cousins...

Whenever our nieces come over, S and I are baffled at the phenomenon of subtraction by addition.  All of a sudden our children have someone else to play with and chat with and we are left to look at each other and wonder what to do.  We always enjoy listening to these beloved little people play and talk and laugh and imagine.  Not that there isn't any bickering and fussing and tears, but at the end of the day, they still all want to put on matching jammie pants. =)  We love these crazy kids of ours.  Happy 15th Anniversary J&C, we love you!  And thanks for wanting to go out to celebrate so we could share your girlies today...

(FULL!) fun friday, 6.7.13...

Kindergarten Graduation for W...

The cheering crowd!

Walking in his "cap and cape"

The class sang favorite songs from music through the year and also recited memory verses.  Which W put 110% into - such fun to see his enthusiasm and joy!

After Mrs. Bierma did a special slide show about their year and how they have grown and learned and had so much fun, W accepted his Kindergarten diploma from the principal, Mr. Shields (he was nervous about this part so he practically ran =).

Proud Dadda and Momma with our little graduate (can the year be done already, really?  it flew!)

Our dear neighbor Mrs. L with W

And finally W with his para Mrs. Pfeifer and his teacher Mrs. Bierma - he had such a good year with the both of them!

Last Day of School for G and a haircut...

G with her beloved teacher, Ms. Walstra - she will miss her next year!

After I donated my hair to Locks of Love last fall, G told us that she wanted to do that too.  We figured that by the end of the school year she would have enough, and she sure did - 11 inches!

We went to the same gal that has been cutting my hair for years, and she was so good with G.  This was her first real "hair-salon" haircut, and she giggled through the whole thing she was so excited!

Before and After - so cute!  We are so proud of her, although she is NOT allowed to look this old yet...

A lovely beginning of summer BBQ (if only the summer weather would get here sometime too!)...

Our friends M&A had a bunch of us over in the evening for grilled hamburgers and hotdogs and all the fixings and sides.  The adults enjoyed lovely conversation on the deck...

...while the kids ran and played and explored and had just a bit of fun,

H included!

The night ended with ice cream cones for the kiddos (what better picture of summer can you get than eating an ice cream cone on the swingset!)...

A's famous homemade brownies for the adults...

one last lawn game (by this time we all wished we had fleece pj's on!)...

and a beautiful sunset.  (Thanks M&A for a fun evening!)

fun friday, 5.31.13...

in which H invites his auntie and cousins over...

After getting me and my brothers and my sister and my cousins some snacks (the important stuff first!), I let Momma and Auntie C wrap a combined wedding shower gift for some love birds at church and talk about how the summer calendar seems to be full already before it even starts...

I had fun pretending to zoom with my "Ka-ta" on my brother's bike - won't be long before it is mine!...

Then we all went in the backyard to play and run around - running around is my favorite...

The big kids started drawing on the fence and making an "Art Wall"...

Well, I thought they needed my help too, so my "Ge-ta" helped me find the right color chalk...

And I added the finishing touches to the masterpiece wall...

Then Auntie C said it was time for them to go home, and I thought that it would be great to go with...

(Momma snatched me back though...no fun at all!)

I hope that they all come back soon!