Spring Stuff

This spring was pleasant and busy and full of good things. The Footworks Spring concert was our best yet. Maggie graduated from 5th grade and is now officially a 6th grader (yikes)! She worked hard to earn some horseback riding lessons on the side from our neighbors, the Hines. Sophie, below had a BANNER year, due in part to her fabulous 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Perkes. Sophie bloomed this year. Don't know if it was the teacher, the Ireland experience, just getting more mature, or a combination of the three, but all of a sudden Soph went from the middle to the top of the class, got all sorts of writing and citizenship awards, and had half the boys in her class madly in first-grade love with her. (Trust me, I was there, I saw it when I took treats in for Soph's half birthday. One boy shocked my socks off when he said, when he thought I couldn't hear him, "I just REALLY want to kiss Sophie right now!" umm, what??? Her favorite boy was Carter, shhh don't tell, but he didn't try to kiss her. That I know of.)

Spence graduated from Miss Kari's awesome Kinderready Kids Preschool. He did so well! Last year at his preschool graduation he could barely look at me, never mind sing all the songs and do all the actions (too shy). This year he sang right along with the other kids and even posed for pictures! sort of. He knows all his letters and their sounds, and can sound out simple words. Very ready for kindergarten indeed! I'm so proud of my little buddy!

Then Sophie and Spencer played AYSO spring soccer. Look at my handsome little dude, with his best buds Ben and Ammon. This was our first foray -ever - into team sports and Spence LOVED it! Soph not so much, she's more of a dancer, but Spence ate it up. He scored four goals in one game, and then scored none in another, but ususally he averaged one or two goals per game. I just loved the unbridled joy all over his face at every game and practice, and I've already signed him up for Fall and Spring of next year.

Spence likes wearing his soccer socks all the way up. Way to focus on the ball, buddy!

Then we took our first summer jaunt down to Gram and Grandpa's house - always a favorite! Dogs, four wheelers, no chores, and it's the only place in the world where they get to watch Spongebob Squarepants - a Gram's house ritual. Maggie got to try her hand at actually steering the four wheeler this year, which was slightly terrifying, but at least Gram and Liesl were there to set her straight!

 We went to the Fremont Indian Museum just south of Richfield about 20 minutes - so cool. Petroglyphs and hiking and an awesome kids' museum and good company = great times!
 

 Gram helping Spence get all decked out

 They have these great, paved, marked hikes easy enough for the kids to take, with markers pointing out all the different markings on the walls from about 1,000 years ago.

We had tired, busy, happy kids!