he's like 75 so his projects take time but he does beautiful work.  He's been helping Kevin paint the interior.   

Speaking painting of here's the front hall which will continue through the upstairs hall.  I hemmed and hawed but I like it.  

 

In case you forgot, this is the old color.  As much progress has happened, it's happening slower than we expected.  Especially Todd.  He's starting to get irritated.  We won't be moving in until mid-September and even then the exterior and in-law apartment won't be done.  But I knew this would happen. I watch enough HGTV to know that.  

And here's our room painted.  I love it!  But all the wood in oak and our bed set cherry.  Will drive me nuts.  Still love this house.  

Purge and Pack

This was the picture of the back of my car yesterday.  I've been working as hard as possible to sort out the upstairs and pack.  It's hard with three kids.  And it's hard to get rid of stuff they've outgrown but I don't want to drag stuff with me we don't need.  I've given away their bassinet, their bath tub and the playmat.  Hard but not as hard as I thought.  I had three bins left of Adam's little clothes and was able to reduce it to one.  That was huge for me.  The upstairs is almost finally done.  Weeded through and almost packed up.  Accumulated more up there than I could have guessed.  Now have to tackle the downstairs which is overwhelming in itself. 

But Since we are now not moving in until mid-September,  I am a little less stressed about moving. Now I have to commute to school. Ugh.  But at least I don't have two weeks left to pack up and  don't have to start school out if boxes.  

Adam Graduates

There's Miss Elizabeth, getting ready to walk her crew through.  Adam sees me and is happy.  They asked us to sit near the front and have Adam remember to look at us as he has a tendency to turn around at look at other things.  It MOSTLY worked.  All ready to go.  They sang a few songs and Adam mostly focused.

I love this...they did a good-bye poem and Adam's line was after awhile crocodile :)

They sang songs including Do you Want to Build a Snowman and told everyone what they were going to be ...Adam is going to be a Zookeeper :)

And the processional.  Side hug Mrs. Pelow.

Big boy.

So proud of himself!  Doesn't he look handsome?  When I told his teacher we were leaving, she told me that working with Adam was the most rewarding experience of her career thus far.  My kids certainly leave an impression!

With Toby.  Adam usually loves Toby, though they argue and fall out.  Toby is headstrong...a make version of Abbey.  Emotional and adorable.

Coming down to give us our plants.

Group shot.

Silly face.

Watching the slideshow.  I took most of the photos.

:)

Love this one.

And I feel, finally, like almost, that Adam will be OK in kindergarten.  I will miss him being gone all day.  He's growing up fast now.  Once they start school, it's all over.  I'm scared and excited for him.  He's such a nice kid... he doesn't always get the social structure.  But we'll do our best to help him through it.  School starts in TWO WEEKS!

Graduation Swag

It was with mixed feelings that I headed to Adam's graduation in mid-June.  So excited for how far he's come but scared and anxious about kindergarten (which he currently is not!). Trinity does A LOT of projects with the kids and you can see some of the stuff that had waiting for us.  My favorite were the books showing his progress and his science.

The whole gym was decorated.  It was because of this kind of stuff we actually considering commuting the kids here for a year, though I believe we made the right choice in not.  I love all these memories.

Oh, this is m favorite.  Adam made himself....so CUTE.

A quilt with all their handprints I think for the teacher.

And the cake.

Miss Helene

I took all these photos one day while waiting for Miss Helene.

This is a favorite...

And this, too.  Modeling!

Ah, my crew.  So who is Miss Helene?

Miss Helene has been Abbey's speech teacher since she began in the winter.  Two days at school and two days at home, she also continued the summer work three days a week.  I like her.  She's not as structured as Adam's was...and she likes chatting with me as much as playing with Abbey.  But she's so interested in Abbey's welfare.  She helped me with the process of switching over, trying to get me into a school that it turns out Abbey's challenges were just short of her qualifying for and getting me a very good push-in special education teacher that was recommended for her twice a week for an hour (to help the main teacher learn ways to communicate with her better) and has been so concerned for her.  She told me she was never supposed to say this...but Abbey was her favorite ;).  I believe it.  Once people spend time with Abbey, even though they've seen her worst, they tend to fall for her adorable side.

Some of our summer sessions we spent outside...I took these photos a couple of weeks ago.  Abbey loved doing bubbles and bikes with Miss Helene.  Thursday was her last day.  I think we found a friend...she was also a Trinity Mom and has four kids.  We seem to have a lot in common.  I offered to take her kids photos in the fall up in my new yard and I think she is taking me up on it.  ( we have a common love of photographs of our kids :)  And she is best friends with Abbey's new push-in.  Abbey will miss her.  But, on to new things and places....

Water Slide Mania at Brook's Birthday

Way back at the end of June we went to a party for Todd's good friend Travis' daughter Brooke.  And they had this AWESOME inflatable water slide.  To say the kids LOVED it was an understatement.

This is Brooke.  She's like 7 going on 12.  I don't know wat happens to girls around first or second grade these days, but they get SO sophisticated!

Adam just LOVED this so much.  It didn't even take him that much prodding to try something new.

Over and over, even when the other kids got a little board.  There was also an inflatable water tunnel, but my kids were wary of that.  They loved when the filled up some water balloons but broke them kind of quick!

True grin.

I eventually had to make them take a brak because they were shivering!!  Didn't last long.

Meanwhile, Mom and Dad stuffed themselves with wayyyy too many steamed clams and Ellie was stuck in a box.  In our defense she wanted to be.

A RECYCLE box!

Had to pull them off it.

My favorite shot.   A lot of the kids were older, but my kids are good like that... they come in a set and don't usually care much if they aren't in the group.

Can't get enough of Dad!  Such a Daddy's girl.  It was at Travis' ex-wife's house...hmmm...so the girlfriend was NOT there.  Ha.  Modern day families.

We spent most of our time down on the grass with each other as the family sat up on the deck.  The way we like it.