Jack's Mother's Day Tea

This morning we celebrated Mother's day at Jack's preschool. The children sang some songs, and then we were invited back to their classroom for a little party. I could not have been more proud of Jack today. He did so well singing and performing the motions up at the front of the church with the rest of his classmates. It is hard to believe how far we've come in a year!

"My May Garden"

"God Plans for Many Growing Things"

"This Little Light of Mine"

"Mommy Takes Good Care of Me"

"Little Red Box"

"Skinna Marinky Dinky Dink"

"Thank You, Mom"

Jack's class with their bells.

Crystal Bells

Jack's class exits

I was greeted by a beautiful butterfly placemat and gift bag when I reached my seat at our table.

Inside was a handmade frame and a picture of my darling boy.

He signed his name (and his friend Jordan's) to the card in his best hand writing. Mrs. Poetzsch his teacher commented that he signed Jordan's name before she could stop him, but she figured that it was a perfect reflection of Jack at this point in time.

The teachers asked the children something about their moms. Jack's response was, "Mommy gave me a clock for my birthday. She washes my clothes." Then he signed his name and wrote "clock". I'm impressed he knows I'm the one responsible for his clean undies.

Jack posed for a picture with his favorite friend and our tea tablemate, Jordan.

It was a really nice occasion.

January: Partners in Crime

Lately when it comes to pictures as I mentioned before, these two are up to no good, i.e., getting a smile without a tongue is nigh impossible. But they do seem to have fun together.

While Clara was working diligently on her science fair project, they were playing cats on the couch.

Home Depot - best picture I could snap.

Having fun in the bath together.

Dress up time.

Playdoh!

Watching tv with the cats.

Having a healthy snack over by the computer, maybe to skype with Annabeth?

Check out Meghan's tatted-up legs.

Showing off her backpack.

Still love the sleeping pictures. Check out that pile of Nuks (and the new bright red Nukky pocket book courtesy of Memo).

 Jack took care of drying his own hair after his bath.

Playing together in living color.

Science Fair

We hit the ground running after Christmas vacation because someone at our elementary school had the bright idea to schedule the Science Fair January 8th. Kindergarten and first graders were allowed to enter a collection in addition to an experiment or a demonstration. Clara decided to present her seashell collection that we had gathered in August at Emerald Isle. She checked out a book from her school library, and she set to work separating the shells into groups and using the book to identify them. She did a really nice job explaining what she did, and I helped her glue them on the poster board.

The finished product.

Headed out the door on the big day.

All set up ready for the science fair.

They asked to display Clara's poster in the library after the conclusion of the fair, and she was awarded second place for a collection!

Untrimming the Tree

Here at the CJM Chronicles we are all about TCB-ing (Taking Care of the Backblog) in the month of May. We left off ringing in the new year. Next up, time to de-Christmas the house which we managed to accomplish the weekend after New Year's.

This picture of our poor poinsettia pretty much sums it up, stick a fork in us, we are done with Christmas.

One last (and possibly the first) picture of our tree in all its glory. As sad as it is to take down the tree, the space regained after a month of having a tree in our living makes up for it.

Meghan looks on as things begin to come down.

Clara and Jack escape into their room to avoid the task.

Later on that night in our seemingly giant living room with Meghan and Jack snuggle on the couch.

She's learning bad tricks from her big brother.

Don't worry, Christmas lives on in the back yard as the kids re-decorate the tree with sand toys.

And use it as a comfy resting place

Clara's First Grade Concert

The kindergarten and first grade at Olds put on a concert last night at school. This year's theme was "A Farmer's Life" which I'm sure you'll notice runs throughout the songs. Clara is third from the end on the top right.

"Our Work is Never Done" (welcome to my life, I say!)

"Worms"

"Oats, Green Peas, & Barley Grow"

"Pollitos"

"Little Ducky"

"Hoe Down"

The grand exit from the stage.

Happy New Year!

Home again after a wonderful trip to Richmond to ring in the new year in Raleigh with - wait for it - Laundry!

Also Nay-nay & Pop-pop took a major bath on their gift giving duties... they conveniently left this beast in the box for us to assemble once we returned home. Thanks a heap!

Luckily we persevered, and Jack had fun in the backyard with his new backhoe. 

Of course then I had a chuckle with Pop-pop in mind as Jack immediately started digging up my monkey grass. You can see me directing him to virtually any other spot in the backyard.

Happy (debatable in Meghan's case) to be out playing.

Jack driving around and beeping whilst backing up. Brec is also exploring our new camera which was finally opened and charged up, ready to start snapping.

First day back to the grind, Jack and Daddy to a walk around the block with Sydney. 

Jack rolls with Sydney

As the walk went on, Jack ended up with more and more of Brec's winter gear.

Last day of the work week with Clara back at school, Jack and Meghan played with Play-Doh. The dining room was sacrificed in the name of getting the rest of the house picked up.