SUMMER!!!

WOW!  It's been awhile since I posted!  That's because SUMMER IS HERE and I am busier than ever ENTERTAINING 3 children, working, and keeping this house picked up and cleaned...did I mention with 3 kids home ALL DAY!!! 
SO, far we have had a lot of fun....but what will we do for another 25 days!!!! 
 Who's counting though.....

Here's a few of the things we've done so far:

The first week of summer we camped in the backyard!

We celebrated Paige turning 6!!!

We stopped in St. Louis on the way to Michigan!

We went to Michigan for a WEEK to hang out with cousins and Aunts and Uncles and Grandpa and Grandma Balzer!!!

And Jaden turned 7!!!

Other FUN thus far this summer:

Chore charts---well, this is FUN FOR MOM!

Summer reading program

sleep overs at Grandma/Grandpas

Derby Water Park

Swimming

SG County Park

Bike Ride

Geo Caching

"re-did" Paige's bed-room

Basketball camp

Football camp

Speed and Strength Camp

Vacation Bible School

Craft days with neighbors

Getting ready for the Basketball court

Garage sales

Royals Game/Girls Night

Drive-in Movie

I'm sure there is more---but that is enough!!! 

25 more days....what else do we need to do?? 

Aunt Patsy and Uncle Bob

Steve's Aunt and Uncle (Grandma Linda's sister)---Bob and Patsy came to visit from Minnesota! and we were lucky enough to have them come visit us one night for dinner!

Patsy is known as "the little snow bunny" because one time when we were with them Paige went with Grandma and Patsy to Walmart and came home with a fuzzy,
white coat and Patsy sang a "little snow bunny song" to Paige! 
 Paige will never forget that song and will never forget Aunt Patsy!!

 

 YES!  Grandma Linda and her sister wore a MATCHING OUTFIT all day together.  NO---they are not twins!!  They claim they didn't plan it.  But, how funny is that!!!

Bob--playing guitars with the little kids!

Family---what a blessing!!! 

Last of School

Who's changed the most??

After 9 months of school...

 

                             First day of school                   Last day of school                       

YES!!  I get my boys to dress nice the FIRST day of school and then that's about it!

This year I actually had to make them wear "normal clothes" 2 days a week and then they could wear their "sport clothes" the other 3 days!  It is hard when they have PE and play outside everyday for recess!  They also never wore flip-flops again to school because it's too hard to RUN at recess!  I had to decide... as many nice clothes as we had and as much as I wanted them to dress "cute"---I have bigger battles to fight then......WHAT THEY WEAR!!!

First day of school                        Last day of school

I would say JADEN has changed the most!!  It could be his long hair versus his short hair?!!

Tyler seems to have "filled out" the most and

I think Paige "matured" the most of the year!

Last Day of School

Paige's FIELD DAY!

Kindergarten FIELD DAY!

Ms. William's Class

This is the first year the Kindergarten's have gotten to go to Field Day!  Lucky for Paige!

The boys didn't think it was fair that she got to go in Kindergarten!

Just another chance for me to explain to the kids....LIFE IS NOT FAIR! 

(The sooner they figure this out, the better life will be!)

Ms. Williams class! 

17 kids in the class this year---WHAT A BLESSING!

The 3 legged race with Leah W!

This might be Paige's FIRST race!!  And, she did great!  I think she might have even WON a race!!!

Paige, Miles, and Leah

Paige made it through Kindergarden with great SUCCESS!!!  We were a bit worried at the beginning of the year, but Ms. Williams got Paige on track and she's ready for 1st grade!!  We learned this year that Paige is not necessarily competitive like the boys, but she is a PERFECTIONIST!!  We had to teach her that she just has to DO HER BEST!  The hardest thing for her was the drawing.  You have to draw a lot of pictures in Kindergarten and Paige got super frusterated when she couldn't draw something the way she thought she should!!  There were many TEARS over DRAWING!!!!  Oh my.....

Hopefully there's less drawing in 1st grade!!

Great job in Kindergarten Paige!!  We are anxious to see how you do in 1st grade!  I suspect you will be one tired girl when you get home school in the Fall!  And, lunch next year...I worry you won't eat---because you'll be TALKING the whole time!  But, I guess we'll worry  about these things come August!!  You'll do great at anything you do!! 

love you to pieces Paige!

Tyler Field Day

3rd Grade---Field Day

Mrs. Whelan's class

Tyler is such an easy going kid and friends with EVERYONE!!! 

He makes friends easily and always ends up with great friends, even if he doesn't know any of the kids when he starts the year! 

 

Fun and GAMES!!!

RACING---Ryan D, Tyler, and Megan

 

Tyler and Ryan G.

CJ,  Jarod, and Tyler!

Taylor and Tyler

Braden, Tyler, Ryan G., Caden

Field Day means 3rd grade is over!! 

 One more year at Explorer Elementary!  Wow how time flies!  I never thought I'd be the parent saying....I can't believe I have a 4th grader!  My sweet little boy is growing up right before our eyes!!  And, I never thought I'd be the parent to say...SLOW DOWN!

But, I am saying it!!  S L O W  D O W N  B U D D Y !!!!!!!!

Thankful for another GREAT YEAR!!  Thankful for all Tyler learned!  Thankful for Tyler's friends! 

Just THANKFUL!!!  and BLESSED!!!

Jaden's Field Day FUN!

1st Grade Field Day

Mrs. Short's class

This is Jaden's first year to experience FIELD DAY!  Ohhh... the fun!!!

2nd grade-- Logan ran to the bathroom so he is missing from the picture

BUT--check out the 3 boys in the back row with thier arms around each other!  TOO FUNNY!

Hula Hoop FUN!!

Caleb, Ben, Logan, Carson, Jaden

Tug of War with DAD!!!

We're THANKFUL dad has a job where he can often leave work to come to school activities! BLESSED!!

 

 

  BUDDIES!!!  Caleb, Carson, and Jaden!!

First Grade is over!!  We made it through our first year of going ALL DAY!  We were terribly worried about Jaden transitioning from 1/2 day to full-day!  But, we are GRATEFUL it was a WONDERFUL year!  A wonderful, perfect teacher and GREAT friends!  We were BLESSED!  We pray next year will be just as good!