C's graduation party

We left Staunton early this morning and got home about 2 p.m. At 3 p.m. we headed over to Riverside for Andy's niece C's graduation party. I didn't take any pictures at the party, but here's a pic of C I lifted from her Facebook page. I figure if I'm going to include T in my scrapbook, I should include C too. She's headed to Illinois State University this fall.

T's graduation party

Our weekend of graduation parties. The first was today for my nephew, T. We headed to Gillespie for his high school graduation party. T and his friends put all the table centerpieces in order - each was holding a pic of T from when he was just a baby through high school.

It was a nice reunion for the cousins - too bad we can't all look decent at the same time in a photo.

What a season!

L's T-ball team lost its second playoff game tonight. The game was tied up to the fifth inning. Congrats to the Indians on a stellar season. Here's L with her participation trophy. Notice the pink hair - she thinks it's cool and that it might have made her run faster.

Happy Father's Day!

Great game

That's L and a teammate heading out onto the T-ball field to celebrate the Indians' playoff victory this morning. Afterward, the girls gathered at a nearby house for pizza and pop to celebrate - what we thought would have been - the last game of the season.

With the win, though, the girls play Monday night. If they win that game, they play in a best out of three series for the league championship. Go, Indians!

Happy B-day, B (in the dark)!

B invited five of his friends over tonight to celebrate his 11th birthday. Andy took the boys to a nearby laser tag facility, then brought them home where we had pizza and brownies waiting for them. A storm that swept through town this afternoon knocked out our power. We were hoping it would come back on while the boys were playing laser tag. It never did so they ate by candlelight then played flashlight tag. Most of them had the power out at their houses too, so they were all pretty good sports about it. The boys were planning to have a sleepover, but since we had no electricity and no phone service we thought it was best to send the boys home and give them a raincheck on the sleepover.

Chopsticks, anyone?

Today was the volunteers' end-of-the-season sale at the Economy Shop. Volunteers were able to buy a small garbage bag for $5 and fill it with whatever they could find. Whatever is left over will be donated to charities.

I found a lot of things I don't need, but think I could use (fabric and knitting needles for E, Beanie Babies for L, candleholders and coasters for me). The kids were excited to try the chopsticks I brought home. B successfully ate his soup with them at lunch.

Picnic in the park

All week L has been asking to pack a lunch and have a picnic in the park. Today, we did. We got to the park early enough so L could ride the trains. The trains are only available a couple of hours a day during the summer and on some days, the line can be quite long. She was pretty lucky today to get in a few trips around the track without waiting too long. Afterward I got a shot of her on the swing before we headed back into the air-conditioning.

Girl talk

Confirmation Day

Today was E's Confirmation Day. Her best friend, A, and her mom showed up for the service, and Grandma Barbara was there too. After the service, one of the confirmation teachers, who is our youth minister, served a luncheon of fried chicken and spaghetti in the confirmands' honor. They started cutting the cake that had all the confirmands' names on it before anyone could snap a picture. This is one of the pics Andy took of E outside the church after the service. Below is her class (minus one boy who apparently had lunch plans) and her teachers.

Rainy game

It was cloudy, but L's 9 a.m. T-ball game got off to a clear start. About the second inning, it began to drizzle and soon enough, it was a downpour and the game was canceled.

Last day of school!

Everyone had one final hour of school this morning and then they were dismissed for the summer. All three brought home good report cards. They seem very ready for summer to begin.

Send-off

Last night was B's send-off from Irving School, a graduation of sorts for fifth-graders who are headed to the middle school in the fall. B was excited to have Grandma Barbara at his send-off and came to say hello to her before the ceremony started.

Each student received a medal for "graduating." They also passed out awards. B got the Good Character Award, Dunes Learning Center Life Skills Award and Perfect Attendance (didn't miss a single day!). He also received the Gold Presidential Award for Academic Achievement and a Math Olympiad Award. He was the second-place finisher in the school's Math Olympiad. Congrats, B! We're proud of you!

Zoo trip

Today I chaperoned the second-grade field trip to Brookfield Zoo. I teamed up with another chaperone mom to escort six kids around the zoo. Have to say, I prefer the St. Louis Zoo over Brookfield - it's smaller, the exhibits are closer together and there's more shade. Anyway, it was a beautiful day to be at the zoo.