Happiness on a 1/2 Acre

Well, summer vacation is here.  It seems we are super busy, but I am not sure what we are busy doing!  Kelsey is currently taking a fun babysitting 4H class and swimming lessons, and is taking the Summer Reading Program through the library pretty serious!  Kendal is wanting to swim everyday, no matter the weather and is also doing a summer reading program through the school that she loves.  Emmitt is just so glad to have his sisters home to play with again.  I was getting pretty lame I think for the lad!

The picture above is on the last day of school as all the 4th graders let off balloons in front of all the other students and parents.  It was their way of moving on to bigger and better things - the intermediate school for next year.  It makes me sad her elementary school days are over!

This is Kelsey, her friend Madelyn, and their GATE teacher.  Kelsey has loved GATE this year and she told me it is the reason she loves school.  Whatever makes her happy I say!  She gets to do GATE again next year at the new school and is very excited about that!

Emmitt and Kendal are loving the summer weather and love playing with each other.  They are two peas in a pod!  Kendal starts summer school and swimming lessons in less than 2 weeks, so she better live up her 'open schedule!'

 Last night the library had a fun program to kick off their summer reading program.  They had the guys from Scales and Tails come and teach us about all their crazy animals.  I was a little grossed out as he put a huge scorpion in his mouth, and when he asked for parent volunteers to hold this huge snake, I wanted to cringe! 

Kelsey loved the program and went up front where all the kids could see better.  Emmitt and Kendal hung back with me and they weren't quite as interested as their older sister, but still enjoyed it.

When the program was over, the kids could go up and touch the big 16' female constrictor.  Kelsey took Emmitt up and Kendal stayed back on the chairs.  It cracked me up.  Emmitt loved touching her, and Kendal avoided her as everyone was putting their chairs away and cleaning up.

After the crowds left, I took Kendal up and she thought it was great.  I think she secretly just wanted a reason to use the hand sanitizer!  She has a love for hand sanitizer!

When Matt got home, we sat outside and watched the pretty sunset on a chilly evening last night.  Kelsey colored some of her 4H babysitting homework, Kendal and Emmitt shot cap guns, Matt read, and I did what mothers do - whatever it is that makes us too busy to sit down!

Tonight is quilt guild and I am excited to go and see my ladies!  I worked on this round robin this past month.  The inside block was made by my neighbor Debbie and she sent all the fabric along to go with this quilt top.  I added the outer border of hourglass, bow tie, and square in a square blocks, as well as the dark brown border right by it.  I think it turned out very pretty!  We all get to go home with our round robins tonight, so I am excited to see what happened to mine!