Big Day

The boys got quite the birthday gift from Grandma & Grandpa - CASH! Hayden wanted to go shopping within an hour of opening his card. Once Bayley got paid for his first job (feeding the neighbors dog while they were on vacation) he was just as eager to shop.

Bayley has been saving for Nintendo DS for a year. Around the holidays we decided if he came up with half the money, we'd make up the rest (because it's a long way to go on $2 a week). We never really anticipated the kid would get a windfall in 24 hours... He picked out his DS (blue) and got in on a deal for a game (New Super Mario Bros.). The store had a buy 2 get 1 deal, so he bought a game (Lego: Battles) with the cash he had left and Mom & Dad kicked in for the other game (Mario Party) so he could get one free (Mario Kart). He clutched the bag to his chest and looked up at me, his eyes wide and said "This is the best day of my life so far." Made me wish I'd bought him the thing months ago. But then, he might not have been so excited...

Not to be outdone, Hayden took his money to the toy section. He decided he had to have some Bakugan . I'm still not sure what the deal is with these toys...are they a game? marble transformers? Either way, he's completely outfited. He has a case and a half dozen of them.

First Week Of Summer

It was a busy one! Football camp, golf camp, picnics, tadpoles, birds nests, potential raccoon debauchery, and Grace wound up with a nasty virus. She was out of it for 3 days with a fever.

We were so busy I wasn't really shocked to discover the memory card on the camera was full. Since I was at football camp at the time, I wanted to do a quick purge in case something interesting happened...but our card was filled with some not so camera-worthy things...like Hayden's shoes.

Football was a big hit with the boys. It was fun to watch the different ways they approached the game - Bayley trying to be a general and work with a strategy, Hayden figuing if he was simply faster, he'd get where he was going.

Grace was the cheerleader, wanting to be on the field with her brothers. The camp was right at her nap time, so she truly was a trooper.

Up next week? Birthdays and parties!

Golly What A Day!!

Football camp...Golf camp where the kids learned how to play a hole from start to finish...a park pizza party...and an evening catching tadpoles and examining birds nests...all in a days work for a Burke Brother (and Gracie too, minus the tadpoles and birds nests)

A picnic with the baby girlfriends. They dined on pizza, blueberries, cheese doodles, greens puffs, watermelon and cupcakes. Grace was filthy, Sara was a mess, and Katelyn? Neat as a pin. Oddly, I think she ate the most...she really is her mother's daughter!

Tadpoles the boys played catch and release with in Damien's Pond. Bayley did a frong unit in 1st grade, but he's forgotten what tadpoles eat...

2 birds nests from the trees out front. Damien got them down so the boys could look at them up close. This year Bayley did a bird unit, so he told us all about how birds make their nests...with spit.

Golf

We have golf camp this week. Hayden has lots of company from his preschool friends. Bayley is simply loving the game.

Football Camp

The boys have a flag football camp this week. They are loving it...and so is Grace. She wants to be where they are. It's funny when they are running laps, a bit scary when they are scrimmaging!

I'm hoping that they'll toss the football with one another now. It gives me another thing to tell them to do when I hear the constant summer refrain - "I'm bored"

Grace's First Ice Cream Cone

...on her own. We took the kids to dinner at Chevy's (Hayden's choice) to celebrate kindergarten graduation. They usually don't bother bringing an ice cream cone for Grace, but she'd been charming the waiter all night...

Graduation Pix from Ashling's Dad

A tootie-ta, a tootie-ta, a tootie-ta-ta!

Grace wanted to be the star of the show...

Summer Reading Programs

This is Hayden's first year as a reader, not a read-to-me! I still have Grace to read to, but now Hayden can do it on his own. Such freedom!

Here are some summer reading programs I've found ::

Summer Reading 2009 from the Washington County Library System
Scholastic Summer Challenge
Barnes and Noble Summer Reading
Borders/Walden Books Kids Reading Challenge
Chuck E. Cheese's Reading Rewards Calendar

10 Best Things to do with Dad

One of my girlfriend had a great idea for Father's Day - Top 10 lists! She asked her daughter the top 10 things to do with Dad, then collected gift cards and such to go with the list. Never one to let a good idea go to waste...I copied! Here's what the kids had to say ::

HAYDEN

1. Watch TV
2. Play football
3. Play Wii
4. Kiss & hug him
5. Play baseball
6. Water plants with him
7. Eating at restaurants
8. Play miniature golf
9. Eating ice cream
10. Build Legos

GRACIOUS MAE

1. Play with Dad
2. Play dolls
3. Be carried
4. Riding in the backpack
5. Waving ‘Hi’ to him
6. Have my bath
7. Play chase
8. Kisses
9. Eat messy food
10. Be outside

BAYLEY

1. Go to the driving range
2. Play Wii
3. Wrestle
4. Play board games
5. Eating at restaurants
6. Building Legos
7. Washing the cars
8. Going to amusement parks
9. Going bowling
10. Building KNex

Graduation Day

What a year. Hayden was so nervous to start kindergarten he told his teacher he didn't know how to read or even write his name. We quickly got that sorted out and Hayden blossomed.

His small motor delays are waning, and he should be caught up with the rest of the class on handwriting by the end of the summer. He's adding and subtracting, reading books for 1st/2nd grade, and working hard on waiting his turn to talk. He learned about dancing and butterflies, leprechauns and painting. But best of all, he learned to love school, a lesson that will serve him better than any other.

Grace was not impressed with kindergarten graduation...she didn't understand why everyone wanted her to hush, sit still, and not eat things off the gym floor...Uncle Dan had to drag her outside. I don't understand why people are suprised when babies make noise. I've never known a quiet one.

Bittersweet

The house sold, the school year is ending, and we're on the hunt for a new home. It's thrilling to think of a house where I have an office to work in (that hasn't happened much lately), where the boys will have their own private space, and all the new things they'll learn next year.

But I can't help but want to hold on to their teachers, who've been such blessings to them both this year. Each boy had a real connection with their teacher, and it showed in all they learned.

I'll miss this house too, the place I brought my babies home to. I still love it, we just don't fit in it anymore. I'll miss my garden, especially when the tomatoes come in. I hope the street we move to has a collection of great kids for the boys to romp around with.

Change is good, but change is hard. One thing I won't miss? Having the main topic of conversation always be houses. I'm so over moving...and we haven't even packed!

Playdates

Grace and Nick got to play together again...well, Nick played and Grace tried to tackle him and steal his toys. I think she's a baby bully!

Lucky for Grace, Nick was so enthralled with her plethora of toys, he didn't care much that the one she wanted to play with was always the one in his hand.

Rood Bridge Picnic

Grandpa Bill is working in Alaska this week, so we decided to change up our Sunday dinners at Grandma's with a hike & picnic. Everyone else in town must have had the same idea because all the picnic tables at Rood Bridge park were taken!

The boys usually love to hike, but they did a fair amount of complaining this time around. I think it was because there was a stream and we kept telling them they couldn't roll around in it. That kind of thing can ruin a boy's afternoon!

Grace was sleeping when we got there, so instead of loading her in a backpack we opted to carry her. Girl is getting heavy! Next time she's getting packed whether she's awake or not!

Hayden found another 4 leaf clover! He found his first on Thursday at Uncle Matt's...and we got an offer on the house an hour later...I wonder what fabulosity awaits us now?

Grandma even brought dessert! We made strawberry shortcakes on a park bench. Talk about improvisation!