I took Sarah down to see the dinosaurs today since I've been going all week without her to pick up Anna & Ela. It was great to get some time alone together.
June 2011 Archives
I bought this light in May and we finally got it up today once we found someone with a ladder high enough!
Anna made this "mailbox" out of construction paper & tape. I finally convinced her to use the "chest of many drawers" as the mail center because, although I appreciated the time and imagination that went into this, it just didn't have a place to live in our house.
Henry had a case of the lazies and didn't want to walk.
Waiting for the boys to catch up.
Henry tried to run back to the car so Craig secured him up on his shoulders.
Henry is looking up at me like I am the most awesome person to ever walk the earth (this is how he acts, too) I must remember this when he's 15 and wants nothing to do with me!
Henry reminds me of my uncle Neil in this picture.
This was my first and last mint julep!
Henry wasn't in the mood to tour a plantation today so he & I stayed outside while the rest of the tour group went upstairs to check out the house. I can tell he is tired of vacationing so it's good we are heading home tomorrow.
Sarah wasn't sure what to think of the bird inside Cafe Beignet this morning. (Much better beignets here than Cafe du Monde!)
I much prefer Sarah's fake smile to her uncooperative look!
After a sweaty walk, we went back to the hotel to cool off while we waited for the aquarium to open.
At the aquarium! Anna is copying Sarah's old "happy face" that she used to do.
Henry shaking maracas with the street musicians. I've got video that I will post (have tagged this entry with "video" to help me remember. Just getting caught up on the blog now, videos will have to come later). The girls were resting at the hotel with Craig. They had gone out to walk around and to an IMAX show while Henry napped.
After dinner we came back to watch some more musicians.
The girls wanted to be street musicians like Henry had been so we went back to the first group (who had gotten drowned out by the louder brass band).
The girls wanted to pick up all of the beads they found along the street car line.
She found this flower on the walk from the street car to the cemetery.
Henry passed out instantly for his nap this afternoon!
We walked down to Cafe du Monde for breakfast this morning. The beignets were served warm, not hot, which was nice for the kids, I guess, but they weren't that great. We will try another place tomorrow. I think the best part was that we got a seat in the air-conditioned part of the restaurant. Henry was particularly grumpy so his missed nap yesterday must be catching up with him.
Writing & sticker art on the six-hour drive (a very good distance).
Settling in with a good book.
The second-half driver.
We had fun reading and driving cars.
Near the Louisana border we started to see swamps and bayous.
We went to the Insectarium after we checked in. It was crawling with creepy critters. (I tried to not act too scared but I'm sure I didn't fool anyone!) Henry & Sarah were a little freaked out by this alligator (fake, of course!) at first.
Colorful & pretty displays (I'm slightly less creeped out when they're not alive and there is a layer of glass between me and them!)
Henry checking out the "circus."
This poor kid missed his nap and refused to ride in the stroller. He was pretty hot & tired.
The kids were great on the car-ride over to New Orleans. Six hours is a nice, short trip for our family. Henry took a little nap in the car but really needs a longer one. We missed his window by the time we got to the hotel and he really did OK without his nap. We'll see what tomorrow brings. He fell asleep right away tonight! Our hotel seems to be in a good location and it was fun walking around town this afternoon (hot & humid just like home but we'll survive). The kids are all excited for beignets and the street car tomorrow.
The girls had their last swimming lessons today and they are doing fantastic in the water! We have all been going to the public pool after their lessons this week, but I'm not sure how often I'll do it after today since all Henry wanted to do today was run away from me so we didn't stay long.
Two more Henry-ideas that the girls had to join in once they saw how much fun he was having. This summer has been much more fun so far with the three kids (last year Henry was just a little too little to really play with the girls).
Anna is always trying to find a cozy spot to read her books. Here, she tried to make it private, too, but that (of course) only attracted her sister & brother more.
Henry decided to be "the ghost of Henry" and the girls immediately needed to join in.
Henry keeps "falling asleep" during mealtimes and playtime. Sometimes he "snores," too.
Henry was dancing, too, but here he had decided to be part of the audience.
Sarah getting some time to herself.
These two are really having fun together this summer! Here we have built a Museum of Natural Science.
The girls had their first swimming lesson today (dinosaur camp is over now & they really enjoyed that). Henry didn't seem to care this time that we left them behind at the pool! As far as I can tell, they did a good job on their first lesson of the season. They have three more next week.
They could hardly wait to do their volcanoes when they got home!
The girls had fun on their first day of dinosaur camp! Henry wasn't sure he wanted to leave them behind at drop-off but we came home and had fun on our own so he got over it pretty fast.
My sad attempt at doing a fancy bun like Sarah had done at the birthday party.
She loved the ballet charm I bought her for her charm bracelet.
Anna did a great job in her performance tonight! I hung out backstage with her so she wouldn't be "alone." She colored and I chatted with another mom which was nice since I don't usually get to talk to the other moms in her class as Henry & Sarah (mostly Henry) don't let me stay and watch her during her regular class time.
Anna was super excited about her rehearsal tonight and the performance tomorrow. My mom came to the rehearsal and Craig will go to the performance. I will probably stay in the back with Anna tomorrow night until her group goes on (not until the third act) and then go watch from the audience. She acted like she was a tiny bit nervous this time but I think it was more about the backstage stuff than the actual performance which is why I decided to stay backstage tomorrow. It is amazing to me though when she gets up on stage and performs her dance like it's no big deal.
Anna & Henry are really having fun together now that she is home from school.
We went a little early in the week to get our blueberries but I didn't think we'd find the time again later on so we went for it. Henry got hot and grumpy after 30 minutes or so and we didn't get very much but enough to make cobbler and have a bunch left over, too. I don't know why there isn't a picture of grandma here since she was with us!
Anna's class is on the right and she is in a pink dress with white cardigan. Second row from the top.
Getting her diploma from the principal. Please note the fine paper hats that I made for Anna and all of her classmates to wear today! That took at least three weeks of my volunteering time measuring heads, etc.
Anna with her teacher.
One of the other Kindergarten teachers that Anna really liked.
Anna's Kindergarten graduation was this morning. Henry was not very excited about the event so I got the pictures that I could. Anna learned a lot at this school and made her first real friend (that she even talks to). She is switching schools this fall, too, and not because we were necessarily unhappy with her current school but the new school has a much smaller student body so we're hoping she will feel more comfortable there and (fingers crossed) start talking at school in first grade. I am not 100% sold on our decision but Craig & Anna are so I'm going with it!
I was super sick yesterday and today so I was thrilled to go to the airport after graduation and get my mom so I could go back to bed! (Sorry and thank you, mom!)
