Memorial Day Festivities

I love the patriotic holidays and it is a great way to start off the summer.
We started our day with a flag raising ceremony at the church.

It is exciting to have so many scouts active in our troop.

We then headed downtown to watch the Memorial Day Parade.

We are so happy to have good friends with little ones.  They entertain our girls and always make things a little spicy!

Who doesn't love a man in uniform?

Cotton Candy mess.

Who doesn't love a man in a skirt blowing into a sheep's bladder?

These ladies never gave up their high school dreams.  You go girls!

The local asian community was well represented. Who knew?

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Sharks and Minnows

Minnows

Shark

Arrggggghhh

Survivors

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The Pool is Open

 Thanks for the pics, Jo.

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Not a Very Happy Day

Annabel would say that this was her worst birthday ever. She is now 12, and she was mad at me and I was mad at her. So, not such a good day.

She is not happy with her gifts.

Boy, it sucks to be a 12 yr old girl.

Darren has about decided he needs to celebrate his birthday on another day. Sharing is not all it's cracked up to be.

Maybe, next year will be better.

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Gold Fish and Cotton Candy

For the Lilac Festival this year, Annabel had a mission. She wanted gold fish. I did not.

I have no idea how much money (her own) she spent, but we went home with 3 gold fish in bags.

Bea wanted cotton candy and a snow cone.  That I didn't mind.

Annabel and Emma disappeared for a while.  I am not ready for two, pretty 12 yr olds to wander the Lilac Festival alone. Too many crazies out there.

What happened to just enjoying the flowers?

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Public Market flower shopping

Darren has decided that the Public Market is the cheapest place to get annuals in bulk, so it's that time of year again.

Oh, this looks good.

So many decisions.

We have plans for some of these.

A few of these will do.

Now, a great afterschool activity for the kids.

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Faith in God Talent show

Bea has become an accompanist. She and four of her violinist friends performed I am a Child of God for her Faith in God Talent show.

Practice makes perfect.  Bea had never accompanied before and it is a new skill, but she worked really hard at it.

She also performed a harp piece.

Annabel and Katherine sang Don't Stop Believing.

I

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Happy Birthday Noah

Noah turned 14 today. He has only asked for two things--a cell phone and a bag of jelly beans.
I asked him to shave for the first time. He got a complete shave kit for Christmas, so it was about time.

Today he shaved and shaved off a huge chunk of his upper lip. That is what the tissue is all about.

We had told him there was a delay with the phone and maybe he would get it tonight, if not later this week.

We are all up early, this morning, and hear an unfamiliar ring. Noah thinks it is just our regular phone, which sounds nothing like  what we were hearing.

Hello, Noah.  His new phone number is his birthday.  Cool, huh?

He's a happy boy, and fyi, he did get jelly beans.

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Ugh

We're going to need some chemicals and a few weeks.

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Nuevo York

Noah went on a 3 day field trip with his 8th grade Spanish class to NYC. The following are the best pics of the 16 that he took over THREE days. Maybe, he really isn't my child.

His friend Cyrus.

Not sure what caught his eye here.

This I understand--he's a huge Beatles fan.

Not sure if this is of his friends or the guy cleaning the statue.

I hope he spoke lots of Spanish.  I am assuming he had a good time.  He never says much more than fine or OK.

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Bea's Dive Meet

Bea was busy today. She had a dive meet at RIT.

Coach Greg and Abigail.

She placed for 1 meter,

and medalled for 3 Meter.

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