His big debut!!

After 5 weeks of summer piano camp and mom making him practice everyday, our little man is a performer!!

Besties

I hope they always stay this close.  Our days have been filled with endless superhero fun and imagination.  I guess having them only 19 months apart wasn't so bad after all.  Today they made a "bat camp" outside that included a miniature fire pit and a pond made out of a yogurt container.  They fought off bad guys in the "jungle" (our over grown garden) and they hid in the bat cave located in Charlie's room.  

Bikeman

My little man can ride a bike!  This is huge, he is free! He was so proud and so were Mama and Dad!  Dad was the true driving force and he kept him going strong.  A few crashes later, he was up and rolling.  Way to go Charlie Bear!!

Settling into summer!

We are one week into summer and loving every minute of our freedom to explore, learn, play and relax!  So far I have started each day with some sort of learning activity (poor kids have no other option with a mom as a teacher).  I have not quite put my finger on Mary Kate's learning style.  She does better with a little hold of the hand, small step away and then a hold of the hand.  She doesn't dive right into activities like her brother but once engaged she is proud to finish! Charlie on the other hand begs for more "Numbers" as he calls it and whizzes through his reading!  I have had to let go the constant mess and clutter that comes with being home but it is a lot easier to manage my home in general being home. Swim lessons will be the first two weeks and Charlie will start Piano camp next week.  The Shenandoah Conservatory Arts Academy is the best little place on the corner of Winchester for Music/Art/Theater and Dance!  I am really excited to dive into their programs this summer and then maybe continue this fall.  I thought a camp with other kids may be a motivating way to start using that right-side of the brain for my little man!

On another note:

I did not blog about MK's dance recital and mostly posted to facebook.  It was the most precious event! She is in love with being on stage, the sparkles, the flowers and the overall attention.  I don't know how long this Girly Girl thing will last, but I am loving every minute of it.  I was not Girly growing up, so it is a new world to me.  However, she does have one tough side to her.  She is constantly defending herself from her big brother! She can certainly hold her own! 

My "Great Kid" had field day!

I am so glad Mary Kate's Daycare closed for inservice day on field day.  Not only did I get to help out at the "Angry Bird" station, I also got to see my little man receive the Clarke County Great Kid Award.   I laughed while watching him sit impatiently to receive his great kid award and thought to myself, while in someways he has grown so much in kindergarten and other ways, well... we have a ways to go.  LOL!  He is a true reader and math machine.  Charlie is enthusiastic about learning and the way the world works.  It is just when the world doesn't work the way he wants it to, life becomes very difficult. I love him so much and I love the passion he shows about everything that he does!  That is something that comes from within and it is not easy to teach.  As for my little field day helper, she came close to her first bout with Poison ivy but we escaped that by the skin of our teeth.  She decided to play hide-and-seek behind a tree covered with Poison! Yikes, a shower with Dawn dish soap seemed to do the trick.  My little girl is anxious to start kindergarten but will be going to preschool one more year.  I say that with a little exasperation but deep down know that she is not ready to enter standard driven public schools.  She is still very much in her "fairy land" of princesses, tea parties, birthday parties and playing little mama. She doesn't have anytime in her head to worry about academics because it is clouded by all the pretty things she sees in the world.  And then wants to paint them, color and dance about them!  I love her too.  I am proud to be the parents of my two beautiful children, who I love with all my heart.  They are a perfect combination of my love Nick and I.  As parents we are balancing each other out and tackling one of the hardest jobs we have ever done.  Doing the best we can each day to love them, laugh with them and scold them if need be, lol! I am in love with our family!

I especially love this picture of my husband.  

I am so glad he is mine to have and to hold, for better or for worse...

Short but sweet and cold!

We took a day trip to the beach.  Nick had some work in Annapolis, MD and the beach was not much further.  About four miles from the shore, the fog rolled in and light mist began to fall. The kids didn't care a bit.  I, on the other hand froze my toes off!  We had lunch at Bethany Beach and headed back to Annapolis for a swim in the hotel pool and dinner out in the "old town".  You would have thought we were on a dream vacation. The kids were so happy, just a change of scenery, simple but nice!  

Play by Play

Here's a play by play of a typical Tball game.  Charlie steps up to bat.  He plays in the dirt.  He swings at the ball on the tee.  It is a hit.  He runs to first base and high fives his friend from school and plays in the dirt.  He runs the bases as the next few balls are hit and plays in the dirt.  He slides into home and plays in the dirt some more.  Out in the field, Charlie is at shortstop.  Ronnie is on second.  Charlie goes for a grounder.  Ronnie comes from behind and tackles Charlie. They start rolling around in the dirt.  They get up.  The next hit is to third. Charlie, the  first baseman, the second basemen, and the pitcher all go for the grounder.  They all fight to get the ball.  The third basemen perseveres and runs the ball to home play.  Charlie and the other players go back to playing in the dirt! Yep, that sums it up folks.