The More we get Together...
The happier we are

Tonight I spent 6 hours at the church, the ward close to our house, helping the senior girls for next year make their senior quilt. It was such a brilliant idea to team up one senior with a sewer to work together.
I got one of the cutest girls who also is one of the assistant swim coaches on AK's swim team.

We did foundation piecing with preprinted squares that you buy by the yard. the colors of the quilt were pink and green, so fun to work with fabrics you love!

This was the flavor table that we got to pick the sequence of our blocks.

This is the back of the block after it has all been sewn. If you can sew a straight line - you can make this quilt. (top photo shows them after they have been cut)
these are the block me and my senior got done.

some of the A day's girls were working on flag quilts.

But the best part of the night was Annie Kate's sweat shop she had set up in the corner. I brought her machine and a chunk of fabric and ribbon for her and the other girls to make whatever they wanted. She was the only one who knew how to completely thread the machine and fix the problems is things got stuck and such. I told her to just do what ever she wanted but that I really needed to focus on getting these block done on the other side of the room.

So Annie Kate started teaching some of the other kids how to sew. She had them sit on her lap because the chair was too low to the machine and it was easier for them to do it. (oh my I ran to the other side of the room to snap this shot and was just crying I thought it was so cute)

The girls got easily distracted with playing and dancing to high school musical in the center of the room. AK kept sewing away to finish a project.
she then walks over the the grown ups to show us her finished project.
a patchwork back from her fabric stash! Even the seniors were excited about it. So then the other girls asked Annie Kate to make them one too. So until 11:30 at night, there she was making 3 bags for the other girls. She would have them pick out the ribbon for the handles and what they wanted on the front and back. I used to have a business doing this for other people and watching and listening to her was just something out of movie. It was so cute to hear her.

So she sat and sewed while the other girls played. I was just so proud to see how well she could cut, piece and sew the fabric. On the way home she said it made her feel good to know something to be able to teach others.
It was a great night

AK also had a coach's pick swim meet today and swam freestyle and the butterfly and then was asked to swim in the team relay at the end of the meet. Me and the drowning victims stayed home but Jeff said she did great. The night before the meet she said again, "i am a little nervous, I have no idea what I am doing" just imagine how great she will swim when she does know what she is doing!

Goodbye 2nd grade

Finally, today was the last day of school. It was a great day and of course a big event in our house.

The group going to school on the first day!
and today one year older!
we have been so lucky to have such a great big group for her to walk to school with each day.

she wore her annual end of the day t-shirt

and came home with lots of signatures. I guess the hip this this year to write is
HAGS - have a great summer

we passed out lots of gumball jars

and if you ever wonder who is buying those cheesy figurines at the dollar store. that would be me. that make great friend gifts. Annie Kate gave her best friend this one.

her last lunch as a 2nd grader, with a note from mom and dad to come home and find something on her bed.

i put a little end of the year gift on her bed awaiting her arrival.
i finally gave in and bought her a webkinz. stores can't even keep them in here. she is a huge frog fan, so was quite excited. Is anyone elses kids into webkinz?

all that was left in her desk. she used the same pencil all year and now it is a stub!

In traditional last day of school style she got sprayed with silly string and streamers. We took the kids out to lunch and had a little marble slab. It was a great year and I was proud of AK for her transition to a new school.

There is a new Kingfish
team name Kentlands Kingfish

Today was Annie Kate's first day of racing on the swim team. It was time trials to see where to place everyone for the first meet.

Two weeks ago we told her she was going to try out for the swim team. She has never had swim lessons or swam on a team but said OK. I don't think there is anyone who doesn't make the team but she was still real excited. For the past two weeks she has gone to practice and every day come home sore and exhausted.
I am really amazed because this is something I don't think I would have ever done as a kid. She is pretty fearless and seems willing to try most things. One of the first days of practice the little girls were still asleep for their naps and I realized there was no way she would get there on time even if I could get them up immediately. She said, "I will just get on my bike and ride down to the pool, I'll figure it out mom." Those words were music to my ears!

She really did great today. She swam Freestyle, Breast Stroke, Back Stroke and Butterfly. She won each of her heats and got second place over all for freestyle. She was disqualified for Butterfly and Breast stroke and said to me before she swam, "I have no idea what I am doing" I just giggled. Dang I was one proud mom today to see her just get out there and try! It will be fun to see her improve this summer.
One of the best scenes in the pool was Caroline at the other end after watching her sister. She would say "get ready, start, go" and then jump in just like her sister was in the team pool.

We spent the whole day at the pool and then all came home and napped. We are got lots of kisses from the sun, maybe a little too much.

This will be a whole new world for us actually have some commitments during the week and the weekends. We purposely have not signed the kids up for anything for a year, to get adjusted to moving here and having a little family time. It has been a great year, but I wonder how we will handle this new responsibility. I am afraid we will have to work harder to make time to see this great part of the country. So much to see, so little time!

123 photos of the day