Miscellaneous Springtime

Wow, a lot has happened since I last posted over 2 months ago.  I have a bunch of catching up to do.  Here are some miscellaneous spring snaps, not necessarily in order.

We finally got a bit of warmer weather, though it was a slow start to spring and the nice days are pretty few and far between this year.  We did get a nice day for some year end festivities for Andrew.  All the kids enjoyed treats at our nearby spray park.

Andrew always has a lot of fun in the water, and is quite into the water gun battles as is Matthew.  

For Father's Day Bruce got some royal treatment.  I helped each of the boys make giant cookies.  Here he is taking a bite of the one Andrew decorated.

Andrew is reading and loves printing.  He is always making signs up to post around the house.  Here is his Father's Day sign.

Here is the cookie Matthew made.  He was pretty liberal with the icing.  

Matthew had a great year at school and was pleased with this present from his teacher.  He is dressed up for Quest Day, an afternoon of sports and old fashioned games on the last day of school that is always a favorite.  Andrew and I were running the three legged race station.

A new hobby has been digging for worms in the backyard and observing them in a glass jar before putting them back.  The boys want to set up a "zoo" with some of their backyard finds, to show people in conjunction with one of the lemonade stands they often run on the front driveway.  I can't imagine that the lemonade and cookie sales will go that well with a bunch of worms on display nearby!  We have a lot of wildlife in our yard with an owl back again this year, and also we have a robin's nest in a tree right next to our balcony.  

The kids love flowers and Emily was impressed when the irises finally bloomed.  Everything was late coming up this year, with frost warnings even after the May long weekend.   

I had always said Emily wasn't much of a girly girl, or wasn't into princesses.  Well that has all changed in a big way. She calls all dresses her "princess" dresses and loves wearing them.  As well anything else with a Disney Princess on it is a sure hit.  

We helped present the year end gifts to Matthew's teachers.  I had seen this cute "chalk board" cake  on the internet, so gave it a go.  I had never tried anything with fondant, so was pleased how the decorations turned out. In any case it was pretty tasty and well received by the teachers and students.

Matthew ran like the wind for the Tim Bits marathon race again this year.  They didn't give the kids timing chips this year, but he was a top finisher for kids of all ages.  We think he might have to enter the 5 km next year.

Emily had her  last music class for the season.  Playing the xylophone with Miss Patti is always a favorite.  Note the princess shirt hand me down that is worn whenever it is clean.

Emily's music concert piece was "One Little Elephant Went Out To Play".  She really comes to life on stage and did everything right on cue.  Andrew had done the same song when he was about the same age and we have a photo of him in the same costume.

Andrew had a year end school trip to the zoo.  He is always fascinated with the sting ray egg sac and was proudly showing this to the other kids.

Emily still naps several hours every afternoon.  If we are not home for her nap she falls asleep in the car or on the couch later on.  Her beloved Dora Crocs that I stumbled upon at Winners are a prized possession and never very far away.  

Poor Emily still doesn't have too much hair.   She has thankfully stopped twirling it and knotting it up on her right side.  This side of her hair looked layered, with the left side more one length.  She came home from daycare one day with her first little pony tail, so I had to take this photo.  

The highlight of the school year for Matthew is when the Grade 5's run mini mall for a couple of days.  They put a lot of planning into their stores and the whole school gets "mini mall" currency to spend.  It is a great exercise in running a business.  A lot of the groups sell candy, baked goods, books, toys, stickers, crafts etc.  Matthew used some of his currency to enter some of the draws.  He was pleased to win, not one, but two of the candy bouquets.  This was dessert for many a night in our house.

Emily loves wearing her shades!

Andrew is really into crafts and works diligently at doing them thoroughly, and as well as he possibly can.  

Matthew has been inspired by the Lego creations in a magazine he receives.  He made his own Lego STORE, complete with workers moving the Cheerios, chocolate chips and crackers.