Katie's Last Sonshine School Program :(

 The Kindergarten class always sings "When I Grow Up" at the program.

 When Katie grows up she wants to be a Christian cowgirl!

 Here is cowgirl Kate and her very special friend...a mini Marlboro Man.

 And here is the 2012 graduatin class of SSS.

 Katie's adoring fans!

 And here is Katie and the ONE other girl who also had 1/2 day public school kindergarten!!  So glad they are good friends!

And here is Katie with her lovely teacher Mrs. Kari.  It's the "end of an era" at SSS.  We will no longer have a 1/2 day program since our public schools are going to all day kindergarten for everyone.  I'm sad that Jackson will not have Mrs. Kari in the World Explorers class!  It's also the "end of an era" for me at SSS as this fall will be the FIRST year (since I only had Collin) that I will have 1 child at SSS.  I'm in denial.

Jackson's Sonshine School Program

 Jackson had a great year in the Farm Animals class.  I'm a little partial to the Farm Animals class since this is the one I taught!

 And these precious ladies, Mrs. Natalie and Mrs. Chiara, were the best teachers for Jackson.  They were so kind, careful and considerate with all of Jackson's food allergies.  I felt so safe having him in this room with these teachers.  What a great year!

And this was Jackson's last year to walk across the stage in the Fashion Show.  He had a train tucked into the pocket on his shirt.  He did great!  He was adorable, of course!  And I'm so proud of my boy!

Gaylord-Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum

 A few weekends ago we checked another OK Things To Do Item off our list.  We visited the Gaylord-Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum.

 It is located in a fabulously old but kept up insurance building in an old part of OKC.  Beautiful, old homes surround the museum!  It was lovely.  I wish I'd taken more pictures of the outside.  We were there on the museum's 5th anniversary, so we had ice cream sundaes with all the other visitors and admission was FREE.

 In the children's section, the qdobas (our word for kiddos) could dress up like their favorite Oklahoman.  Jackson chose a country music star...Garth Brooks...I'm guessing??

 Katie chose OKC Thunder #35 Kevin Durant....and I'm pretty sure he is a Texan...but I could be wrong.

 Katie wanted me to take her picture in all sorts of basketball poses.  These are a few of those.  Did you notice I said "few"?

And Collin chose to dress up like a judge.  And I haven't studied up enough on my Oklahoma history to know a famous Oklahoma judge.

For my Oklahoma Travel Book:  go to this museum on a FREE day.  There is not much to it but it has great potential!!  The staff is great.  The building is fabulous! The gift shop is great!  The kid's dress up area gets 2 thumbs up.  The content of the museum is a bit lacking but again, it has potential.  * 1 star.

Advanced Acting and Improv

 Collin was super excited when his drama teacher decided to move him up to Advanced Acting and Improv for this semester!

 Collin has been in plays with this little girl since she was a 1st grader and he was in kindergarten.  She is pretty much A-dorable!  She was also in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs of the Black Forest with Collin as the part of Bonnie the bunny.

Collin is super cute as the turtle!

No...this is not another 3rd grader in the class with him.  I believe this guy is a 7th grader and Collin thinks he is oh so funny!  Since last summer, Collin's drama teacher has been saying he has a gift for improv.  He does really seem to be in his element!  And stay tuned...coming up in June Collin "stars" as part of the River City Boys Band in the Summerstock Music Man at UCO and KATIE "stars" as a squirrel in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory at Mitch Park!  Yes...we now have 2 actors in the family!

F R I E N D S

 I snapped the photos one night after evening church because I love these kiddos.  I've known almost all of them since their birth.

A friend of mine lost her 3 year old in a tragic car accident last week.  I'm hugging my own kids a little tighter, saying more I love you's, and loving on my friend's kids too.  I'm just heartbroken for my friend.  Please pray for Ami and big sister Mylan.  

Run, run, run as fast as you can...

 Collin joined the after school Track Club this year.  And he ran in 2 track meets this spring.

 Here he is getting the hand off for the 4 x 100 relay.

