Jonathan'sBirthday

Jonathan turned 8 on the 29th and we celebrated his birthday. He chose a funfetti cake with funfetti frosting and birthday cake ice cream.  He wanted an Iron Man cake but I talked him into dinosaurs so that I could use some decals I found and wouldn't have to do much to decorate the cake. 

 Madison made birthday hats for everyone.  Jonathan's was a crown.  Here he must of thought he was the frog prince or something.

He got a Star Wars B wing fighter and two action figures.  A B wing pilot and a Hans Solo.  He was very excited.  We had picked these things up a long time ago when he had spotted them and really wanted them.  We wanted to be sure we could get them.  But then he started talking about wanting dinosaurs and Iron Man things, so we were really glad that he liked them.

Memorial Day

We were spending Memorial Day finishing up so odd and ends around the house before going into Marshalltown to do run errands.   We heard a helicopter and upon investigation realized that it was a military helicopter and it looked like it was heading for the Veterans Memorial at the edge of town.  Greg and the kids hurried and got in the car to go watch it and to their surprise it landed at the memorial site. Not only were they able to see it close up but they were giving tours of it as well.  Greg was able to find out when it would be taking off and so when he got home we quickly finished things up and got ready to go to town.  On the way we stopped so the kids could be there when it took off.  They really enjoyed the experience.

All the way to Marshalltown and back they were busy pretending to be helicopter pilots.  They truly have active imaginations.

Summer Fun

We were checking out a new store in town last weekend and found a slip 'n' slide for cheep.  We decided that the kids would get some good fun out of it as the weather gets warmer.  It was a nice warm day out so we let them try it out.  They had never been on one so they weren't sure what they were suppose to do.

They were finally starting to get the hang of it, but still wouldn't really go on their bellies.  We had also found water guns at this store but they didn't work.  It is a store that sells over stock merchandise and you really don't know what you are going to find.  It was kind of like a large garage sale.

Schools out for Summer

Today was the last day of school for the year.  They always end the year with an awards ceremony.  I have been lucky enough to be done with work so that I am able to attend.  Thursday afternoon was the middle school awards and Friday morning was the elementary awards.  This year Madison received an award for her team going to Battle of the Books.  She also earned an Academic Excellence Award by being on the A honor roll for three quarters, having a 3.5 or higher GPA and getting an 80% or higher in reading or math on the Iowa Assessments (formally known as Iowa Test of Basic Skills).  She also received an award for placing second in the Geography bee for fifth grade in our school.

Receiving award for Battle of the Books

Her Battle of the Books team

Receiving Academic Excellence award

Receiving Geography Bee award

 The elementary awards where much shorter.  Andrew received a kindergarten completion certificate as well as the time capsule they put together to be opened at his graduation.  Jonathan received an award for  the 100 point club for AR.  He read over 100 points for the AR program.  Most picture books are only 0.5 points and some chapter books he read are 3.0 points.  He ended the year reading books that were leveled as high as fifth grade.  He also received an award for Exploring Science.  He has really shown a love for science and discovery.  Jonathan being the only one of the the that did not get pneumonia this year received an Attendance Award for missing 4 or less days of school.

Andrew receiving his certificate

Jonathan receiving his AR award

Jonathan receiving his Science award

Jonathan receiving his attendance award

The buckets you can see on the table in the background are for the kindergarteners.  They each autographed the buckets and Mrs. Creswell put in a composition notebook, pencil, crayons, play-dough, bubbles, and a treat for them for the summer.

Growing Vegetable Soup

There is a book by Lois Elhert titled Growing Vegetable Soup.  This book talks about the things grown in the garden they use to make vegetable soup.  I often think of this book when I plant my garden.  The things I plant will make great soup this winter.  Saturday I finally got my garden planted and though it isn't finished yet at least everything is in the ground.  I picked up tomatoes and peppers from the FFA green house on Saturday morning while Madison was at volleyball camp so I had to get them in the ground so I just worked at getting everything planted.  This year I have six rows of corn, two rows of beans.  I am trying something new this year and am doing pole beans instead of bush so I still need to get a trellis up for them.  I have one row of peas and one hill of cucumber.  Then I also have four roma tomato plants and four red bell pepper plants.  I am also trying lettuce out front in my big planters.  The strawberry patch is doing well and I have already harvested a dew dozen strawberries that are very sweet.  The blueberries are doing okay and I am working at getting a net over them so the birds won't get them this year.  I thought I had lost all the blueberries after they had blossomed and then froze but some are still going so that makes me happy.  I also have planted cilantro, basil and parsley in pots.  I am looking forward to what the harvest will bring this year.

Andrew was a big help.  Here he is turning on the irrigation system.

 The strawberry patch is in the terrace box and then there are four blueberry bushes up above.  The one on the far end is very small.  It was broken off over the winter, but seems to be coming back.

Tomatoes and peppers

My garden helpers.

Book Worm

Madison has always been a book worm, but lately I have gotten two more in the family.  Andrew has really started to enjoy reading as he has learned his sight words this year in school.  Jonathan however I have spent the school year trying very hard to get him to read.  It has been huge challenge to get him to read his AR books.  Then it was like someone flipped a switch.  He has been reading like crazy.  He discovered the series by Jeff Kinney titled Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  There are six books out right now and he will read them in about 24 hours and just laughs as he reads them.  He has also been reading some Star Wars books.  We have bean bag chairs for  the kids and he has said that is what made the difference for him.  However you never know where you will find him reading.

Here he is out for a stroll on the treadmill reading his book.  This particular book is a Star Wars book that he has been reading for fun, just because he wants to.  I just love to see him enjoying a good book just because he wants to.

Off to the Races

A few weeks ago Jonathan's cub scout pack held their pinewood derby.  They opened it up to family members as well as the scouts.  The scouts raced against each other and then the family members raced each other.  Both Jonathan and Madison walked away with awards for the fastest car.  Andrew also received an award for best emergency vehicle. 
Jonathan designed and built a star wars themed car.  Madison designed and built a space rocket car and Andrew designed and build a fire engine.  Greg participated as well and his was a bumble bee.  The kids all enjoyed working with Greg to build and paint their cars.

Greg was the one who ran the races.

The race between Madison and Andrew.

Jonathan's car is the silver one.

Andrew winning a race.

Andrew was having a rough day and wouldn't let me take his picture.

Greg helped them decorate their cars by designing stickers or finding logos from the internet and then printing them on sticker paper to help make their cars more unique.  It will be interesting to see what they do next year.