Silverwood

Usually or at least for the last 8 years or so, Doug's work has paid for all of it's employees and their families to go to a local water park called Splashdown.  This year however, they changed it up and paid for everyone and their families to go to Silverwood.  Can't complain with that.  Silverwood is like a mini Disneyland with rides and a water park.  As a family we have gone to Silverwood for the last two years because the children get to earn tickets through the school by reading.  In those years we have never gone to the water park so this time we did.  We may just have to do it again.  It was lots of fun.

Lex and Ben shooting the Big Gun

Peter and Lex going down the slide

Lex running in the water

We also got to "float" the water and go in the wave pool, but it's kinda hard to take pictures in the water.

While Daddy and the older boys were playing bumper cars, Peter and Lex tried on hats.

Chris and Evan in bumper cars

Then we split up into two groups for ride time.  I got the camera and the younger three.  We had a blast!

On the train ride.  Peter loved this ride and wanted to do it multiple times.

Future pilot time.  Lex and Peter in a helicopter.

Peter amazed me that he was willing to go on so many rides without me.  Here he is with Evan in a ferris wheel type ride.

The next three pictures are in sequence.  Look at Peter.  At first all is well.  He had already been on the ride with me.

Now as they start to go up his face changes and things are not okay any more.

Still not okay as the others are having fun and Ben is trying to comfort Peter. 

Swinging time with daddy and Chris.  Peter is way happy and then it starts to move.

Not so good now.  I love his face.  Maybe this makes me a horrible mother, but his facial expressions are comical on these two ride.  I am glad he is still my little boy.

Swim Lessons

After talking to a friend we signed the kids up for swim lessons this year.  I have meant to over the years but it just hasn't been convenient (too far to travel to) or cost effective (too much money).  This year it just worked out and it was nice knowing our friends would be there about the same time as us.  Each child came a long ways some more that others, but improvement nonetheless.

Peter I think may have made the most improvement.  This picture is on the last day after 18 swimming lessons.  See how much fun he is having and how much confiendance he has?  The first day of lessons he wouldn't even sit on the top step without me in there with him.  Yeah, that was a picture I'm sure.  Me with my pants pulled up and standing in the water.  Anyway, he learned to like the deeper water and even went swimming in our pool at home.  What a big boy!

Alexis was next in growth.  She was great in the shallow water but move her to the deep or even try to get her head wet took awhile.  However, she finally learned to get her head wet and enjoy it.

Evan did well in his lessons and would have done a hole lot better if he would have just listened.  He was so excited to be in the pool and wanted to "swim"  that he didn't advance as much as he could but he did improve and got even better in our pool over the course of the summer.

I can't believe he jumped.  This is the deep end at least 12' deep.  The first time he wasn't doing it, but by the end he wanted to jump and enjoyed it.  He is getting to be a good little swimmer.

Ben of course is the best swimmer.  Probably because of his age.  Although he too did not want to jump the first time it was offered, but by the end of lessons he did and went down the slide too.  Chris also went down the slide but I didn't time it right for a picture.

I can't wait for next year and hopefully we will have lessons again.

Graduate

Ok, so it is only preschool but we will take any and all graduations that we can.  Who knows how many we will get.  Right?  

Alexis waiting

Getting her "diploma"

Official graduate and so very excited to start kindergarten in the fall

Post graduation play

Preschool Fieldtrip

Lexie's preschool took a fieldtrip to the local firestation.  Of course it was raining and we walked over, but I guess that is all part of the experience.  Anyway we made it in one piece and the children all got to look at and go in a firetruck.

Not so sure I feel safe with her as a driver.

Peter was not so keen on being in the station.  The truck going off scared him some and there were just too many people for him.  This is his "happy" picture.

I got in with them.

Lexie on the back of the truck.  She is such a goon.

The whole class lined up.

The ending was neat.  The firefighters had the main call station announce that the preschool was at the Riverside Station over the call system.

Mother's Day

I'm not one to usually let picture be take of me, but I couldn't deny my little Evan this shot.

He made this Mother's Day crown for me at church.

3 years old!

My baby is three!  Can you believe it?  Time has a way of flying, but this is ridiculous.  Peter is such a bright boy both in intellect and in spirit.  He is a little stinker most times but is so dang cute I have a hard time telling him to behave.  

See those sneaky eyes.  You know he is up to no good!

I opted for a popcorn cake for his birthday this year.  There are just a lot of birthdays around this time that I was tired of regular cake.

Blowing out the candle.

Bowling

Ben so serious

Chris

Evan with the wind up

and the release!

Lexie winding up

and it is off!