May flew by in a flash (which I'm pretty sure I say about every month) as we geared up for the end of the school year and the start to summer. We celebrated a few big events such as Mother's Day, Memorial Day weekend and Pop Pop's visit which will be different entries but also celebrated the day to day things such as Ella's star day at school, Joseph's art show, swimming, riding bikes, playing with friends and so on. Here is a glimpse from May.
The first week of May was a hot one so one day after school we went over to the club to swim in the little pool. It still wasn't warm enough for Charlotte and I to get in the big pool so the little pool was a good way to beat the heat without me having to get totally submerged!
Cruising home after swimming.
I put my Stroller Strides membership on hold beginning this month through the summer so Julia, Charlotte and I started going to Miramar once a week again for this month. We had some good cloud coverage in the mornings this month so it was perfect running weather and then had some fun after feeding the ducks and exploring.
The crew hanging out during our Friday cul de sac time on May 5th. We just love our Friday afternoons/nights with this crew!
On Sunday, May 7th I took Joseph, Ella and Julia to see Beauty and the Beast put on by the Community Youth Theatre in Escondido. Katya, the daughter of Rich's former co-worker, was in the play and our kids were so excited to see her in it. Julia sat on my lap the entire time and was totally enthralled and Joseph and Ella both really, really enjoyed it! It was so fun seeing it through their eyes and they loved looking for Katya on stage and finding her at intermission. They had never seen the movie before so we rented it that weekend which definitely helped them follow along and they all now love the soundtrack!! I am going to make an effort to take them to the community youth productions whenever they take place close by because they were so well done and the kids really enjoyed it! Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures; however, I did snap a picture of the program just to be able to remember this fun day!
Joseph's class has been studying a unit on chicks which included hatching eggs in their classroom. Finally, on May 8th they hatched and Mrs. Clark invited our crew into the classroom that afternoon to hold the baby chicks. They were SO cute and the girls loved holding them and Joseph enjoyed showing the girls everything that they've learned about them. The chicks stayed in the class for the rest of the week and on Friday afternoon Mrs. Clark was bringing them to a farm. On Friday morning at 6:00 a.m. Joseph presented me with a habitat for the chicks as well as a written report as to why he should be able to keep a chick...needless to say he ended up in tears and a rough start to our Friday but thankfully he made it through and pulled it together before getting to school. Sweet boy with a big heart!
Two chicks!!
This is what I woke up to on Friday morning!
The habitat ready for the chicks.
The girls wanted to ride their scooters at the community park on May 4th while Joseph was at school so we headed over there to ride and swing.
On Wednesday, May 10th, Ella's school put on a Mother's Day performance. Her class sang three songs and then there was a luncheon following the performance. Ella did amazing, singing nice and loud with a big smile on her face!! She was so excited and told me the day before that, "my heart will melt during the show." Too sweet! One of the songs that she sung had the line "Thank you Mommy for all you do" and since the show, Julia will come up to me and say, "Thank you Mommy for all you do." That also always makes my heart melt!
I went out with some friends on May 10th for drinks and was trying to rush through dinner and baths so I could get out the door and this is what I was up against!! I sent my friends this picture letting them know that I'd probably be a little late :)
Westwood has a program called, Art Corps, which is run by volunteers who go into the classroom monthly to teach an art lesson using different materials, methods, and mediums. On May 10th they held an art show in the MPR showcasing one piece of each student's work. We went after school to find Joseph's piece which he was really proud of (the monster in the upper left).
The after school gang at the grassy area recently has become very interested in collecting roly polys and we normally end up bringing a few home with us!
Sweet swinging sisters! The tree swing in our front yard has provided countless hours of entertainment and smiles since moving in! May 11th
Early morning cheese session with Joseph on May 15th.
Back on the swing on the 15th with Julia, our neighbor and friend.
I bought a spray bottle for the girl's hair and since the addition of that 97 cent item, we have spent many hours playing hairdresser and salon. Ella has a mobile hair salon that she moves from room to room, mostly trying to avoid Charlotte getting in the middle of it, and will do anyone's hair who is willing. If the spray bottle isn't being used in the salon, it is used to either spray Charlotte in the face resulting in deep belly laughs, or you can find one of the kids (including Charlotte) sucking on it to drink the water (gross!!)
So far, the spray bottle has seemed to help with the drama that can surround doing hair for the girls in the morning. IF (and a big IF) she wants her hair done, she becomes pretty particular about how she wants it. We have had many mornings when I do it and then she takes it out almost immediately because it is not exactly how she wants it. We now have the understanding that I will do her hair once in the morning after her giving me specific instructions, and if she doesn't like it, then she either has to do it or she has to wear it down. This has been working much better since we've come to this agreement and although many times it ends up being worn down, at least it is preventing her becoming upset and me becoming frustrated! She wanted to see what this "double braid" ended up looking like and thankfully was pleased with the result-ha!
Another run at Lake Miramar on May 17th and this time she wanted to push her stroller after to show her baby the ducks.
Hanging at the playground after picking Ella up from school on the 17th.
Ella was the "Star for the Day" on May 17th at school and she was so excited about it! She helped me bake blueberry muffins for her classmates and also brought her "favorite snack of watermelon". She also had to bring in three things to share which she brought a picture of our family from Boston, a little toy chick that hops, and her peeing baby, which she reported that the boys, especially, thought to be hilarious. She skipped right into school (she still is hit or miss with her desire to go to school in the mornings so today was super easy!) and was SO excited to tell us all about it after school as well. I love that her school has these special days to help the students feel extra special.
Ella snapped this picture during story time one night. Love these moments.
Oh, Julia!! Always up to something!
On Friday, May 19th there was a science night at Westwood so we went to check it out. They did experiments outside along with the high school robotics team demonstrations and then inside the MPR there were different stations with different experiments. We left with LED flashlights, succulents and on a sugar high from the Kona Ice truck! Joseph with two of his buddies from his class!
We had our first quiet Saturday morning in 8 weeks since soccer is finally over and the kids asked to swim so this was my view while I folded laundry! Not a bad way to do it!
That afternoon we had a birthday party for our good buddy, Jeremy, which I took Ella and Joseph to. They both had a great time!
These girls have their moments at times, but for the most part, are the best of friends.
Julia keeps talking about wanting to do gymnastics (gym ma ma) next year and often will just get into this pose and say "Ta Da!!"
Julia and her sweet friend, Lincoln, at Friday Flag on May 26th.
Back at Miramar on the 26th working on our core after our run.
Hanging out in the cul de sac with our neighbor, Natan. She doesn't look too happy but I promise she enjoys being in it.
We'll finish out the month with one final run at Miramar, but this time with both girls passed out!! Ever since we got bunk beds earlier this month, Julia has been staying up later than her normal bedtime of 7:15 and hasn't been napping consistently which means for random naps in the stroller!! The bunk beds have definitely been a transition...the first four days were great but then the novelty wore off and most nights now at least one of the girls ends up in our bed and we normally have to lie with them to get them to sleep, so definitely a change from dropping Julia into her crib at 7:15 and closing the door but we're getting through it and know it won't be like this forever so for now, naps at 9:45 in the stroller work!
I love looking back at these pictures and remembering just the day to day things that make life so special.
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