Love bugs

Since we have all been going to Vacation Bible School this week, I have been trying to balance keeping the boys busy, and letting them rest. We've taken it day by day.
On Tuesday, we went to see Wind in the Willows at Imagination Stage in Bethesda. The play was so boring!!! You know it was bad when the boys tried to lay down in their seat and take a nap! When it was over, I asked them, "What did you think?" I guess they didn't want to hurt my feelings because they said, "It was good!" NO IT WASN'T!!! ha!

Leviticus VBS

Our VBS this week is based on Biblical feasts such as Passover. Jason has been doing the lesson each night for the kids. Last night, he laughed and said this may be the only VBS based on Leviticus. Luckily, the kids seem to be really enjoying it. Here Jason is about to pour water over this poor kid as he taps on the the rock. Later, he pretended to saw this poor girl with a REAL saw. She was the sacrifice. Like I said, the kids seem to really enjoy the stories!
Last night, I kept sneaking into Ethan's room with the camera. I wanted to make sure that he has some VBS memories on record!!!
He posed for me each time I came in!
Link didn't mind posing during crafts!!! The kids have become much more comfortable with us. Tonight, they were even a little WILD!!!

Self Timer

I took some pictures with Bob's camera when we were in town a few weeks ago. Bob sent some of the pictures along with the boys this weekend. Here are two of my favorites.

Shake it up Cafe-VBS

I am so excited that the boys are back! I was missing them so much! They made it back in time for Vacation Bible School! Lincoln's best buddy, Trey, went with us again this year. They had so much fun playing together today.
They were side by side most of the night!

Daddy was a big help tonight. He helped a few boys feel comfortable tonight. He also helped Lincoln see the props during the story tonight.And.....look how cute he looks in his apron!!!

Graduation Videos

Click here to see Ethan's Together Poem

Click here to see Lincoln's Banner Over Me Song

Father's Day

On this Father's Day, I will spend it will the best Daddy ever! The boys are spending it with their Pappy and Nate's Pappy!
Before the boys left for Memaw's, they gave Nate their Father's Day cards and homemade gifts. Ethan colored a plastic football helmet in Steeler colors for Nate two months ago and has been hiding in his room for him. Today he signed a card for Nate and got his helmet out. Before he handed it to Nate, he said, "OH NO! I sealed the card up and I need to put some money in it for him!" It was so sweet! I smiled and told him he didn't need to do that for Daddy! The helmet was enough! And....it was! Nate loved it!

After Ethan's graduation, he ran around and asked some of his Kindergarten friends to take pictures with him.

Graduates

We enjoyed TWO days of graduations. Today we celebrated Ethan's Kindergarten celebration. Memaw and Nan were able to make it in today!
We got there early and were able to get a FRONT row seat! We lucked out and Ethan just happened to be seated on the front row, too!This is when I started to tear up!
He was so proud! He grinned from ear to ear the entire graduation!
This is his Kindergarten teacher, Ms. Phythyon.
This is Mr. Kurland, his teacher while Ms. Phythyon had her baby.
This is Ms. Rayasse. She is the assistant in his classroom.

Lincoln's class had graduation yesterday. They started off in prayer! This is the cutest thing!
He was so nervous and shy throughout the graduation.
He did all the motions during the songs, but he did not sing. I even caught him biting his fingernails. I guess he saves all his energy and charisma for us! :)

Punisher

As I picked Link up from school yesterday, I found him standing in Timeout....AGAIN! As we left, he said, "I know. I know. I lost my DS." YES you did, buddy! He then tells me, "Everyday when I am in timeout, I talk my invisible talk."

Ethan has had a pretty crummy attitude this week. I think the longest school year ever is getting to him. This morning, he got mad and threw the Ipod. Nate scolded him. Link says, "Daddy, you know who punishes the most? GOD. He's gonna punish Ethan just like he did Adam and Eve."

Link had his preschool graduation show after school today. Ethan graduates Kindergarten tomorrow! The summer is FINALLY in reach!

