Recycling

I have always recycled cans and last year the school started a recycling program. So of course we participated! When we moved into our new house, Thomas took some bins and cut holes in them for recycling plastic, cans, and newspaper. Not long ago, we started having the boys particpate in the recycling program. When we rinsed out the bottles or cans, it was the boys job to take it out to the garage and put in the correct place.

Well now school is out, so what are we going to do with all our recycling? Well the boys are still responsible for recycling, but we installed the can crusher...at the boys level and now they get to crush the cans while we continue to recycle! They love it and have many different techniques for crushing the cans!

Tapangas First Dance Recital

Tapanga has been loving dance! And although she has only been in the spring program she can participate in the recital and it is now recital time!

I was a little worried about this night, it is very intense. I had to attend a first timers meeting where I learned that I needed to put makeup on Tapanga, the recital can last up to 4 hours and so much more! My daughter is only two...what are you people telling me! Tapanga actually only had one dance and then she was part of the finale. I didn't know if Tapanga would make it four hours...3 past her bedtime!

I finally decided I would buy tickets for both nights and after Tapangas first dance I would bring her out and she could watch till the end with me. Then if she made it, I would take her back for the finale.

On the first night of recital Tapanga was super excited about dancing. When it was time to put the make up on her, I couldn't believe the transformation...she didn't look like my little girl!

Look at those eyes!

Tapanga with her trophy...she loved it!

Tapanga with one of her dance friend Aurora.

For the final a couple groups danced together to "Yellow Submarine". I didn't know if Tapanga would make it to the finale, as we were sitting in the audience she was getting sleepy, but wouldn't let herself go to sleep. She was really enjoying watching the other performances. When I took her back to the back to get ready, she was very clingy and didn't want to get ready, didn't want me to put her down or anything. I walked our group of girls to line up, when we got to the door I put her down, told her to do good and walked away. I couldn't believe the child that came out on stage! She was wide awake, did her dance, smiled and had a great time!

This was a learning experience for me...I couldn't believe how intense this whole thing was! Tapanga really enjoyed herself and loves to dance, I know we will do this for years to come! My pretty little dancer!

Movies in the Park

The other night we drove by Heritage Park when I remembered they were doing Movies in the Park that night. We were on our way to dinner with family, but maybe we would be able to make it back in time.

The organizers of the Movies in the Park offer activities and games for the kids and families starting an hour before the movie. We finished dinner, rushed home to grab some snacks and chairs and made it back in time for the activities. They had a variety of games for the families to participate in like hula hoop contest, frozen t-shirt unwrap and more. We didn't actually get to participate in of the activities, but it was fun to watch.

When we were walking into the park, the kids were given a bag of popcorn to share from one of the tables set up. Which they were eager to eat.

The kids enjoyed some horsing around time while waiting for the movie to start.

When the movie finally started it was pretty fun to sit and watch outdoors on the big screen. There were a couple glitches along the way and it got a little chilly, but overall the kids had a great time and have been wanting to do it again!

Spinach

Last night we went to Blackhorse for dinner with the grandparents. Somehow or another Popeye became part of the conversation. I said to KG that I don't think the boys even know who Popeye is. I was corrected when they told me that he beats people up after he eats this stuff...spinach we told them. So, then the boys wanted spinach to get strong. My mom asked the server if he could bring a small bowl of spinach for us and he kindly did. Very timidly the boys each took a piece and tried it. KG really hyped it up by saying how strong they were getting so they started to devour the spinach! They didn't even put dressing or anything on it! Tanner was shoving it in as fast as he could! Very funny!

Breakfast with my Husband

Yesterday morning Thomas and I went to breakfast at Waffle House. We ordered our food and was talking, shortly later our food came. Thomas was looking over his food and asked the waiter for some grape jelly. The waiter went and got him some and came back to the table. Thomas looks at his plate and says, "I am not really sure why I asked for grape jelly, I got a grilled cheese and hash browns!" Whats funny is I didn't even realize it either!

A Variety of Odd Pictures and Stories

This frog was recently in the garage. One evening I watched it hop in and under some of the kids toys. Thomas tried to find it and get it out, but he was rather elusive. Then the kids and I got home after tball and there he was! I told one of the kids to get him and take him out in the grass, but they wouldn't! Which surprised me since Tanner was all about a frog recently. After chasing the thing for 15 minutes, I finally managed to save him by sweeping him out! Cute picture of Tapanga sleeping...her hair is all in her face, but she doesn't care.

Two of Tapangas favorite things, dancing and her cowboy boots!

Thomas and I have been on a diet for a couple months now. I have lost over 20 pounds so far! I would like to lose more, but my will power is not as great. Although, my pants are really saggy and I don't really want to buy new clothes, because its expensive!Every year I take a group of students to math competitions at Austin Peay. My high school group as been one of my favorite groups every, mainly because I have worked with most of these kids for three years. A couple of the kids were in my class 6th and 7th grade and go to the high school for math, I will be sad to see them leave.

This year one of the students won 1st place in the Algebra division..the fluke of it is that he wasn't even suppose to go, but another student was sick so I grabbed Shane at the last minute!The kids like climbing in the back of Thomas' truck at the park near Joys house.

