St Louis Trip

Sam took the big kids to St. Louis for a mini-trip. They went to the science center, where they did some archaeology.

And experienced hurricane-level winds:

They went to the City Museum, where Sam took a selfie in front of the ferris wheel (his arms weren't long enough to include Amelie and James in the picture.

James had a lot of fun using his skills to spin on the person-sized tops.

The kids couldn't get enough of the tunnels inside and outside of the City Museum. Sam could barely keep up, but luckily, Amelie and James were good about waiting for him.

They went to the Cardinals game. 

And did the wave:

When they got back, James told me the best part was swimming in the hotel pool (which was admittedly on the roof of the hotel on the 29th floor).

BBQ

I wanted to take a picture of Leah chowing down on this enormous rib.

She looks like she's saying, "Did you just take a picture when my face was stuffed full of food? How rude."

We like to go do Dicky's on Sundays because kids eat free and the kids like to go because there's ice cream.

Not sure if Amelie made her own cone or if Sam's somewhat baffled by the soft serve machine.

Swimming

We're going way back with this one!

This was the first time Leah went to the ARC (and maybe her second time swimming). Amelie wore this same swimsuit, too. 

The only photo Amelie made it in is the background of this one: 

Piano Lesson

Amelie started taking Piano lessons with Ms. Jamaica at A Major Music Studio.

 At her second lesson, I had to take Leah and James with me, but there's a place for siblings.

After James got tired of coloring, I let him have my camera to distract him. He took this picture of us!

Amelie drew this very nice treble clef. She and James learned the "Treble" parody in their music class at school.

Here's a video:

She's been in lessons about 2 months. I'm hoping she sticks with it!

Bootheel Youth Museum

The big kids went to the Bootheel Youth Museum while Leah stayed home and took a nap.

Sam says he and I went before we had kids, but I don't remember! I know Nana Jana and I took the kids before Leah was born and they had a blast, but that was long enough ago that it was all new for them again.

James driving a space shuttle:

I like this one, because it looks like he's leaning waaay over to compensate for turning a curve. You know, like you do in a space shuttle. 

They had the tire bubble back when I was a kid. It looks like it's still a big hit.

Look at Amelie's face!

The goal is to get the bubble up above your head.

Here's Sam in the 380-degree mirror. It looks like there's a whole gaggle of Sam's having a conference about something behind him.

Birthday Interview

Today is James' sixth birthday and we did his birthday interview this morning.  

1. How old are you? Six
2. What is your favorite color? Maroon
3. What is your favorite toy? My remote control car
4. What is your favorite game? Guess Who
5. What is your favorite song? Imagine Dragons "Whatever It Takes" (James says it just like that - all one phrase. Until just recently he thought the name of the song was Imagine Dragons.) 
6. What is your favorite animal? Did you seriously just ask me that? A blue nose gazelle (I was unable to find this species by googling - maybe he means this one?) 
7. What is your favorite book? Hmmm. That’s hard. Did you just write that down? Magic Tree House (I asked if James would like to check it out and read it at home, and he gave me a horrified look) Mrs. Newkirk is reading it!
8. What is your favorite movie? Hmmm. I’m gonna say Lego Ninjago
9. What is your favorite TV show? Hmmm. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
10. What is your favorite thing to eat? Can I do a treat? Rice crispy treats!
11. Where is your favorite place to go? The Arch
12. Who is your best friend? Clara [so far this is the only answer that’s been the same as last year]
13. What is something you learned last year? Nothing! [well, and I guess this one]
14. What is something you'll learn now that you're 6? Nope! 
15. What is your favorite part of school? Probably media center but if we don’t have medical center, lunch
16. What is hard for you to do? Baby talk
17. What is your favorite thing to do? Listen to music
18. What do you like about Me (Mama)? Sometimes you’re nice
19. What do you like about Dada? He’s not as mean as you
20. What do you like about Amelie? Sometimes she gets bit by mosquitoes and she’s wrong! 
21. What do you like about baby Leah? That she is funny and I love her
22. What do you like about yourself? That I have birthdays sometimes
23. What do you want to be when you grow up? An inventor and a movie maker and an artist

James chose the menu for today, a tradition we borrowed from my friend Amanda. He picked chocolate chip pancakes with a candle for breakfast, grilled cheese for lunch, and fish sticks and tater tots for dinner. Easy enough! Sam took him to spend his birthday money at the mall and he came home with a pile of toys and candy, which he wanted for dessert. 

Here's a link to his 5th birthday interview. 

4th birthday 

3rd birthday 

Levi and Leah

Aunt Lana texted these pictures to me of the last time we went to the Bootheel and said, "They tell a story." Look at these second cousins! Here is a chart I found on the internet showing how they are 2nd cousins:

They started off together on the steps: 

Levi kept wanting to pat Leah on the head.

The look on her face!

The end!

Big Mess

Leah loves ice cream - so much so that she wants to get every last drop.

Look how pleased she is with herself:

Here is a picture of what I found on my way out the door when I'd been packing all morning to go to the Bootheel. She was suspiciously quiet and letting me get everything done ... and then look how mischievous the stinker looks in this photo, too!

P.S. I think Amelie must have left the rice crispies out and they must be the worst cereal to clean up.

First Day of School

James on his first day of Kindergarten and Amelie on her first day of 3rd grade.

Look at the eyeroll on Amelie! 

But she played along and took a bunch of photos anyway.

 

They changed the schedule at school, and now the bus comes 15 minutes earlier - we haven't been late yet. 

There's a ceremony on the first day where the kids line up and march off to their classrooms. Leah wasn't super into it. 

Amelie has Ms. Malloy again.

James has Ms. Newkirk, who he had for summer school as well (he was glad to be in her class again). He's looking a little overwhelmed at this point, but he came home saying he had a good day - and he seems to have had a much smoother adjustment to K than Amelie did.

Zoo 2

There were more pictures on Sam's phone!

Amelie has had an inordinate fondness for the bird house ever since she was Leah's age. There was this big new nest in front of it (probably they do the keeper talks from it?) and the kids posed in it.

On the frogs outside the children's zoo.  

Leah does not look impressed.