Project 365 - Day 182

It's HOT down in DC, but with no power at the hotel we decided to trek out to the National Mall area and walk around inside the cool and air conditioned National Museum of Natural History! The boys loved taking the Metro and had a blast at the museum. On our way back to the Metro I had the boys stop so I could snap this picture with the Washington Monument in the background.

Project 365 - Day 181

Hotel living! Finally checked in and tubbied and ready to try and get some sleep. Should be interesting, so glad we splurged for the suite with a separate bedroom!

Project 365 - Day 180

Pool fun at Grammy's camp today!

Project 365 - Day 179

Evan's first movie! Today MIL and I took the boys to see Madagascar 3. It was the perfect first movie for Evan since he really enjoys the first 2 "Alex the Lion" movies. We made sure to sit in an aisle that had lots of space so that we could quickly move if Evan got rowdy! He did much better than I thought, he would switch from sitting with me and sitting with MIL. We had to step out once because he was trying to escape from our row, but he came back after a few minutes and finished the movie, but otherwise he did well. He had the people in the row behind us giggling when he stood up to dance during the circus scene.

I'm not sure how he would do with a movie he is unfamiliar with so I'm still debating whether or not I want to attempt taking him to see Brave, but the older 2 really want to go so we'll have to see!

Project 365 - Day 178

Our slider installation is almost complete, but Evan decided to help speed things along by "helping" the carpenter mud the wall.

Project 365 - Day 177

Evan's newest milestone (and I cannot say that I'm thrilled) is being able to open his bedroom door. He has been sleeping in a "big boy" bed since January but he's never tried to get out of the bed, until now. He used to just sit in his room and talk to his stuffed animals or sing songs to himself until I went in to get him. NOW, not so much, I don't know what has changed, but now he likes to get out of his bed, open his door and run out into the hallway and announce "Mommy, Daddy! I wake up!" at the top of his lungs. Then he'll run down the hall to his brothers rooms to tell them.

This would be less of a problem if it wasn't happening between 5:45 and 6:15 in the morning. I try to get him back into his bed and close his door but it's pretty much futile, since in a few minutes he'll get back up and do it all over again. This morning I heard running down the hall trying to sneak down to David's room (he doesn't always announce that he woke up), it was 6:15 and I looked at him pointed to his room and gave him the stink eye to march right back to bed. He was so sad, "I want David" he cried. But I turned on his music and told him it was too early. He calmed down but at that point, Shaun and David were already awake.

I sent the older 2 boys downstairs and decided to grab my camera to see if I could catch Evan trying to get out of bed again, since I knew he heard his brothers at this point. Sure enough, here he is opening his door and trying to sneak out again. Imagine his surprise when he saw Mommy with her camera catching him red handed! This will be one for the memory books when his future children wake him up at the butt crack of dawn trying to sneak out of their rooms!

Project 365 - Day 176

David has finally decided to let us take his training wheels off and learn to ride his bike (originally he told us he would learn when he turned 6)!! He did pretty well, but I still think the fear is holding him back. We told him that practice makes perfect and it's not going to happen overnight. I'm just happy that he tried!

Project 365 - Day 175

FORE!

Project 365 - Day 174

While recovering from an eye procedure I had one that afternoon, the boys play quietly with their video games. Shaun often likes to watch David since he is better at the games. I was just happy they were playing nicely together so I could lay on the couch and recoup!

Project 365 - Day 173

School's out for summer and it was a HOT first week. This was the kind of day where you really miss living at the beach! David & his friend stay cool by swimming in the ocean. I don't think they spent more than 20 minutes out of the water.

Project 365 - Day 172

Strawberry Fields Forever!

Project 365 - Day 171

Like the sticker says, David got his library card today! I think this makes us official residents now, only took us a year to get there!

Project 365 - Day 170

Jumping rope!

Project 365 - Day 169

Happy Father's Day!

Project 365 - Day 168

Our friends came over today to help us get that much closer to clearing all the brush in our back yard and after we spent a good chunk working, and the fire had died down a bit, we broke out the s'mores and some sparklers!

Project 365 - Day 167

When we moved in last year the peonies had already bloomed and so we never got to see what they would look like. This week they all opened up and they are a beautiful bright magenta! I think I will transplant them so they are not over crowding the other flowers but I really love how they look out front!

Project 365 - Day 166

No more pencils, no more books...

David Charles - FIRST GRADER

Project 365 - Day 165

Tomorrow is the last day of school and so today we were putting the finishing touches on his teacher gift. I gave him some paper and asked him to write his teacher a little thank you note. He wrote:

Thank you for being my teacher. And thank you for the CD I liked the songs. I hope you have a great summer.

Project 365 - Day 164

Tonight was David's Kindergarten Success Night. We got to go into his classroom and look at all the work he's done throughout the year. We got to read his writing journal and see all his drawings. He was so excited for tonight and his teacher told us that leading up to tonight he would say to her "My Mom and Dad are going to be SO proud of me!", and of course he was right!   Though more important than that was seeing how proud HE was of his work and himself!  It was so fun watching him show off his folder and read his stories. His progress report for the year was outstanding!  Hard to believe there are only 2 more days left before before he's officially a first grader!

Project 365 - Day 163

I love listening the boys pretend play. They build these worlds and act out different scenes. Reminds me of the days my brothers and sister did that with our set of "little people" toys. Here is Shaun in the midst of some kind of rebel takeover!

Project 365 - Day 162

The Birthday Boy! Happy FOURTH Birthday Shaun!

Project 365 - Day 161

Swimming pool FAIL: the big kids showed the little kids how to make a mud puddle, then clean themselves off in the kiddie pool. It was all good in the end, Uncle David took pleasure in spraying them all down with a hose after the day was over!

Project 365 - Day 160

Shaun's last day of preschool! He has come such a long way since his days of early intervention and speech. Not only has he grown so much academically, but also physically. If you notice from the first day of school picture he is holding up his shorts are past his knees and those were size 4's. Today he is wearing clothes that David was wearing at the beginning of the school year, size 5's, and they are not even long on him. It's been a very big week for him, last day of Family Center, last day of preschool and on Sunday he celebrates his FOURTH birthday! We could not be more proud of this little guy!

Project 365 - Day 159

We haven't even been a part of this community for a year yet, but Family Center was the first places that made us feel like we have belonged and been here for years! Today was the last day and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of this wonderful group. We have made some really great friends and learned so much from the wonderful staff. Thank you Miss Christine, Miss Laurie and Miss Dinah for helping my boys grow! We will miss you all!

Project 365 - Day 158

A double rainbow in our backyard tonight!

Project 365 - Day 157

Shaun is hit or miss with his goggles, but lately he's been wearing them like he's supposed to! He's really come a long way this year in his lessons! Their teacher is graduating this Saturday from high school and off to Northeastern in the fall. We are really going to miss him!

Project 365 - Day 156

Went to my nephew's playoff game tonight, here he is stealing second after a bunt single! His team lost, but he played really well and I'm super proud of him! Glad I was able to see a game, even if it felt more like March outside than June!

Project 365 - Day 155

Running the Covered Bridges 1/2 Marathon; official race time still to be determined, but we do know he killed it this year!  I snapped a shot of the clock at 1:25:09, but he had already crossed at that point, I got distracted for a second!  Daddy saw us waiting this time and came into give the boys a high five as he crossed the finish line!  We are so proud!!

Project 365 - Day 154

It's a little wet today!

Project 365 - Day 153

His bags are packed and he's ready to go! His first sleepover on the Cape with his Great Aunt Karen! It was all he could ask about all week!