Thursday, June 3, 2010

The end of school...and the beginning of Summer!

Wow,it's been a while since I've updated this! But May was an extremely busy month--of course it always is! Let's see...Mike and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary on May 23rd--what an incredible 12 years we've had! We've been swimming up at Nana and Grandpa's pool a few times and our kids have turned into fearless little fish! They both are so much braver this year! I have a feeling that Emma (and later on Gabe) will learn how to swim in the grandparents' pool--they love it! Mike gives Emma a few lessons whenever we are in there. She is growing more and more confident.

On May 28th, Emma had her Kindergarten graduation. Let me just say--it was absolutely precious! They wore little red graduation caps. And Emma's class was the first one to walk in, and as soon as the doors opened they started playing the song, "Let Them Be Little". The tears started flowing and did not stop! Actually, my whole family was in tears! It just made me stop a minute and realize that our baby is growing up. She has had an incredible school year, and she's so smart and sweet and beautiful. We could not be more proud! And Mike and I are both so happy with her school--what a wonderful place for Emma to begin her school years!




Emma and Mrs. Blanc


Emma sitting patiently during the ceremony.



Receiving her diploma from the principal.







On May 29th, Emma had her ballet recital. The dance theater performed High School Musical, and Emma did fantastic! She looked so beautiful and poised--just like a ballerina should!





















And the last day of school was Tuesday, June 2. It was a very emotional day for mommy! Gabe finished his last day of 3 year old preschool, and we are going to miss Ms. Michelle so much! Emma and Gabe both had her, and she is an excellent teacher. It went by so fast! Gabe's class celebrated with an icecream social. He gave Ms. Michelle a bug hug, and then was hugging his little classmates! It was sweet!



Gabe and Avery picking "flowers" after class was over.







Group hug!







Gabe gave Ms. Michelle a big hug!






They got a little carried away with the hand washing!





Silly faces!!




Gabe and Mrs. Michelle





Gabe and Grant enjoying their ice cream!







And of course, it was Emma's last day in Kindergarten and Mrs. Blanc's class. We are really going to miss her. She has a gift--and it's called being a teacher. She has a huge heart and loved her students immensely. She made a powerpoint presentation on things they have done throughout the school year and let the parents watch it yesterday. Then Emma received her classroom awards for "Stellar Speller" (She made 100% on every spelling test), and the sight word award for knowing at least 100 sight words and being on a 3rd grade level for reading! She also received an "Exceptional Manners" award.




Emma with her awards!



Looking Back On 2010--the powerpoint presentation she made.




Emma and her classmates (and her brother) enjoying some icecream!





Coloring one last picture...


Mrs. Blanc read them a precious story called, "How Full is Your Bucket?"before they left, which was about kindness and reminded them to always be kind, which was their number 1 classroom rule.

We lingered inside the classroom while Mrs. Blanc took her students to the buses, and then she came back into the classroom and hugged Emma and started crying. She gave each student her mailing address and asked each of them to write her a letter over the summer. Again, we are going to miss her so much! But we are looking forward to Gabe having her when he starts Kindergarten!! (Hopefully!)

And when Emma, Gabe and I were walking out of the school, we passed the entrance where the buses load, and all of the teachers and the principal were standing on the sidewalk and waving at the students on all of the busses as they drove away for the summer. How sweet is that? What a way to show students that you care and will miss them while they are gone! Again, we could not be happier with this school!

And today was the first day of Summer break! We decided to stay at home, and play outside. I set up their pool and sand box, and they had a lot of fun and got really dirty! I absolutely love playing with my kids in the backyard, and am looking forward to the rest of the summer!!




Sunday, April 25, 2010

I finished the Kentucky Derby Mini Marathon! Yay me!!!

On Saturday, I finished my first mini marathon! The Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon was a sold out race with 15,000 runners! I registered back in January, and ran many miles from January to April! But my hard work paid off.

We spent the night with Mike's parents Friday night in La Grange to be closer. I slept very little Friday night--I was so anxious and nervous that we would not hear the alarm! I woke up at 4:45 to get ready, then Mike drove me downtown to catch the shuttle to the starting line. He left and went back to pick up Emma and Gabe, and Nana and Grandpa.

