Splash Day

Today was Allison's splash day. I went to volunteer while Aidan once again headed to Itty Bitty City. Good thing he likes it there!

This was one well-oiled machine. There were fourteen stations. The kids were in groups of six to eight students each. I worked the whale bingo station. It was so much fun, and I'm so glad I went!

Making her origami boat. It floated!

Whale Bingo

Shark Puppet

Pool Time

Sponge Play

She is charging towards me with a full sponge. My back was soaked!

Shaving Cream Time

On a side note, I somewhat stressed about what to wear to this. The mothers at her school are always dressed very nicely. For yesterday's picnic outside, I saw so many heels and dresses. I wore a pair of dark jean trouser shorts and a 3/4 length cotton striped boat-neck tee with jewelry. I wanted to wear work-out clothes. I was thrilled to see so many of the parents had it right. When Aidan is in Kinder, I will sport breathable tennis attire! We did all enjoy this dad's outfit...

Kindergarten Parent Event

This morning Tyler and I went to Allison's end-of-year parent event. In the classroom they sang songs, recited poems, and showed us writing samples. I have videos, but for some reason blogger does not want to let me upload them. I'll keep working on it.

The Tony Chestnut song

Reading us a recent book she wrote. Her writing is so impressive. Tyler and I could not get over how much she has improved from the first day of school.

Afterwards we headed outside for a picnic. 

 Allison has had a wonderful Kindergarten experience this year. This morning was so much fun, and we all three had a great time. Aidan went to Itty Bitty City, and that was a great decision. He's having fun there playing, and we were able to truly focus on Allison. We're very proud of our little Kinder graduate!

Better...

I am so glad to inform you that I am an idiot. I read on the Pine Forest website that tennis for 6 and 7 year olds is from 5:30 - 7 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Come to find out, this is group drill time. It's a drop-in, come if you want, type of thing. Lessons are whenever you set them up, and they recommend only a half hour a week for beginning six-year olds. (Insert sigh of relief!)

Can Someone Clone Me?

This next school year I will change my name from "Mommy" to "Allison's chauffeur". She has said she wants to stay in gymnastics, start ballet again, keep taking piano lessons, start tennis lessons at the club, and continue going to WAM. Yesterday on the way to swim lessons I asked her if she had to give up one, which one would she choose. Her response: "None. I love them all. Why would you ask me to stop one? I cannot choose!" Awesome.

Ballet - Tyler and I talked about it this morning, and he thinks ballet is the obvious choice since she was somewhat bored in it a few years ago. Here's the thing about ballet though, and most sports, six is the age when a child is developmentally ready to truly learn and excel. I don't want to take away the opportunity for her to fall in love with ballet. She has begged and begged to go back. Now, if this little summer starter session isn't great, then we won't sign up in the fall.

WAM - This is another one that we could drop, but again she loves it. Also it is free, and our neighbor takes and picks her up.

Piano - The lessons are at our house and only thirty minutes long right before bed time. Also, free for us since Papa Fred and Omie provide her piano lessons. And...she loves it.

Gymnastics - She is good at it. Aidan can also participate in his pre-school gymnastics class at the same time. I thought maybe she would be tired of gymnastics, but she said, "No. I love it." Of course she does.

Tennis - We drive past our neighborhood tennis courts everyday. She has been asking about tennis for a couple of years now. Our club offers a tennis program for kids her age at a very reasonable price for members. Here's the kicker. It is every Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30 - 7:00 pm. That is a huge time commitment. When I asked Tyler if I should ask them about her only coming once a week, he said she needs it twice a week to really learn. Ok. She's going to do a camp in August up there. If she truly loves it, I guess we'll be at the club twice a week during the school year. I do want her to try out some sort of sport.

She did agree to not participate in cheer leading with KYF in the fall. Thank goodness! Also, as we're having this discussion on the way to swim lessons she asks, "What about my swim lessons." Umm, sweetie, those are only through July for you. I might let Aidan continue throughout the year while she's at school. We'll see if there's a dime left.

