Graduations and the Beginning of Summer

I need a break from packing (the girls and I leave for WI tomorrow morning), so what better distraction than to update the blog.  We have been out of school for a week and I still have some photos to post of our pre-summer vacation festivities so let's just get right to it...

The inevitable happened...the lot across the street from our driveway went up for sale and, less than a week later, sold.  It looks like we may be having new neighbors soon.

Yep, this is what we have to work with some mornings....

Our good friends, Steve and Thahn, got married Memorial Day weekend.

eating lunch outside on a beautiful day

cuddle time on the couch

Abby and her very good friend, Halle

Each year, the girls' school has a graduation/end-of-year celebration.  Each class is introduced as they "graduate" to the next class.

We were extremely lucky to have Ms. JoAnne as both girls' infant teacher.  After being at the school for 5 years (Emma went there since she was 5 months old) the teachers are like family.  Abby still has 3 more years to go...

Andy's sister, Whitney, and her little baby, Kennedy, came for a visit.  So fun!  Kennedy is such a doll.

Abby and Whitney

This is what Abby's selfies look like...

We had a fun-filled staff end-of-year BBQ at one of our teacher's houses.  

Abby and Halle were busy picking flowers.  Oops.

Abby was perfectly content carrying around the croquet stick.

playing with Francie at the BBQ

The next day was Francie's 2nd birthday party

It's a tradition at our school to do a 5th grade clap-out on the last day of school.  The 5th graders (and teachers) come out shooting silly string at all of the younger kids.  

Andy and our (former) principal, who will be moving on to an assistant principal position at the high school

 We have had a couple of pool days, so far, this summer

Emma has been taking private swim lessons for a few months and is pretty much swimming on her own.

Andy's cousin, Claire, graduated from high school.  

Claire has been such an amazing role model for Abigail and Emma.  She is off to Boston University in the fall!

family hike

 I love that smile!  

We've also made our first summer trip to the zoo.

Nana, Abby, and Andy watching Emma and me on the carousel

We love watching Rizzo swim!

We've had our 6-month check-ups.  Emma is a trooper at the dentist.  

We had a picnic with some of the families whose kids graduated preschool and are off to kindergarten.

Emma and Katharine

While some of the kids played basketball, Abby decided to lounge...

Andy is definitely the gardener in the family.

 

This is Abigail's gardening attire...

 Finally, it wouldn't be summer without a trip to Booster Juice!

 

Oompa Loompas Go For a Run (Or Two)

Last Saturday was the annual Running with Ed. (Education) relay race in Park City.  It is the Park City Education Foundation's biggest fundraiser, bringing in over $240,000 that go directly to classrooms through teacher grants.  Each year, our school chooses a theme and this year it was Willy Wonka.  We had 4 teacher teams which means we had over 25 Oompa Loompas running through Park City.   We ended up getting 2nd place for best theme/costume, 1st place for best exchange, and 2nd place for most school participation.  Even though we are the smallest elementary school in the city, that doesn't stop us from having the most fun.  

My first leg was a little over 3 miles.  Here I am getting ready to hand off to the 2nd runner.

It was a chilly day but perfect running weather.

Waiting for the handoff for my 2nd leg...

It's so fun how the race takes us all around Park City, including the Utah Olympic Park where ski jumping, luge, and bobsledding were held for the 2002 Winter Olympics.  See those stairs on the right?  That's me, getting ready to run up the stairs.  

I didn't run the whole way up the 740-some steps, but I made it to the top without falling over.  My legs did feel like jell-o when I got to the top, and I still had 3 miles to go!  

 Andy's exchange with another Oompa Loompa...

Our PTO is awesome!  This is just a taste of the exchange at our school...