4th Grade Band Concert

Canton Intermediate introduces instruments at 4th grade.  Most of the kids have never touch an instrument before this.  To include Nick who chose the clarinet.  So here we are at the end of the year band concert - we snuck it in there somewhere between baseball.  I have to admit - I adore the outfit this guy put together.

There are many times that i know Chris and I have that overwhelming feeling of - I am so lucky to be this kids parents!.

proudly sitting up front with Sam

Love to see their faces when they scan the crowd.

https://youtu.be/DLXiqsmzbvg

If I had a recording of my 8th grade band it would sound something like this!

My folks got to attend the band concert with us which I just loved and we treated to Ben and Jerry's after.  Thankful to be able to treat Nick like the big kid that he is.  Love how seriously he took it all.  Amazed at this school program.

My mom in my every day life

So I came home from my sister's with some planting and a rainy day to do it.  Sadly the Canton parade was cancelled. - but that made for some excellence gardening time (as my mom would call it!!)  So as I planted and pulled and really made a difference.  I thought of all the ways my mom inspired me and I feel like I can see her everywhere out here!

taking shape with a new birthday tree.

Signs of Oma Sue

A mini bouquet

My inside plants coming outside.

Pretty!

Since it was actually Memorial Day - while we missed the parade, the C130 pilots didn't miss their time Hack - at 10 am exactly they flew over out home - we ran outside and just missed it, however he banked his turn and came RIGHT BACK!  those things are HUGE and amazing to see in the air.  So many of them are headed from the Hanger that chris just worked out - out to Kuwait where Brian will be deploying to June 1 - small world!

Memorial day weekend

Love everything about this weekend away.  We left Friday after school to head down and celebrate Riley's birthday and memorial day weekend together.  Time when families should be together.  I LOVE that we walked right into a project.  Jason has been working on this beautiful entry way bench.  His standards are WAY higher than mine (I just want it DONE!)

Here he is with the appropriate amount of help from my dad =)!

Jimmy, Mary and Barbara came over to celebrate Riley - she is clearly VERY excited!

adore catching snuggling moments like these!

On Saturday my sister spotted out the North Attleboro Parade - looks like we are all dressed and ready!

Seriously the greatest bunch of kiddos!

the perfect home town parade too

This car was followed by muskets that fired!!  Perfect! - remind me to write about our C130 fly over later =)!

The All american meal

Someone got bumped up to the Adult table

Cheers guys!

Slow down buddy!

Blue looks dashing on you Jackson

Beautiful morning perfect for another celebration for this beautiful lady

Love capturing these guys

And the little lady

Looks like she has some helpers

How to keep Jackson busy for HOURS - tiny tiny bubbles!

Uncle Jay busted out all the baseball gear this weekend and taught them LOTS of games.  Uncle Woody too.

The weekend ended with a project - family should help family with stuff like this and we are glad we can help if even in a small way.  Next project our place!  Keep up the rotation!

They really rocked this one, sanding it, power washing and 13 gallons of paint later its AMAZING.  Nice work all.  Now you can ENJOY it, til the next project right?!?!

Thanks for hosting us and having us up for the weekend - love being all together.

Every day things - hair cuts, brothers, sisters, art shows - Diane!

every day life can be pretty every day - but I want to remember it - 

Shane has some beautiful thick blond hair.  In the summer it gets really hot and if I cut it,

He looks totally different in my opinion - like he lost 10 pounds!

sometimes when we are eating breakfast, the chickens come up and lay by the door - glad I am not the only one to find that so cute!

And yes, sometimes its pretty awesome to have a brother - for those days when you get your catchers mit in the mail and you can't wait to use it!  Your brother will run out and through the ball wit you.

I have been known to go out to the little ladies and just sit with them.  Listen to their little peeps and let them sit wherever they want.

Just watching them be who they are

And we have an art show!!  Popping over the to school and seeing these boys find their art work - true treasure!

I love that they learn to express themselves differently

Almost the shane face right?!?!

I gotta say, nick had an art show the following day - we had practice, i taught, there were a million things going on that day (normal right) so when I came home at 7:30 completely forgetting the art show til I drove by the library to return DVDs I realized we had forgotten it. I asked him if he would like to go - I would be happy to take him - he was honored and quickly changed out of his PJs and into some clothes to go with me.  Life goes by so stinking fast.  We could have totally skipped it.  But I hope Nick will remember - we didn't.

Talk about Life going by fast - Diane is up for the memorial day weekend and she made the time to come all the way to ME!  Anna and her Grammy too.  When I am with Diane - I get to really be with her and I love that we make time like this if even only for an hour or 2 - Love you girl!  Want you to be a part of my every day!

A few moments to myself -

I find myself waking up early to enjoy a few moments to my self.  Wether its stretching, meditating, reading, blogging.  There are moments when I am joined in my silence.  I can't say that I am always that welcoming.  I value this peace.  However on this Thursday morning Drew was rather inquisitive and joined right in with the stretching.  He was as Zen as my little Drew man could be - so I asked him if I could capture this moment.

that smile and those snuggles are just priceless and yes, these are the things I want to treasure

Small town carnival time

with all the baseball and end of school stuff starting to happen, it was great to have so many get together for our home town carnival.  These boys have their independence and are ready to ride the rides.

each of our 3 boys had a pocket of their own friends to keep up with.  I loved seeing them with their buddies, but it made for some busy times for Chris and I keeping up with everyone.  Jaiden and Drew could ride the swings ALL night!

I even got to ride a few too!

most terrifying was the ferris wheel with these squirmy boys - look at all those missing teeth!

Tried to get the other half of the ferris wheel to smile - thanks for the help Kate!

Now its easy to make him smile as he scored a ride on the hang glider!

surprisingly i opted OUT of the spiny ride.

Excited to hit one more ride with Drew's Buddy Riley

These boys were in front - hold on tight!!

great night - it wasn't too late and they had plenty of fun!

May Dance

Starting to really look forward to the May Dance every year.  We started as Drew was in Preschool and now he is in the show!!

I think I managed to get all the performance pieces together on this video

https://youtu.be/9UVyUtsP_iQ

Here is sweaty Shane too

I can almost hear the words coming out of his mouth

it was just a chill Friday afternoon and the Barbers' popped over - good timing since Bell needed a shoulder to sit on!!