First Day of School 2016

Here's a late blog post with photos from the first day of school (the school year is already half over). This is a special year as Luke began kindergarten at the same school where Maddie is a 6th grader. Next year Maddie will move on to junior high but this year both kids are together in the same school!

Since the school year is well underway, I can say with certainty that Luke is enjoying his kindergarten experience and Maddie is having a fantastic year in 6th grade. The progress that Luke has made is astounding, especially in the areas of reading and writing. He loves school and always has a lot to discuss each night at the dinner table. Maddie continues to maintain her high standards of academics and behavior.  Both kids are participating in various extracurricular clubs and activities.

We are grateful that they attend an excellent school with dedicated and talented teachers who are passionate about teaching.  We're excited to watch the kids learn and grow this year.

Maddie and Luke pose at school before the day begins

Maddie and her homeroom teacher

Luke and his teacher

Luke poses outside the classroom

Maddie Piano Recital Spring 2016

As usual, I'm way behind on my blog posts...

Here's Maddie's piano recital from May.  Enjoy!

Link to piano recitals from past years:
2012 Piano Recital (1st Grade)
2014 Piano Recital (3rd Grade)
2015 Piano Recital (4th Grade)

Soccer

This past winter and spring we played lots of soccer. In previous years Luke had enrolled in several sessions of the city-sponsored skills classes, but in those classes there are no teams and no actual games. Luke was ready to play in a real league with real games. For Maddie, she had played a single season of competitive soccer a couple years ago but at the time she didn't enjoy the experience (or at least she didn't enjoy it enough to keep playing).

So this past winter Luke signed up and played on Team Crew (photos below with yellow uniforms). He really enjoyed playing and learning and he met several new friends. He enjoyed the winter season so much that he signed up for the spring season too and played for Team Union (photos below with gold uniforms). The highlight of Luke's spring season was when he scored two goals in one game!

Maddie was a spectator during the winter season watching all of Luke's games, but she got bit by the soccer bug and enrolled to play spring season. Maddie played in an all-girls league for Team Crew in the spring. Maddie loved playing (more than she thought she would) and made great improvements in her game throughout the season. She also loved the team camaraderie (more than playing, I think).

Both kids are looking forward to playing again in the fall.

Luke with Team Crew

Luke with Team Union

Maddie with Team Crew

First Day of School 2015

It's hard to believe that the new school year started nearly 3 weeks ago. This year Luke is enrolled in a pre-K class that meets 3 days each week. He is back at the same preschool that he's attended for the past two years so he is already comfortable with the school environment, and he recognized a few familiar faces of students in his class on day one.

This year Maddie started 5th grade. Like Luke, she is also returning to the same school that she has attended for several years.  There was no anxiety (or complaining) about the start of the new school year. In fact, I think that both kids were excited to start the new school year.

Enjoy some photos from the first day!

Maddie and Luke are ready for their first day of school

Luke shows off his new backpack

Maddie proudly displays her blobfish shirt

Luke with his new teacher

Luke with his friend Cooper who lives in the neighborhood

Luke finds the Lego collection in his new classroom

Maddie welcomes two friends to the school

Maddie and her bestie

Maddie with her new teacher

Maddie Piano Recital 2015

Posting this in record time... the recital was today!

This year's performance was a duet.  Maddie's partner was another 4th grader, but they hadn't met until they started practicing together several weeks ago.  In fact, they only practiced together two times (but of course practiced lots with their teachers).

The song is "Waltz" by Johann Strauss.  You may recognize it... enjoy!

Today was Maddie's fourth recital.  Here are links to recitals from previous years (sorry, no video from 2013).
2012 Recital (1st grade)
2014 Recital (3rd grade)

Maddie Piano Recital 2014

Another "old" post from the backlog of photos and videos that I'm still catching up with... this one is Maddie's 3rd grade piano recital from April.  She played "Noel" (not the Christmas song) by Alexandre Tansman.  Enjoy!

Searching through old blog posts I noticed that I didn't post her 2nd grade recital, but here's a link to here first grade recital from 2012.

Florida Spring Break 2014

As I post this overdue blog update in the middle of the blazing hot summer, oh how I long for the cooler days of spring.  In March we traveled to Florida to spend spring break with Grandma.  While this area of Florida is known for some of the best beaches in the world, we didn't have the best beach weather during our visit. However the cool (and sometimes wet) weather didn't dampen our spirits.  We had a fantastic week of fun and awesome activities.  Oh, and we did get to the beach (several days) too!

Dad, Luke and Maddie building the perfect sand castle

Luke runs to the waves (and turns around to run away)

A boat sails into the sand castle moat

Maddie, Mom, and crystal clear water

Maddie tests the water

Luke scoops a handful of sand between waves

A new dump truck makes the perfect beach toy?

We caught a bucket full of... water

There's a boy wrapped in that towel...

Planting tomatoes with Grandma

Sitting on Grandma's dock looking for dolphins

Cheese!

Playing chase in Grandma's back yard

Camera shy Luke with Sissy

The freaky gorilla statue makes Luke uncomfortable... okay and Dad too

A moment of laughter on National Green Shirt Day

Maddie + Aquarium = Happiness

During a visit to a wild cat rescue, a "kitty" loves on Maddie

Lots of cat prints in this photo... one is real

Grandma and Maddie

Random photos from early 2014

I've been bad about posting photos and updates lately (okay, I've been bad for awhile - first post of 2014 is in June?!).  A big reason for this is simply the business of daily family life and work and all that is going on. However I wouldn't be completely honest if I didn't admit (at least to myself) that I just need to resolve to make time and commit to more frequent postings.  Let's see how that goes...

My lack of activity on this blog certainly is not due to lack of material to post and discuss.  We collect hundreds of photos and hours of videos, almost faster than we can download, view and process.

Here are some random photos from early 2014... enjoy!

Dad and Luke feed some hungry goats at the zoo

A moment of laughter at the zoo

Maddie gives iguana a high five

Big Sissy and Little Brother

Expressive... I can't remember what he was saying or doing, but it sure is a cute photo

A bath time photo

Summer fun and Grandma's Visit

I'm waaayyy behind in posting photos and updates of our family activities.  Here are some cute (and recent) photos of the kids and some photos from a visit from Grandma earlier this summer.  The kids love Grandma's visits and her fancy condo with a pool, craft activities, and lunch at the grill poolside!

All photos can't be serious!

So sweet

Luke shows Grandma how to connect the trains

Granddaughter and Grandma

Luke poolside at Grandma's condo... he looks cold but this is actually his smile

Luke and Maddie playing in the condo pool

Maddie with her friend Sarah

Luke and his friend Wesley