Kids Helping Dad

We've got 3 hard working kids that love to help dad, especially if it involves the tractor and dirt!

Don't you love the outfit for gardening? 

And Tillie, at least she doesn't have her boots on. 

I'm pretty sure this bag of top soil weighs more than she does. 

The reward: driving, or riding in the case of Madox, the tractor around back to the garden area. 

First Day - New School

August 22, 2011

The first day of school for all of my kids. I have a Kindergartener, a First Grader, a Second Grader and a Fifth Grader! Phew. We have also left our local public school and are attending a Charter School, which is closer to our school. Proximity really had nothing to do with our move, but more so some learning challenges/issues with a few of the kids.

It was 7:30am and already the sun was brightly shining. 

Tillie with her teacher.

Madison waiting. 

Mason waiting at his "office" (that's what they called their individual learning stations, aka desks). 

This little stinker, not wanting to cooperate! 

That face! 

Love this kid.

 Well, I do love all of them. 

 But this one is my BABY!! 

And he started Kindergarten! 

WAAAAHH 

Richner Randomness

This is Madox - 5 years old - leaning to knee board. He loved it. 

Few things are better than a fresh pedicure. 

Here's a rare photo of me (usually I'm busy taking pix of everyone else and also don't particularly care to be photographed) 

'Course, I could take pictures of this one all day long.  

Sisters! 

"Little George" {apparently, this it the lure's name}

Just a silly boy. 

And a silly girl 

Lake pictures

She could not catch a break with this suit - permanent wedgie! 

Mason has entered the phase where he does not want his photo taken. 

She'll always give me a smile. 

See what happens when you don't cooperate? A photo of you sleeping gets posted to the blog! 

Now he's happy - took a nap and caught a fish! 

He's not complaining about posing now! 

Marley - relentlessly pursuing the tennis ball. They float so nice! 

Yesterday, we had a little break from the heat (only 99 instead of 103) provided by these beautiful clouds

We also had about 10 sprinkles of rain fall on us - right when we were eating! 

End of School - more events

Yeah, school ended at noon on Wednesday, June 1. Here is the rest of the event photos from their awards and graduation.

Here is Madison, the Principal and her teacher. 

Everyone looking at their awards 

This picture is for Pop - and is supposed to show her missing tooth; a tooth which held on by one thread of a cell for weeks! She will not pull her loose teeth, at all. This was actually got knocked out at her swimming party a few days before! 

Tillie in "procession" to graduation. 

Waiting for her name to be called. 

Pre-K Graduation

These next 2 weeks before school officially ends marks the busiest time in a mom's year: attending graduations, teas and award programs, not to mention field trips and conferences.

So without further ado, I present the first "end of the year program" in what is sure to be a long series of many. Madox's pre-k graduation and program.

There were 3 songs to be sung. 

One song was about 5 monkeys that were teasing a crocodile so they all got eaten. 

And then there was something abut rainbows, but I couldn't understand the words. 

Then it was time to graduate. Madox, with his attention span of a gnat, was starting to bore at this point. 

Here he is receiving his rolled up piece of paper that represents a diploma. Great picture too of Donna, his teacher. Oh well. 

And, as is mandatory at all of these events, here is the forced family shot. 

If these were the 2 best ones, you can only guess what the others looked like. Did I happen to mention that the only way I got them to sit still long enough for these shots was to threaten no cookies and punch (standard refreshments at these shindigs, but kids never tire of 'em!) 

Coming next week: Swimming party field trip, 2nd grade awards, 4th grade author's tea and kindergarten graduation. Check back for more exciting shots of the backs of strangers' heads! woo! 

What a week

Not only did I sell these 3 journals, I had the dog sprayed with a skunk, and 2 kids home sick - different kids on different days. 

A yummy treat from Grammy

So delicious he has to close his eyes to get a bite. 

and the shape is just perfect for shoving into the mouth! 

Christmas Card & Letter

I seriously just took 100 pictures and NOT ONE  is "Christmas Card Worthy." How hard is it to smile and look towards the camera?

These 4 are on the "short list", which shows you the level of cooperation I was getting today.