"Afghan Girl"

This is the famous "Afghan Girl" picture from National Geographic Magazine. I realize it is a very serious picture and speaks of tragedy and loss and I am in no means trying to belittle that message in any way.

After a long afternoon of swimming, my little three wrapped up in their towels and I thought I could emulate that famous shot. First of all, my photographic skills are sadly lacking and I am still getting used to my new camera. And secondly, trying to get these yahoos to look serious was way harder than I even thought it could be. Here are my attempts.

Baylen's got the spooky eyes, but I couldn't get her to look at me. Plus they look a little red from all the swimming!

Apparently, this is as serious as Sayer can get!

Dravyn does appear to look a bit tortured but only because I had hold of one of his arms and he was trying to escape.

I guess I'll just stick to family photos for now!

Last Day of School

Baylen didn't love 2nd grade the way she loved 1st, mostly because of an awesome 1st grade teacher, so she was pretty glad it was over. Sayer on the other hand, you can almost see the tears welling up in this picture before she even made it to school. This coming from a girl who missed mom so much the first half of the year, she made up illness after illness in order to go see the nurse and hopefully call home! Miss Mathews said she cried off and on all day long. I must admit I got a little misty myself as she brought two weeping girls for me to take home for the summer. But, a little McDonald's and a swim in our newly put up pool chased those tears away for a little while at least.

Pool Time!

May 13th

Playing in the cleaned out Pugs' Pool

May 25th

Putting up our Pool

Dravyn in a "Bic" floatie just like his sisters'

An hour or so later...

Finally Floating

Sadly for Dravyn, after lunch and nap time was over, the pool was no longer a place of joy, but of pure terror. Once the water was up to his chest he wanted "OUT!!!!" We finally lured him back in with a ride on Tracy's back or the "Daddy Boat" but he never looked truly happy again. It may be back to the Pugs' Pool for him.

Last Week of School

May 22nd, Second Grade Picnic in the Park

Baylen and her best friend Christian

Baylen and Christian have been friends since the first day of Kindergarden. Technically, this was last week but it had the whole spirit of the last week going for it. Dravyn and I had to leave early because he threw a fit.

May 27th Kindergarden Fun Day

Tracy and Dravyn watching Sayer get ready for the Potato Sack Race

Dravyn showing off his big muscles

Sayer and her friend who is a boy, Garrett

Oh, and we had to leave early because Dravyn threw a fit!

Pictures!!!

For some reason, our school takes pictures at the beginning of school and at the end of school. I'm sure it is just to make a little extra money and I fall for it every time, but it is kind of fun to see how they've changed throughout the year.

Sayer's hair got longer, and Baylen's got shorter and a little darker. Baylen also grew in some more teeth to fill all those gaps she's been sticking her tongue into in every picture. Now, if it could only show how Sayer learned to read and Baylen learned to multiply and divide, it would be well worth it!

So Dravyn doesn't feel left out here are some pictures of him, too.

August 30th, 2008

May 20, 2009

Just wanted you to see him with his hair slicked back.

Kiss and a Ding! learned from cousin Baize.

Ok, Mom am I out of trouble now????? Love you!

Move Over Broadway!

We found a new Dance Studio this year called Art & Soul and the girls really loved it. Baylen took a Tap/Jazz class and a Ballet class and Sayer took Tap/Ballet. We had the recital entitled "Shout", this weekend. I spent my time running back and forth for costume and hair changes and didn't get to see much of anyone else but what I did see was amazing! The girls dance just like they do everything else. Baylen is very precise and beautiful and knows all the steps without having to look at the teacher backstage. Sayer on the other hand is very funny and while she may not know it all, she makes up for it with her personality. Her tap dance was the twist and she really had the fringe on her skirt a-swinging! Then for her ballet, for every one twirl everyone else did, she did about 5! Of course I cried after Baylen's ballet because I was so proud of all she learned and how beautiful it was and how grown up she looked dancing with the 8 to 10 year old girls. Did I mention they were beautiful?

Baylen's Ballet "Enchanted Suite"

Sayer's Tap "Twisting the Night Away"

Sayer's Ballet "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

Baylen's Jazz "Hot! Hot! Hot!"

Baylen's Tap "Tiki Room"

Roses for our Beautiful Dancers!

Easter

Usually we have two separate Easter celebrations, one at my parents house on Saturday and one at Tracy's parents house after church on Sunday. Because Dravyn's actual birthday fell on Easter Sunday this year we had to do some rearranging to get it all fit in. So after Dravyn's party was over, I changed all the kids into the Easter outfits I bought and they went hunting for eggs at May May and Papa John's house.

Found One!

Papa John later reported he found 3 eggs, that's one a piece they missed!

Sunday before church, Dravyn got dressed up for this photo op and then had to get undressed again for his nap. LaLa and Papa T picked out the kids' clothes for this Easter parade.

Now, here's some pics of the big hunt at the Crites' house.

Sayer and Baylen and cousin Hannah.

Sorry Kaitlyn, looks like all I got of you was a profile shot. I'll just have to owe you one!!