End-of-Year Luau

Nothing says summer like a Luau,

and this annual end-of-the-school year tradition at the girls school is a must for our family! 

Gabriel was a bit bewildered at all the commotion...

...but made for a great lap-buddy.

As the girls shook...

...and shimmied...

...they completely brought down the house!

Isabella welcoming the newest member of the school, Iris! 

She starts kindergarten in the fall,

and couldn't be more excited!

These guys have a little while (thank goodness),

before they fly the nest too. 

Though in the fall,

Owen will also start Joy School two times a week for a few hours of the day.

{Sigh}

What will Gabriel and I do with ourselves?



Garbage Duty

Ava took it upon herself a few weeks back to take over garbage duty!  She's done a great job and Samuel loves the help!

Thank you Ava!

Mother & Daughter Tea

The girls school held their first annual Mother & Daughter Tea.  I volunteered to dress a table, and it was so fun getting out the nice dishes to create a whimsical setting for my daughters.

After setting up, there was a mad dash for home to get ready for the event.  This was real dress-up affair, and the girls and I had fun getting girly and posing for pictures on the lawn.

The tea party itself was amazing!  And I wish I took photos of all the delicious treats.  I don't think anyone managed to snap a photo though, in the blink of an eye they were all gone!

We had some great mother-daughter time, and this tradition is something we'll surely continue!  I especially can't wait for my youngest daughter, Iris, to join us.  She played tea-party at home with dad, but I know she'll be thrilled to join our table next year as an honest-to-goodness kindergartner!

Until then...

One lump or two?

I Read For Happy Meals ONLY!

So, everyone once in awhile, 

you're kids say something and 

you really get a peek into what's really going on in there.

When Ava completed her reading log for school and earned a meal at the Spagetti Factory, she was thrilled.  She patiently kept reminding me what a wonderful idea it would be to eat there, and so, after some time, we made plans to...

"go out"!

The menu comes and everyone's happy, 

except Ava soon starts to frown.

I say, 

"Ava, do you want Spaghetti & Meatballs 

or the Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce?"

{We don't do the chicken nuggets or grilled cheese options 

which I could easily make at home while standing on my head, 

blowing my nose, and

singing a sea shanty-

and for FREE, mind you!}

Ava replies,

"I don't want Spaghetti.  

I wanted a Happy Meal.  

Where's the Happy Meal?"

Well, after informing us that she reads for Happy Meals only,
a little heart-to-heart rectified the misunderstanding,
and she chose the  
MEATBALL!

Gabriel positively gobbled the noodles and french bread...

...and we enjoyed some great family time!

Yes, 

it's possible to find happiness even 

WITHOUT 

McDonald's!

2010 Open House

We had a great time visiting the girls classrooms for Open House.  

Ava, our proud first grader, loved showing us around, but was especially excited to take a picture with Mrs. Padilla!

On of my favorite projects on display were these darling pictures of the kids being whisked away by their giant kites!  

Bye Ava!

No sooner did we finish visiting one classroom, we had to bolt to another:  

Mrs. Manley's Third Grade Class! 

Isabella, likewise, loved showing us her around her room, and teaching us all that she has learned thus far!  

It was quite the exercise, 

and by the time we were done, 

I was relieved to be out of school!

What's Your Spud?

Ava had a really fun class project in which they were all required to take a potato-any kind-and, using ordinary materials around the house, transform it into a SOMEBODY!

Ava, who is so not a circus person (I guess who is?), was dead-set on making a clown!

After some strategically placed puffballs for crazy hair, a bright red nose, and a painted face, she had a spud destined for the Ringling Brother's circuit!

As for the rest of her classmates, the sky really was the limit, and two that impressed Ava were the Ninja and Star Wars spuds!

They were, 

in her words,

"AWESOME!"

Tokens & Tickets

It was finally that dreaded (oops, did I say that?), I mean wonderful, time of year when we raise funds for the girls school by visiting Chuckie Cheese.

As you can see, this is their absolute favorite event of the year!

Owen is my timid little man.  He's very interested in things, but gets nervous when it comes to actually participating.

Take this monster truck ride, for instance.  Gabriel pretty much rolled with the homies, while Owen actually tried to jump ship!

