What the other three have been up to...

When I went to Jacobs preschool conference I loved hearing about all his progress.  But my favorite was hearing about his speech progress.  It has been so fun to hear what has been on his mind on a daily basis.  He is one cute kid with a personality to match.  He told me a few days a go that he wanted to be called "Dave, like dad" because it is easier to say.  He loved having Grandma here to visit and play with. When she left he told me "I no want Gramma to go home, she pway wif me".   They played baseball and hide and go seek for hours in the backyard.  This picture below  is one he drew for her when she came.  Love these googly eyes people.  

It is "Gramma and Jacob."

 He and Maren and Spencer are all obsessed with dogs lately. They sat here for a good 15 minutes like this admiring the black lab that sat under its owners chair at Maren's soccer game, no doubt he is panting like a dog!

Speaking of soccer, this little lady had a busy Spring!  

 This is at her school music performance which she rocked with the hula hoop!

Maren participated in spring soccer, Girls on the Run(GOTR), and finished off the year with a piano recital, one last one before her teacher moved away.  It was crazy!  She had a great season at soccer and even got to play goalie for one half of a game, only letting one goal past her.  She played a lot of defense this season by choice, and did a great job keeping the ball out of the goalie box.  And my favorite this season was her obsession making grass "hair" for her soccer ball all season long.  Her coach even mentioned it when giving her her trophy.  I took on the job as team manager this season and enjoyed getting more involved with the parents.  And we are both sad to see her coach leave the team after this season, it will be interesting to see where next season takes Maren, or if she will continue to play. 
By far GOTR was her favorite activity this year.  She would run twice a week after school and boy is she a runner, she outran most of the kids in her group on a regular basis.  Unfortunately she got a case of the stomach flu the day of the GOTR 5K.  After sleeping through her soccer game that same day she decided to go to the run but was only able to walk, but still finished.  And kudos to her dad for wearing the pink t-shirt to walk with her that day!

 

Maren also had an outstanding year at school.  She had a wonderful teacher who knew how to tap into her and boy did she progress.  She is now officially up to grade level with reading, and beyond that with math!  I love that on the last day when I was helping with field day the next door teacher told me this funny story.  Apparently they had taken a vote about who was the best teacher in the school.  All the kids in Maren's class said Mrs Haberman (on the left in black), who is Maren's official teacher, except Maren.  She said Mrs Cline (on the right) who is next door and she interacts a bit with especially because Maren's best friend is in her class.  Ha ha!

And it is official Amanda, finally made it out of that darn boot...only to be put in another one a few weeks later.  This time for the other foot after having it stepped on by a horse and breaking her little tow, ugh!  We went horse back riding with our beehive class and she managed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but she did enjoy her ride before hand and two weeks later it has healed to the point that she is using regular shoes again!  She also memorized "The Living Christ" with her beehive class as part of her personal progress goals for young women.  As I work with this age group I did it as well, and can I jut say how much faster this girl memorizes than me...seriously if I could only borrow her brain for a day!

 Amanda has had a much more low key spring, but she did manage to get back in the pool for a few weeks between injuries.  She also went on a three day field trip to Colorado Springs with her Challenge program group at school and had a blast.  They flew a simulated space mission as a group and toured the air force academy among other fun stuff like sleeping in hotels and playing in the pool. Amanda with a super good friend Shayla, they are crazy together!  

 She has had several really great friends this year, a few of them here are dresses up for another friends Harry Potter themed birthday party.

She has really progressed on her oboe and did a solo for her spring performance.  But she was most excited to play yellow submarine with her band for Grandma to hear.  She also got an award for outstanding scholarship at school for good grades for the school year.

Aside from academics, Amanda has become obsessed with several things, like the word "epic", listening to books on her nook, nail polish and make-up.  The make-up thing has been kind of fun, as I don't wear much.  So as she has learned how to apply it she will try to get me to learn too...hmm...and her sister as well.  Which is terribly comical as Maren finds the stuff as repulsive as poison.  Maybe there is hope when she has a daughter someday!