We joined our friends for some fun blueberry and blackberry picking. It was a sunny fun way to spend the afternoon with picking and a picnic. We picked blueberries first. The kids were fun to watch together. Some picked and filled their buckets, some picked and ate, some picked rocks and filled buckets, some watched after the babies, some ran and played games in the field, and some ventured around the bushes like a maze. Poor Julia had a rought time with a busted lip, the second of the week.

Then we went up to the blackberry rows to pick. I love to see how the kids gravitate to play with each other and which Mama they end up with. Ms. Sara was the hit with my girls, then Ms. Ashley, and only last did they come to the row with their own Mama. The girls did a pretty good job of picking the darkest of the blackberries. Emily pointed out a red & black one and told me that it was not sweet. I think she learned this by experience.

We have a little goat story to go with our blackberry picking. We picked next to a pen of goats. When we were almost done we noticed that one of the goats had gotten out of the pen and was grazing on the blackberries. As we finished up and started to walk out he moved over two rows to share our row. Emily was very curious about him. When we weren’t watching our buckets closely enough he ventured over and ate out of Ms. Ariaun’s bucket. She fought him for it and won. It reminded me of the little black bear eatting out of Little Sal’s mother’s blueberry bucket in “Blueberries for Sal” by Robert McCloskey.

Our local aquarium has a preschooler program once a month. We try to go once a year to one with our friends. We just got back from one of these programs. This year the class we attended had only our kids in it. The girls didn’t seem to mind the specialized attention. The class was about coral and the animals found in it. They got to color a seahorse craft, hear a story about a clown fish, have a snack, and touch a live starfish. It was fun. After the class we spent time exploring the aquarium. We caught two dive shows and while it was fun to watch the feeding it was really hard to understand the commentary that went with it. I asked the three of the four girls what their favorite thing to do in the aquarium was. Elena said touching the starfish and Emily and Julia both loved the penguin tunnel.

Some other fun things from the day –

• I had told Julia the night before what we were going to do, but told her it was a secret and not to tell Emily. In the morning I asked her if she had told Emily, she put her finger to her lips and said “shhhhh”. She had kept the secret.
• The girls loved loving on McKenzie and Kenzie seemed to like the attention.
• The glass floor in the penguin area and tunnel took some getting used to for Julia. She didn’t want to walk on it at first. Then she had to master crawling on it. She loved standing above a swimming area and watching them swim by.
• Watching the little girls watch the Nemo fish tank. They tried to grab the very recognizable Nemo and Dory fish.
• Going shopping after the aquarium with a bunch of little girls.

Emily touching the starfish. A lot of times she chickens out of things like this when she actually has to do it, but this time she even asked to do it a second (brief) time.

Julia touching the starfish. She was so excited to get to do this like the other girls.

Ms. Jessica teaching the Sea Squirt class.

Little girls discovering the “Nemo” fish tank. I love Maeve’s face of delight.

Big girl friends hanging out in the fish tank.

Julia watching the penguins swimming with McKenzie and Ms. Heather.

We attended the Thursday School Graduation celebration Thursday night. While our girls didn’t graduate, they did get to preform in the celebration, got a year-in-review scrapbook, and walk across the stage by themselves. Both girls did very well with their evening activities and we were so proud. We shared the evening with Grammy and Granddaddy.

Julia was in the two-year-old class this year. Her teacher was out of town and the kids were unwilling to learn any songs to preform for the concert. I am not surprised given how non-verbal/shy the class is in general. Julia definitely wasn’t going to sing a song. So, to simplify the evening for this class they presented them at the beginning and they spent the rest of the performance with their families. Julia bravely walked across the stage and gave a big smile to her family. She didn’t stand long for her photo op, but was pleased with herself.

Emily was in the older three-year-old class this year. They participated in a song with all the other classes. It was a silly Hippo song where everyone sang the song progressively faster and faster. They all seemed to enjoy themselves. Then her class preformed three songs with only their class. For part of the performance Emily alternated spinning and jumping with one of the Zoe’s in her class. It was pretty funny. My favorite action associated with a song was a knee slap. Something about this action just made me realize that we were raising a “country” girl.

Julia being presented her roll of paper from Ms. Kelly. She seemed to like being on the stage.

