Everyone needs to be spoiled

before school starts. So A and I took a day off this week so we could do something together as a family. We went to the zoo, of course. I always feel annoyed with the people that are there without kids, standing in front of the animals, too tall for the kids to be able to see. Then I realized that, even before we had kids, we used to go to the zoo for A's birthday. People with kids probably wondered what we were doing there too!

Anyway, our zoo membership is expiring soon, a sad day that will be, so we are trying to take advantage of it while we can. 

In 2009

In 2011. Look how they've grown. :(

We HAD to see the bats. Gross!

Always popular with the boys. They were the last kids that were let through the line.

 

 

After the zoo, we had lunch at Red Robin. Yum! We missed G and M though. It wasn't quite the same. They always take us to Red Robin. :( We miss you!

Then W had football practice. Wow they work them hard. That'll be for a whole other post.

No way that shirt's too little... or holey... LOTS of wear left...

You can't end a spoiling day without ice cream! We went to a little local ice cream shop after football. It was super yummy! The perfect ending to the day.

VACATION!!

This year we were VERY grateful to again get to be able to take a vacation trip to the condo in Florida. This is the third year that A's bosses have let us do this and it really couldn't mean more to our family.  I didn't take as many pictures this year, because I found that the sand from LAST year can still be seen in spots on my camera and there just doesn't seem to be any way of avoiding it. But here are a few.

We took a walk a couple of evenings up and down the beach. It is so relaxing in the evening and the boys love to try to find interesting things washed up on the beach. They prefer living things, but most often settle for broken shells and other paraphernalia. Emmanuel ALWAYS has something to show the camera. And there always seems to be a live crab involved...

 Then for Anthony's birthday we went to the Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens. The gardens was originally a sugar mill and was built around 1832. But a steam powered sugar mill is pretty difficult to maintain in the heat of Florida so it was never really profitable. In the 50's it was a theme park with huge dinosaur statues which are still there. Now it is a botanical gardens and was to check out. But HOT.

 This is Wyatt being a human sun dial.

Apparently they are still excavating the original sugar mill. I thought the sign was cool. :)

  Triceratops!

After the botanical gardens, we decided to stop at the Ponce Inlet Marine Center, where the boys got to touch the rays. Very exciting! They also had turtles that they were rehabilitating and some birds indigenous to the area.

 And here are a few of the boys swimming. Emmanuel is a regular surfer (well, really a body boarder right now, but he pulls off the surfer LOOK pretty well). Wyatt can hold his own pretty well too. Even Anthony got into the action. 

 This one you had to watch closely. He had no fear at all. The water was pretty shallow, but the undertow still always made me a little uneasy.

 

We had a really great time this year and I don't think anyone was ready to come home!

Cousins!

This summer we got to have my sisters boys for a visit and all of the cousins had a super fun time! It was hot so we swam in the pool and played in the backyard.

The most popular toy! Who knew it could provide hours of entertainment!

We're going to miss those cute boys when they move far away to Colorado! It was super fun to have them here!

...Are Followed By Baseball!!

Whew, baseball season started in April and by mid-May the craziness had officially begun. And I'm not exaggerating. It's been crazy. We're still 2 weeks from the end of the season and as much as I love baseball, I'm ready! With 3 boys going 3 different directions, plus a little one who gets towed from one thing to the next, we can all use a vacation soon.

All of the boys are really progressing this season, though, and are really becoming good players. C has been very impressive, in his first year of t-ball. In an age-group where most of the kids need to be told, pointed toward, directed, redirected, yelled at, cheered for, and practically walked to just get them to first base, C hits that ball and runs straight for the base as fast as he can, then rounds it and makes sure he shouldn't keep running. He's all business.

Playing 1st base!

Umm, there's no crying in baseball... but GO C!

Truly a boy after his father's heart, C loves being the catcher.

E has been playing with A as a coach and pretty much plays every position, though he likes first base and short stop best, I think.

E getting ready to bat.

And A pitching to him.

And W! He was asked to pitch a couple of games ago and has now pitched for 3 games. He needs a lot of practice, but it's been a great experience and he loves it.

Playing 3rd base.

 

And pitching! Which can give a mother a heart attack!

 

All Good Things...

Along with the end of year concert, C also had an end of year graduation ceremony. It was pretty cute and the kids sang a lot of songs and even recited a Bible verse for every letter of the alphabet - that was impressive. I had recorded a little bit more of the ceremony but somehow lost it so here are some pictures and a cute little video.

 Graduating!

This is C with his teacher this year. She was absolutely wonderful and I really loved here. I hope she is still there when J goes into kindergarten.

 For W's last day of school, they had a big luau party. It was an all day celebration and they even made tie dyed shirts earlier in the week to wear for the party. This is W earning an award for Friendliest.

And with his teacher, who we also really loved. She was a HUGE blessing to us this year. She had 3 boys that were all the same ages as our older boys and knew just what to do with W. There were many days when I left school thanking God for giving W this particular teacher.

 And this was E's teacher and she was wonderful too. She was calm and sweet and just what E needed in a teacher. I really enjoyed helping in her class throughout the year.

The end of the year was sad and exciting. What a great year. But yay for summer!!