Boring

Yesterday was our last day with Lanier. She has picked Ethan up every Monday for us. She also has been our go-to weekend sitter when we've needed her. She's one of those people you meet and instantly feel like you've known her your whole life! We are going to miss her terribly!
After she left, the boys went out for bike rides. I decided that Nate is going to have to be the one who teaches Link to drive. He crashed his tricycle three times. How in the world do you crash a tricycle?? He also pedals up hill and stops mid-hill to ring his bell. He's hilarious!
Tonight I went in to tell him goodnight. As I was leaving his asks me to sing him a song. I sing Do Lord and then tell him goodnight. A few minutes later he calls me back in. He says, "Mom that Do Lord song was boring. Sing me another song. How about Jesus loves the little children?" I love that crazy kid!

Crabs with the Kelleys

Nate found out that the Kelleys knew about a great crab house in Maryland and he wanted to go! As much as I want to like crabs, my poor bitten fingernails just can't take them. They are too much work for me, but Nate LOVES them!


Captain Billy's is right on the Potomac.
These boys and girls enjoyed spending the afternoon together!
The drive took us about an hour. Daddy ran the little guy before the drive back home. We are going to miss these guys so much!

Lincoln on the Lincoln 2011

I've been bugging Nate for weeks that I want to make it back to the Lincoln Memorial to get the updated picture of Lincoln on the Lincoln. We only have one more month here and the boys with be in Pennsylvania two of the four Saturdays. So, we headed there today after Ethan's last basketball class!

This is the original picture taken almost three years ago! He was about 16 months old. This is his SERIOUS face outside the memorial.They were doing some work on the Reflection Pond. This is just a sad picture!
We parked next to Albert Einstein. I can't believe we never made it to see him. As we left today, Nate and I said, "I think we've done it all!!"

Link and I have about a twenty minute wait before we can pick Ethan up from school. Link usually plays his DS and I usually read my Kindle. As I pick Link up today, he asks if I remembered his DS. I tell him yes and he says, "You are the best Mommy! Thanks for remembering my DS."
I give him the DS and he opens it up. Then he says, "Oh great! You forgot to change out the games and give me the one I want."
I said, "How am I supposed to know which on you want."
He says, "You're the mom."

Leap family

Nate's cousin, Garett, had a really nice camera. Lucky for me he brought his camera and took lots of pictures. In our haste to get out of here this weekend, I forgot my camera. I stole these pictures from his snapfish account! Before we headed back home, a group photo was taken. This picture captures almost all of the family. This picture was taken at the viewing on Sunday. It was a nice day of catching up with everyone.
This picture is some of the grandkids and some of the great grandkids.



Here are the fellas snuggling with Pappy!

Just like that!

Nate's grandma, Bertha Leap, passed away Friday in her sleep. She survived an amazing 98 years!! You can't ask for more than that.

Ironically, I found out that she passed from Facebook. Nate's dad had tried to reach Nate via cell phone, but he is not allowed to have his phone in the Pentagon. So, I called him Friday afternoon to tell him. Ethan overheard me telling him that his Grandmother had died.

After I got off the phone Ethan says, "What happened to her? Did she get shot?"
I told him, "No. She went to sleep and didn't wake up."
He says, "Oh, just like Master Yoda!"
Yes, Ethan.....just like that!

It's hot!

On the way home from PA, we stopped off at a playground that I found last Spring. It has an ENORMOUS castle and a pirate ship! When we left PA, it was warm, but not too bad. In VA, it was 96 degrees! Needless to say, we didn't stay long at the playground!We did stay long enough to drive the ship around a few times.
We also had time to storm the castle a few times!
The good thing about this nice HOT weather is that it has heated the neighborhood pool up! We made it to the pool tonight for the 1st this season! I love pool weather, and so do my little fishies!

Gardening!

Memaw enlisted her two favorite boys to help her plant the rest of her flowers this weekend.
They did the digging and the watering!
If you are wondering if that is the same shirt Link had on yesterday's post that would be a YES! If you saw him yesterday, he would be wearing the same shirt again. He is in LOVE with that Pirate's of the Caravan shirt! :)