Cousin Camp 2014

This year I really hadn’t even planned on doing Cousin Camp… Last year was so much fun, but with the new baby coming, I just figured we’d take the year off.

But then, when the girls were going to be coming down anyway with their Grammy for our Aunt’s 50th wedding anniversary party, I decided last minute to do a mini-camp version this year.

The girls got here Thursday evening and we had dinner at my parents.

I stayed up that night and finished our shirts. I love how they turned out and I made some cups for the girls, too, with the same monogrammed flamingos.

Friday morning, mom & Aunt Kay picked us all up and we headed to Weeki Wachee. We have a picture somewhere of all of us five girl cousins with the mermaid when my mom took us down there one summer and I so wish I could find it.

The next generation took in the mermaid show, but were probably more impressed with the free range peacocks roaming around the park…

After the mermaid show, we hit Buccaneer Bay to swim and picnic.

That night, we all met back up for dinner.

The girls (even the big ones) like a craft, and who doesn’t love glitter.

This year we just stuck to the whole mermaid theme since that’s really the only place we went.

Saturday the girls enjoyed a swim in Pappy’s pool and then we all went to my Aunt & Uncle’s 50th Anniversary party.

My mom and her sisters

That evening, we grilled out with some more of the Georgia family and took all the kids out to see the new baby buffalo at the lodge.

Sunday we took the girls down to the river for a Sonic picnic and swim.

That night, we had just the little girls, so I took Anna & Annabelle (yes, our family is full of ‘Ann’s) :)  to yogurtology and when we got back, they made flamingos for everyone.

We packed them up and they headed out Monday morning.

It was a fun long weekend and I’m so glad it worked out that we got to have a little time together this summer afterall!

Dance Recital 2014

Along with the end of the school year, comes the end of the dance year. AB started year two of her tap/ballet combo class in August and we wrapped up a couple weeks ago.

The end of the year recital was adorable and all of the little girls in her class did so well.

The difference one year makes is amazing.

We started the recital marathon on Thursday night with dress rehearsal. Friday night was night one of the recital. We were a little worried how Maybree would do, but she loved it. AB was able to sit in the audience until intermission, too and they both loved getting to see all the dancers perform.

At intermission, I took AB into her group’s dressing room to get her changed and ready for their routine.

She was so cute coming out on the stage and did a great job. Their dance was to the Beach Boys’ “Surfin USA” and it was ADORABLE.

At finale they all came out to take a bow. Grammy saved the day (again) and ordered flowers for us (how do I always forget that?!?!)- so AB had an arm full of flowers on opening night…

Grammy & the girls (My Dad was in China on a work trip)

Saturday was night 2, and this time Aunt Amber, Warren, Pappy, Nie-Nie & Kels all came to watch her, too. (Along with us & Grammy, again).

Parker helped his mommy pick AB some good luck flowers that morning before the recital…

And Pappy & Nie-Nie brought some for AB that night, too. Her flower-meter was full for sure. :)

The girls did just as good as the night before and were so adorable.

~amw~

End of Pre-K

AB marked it on the calendar and we’ve been watching as the days got closer…

 

Friday was it…the last day of school! It’s hard to believe our big girl has 180 school days under her belt already.

Pre-K was a great experience for AB and I think it will help ALL of us transition into the swing of a full school day in August when she starts Kindergarten.

In the three hours a day she spent in the classroom, she’s shown growth in all areas, but most importantly her confidence in herself. She learned to be comfortable in the classroom and with her teachers and peers and we are so glad for it.

She made sweet new friends and grew a lot socially this year, too.

The Pre-K kids are assessed at the beginning, middle and end of the school year to measure their progress in print knowledge, phonological awareness, mathematics, and oral language/vocabulary. On her last two assessments, she scored at the “Exceeding Expectations” level in all areas and we are super proud of her.

Her reading (and writing) has taken off this year and we are so proud of her growth there, as well.

She took her teachers a cupcake from the 4Rivers Sweet Shop Friday morning to wish them a “Sweet Summer” and like almost every other kid who’s mom has a Pinterest account, we started her “Oh the Places You’ll Go” tradition and had her teachers sign her book. It was such a sweet idea, and although I’m sure it’s been overdone already, I couldn’t pass on it. It will be so sweet to look back at her graduation and remember all the small steps that got her there.

All last week, her teachers sent home the last bit of artwork, papers, and anything that had the kids’ names on it. The sweetest thing to come home was her daily journal. Its filled with pictures, doodles, and lots of handwriting practice. I can only imagine how precious this will be one day to look back on the pages that her precious little four/five year old touched. So sweet. It was hard for me to NOT keep EVERYTHING this year! A few months ago, I finally did go through it and got us organized. This was another Pinterest copycat idea and so far I think it’s pretty genius. All of her artwork/papers that I’m saving are filed away in folders in this folder bin. It keeps them from getting ripped and bent and from taking up residence in every drawer/basket in our home! It also takes up way less space that I thought it would.

It really has been a sweet year, but we are all ready for summer! We’re looking forward to getting back into our routine of sleeping in and not really having a schedule. We don’t have a lot on our summer agenda besides getting ready for baby brother, but I’m sure we’ll squeeze a few things in. :)

Here we come Kindergarten!!!

~amw~