At 7:30, the race began, and I was in Corral C and it took 10 minutes just to cross over the starting line. There were 15,000 runners after all, so it took a while! The mini's course took us through Iroquois Park, and through the famous Churchill Downs! The racing horses were practicing, which was so cool! And by the time we exited Churchill Downs, we were more than half way finished! But, the stretch from Churchill Downs to the finish line was the hardest part of the run for me. But, I kept on running and never stopped! Now, 3 blocks aways from the finish line, I was really, really tired and sore and just ready to finish! Another runner and I almost stopped to walk ,and a specatator looked at us and shouted "Come on Ladies! Don't give up! Only 3 more blocks to the Finish Line!" And that's all I needed to hear to start running again! Let me just say...the fan support along the route was awesome. They would clap and cheer and shout out words of encouragement. It was amazing! I also saw my friend Carrie and her girls at 2 different locations throughout the race. She was there cheering on her husband and friends. She even snapped a photo of me!

But, the most amazing part was seeing the Finish Line in sight--and then looking over as I heard, "Julie!!! Julie!!!" Mike, Emma, Gabe, Nana and Grandpa were yelling and cheering for me! There were so many people there, and I was afraid that I would not be able to see them. But there they were,smiling and cheering, and then I ran happily to the Finish Line! My official time was 2:28:00!

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." --Mark Twain




This is when I first saw Mike and the fam cheering!

See the smile on my face? The end was near!


At runners reunite. I LOVE my medal! :)

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Emma's kindergarten Easter Egg Hunt!

Last Friday, Emma's class had an Easter party complete with a sight word egg hunt! Mrs. Blanc had included a sight word inside each egg (along with other treats), and then the students went back to the classroom and divided into groups of 2, and read their sight words to each other. They loved it! Then they went back outside to play a relay game. After the game was finished, they went back to the classroom to have snacks. It really was a wonderful party, and the kids enjoyed it. I love Mrs. Blanc--she really does love and treat her students as if they were her own children! There were several parents at the party, and she made a little speech about how she loved our children and she thinks she has the best class! She even became teary-eyed...it just shows how much she loves her students. And they love her for sure! Another thing I like about Mrs. Blanc--siblings are always welcome! She brings out toys for them to stay entertained and even had them snacks! Gabe already loves her, and kept picking her "flowers" outside!


Emma at her party!

They played a relay game, balancing the egg on the spoon.


Ava and Emma read their sight words to each other



Emma during the egg hunt



Gabe and papaw went for (slow) ride around the yard on Easter Sunday afternoon.

Easter Sunday!

Easter morning--they were very happy with what the Easter Bunny left in their baskets!
Our family--on Easter!




Aunt Tonya, Gabe, Emma and mommy




Daddy and Gabe



Aunt Tonya and Gabe





Gabe's on a mission!







He looked so handsome in his new Easter clothes!















Emma with her Easter hat!












Emma's reaction after she found out Macy found more eggs...











She's on the hunt!












Aunt Tonya helped Gabe!













Emma and Macy






























Mike took this one of Gabe after he fell...but he got up and kept on hunting!
















The little ones got a head start.

















Easter Saturday at Nana and Grandpa's!

We had such a wonderful and busy Easter weekend! On Saturday we headed up to Nana and Grandpa's for dinner and an egg hunt, and the kids had a ball! Let me tell you...Emma Caroline was on a mission. She even told Mike when he tried to get a picture in the middle of the hunt, "No daddy, I don't have time for pictures right now!"


Gabe gave Maddie a ride on the scooter!
BUNNY CAKE!!! They immediately started (trying) to stick their fingers in the icing!

Oh, this was after the egg hunt. Gabe had to spend a few minutes in "timeout". :( But I thought it was a cute picture so I posted it.


Gabe's getting his goody bag from Nana after the egg hunt. There were "winners" in each age category--2, 3, 4 and 5!








Going through their Easter goodies













Brenna and Emma






Maddie and Gabe








She was on a mission!









On the hunt...










Gabe needed a little help...











He found one!



























The was at the beginning of the hunt...













Best picture we could get of the Tharpe grandkids.


















Gabe liked helping Uncle Dave in the garage!