lounging by the pool

When we got back from our trip out of town to the hot zoo, we went to pick up Cooper at a friend's house and we, friends and all, headed over to the pool for the rest of the afternoon. Here is Cooper taking a break lounging in a chaise!

we're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo...and the museum, too

Kestrel's class had a field trip to a zoo and children's museum about an hour drive from here. I went along as a chaperone, and because Kestrel begged me not to make her take the hot steaming bus with no air conditioning where they aren't allowed to talk or bring anything to do! So, she got to drive in my car, and we had a good time with her school friends visiting the zoo, playing in the playground, eating lunch and exploring the museum. It sure was hot, though!

just like a couple of cowgirls

Kestrel and I started horseback riding lessons this morning. Kestrel has been asking to take lessons for a while. When I was looking into it I decided I'd like to try it too, and thought it would be a fun thing for us to do together. The lessons include riding and horsemanship (grooming & saddling). My horse was an Appaloosa named Dice, and Kestrel's was a Paint named Minnie. I was a little nervous in the beginning as I've never been on a horse before, but it was really fun. I don't think Kestrel was a bit nervous. She's been talking about the lesson all day. She says the most exciting part was that she got to ride all by herself without the instructor even close to her! Unfortunately, we have to miss next week's lesson, but we're looking forward to going back in two weeks.

Hopefully soon we'll get some pictures. I did not take the picture above, by the way. I took it off of the stable's website.

learning about music

Yesterday Cooper's school invited parents in for their music project culminating event. Cooper had been looking forward to it for a couple of weeks as the class prepared. All week he kept talking about it, and he sounded so cute every time he'd say "culminating event". The parents were invited in to see what all the kids had done related to the project. We were treated to a video of the kids in each of their individual project groups, including Cooper's "musical performers" small group performing in the "Rainbow Rose Rock Band". Cooper played the guitar. The kids had also made a variety of frozen treats to share with parents: Popsicles, watermelon and strawberry slush's.

Cooper with Amanda (definitely one of his favorite teachers), and his head teacher Gillian (whom he loves as well, of course). Everyday when we walk in, Cooper always calls out loudly "Amaaanda!" (Then he often calls out "Elise!" or "Mia!" - two of his good friends in school, and also members of the Rainbow Rose Rock Band). We're sad Gillian won't be back next year as she's having another baby.

rockford weekend

This past weekend we went up to Rockford. Paul and I attended a benefit Saturday night, and Sunday we spent some time in the city with the kids. We stayed at a hotel right on the river. In the picture below, our hotel is on the other side of the river behind Kestrel and Cooper. After walking around by the river, we ate lunch downtown and then visiting the children's museum which Kestrel and Cooper really enjoyed. They had some young farm animals outside in the play area that the children were invited to pet and hold. Notice Cooper checking out some cute chicks!

rolling home

Friday Cooper and I decided to walk/bike when we went to pick Kestrel up from school, as it was such a nice day and we weren't in a hurry for once. Cooper wanted to ride his new bike he got a few weeks ago. He fell in love with this specific bike at the store, which he calls a racing bike. Kestrel got a new bike too, but since I can't ride her bike and certainly didn't want to carry it, I brought her scooter along instead.

makeover

Kestrel's class held a "Mother's Day Makeover" Monday morning. They invited Moms in to the classroom, and the kids did their mother's hair, nail and makeup. Kestrel put makeup on me, gave me braids, and painted my nails. Kestrel is showing me the selection of nail polish from which to choose.

Post makeover. Sorry we didn't get a before picture.

happy mother's day

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there!

Kestrel's plan for the day was that I get to do whatever I want. Paul went out and got bagels this morning, which we ate along with strawberries and bananas with yogurt for dipping. Afterwards I went out rollerblading around the neighborhood, and then we headed south to amish country for the afternoon. We stopped at a Hen House for lunch, and went on to Rockome Gardens, where we walked around the gardens, played at the tree house, watched the model trains, took a horse and buggy ride, played in some bounce houses, and watched an old fashioned circus show. Kestrel visited the "haunted house" but Cooper decided to pass. The kids got ice cream, too!

Paul gave me a bunch of beautiful tulips this morning.

gone fishing

Kestrel finally got to go fishing! Paul took her fishing in the afternoon while Cooper and I were at a birthday party. They didn't bring any fish home, but Kestrel will tell you about the big one that got away.

making friends

There are some horses, that belong to the university I think, in a field near Cooper's school. Usually they are far back in the field, but today they were grazing up close to the fence, so Cooper asked if we could stop to see them. They were quite friendly and came right up to us, sticking their heads over the fence to be petted.

dinner by the lake

Right before dinner time Kestrel was begging me to take her fishing. Well, I wasn't about to do that, especially without Paul, but I agreed we could have a dinner picnic by the lake instead. SO, we quickly packed up some turkey sandwiches, hummus, bread and sugar snap peas and went over to the "fishing lake". We sat on the dock eating, and had a nice surprise when Paul stopped by unexpectedly. The kids were excited about the baby goslings, and Kestrel was having fun feeding the goslings her bread. After we ate they were trying to feed all the geese (there were a lot there), but then they started getting scared when the geese got aggressive, running at them honking and hissing for more bread. That's when we went home. It was a nice little impromptu dinner, though.

I've got to admit, I'm thankful for my camera phone. Even though it doesn't take the greatest pictures, it's always there for me for these spur-of-the-moment times.

park play

Yesterday the kids and I went to Noodles & Co. for dinner ( a Mothers & More fundraiser) and after dinner stopped at a park to play with some friends. This was taken on my camera phone again, as usual. A little blurry, but otherwise a cute shot.

Clockwise from left: Kestrel, Olivia, Oliver, Ethan and Cooper

the long and the short of it

Today Kestrel decided she absolutely had to cut her hair. She's been growing it for a while and it was really pretty long. Over the last year she went back and forth several times about cutting it or growing it longer. It was pretty hot today, and after school she decided she had to cut it today. After her gymnastics class we set out to get a haircut. The first place we went was busy but the next place could take us right away.

Hopefully I can still manage to put it up in a bun for her dance recital next month!

She looks pretty cute, and more grown up! She's excited to go to school and show off her hair. She thinks people aren't going to recognize her. She does look different now with her cropped hair and her missing two front teeth!

ocean morning

Thursday I went into Kestrel's classroom in the morning to see their ocean habitat. The first graders have been studying animal habitats and her class focused on the ocean. They invited parents in Thursday to see the decorated classrooms and all of the dioramas the kids made featuring the animals they learned about. Ask Kestrel about the Pantropical Spotted Dolphin, and she'll be happy to tell you all about it.

gymnastics recital

Kestrel had her annual Spring Gymnastics Recital last Sunday (April 29th). She did great! She's been taking gymnastics classes for the past four years, but just decided she would like to take this summer off from gymnastics, and resume in the fall. Here are some pictures from the recital. Its almost impossible to get a decent picture during the recital, but this should give you an idea of what she was doing.

This was at the end when she got her medal for participating in the recital.

on the springboard

on the bar

on the beam

jumping off the beam (it always gets me a little nervous when they start jumping and tumbling on the beam)

handstand durring the floor routine

Cooper and Mommy watching the recital (Cooper really wanted me to put this picture on the blog)