{As I looked at this post a second time, it struck me that one day these boys will actually be riding together in a legit vehicle on the street!  At least I hope it's legit...and please, please don't be a monster truck!}

The kiddies had a blast, and for our trouble, the school raised some money and we walked away "richer" with several tootsie pops, stickers, and bracelets.

A win-win!

Stop, Drop, & Roll!

On Monday Ava came home all a-twitter and a-buzz with information from her school's fire safety training.  She had so much to share that we thought it would make for a great 

Family Home Evening Activity!

We reviewed proper safety protocol and practiced some drills including the classic:

Stop, Drop, & Roll!

At the conclusion of our meeting she presented us with a certificate!  

The Elmer Family has successfully learned the rules of fire safety and prevention and we are all official...

Jr. Fire Marshalls!

Thanks Ava!

Ava's Snowmen vs. Snowbikers

I love how my daughter, in her beloved innocence, once upon a time drew happy and lighthearted pictures of joyful and smiling snowmen.

 

Then she spied our touching neighbors Christmas display which featured a plywood cutout of a biker Snowman outfitted in a black leather vest, jeans, and yes, holding a beer can.  The can, thank heavens, did NOT make it into her drawing.

I should be so grateful, right?

My Monkey

Ava's class donned their monkey t-shirts to the pumpkin patch!

Looking good Ava!

I Call Do-over!

Well the first day of school came and went in a blur. As I waited for them to come home later that day, I felt a twinge of guilt for how things transpired. A hearty back-to-school breakfast? No, try a hastily poured bowl of cereal! Love notes in their lunch boxes? They were lucky to get a sandwich! The traditional first-day photos in the front yard with their new school duds? How about a quick kiss and a "Don't be late!".

Absolutely horrible, right?

So in my determination to make things right, I call an official:

Do-over!

There were eggs...

toast...

and yes, even chocolate milk!

We had our front-yard photo shoot-when did they get so big?-and they carried lunches with not only love notes, but love bites in each of their sandwiches!

I am so grateful for wonderful kids who love their mama despite her shortcomings. What a blessing they are to me.

Cheater, Cheater Pumpkin-eater

Out of all the kids, Ava (thus far), is the biggest sore loser. And if she sees an opportunity to win, even by fudging the rules a little, she won't hesitate!

So in the final few minutes of every swim lesson, her teacher throws rings into the water so the class can dive for them. You can tell that Ava automatically assumes that the most rings she retrieves the better, but the way she goes about it is kind of funny.

First, she tried to get a hold of them the old fashioned way (i.e. putting your head in the water-like you're supposed to!), but she soon realizes that that is simply going to take way too much time, so she goes into...

Plan B
Hook the sunken ring around your foot, hoist your foot-with the ring-to the surface of the water so you can grab it with your hand. And all done without putting your face in the water! Perfect, except darn! Her teacher caught her soooo...

Plan C
Wait till your teacher looks away, then repeat Plan B. Except double darn! Teacher's too smart soooo...

Plan D
Yes, there is a plan D.

Wait until teacher throws the rings, but then catch them BEFORE they have a chance to sink to the bottom. Except triple darn! For some reason the teacher has her eyeball on her soooo...

Plan E
Time's up and time to go home!

You gotta love that little stinker!

The Toothless Wonder

While walking into the Aquatic Center for the girls swim lesson, Ava exclaimed:
"My tooth popped out!"

Sure enough, yet another jumped ship, determined to make her look like a jack-o-lantern well before Fall!

Congrats Ava dear!

Ava Miss Gracy turns 6!

For Ava's 6th birthday we celebrated with my family by roasting marshmallows for s'mores. Though it was a tad warm, as the 8 o'clock hour rolled around we were all in high spirits enjoying our sugar-high!

Can you believe that this was my mother's first s'more?

Owen likes his marshmallows black and crispy!

Yum!

Great-grandma Lopez and Gabriel Dodge

Grandma Rose & Gabriel

Dewey (a.k.a. Petey or Ryan), Ricky, & Nicole

Happy 6th Birthday Ava Grace!

You are a delight to not only your mother and father but to the whole world around you. You bring us so much joy with your sweet spirit, and to this day your big brown beautiful eyes melt our hearts!

We love you sweetheart!