Emily being presented her roll of paper. She is sporting her new-to-her shoes. When I had given them to her this week, I had explained that they were only to be warn to church for a while because they still looked nice. When we were getting dressed for the performance she explained to me that the school was a “church” school so she should be allowed to wear them. I just chuckled at her argument and agreed.

Emily at her onstage photo-op. I think I can see a much older Emily in this photo. Time will tell, but we are starting to see the school girl Emily coming out.

Emily’s whole class preforming on stage. From the left the kids are: Zoe, Olive, Emily, Elena, Zoe, Danielle, Maggie, and Patrick. The photo taking Mama in the photo is Maggie’s mama. Interestingly, this mom and her kids also went to BSF with us. She had kids paired with mine every Wednesday and Thursday. She and I also share the same small group. This is one small world.

Emily and Elena singing “Be Careful, Little Eyes”

The girls had their last day of Thursday School for the year. Both will be returning next year. The day went well for them. Julia had a substitute in her class and she adjusted amazingly well. One funny thing that she did at pickup time, she accompanied the Mamas to get the big girls from class. They place the lunch boxes and any take home papers on the floor outside of the door. Julia fetched both Emily’s lunchbox and artwork, but also took Elena’s lunch bag to Ashley. I guess, I underestimated her memory and recognition again. Emily was her usual happy-and-hyper self in class.

After school we took our girls out for celebration ice cream. Emily proudly picked Smurf ice cream (it turns your mouth blue as you eat it) and Julia picked strawberry. Everyone finished their ice cream before Emily. Emily was too busy playing and not eating. She offered to let the other little girls share her ice cream to finish it. As they did, I never heard any fussing over it. I thought that amazing for four little girls to sample blue ice cream and not get in each other’s way.

Emily and Julia ready to go into school on their last day before summer break. It was a hot day!

Just a perspective photo from their first day of school last September. It is hard to see how much taller they are, but they both look bigger.

Emily with Ms. Kathy, her teacher.

Emily with Ms. Louise, the class helper (and fun toy provider)

A little after-school celebration ice cream

To my girls delight, we took our first trip to Dollywood for the year. There were so many delightful things to enjoy.

1. Going with your best friends. This year Ashley, Elena, and Maeve got tickets too and we made the day trip together. The first thing the girls asked when I told them we were going to Dollywood was if their friends were going too. I didn’t deny or confirm, but surprised them when we met their friends to drive over.

2. Emily got her own ticket. I’m not so excited about this as she was. She is proud of her pass and photo, proud to put the ticket in the machine, proud to walk through the turnstile by herself, and proud to show off her pass to her Daddy. I wish my photo was as good as hers was. She should be proud.

3. Emily has grown since last year. This year Emily is tall enough to drive a car all by herself. She thinks that it is awesome!

4. Peer pressure is not always bad. Emily was willing to try a bunch of things this year that she was afraid of last year. She was still hesitant, but not willing to let Elena do something without her. Thank you, Elena.

5. When we run out of steam, we run out of steam. While we waited to drive the cars one last time, Julia asked for me to hold her. Then she started to give me hugs. Next she laid her head on my shoulder. Lastly, Emily drove her car while Julia slept in my arms.

6. Having season tickets means we can go back.

Sharing a ride around the carousel.

The big girl driving all by herself!

The little one doing her share of driving. She loved driving until she realized there was a horn on Mommy’s side. Then there was conflict over what to do next.

I love the smile on Emily. The carousel is her favorite ride in the park.

Julia still seems little on the big horse. She waved at all the people as we went around like she was a princess in a parade. She even blew kisses out to people who waved back.

Emily was delighted to ride with Maeve on the duck ride. See our pink cheeks – the day was pretty warm for early May.

Happy Julia and her famous wave.

Julia flying around with her friend Maeve. Maeve was missing her Mama who was with the big kids on a roller coaster.

One really tired girl! She slept through a snack and the walk to the car and then played all the way home. Emily fell asleep shortly after we left the and slept all the way home.

The Edwards girls and Tappan girls have been attending Thursday school together these past two years. All four girls were privileged to have Ms. Melanie as their teacher. While there is one more week of school, this past week was Ms. Melanie’s last week with the little girls. She has been such a sweet spirit with the girls showing them so much love. We thought it was good to get a parting photo together. I’m afraid that we made her a bit sad with our parting good-byes. Thank you, Ms. Melanie!

The big girls enjoyed playing together and trying to climb a tree.