Pool time!

Armstrong Carnival

Easter

Will turns 6!

Katie is 4!

Katie is 4!  It is hard to believe 4 years have passed since Katie was born during a big ice storm!  Katie is sweet, strong willed, sensitive and loving.  She is a mama's girl, has a great sense of humor and keeps us smiling.  I would love to bottle her up and keep her this age and apparently she likes it too! 

The day before her birthday she said "I don't want to get older."  I agreed and said "I don't want you to either!"  She then replied "I just want to stay home with you and always stay 3."  If only that were possible! 

Here are some things about Katie, age 4.
What she wants to be when she grows up: a Mommy and a ballerina
Favorite thing: Being in jammies and drinking milk
Favorite Food: Green squeezies and Ice Cream (not together)
Favorite Movie: Frozen
Favorite Book: Little Mommy, Sleeping Beauty, 3 Little Pigs
Best Friend: ToTo
Favorite Place to go: Disney Cruise and Seaside
Favorite Color: Rainbow with sparkles
Favorite game: Hide and Go Seek

Katie's birthday is groundhog day and it is just so fitting as she wanted the exact same party as last year - including wearing her hair the same way and wearing the same clothes.  So we headed back to KidArt for a Jackson Pollock style party - splatter painting!  It was a big hit and a big mess - the kids loved it.

Sneaking some icing

Will, mid-party

katie's jackson pollock

katie was having trouble blowing out her candles, so she asked Will to help

Katie and Eisley

Christmas

Santa Visits

 We had a great time seeing Santa this year!  Will and Katie did great - Katie initially had a big frown, but quickly loved Santa once Will turned her frown around. 

Katie asked for a real baby and Will asked for a laptop.  Luckily Santa shut them both down, and Katie then asked for a dollhouse and Will asked for an Leap Pad 3.  Santa said he would work on those requests.

Katie's trip to the Dentist

Caterpillars to Butterflies

Another soccer season in the books!

Will's School Pictures

State Fair

We had a great time at the State Fair this year!  The rides were the biggest hit, and we left with our first "won" stuffed animals.  I think we mainly played games where every player wins. 

Armstrong Bike Rodeo

Armstrong has an annual bike rodeo where the kids get to ride on an obstacle coarse for 30-minutes.  The course gets more complex as the kids get older.  Will was just thrilled to be able to ride his "two-wheeler" through the course.

Pumpkin Patch

Sight Words

 Chad has done such a great job working with Will on his sight words.  They both enjoy this bond so much so when I offered to help Will with his sight words he told me no, that is something he does with Daddy. 

Carpooling with Eisley

 Will's best friend (and love of his 5 year old life) lives down the street from us and her mom takes Will to school some mornings.  Will loves driving in her convertible with the top down so "he can feel the wind his face."  His words.  It's a good life!

I love how young he looks here!

Carpool!

Did I mention he loves Eisley?  Here is an excerpt from his school work.

Flagged

We got flagged!   I think this is the equivalent of being papers but without the mess!  We will take it!  The kids thought it was fantastic and we look forward to paying it forward!

First Day of Pre-School

Katie wasn't super excited about her first day of school today.  She really enjoyed her relaxing mornings in her pajamas, so she wasn't quite ready to get her uniform on, hairbrushed and out the door at 8am!

Once at school, she did great.  We dropped her off with no problems and when I went to pick her up, she told me she needed to finish her picture before we left.

Katie has Mrs Fadda - the same teacher Will at for Beginners-  and Miss Smith who Katie fell in love with as soon as Miss Smith taught her a cute song - 5 Little Monkeys Swinging from a Tree.  Katie loves "Ms Mith".  I love hearing her say her name. 

First Day of Kindergarten

Will could not have been more excited about his first day of Kindergarten.  He was up, dressed and ready to go well before it was time.

The first thing he was told to do was put his backpack in his locker.  This might have been the highlight of the day.  I just love the picture of Will looking at his locker like he is in awe.

Ms Finlay is an amazing teacher who has taught Kindergarten for over 30 years at Armstrong in the same classroom!  She truly loves what she does and it is evident.  Will is crazy about her and wants to know if she will babysit for him.

Will has two kids from HPPDS in his class - Parker and Jacqueline.  It was great to see familiar faces on the first day.

There are some really neat traditions at Armstrong.  As the kids were walking into school, a bagpiper was playing.  The HP Senior class came to all the Kindergarten classes and gave them a Class of 2027 shirt.  In a video of the event, the Seniors were telling the Kindergartners about how they will Seniors one day too and they will be visiting the Kindergartners.  It really was a neat event that left an impression on Will and me.  After school the Dad's Club served snow cones to the kids.  It was a great first day!

I think it will be a fabulous year at Armstrong!

Look at this locker!

Will and Ms Finlay

Snow Cones!

Ms Finlay's class in their new t-shirts!