Katie was THRILLED that she got to run in both track meets even though she isn't old enough for the school's track club.  Here she is crossing the finish line on the 400.  The little girl in front of her said to her before the race, "I'm going to beat you because I'm fast."  Katie replied, "You don't know how fast my feet are."  The little girl did beat Katie.  But Katie was really excited that she came in 3rd!  So glad my older 2 like to run!  It's crazy I tell you, but I'm still glad they like to do it.

Piano Lessons

 Collin took piano lessons this semester from the OC Academy of Music.

 Here he is playing a duet with his teacher Brian, an OC student.

And here he is looking totally enthused about the group theory activity.  Collin really did love learning to play the piano.  And while he is taking the summer off, I will have him practice from some of my old books that my parents saved back for me.  It's been really nice to hear piano music in our house!  I really, really wish I had kept up the practice because it is painful to hear myself play now.  And I used to be kinda good.

Way back in April, Collin had Land Run Day!

 Here he is with his family eating their picnic lunch after staking out their land.

 Here is their wagon, reused and recycled from an older sibling.  I had collected one of our own on big junk day and had been saving it in the attic for 2 years waiting for this day!!  But Collin's best friend and his family got to use it!  Yay!  :)

 I'm not an Okie.  But I did spend the bulk of summer 2011 learning and loving Oklahoma history.  I have loved the stories and books and factoids I've learned and I still think one day I might get Frommer's to publish an Oklahoma Travel Guide.  :)  I'm ever the optimist!

This day was a smidge cold and drizzly.  But Collin had SO. MUCH. FUN.  He is a big talker and usually talks from the moment he gets in the van at carpool until he is eating a snack at home (10 minutes).  But on this day...this day, he talked from 3:15ish until 5:00 (when I told him I must start dinner now) and told me every small and large detail about the Land Run.  His Land Run.  He is very cute!  And...I need to add that he is wearing his Pops' cowboy hat - a treasured item.

I LOVE to do laundry...now!

 Sorry...you will have to view the AFTER and then the BEFORE.  This little heart shelf hung in our apartment in Houston.  It was brown and hung in our dining room.  I then painted it blue and it hung over Collin and Katie's changing table when they were babies.  It has been in the garage for 3 years.  So I pulled it out and painted it black.  Love it!  Can't believe I almost got rid of it.

 Still working on shelf organization.

 And I still need to change out the brassy hardward in here.

 But this room now makes me very happy.  :)

 Before there were no blinds and it was a very HOT room to do laundry in in July.  Ick.

 And it was plainish.

 And piled high with my things to do.

I have now officially painted the 2 smallest rooms in my house in 3 years.  My decision making record and speed of painting is s.l.o.w.  My goal for while the big kids and Matt are at camp...paint the play room and the kid's bathroom.  Ok.  There.  I said it.  June 1 and they are both done.

Leadership Training for Christ weekend

 Collin and Matt went down to Dallas for the LTC convention.  After all of Collin's events Matt took him over to the 6th Floor Museum.  AND MATT LET COLLIN STAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET!  Because this is the exact spot where JFK was shot.  And yes, the street is still used.  Collin had to dodge a few cars!  I'm trying to not think about it.

 The school book depository.

 Collin on the grassy knoll.

 And here is Collin before his puppet skit.  He played the part of the snake.

 And in his drama act he played the part of the devil!  Apparently one of his devil horns did not survive the packing so Mrs. Karyn had to do some reconstruction.

Collin loved LTC so much.  He loved going to practice, he loved studying for it.  His knowledge of every detail in Genesis prompted the SEX talk.  So now my sweet 9 year old knows about sex and still believes in Santa Claus (I think) ...something is not right here.  He is already looking forward to next year!  And I might add that his puppet team got a gold, drama - gold, sign language - gold, Bible Devotional - gold and Bible Quiz - honorable mention.  I guess his knowledge of Genesis wasn't too thorough.  But now he and his Bible Quiz team are more determined to get a gold.