Bare minimum

I guess I will be posting only the bare minimum this summer.  You know, birthdays and the like.  I didn't intend for this to happen.  (I still have a big stack of books on my bedside table worth mentioning.)  But sometimes life just is as it is.

P.S.  And, no, not even Father's Day makes the cut for a dedicated post.  Sorry, Greg.  He is such a good dad.  And a good mom.  Which is good because sometimes he has to be both.

Birthday boy!

David had a fun (and easy) birthday bash at a local play place.  (And thanks to a Wednesday afternoon special, it didn't cost much more than what I would have spent on decorations and activities had we hosted it at our house.  Bonus: It wasn't at our house!)

He and his friends had tons of fun ...

What a fun group!

Yay for birthday parties!

Happy birthday party, David.  :)

David's birthday week, which was the last week of school, was full of fun activities.  Field day, the first grade picnic, teacher gifts, school assemblies, plus Mary's school's end-of-the-year potluck.  Then, just like last year, David brought birthday treats on the last day of school.

Finally, the official day arrived.  Greg took David and Mary camping and canoeing the night before.  Later that afternoon, we celebrated with our SEVEN-YEAR-OLD!

David is OBSESSED with WWI and WWII right now.  (Hence the cake.  David had grand plans.  I did my best.  And he was pleased.)

Make a wish ...

 

This kid with the toothless grin has absolutely stolen my heart.

Love my seven-year-old!  (And thankful he still likes to cuddle with his mama ... while he discusses the Doolittle Raid and the merits of B-24s.)

Last day observation

Today was David's last day of first grade.  He was in kind of a funk this afternoon.

In his words:  "The week before the last week of school you're all excited for school to be over and you can't wait.  But once it really is the last day and school is over, you feel sad and you wish it wasn't over."

Daddy took him and Mary camping tonight.  And tomorrow is his birthday.  So hopefully he'll cheer up a bit.

(I myself have been kind of wreck--struggling to keep back the tears all afternoon, on this, the last day of my son's first grade year.  Tears of relief, sadness, guilt, pride, and gratitude.)

Six for Saturday

Here is a list of six to help sum up the end of May.


1.  Cowgirl Mary rides again.

We haven't seen much of Cowgirl Mary since our Texas days.  But that changed when Mary's best friend Brooke had her birthday party at the local stables.  Mary has been giddyup-ing all over the place in boots and hat ever since.

Cowgirl friends Zoe, Brooke, and Mary

Mary rode a horse at the party, but she's refusing to talk about it--which is how we know it was a wonderful, meaningful experience.  (She's funny like that.)



2.  Spring gardening

Most people round these parts put in big vegetable gardens.  We put in a small flower garden.  Baby steps, baby steps.


3.  Memorial Day + Madison = BRATFEST!

4.  Jupiter and Saturn!

Our journey through the Solar System continued with visits to Jupiter and Saturn.  We started at Ceres, right where we left off last time.  (Plus, we got to park right next to Camp Randall Stadium.  Go Badgers!)  It was a six mile ride.  We're so proud of David!  His legs are getting strong!

5.  Summertime veggies.

We live in a CSA haven here in Madison.  It's fabulous. We're going with Vermont Valley again this year.  We had our first pick-up on Thursday.

The baby greens are so good you can just sit and eat them like potato chips.  And the turnips (yes, turnips) are TO DIE FOR.  Summertime has begun--and I love it!


6.  Hmmm.  Okay, so maybe I really only have a list of five.  Oh well.  You'll forgive me, right?


And that just about sums up the end of May.  Now we're into June and the CRAZINESS of the last week of school is just around the corner.  Plus, David's big birthday bash is this week.  Expect pictures of a grinning SEVEN-year-old soon.