So, Joy and I climbed in also!Thomas really enjoys playing softball, he always has. So he plays church softball once a week.

I guess they were really tired!

This was our bathroom sight one evening when we were getting ready for bed!

The kids were at my mother in laws house and their friend came over to play. The kids found some mud to play in and got soaking wet and muddy, so much so they had to strip out of their clothes and put on some of Papa's shirts while their clothes got washed!

Kindergarten Round Up

Tonight was Kindergarten Round Up for the boys. They will be starting school in the fall at Liberty! I cannot believe how big they have gotten and that they are going to be starting school.

The Kindergarten Round Up allows parents and students to visit their new school and check it out. At Liberty, we were divided into three groups. One group toured the school, another visited actual classrooms and the last registered.

We had a T-ball game to get to so I had to hurry this along. I decided to go visit the actual classroom first. They boys really enjoyed checking out the room. Tyler kept saying, "I want this to be my room." Which I thought was cute. Tanner and especially Tyler have really been excited about starting school. They were so disappointed when they turned 5 and didn't get to go to school immediately.

I probably expect to much and being a teacher myself, I think makes me expect more. One of my biggest questions for the teacher was "Did the teachers work closely together? Planning and doing many of the same activities and assignments?" I know that is what I do. Beth and I work very closely together like this. Unfortunately, I did not get the answer I was hoping for. The teacher said because of materials they cannot do that. So, I decided to go somewhere else.

I found the principal. I happened to know of the her, she actually had twin sons that went through NPMS a couple years ago. So, I approached her and mentioned my concerns and how if possible I would like Tanner and Tyler to be placed in two separate classrooms that the teachers work closely together, doing many of the same activities and assignments.

At this point and time it would be very hard to explain to one or the other, "I am sorry, your brother had less homework than you. He gets to go play or watch TV and you don't?"

Anyways, Ms. M was very nice. She knows what it is like after all to have two children in the same grade. So, she said she will try to remember their names and I needed to write a little note on their enrollment papers. Great! ( I also mentioned, Tyler needs a very patient teacher!)

It was pretty neat to walk around and learn about the school the boys will be going to. I was very excited to learn that next year, Liberty will have 10 Kindergarten classrooms. This is because of a grant that they are receiving to lower class sizes and see if it has an effect on learning. Because of this there should be no more than 13 or so students in each class...how great is that?!

After checking out the classroom and getting a personal tour of the school by the Principal. We left for our T-ball game with Kinder packet in hand. The boys were very excited about their Kinder packet and when we got home had to look through it.

Funny note: After leaving the school, I asked the boys if they were excited about their new school. Tanner said, "Yes, especially recess!" How funny already picking non academic areas as the best!

I hope their excitement continues...I would like to see them do well in the school years to come!

Mammoth Cave Camping Day 2

After a pretty restful evening, we got up and made some yummy breakfast burritos. We then rushed to get ready, but had some miscommunication with Melissa about what tour we were taking.

After figuring out we had bought tickets for the wrong tour, we decided to take a walk/hike.

Tyler holding hands with Julia this time!

When we got down to the water we could really see how high the floods had gotten here. Notice where the brown/mud covered trees end and the green trees begin...this is the flood line.

The flood covered the handrail of the bridge that takes you to an overlook of the water.

Tanner had been totingaround his bug collector and he and Thomas worked at catching bugs along the way.

We had been seeing a bunch of little butterflies and we stopped at a spot where we noticed a bunch to try and catch one.

I thought the boys would like to see an actual ferry transporting cars across the river so in between our two cave visits we went and watched it for a few minutes.

We had to take a bus to the location of our first cave visit, of course the boys enjoyed this!

This section of the cave is still forming and is called the Frozen Niagra.

In this section of the cave there were a bunch of cave crickets...ewww!

We actually took two different cave tours, through two different entrances. Our 2nd tour took us through the only natural entrance. It was a really warm day and when we got here you could feel the coolness of the cave coming up, it felt really good.Tyler didn't much like the cave and this section of the cave was much cooler than the other, but this tour was very informative and interesting.

This section is much older than the other one and many people had been here before
us and before regulations were in place. One of the things people used to do was smoke write on the ceiling and walls to commemorate them being there. This of course is no longer allowed, but interesting to see some writings from history. I think some dated back to the 1910s.

Tanner and I are standing in front of part of the saltpeter mine (used in gun powder), which used to be housed inside this section of the cave and because of the coolness and conditions of the cave have been preserved quite well.

We had been watching the weather all morning, because storms were being called for in the evening and on Sunday. We had decided after our second cave tour that we would go back to the campsite and cook dinner before heading home, mainly because we didn't want to have to pack up tomorrow in the rain, but as we were sitting their we noticed radar looked like rain was on the way! Instead we decided to go somewhere to eat before heading home. Joy picked up some rock candy for the kids which they enjoyed!

We really enjoyed ourselves even though we had to break camp early. I am looking forward to our next camping trip...which for me is so out of the ordinary!