The Last AR Sounds Game (for a while)

I know I've posted a few blogs on this subject, but I had to post this final one, at least for a while... At the elementary school, they do Accelerated Reading to encourage kids to read. Once you read a book, you take a quiz on the book and get points for that. Based on your grade level, there are different amount of points you get for prizes, etc. For the 4th & 5th graders, they have to get 100 points to attend the Nashville Sounds Game.

Christian made it all 4 years he was able to go. Rebecca has made it one previous year but wasn't quite as motivated as Christian was. However, this year, she decided she wanted to go, since it would be her last year. She also was reading the Harry Potter series, so that made it much easier to get to the point level faster. We were very proud of her and so Matthew & I were both able to go with her.

We didn't take many pictures, but I'm posting the ones that I did (first two) and then she took the others. Assuming Julianna will make her points in 2nd grade when she's there, we'll have 4 yeas before we go again.....

Rebecca and her friends Makenzie & Sarah

We had GREAT seats!!

Sarah

A couple of other 5th grade boys

Makenzie

Spring Volleyball

Rebecca played volleyball again this spring on a local recreational team. This is the same place she played in the fall for the first time. We were a little worried at the beginning since our team didn't have a coach but after a couple of practices, one mom and one dad stepped up and agreed to coach. Typically, there is one practice a week until games start and then there are only the games. But our coaches wanted an additional practice. It was amazing to see how much better the girls played on Tuesday nights after a Monday practice, especially since only 3 of the 8 girls on the team had ever played before. We saw huge improvement with the girls and it was a very positive season. Way to go, Spicy Chicks!!

Rebecca with her trophy at the end of the season

After diving for the ball....

Rebecca really learned to serve well this season and by the end was consistently getting her serve over!

Rebecca also began to bump the ball extremely well & was a valuable player on her team

I think it's funny how far off the ground she is!

This is Cassidy, who was on Rebecca's team last season. They played against each other this year and had fun teasing each other.

When the season was over, the girls signed each other's shirts. This is funny - Rebecca sandwiched between the twins on her team!

The Spicy Chicks with Coach Jeff & Coach Kristi

Mother's Day

Julianna's gift for me from church

My precious children

A pretty good family picture for a tripod and a very sunny day!

Love this - gotta have the silly picture

My sweet Julianna

My pretty Rebecca

My son, Christian

Wax Museum 2010

The 5th Graders at Greenbrier do something at the end of the school year (you may remember my blog from last year, 5th Grade Wax Museum). It is a wax museum and each student chooses an American History person to study and they are to write a report, prepare a board about that person's life, including pictures, famous quotes, a time line and other important things.

Rebecca chose to be Thomas Jefferson. This came largely in part to the fact that we had just visited his home, Monticello, in March when we visited Mimi in Charlottesville. We really had fun with this one, especially since the biography she read had pictures of some of his neat inventions that we'd seen in person in his house!!!

Rebecca did a great job and learned a lot of additional information about our past President.

I took a bunch of pictures of Rebecca's friends at the Wax Museum - they're all so cute.

(*For some reason, the video of her doing her speech is not loading. We put Christian's on last year and I'd love to do hers too. If I figure it out, I'll add it in another blog. For not, enjoy the pictures!)

Our 3rd US President, Mr. Thomas Jefferson

Sarah as Clara Barton

Makenzie as Lewis (of Lewis & Clark) - she's sitting because her foot is in a boot!

Anna Grace as Pocahontas

Hannah was Annie Oakley

Jalin was a beautiful Jacqueline Kennedy and knew her speech wonderfully!

Paige did a great job as Anne Frank

Really??

The Wright Brothers

Megan was a cute Lucille Ball

My flowers

I do not have a green thumb! It's certainly no secret... But I have found a love for irises. I don't have to do much to them and they turn out beautifully. My kids bought me some very beautiful irises 2 years ago for Mother's Day and this year, I got the best result of them. I was so excited to wake up each morning during the spring and walk outside to find new blooms. So I wanted to share my pictures with you...

Obviously this is not an iris, but a cheap rose bush I bought on clearance and we've already gotten some rose buds. The girls love this.

This variety was given to us from some friends from church. I love the 2 colors of purple on this.






Aren't they all beautiful? Can't wait for next spring!!!

Nashville Flooding & Swimming

Most of you know about the horrible flooding that we had at the first of May here in Tennessee. On Sunday afternoon, we got out and drove around Springfield to see if anything was happening up here. We drove over to the park and took some pictures. They closed the roads around this because the water was covering the main road but we snuck over to our friends house who lives near the park and got these pictures!

That is a lake but obviously it's way overflown into the park area

Over by the walkway


One of the creeks - it's huge!!!

So, we were out of school on Monday & Tuesday due to the flooding all around us. We were invited to go swimming at the Locke's. The water was very cold but it was a beautiful day and the kids enjoyed their first swim of the year...

Watch out or this white boy will blind you!!!!!

Michael & Morgan

Michael's first jump into the pool

The girls

BRRRRRR
Julianna is tall enough to stand in the shallow end. She was so proud of herself!

Christian jumping into the pool

Having fun despite the cold water