So, after many post-its and scratch outs later. This is tentatively what her weekly schedule will look like for 1st grade...

Monday - 5:25 - 6:35 Gymnastics
Tuesday - 5:30 - 7:00 Tennis
Wednesday - 6:30 - 7:30 WAM
Thursday - 5:30 - 7:00 Tennis, 7:30 - 8:00 Piano
Friday - NOTHING
Saturday - 11:00 - 12:00 Ballet
Sunday - NOTHING

At least it will keep her off the streets, right?

2011-2012 Class Pictures

The 2011-2012 school year is winding down. Aidan had his last day of mother's day out last Thursday, and Allison has only 7 1/2 days of Kindergarten left. This year has flown, and both kids had great classes with wonderful teachers and friends.

Mrs. Burns' Kindergarten Class

Child's Play Cookie Monster Class

Allison's Gymnastics Olympics

Saturday was Allison's MayFest at gymnastics. Daddy, Aidan, Papa Jerry and I were all proud audience members. She did a wonderful job at showing off her skills.

Beam Tricks

Tumbling Routine

Bar Work

Aidan wearing my glasses and running on the trampolines during Allison's bar work

Vault

Beam Routine

Springboard

Aidan threw himself into the foam pit, and Tyler had to jump in to fish him out. This received quite a few laughs.

Receiving her Medal

We were so proud of our little gymnast! She really has learned so much in the past few years.

Aidan's Gymnastics Olympics

This year's MayFest theme at gymnastics is "Westwood Olympics". This past Saturday was Aidan's turn. As Nai Nai said, "It was organized chaos." Watching these little ones perform was adorable and funny. He did a great job!

 The Vault

Jumping into the foam pit. 

I really wish these would have come out. He was squealing and having a blast!

Bar Work

Tumbling Skills

Beam Expertise

Springboard

His Audience

(Papa Jerry & Allison, Daddy & Nai Nai)

 Receiving his Medal

(Aidan tells us it's his trophy. I made the mistake of telling him he was getting a trophy. 

Oops. Should have read a little more closely.)

Pine Forest

We are all four very excited about having joined Pine Forest Country Club. Tyler and I really enjoy playing golf together, and for it to be something we get to do more often a club was the way to go. We are in love with this place! The pool is amazing, the food is great, the golf course is spectacular... The kids want to be there every day. Aidan often says, "I go shim at the cub today?" Allison made us a card that said, "Thank you for signing us up for the club." We joined a little over three weeks ago, and we have already spent a ton of time there. Allison is signed up for golf camp and tennis camp this summer. We think this might have been one of the best decisions we have made in a while.

Tyler and Jerry during a round of golf

On Mother's Day Allison went out with Tyler and I to play. She "played" five holes before heading off to meet Papa Jerry and Aidan at the pool while we finished the nine. She loved it!

Cruising on the lazy river in the pool.

Their favorite part of the pool - A huge and fast slide.

Under the slide is a water fall to swim under and a grotto.

Aidan's Program

This morning was Aidan's end-of-year program at Child's Play. It was so cute, and I had such fun watching and taking pictures of him. He's so funny!

They started with a motor skills demonstration. Aidan walked on a balance beam, jumped on a mini tramp,. threw balls, and crawled through a tunnel.

Then they sang a ton of songs for us. "The Wheels on the Bus" is by far his favorite. He jumped, danced, performed hand motions...

Next was the parachute play. He really started to get excited with that
.

Finally, and this was by far my favorite Aidan moment, they did a parade with instruments around the family center twice.

Well, almost everyone went around twice before heading out the door to the classrooms. Aidan took a third lap alone. It was hilarious, and he had the entire room cracking up.

We then all headed back to the classroom for cookies and lemonade.

Aidan and Mommy (I'm tickling him. He went back into shy mode.)

Ms. Leslie, Ms. Emily, Aidan, and Ms.Erin. (These ladies are wonderful!)