Miles turns 11!

Our sweet and silly Miles turned 11 today! We are so crazy about this guy. He makes everyone laugh. My favorite thing about him right now: he calls Audrey "Ma'am."

His birthday was on a Sunday, so we celebrated for a few days before (and after)! He opted out of a friends party, and chose to be with just the fam. :) We had cake and opened presents on Sunday, then went to Babe's for dinner on Monday, after the kids and I spent the day at the water park.

Goodbye, Florence Elementary School!

This whole year has been a slow goodbye to the sweet neighborhood school that at least one of our kids has attended for the last nine years! It's so hard for this mama to saw farewell! We have been treated with such love and have had so much fun here since 2008. This morning, Miles got to participate in the Maypole Dance at Mayfest. Our school has traditions that go way back. One of my favorite things about it!

Miles and Simon

Our three Florence grads!

I took Miles lunch for the last time at Florence on June 1! All three of my kids have spent hours in this cafeteria! Time to move on! Here he is on his first day of kindergarten. (I went and helped with lunch!)

Western Day 2017

It was our last Western Day at Florence Elementary School! Alas. It was fun, as usual. Here is Miles with Riccardo, John and Benjamin

Baseball Guys

The boys had awesome Fall baseball seasons this year. They both played on the Rangers: Miles in 10U and Parker in 14U. We loved Miles' coach so much. He is the grandpa of one of the boys and likes to call Miles "Toy Cannon."

Miles pitched, played catcher and first or second base. He had a great season! I don't have as many pictures of Parker playing because it is not as cute to take pictures of 13 year olds. He excelled on first base for most of the season.

Neal and his dad took the boys to one of the Texas Rangers' playoff games. I love this picture so much!

Field trip with Miles

Miles and I had a fun day yesterday at Camp Carter, day one of a two-day field trip with the fourth graders at his school. We hiked around, painted horses, explored the forest and enjoyed time with friends! He got to go back today; hopefully it was just as fun without me! :)

Miles was chosen to be "it" in a camouflage hide-n-seek game.

Painting a horse with Native American symbols.

Learning to groom a horse.

Miles with his buddy, Riccardo, checking out the view!

Dissecting owl pellets.

With Landon and Carson.

His class and teacher, Mrs. Fritzenmeier.

With one of his best buddies, Benjamin.

With my friend, Caroline. We were two of only five parents allowed to chaperone! So lucky.

Miles and Student Council

Miles was elected Treasurer of his school's Student Council at the end of last year. He and the others were "installed" as officers. They had to take an oath and act all official, just for a minute. :)

A couple of weeks later, he was one of the fourth graders who got to do the morning announcements. Fun times being the big kids on campus!

Here he is at Flag Day, with his buddies.

Scout Stuff

Thanks to our friend, Rick, who is the cousin of the Mullen family we grew up with in California, Parker and some of our ward's Scouts were invited to participate as the color guard during a special flag ceremony at Bell's celebration of the Navy's 241st birthday! Afterward, we were treated to a tour of one of Bell's amazing manufacturing facilities. It was pretty cool, and a fun reason to check out of school early.

Rehearsing before the ceremony.

Someone else snapped this photo of Parker getting some merit badges on night at a Court of Honor. Thanks, someone else! Neal is the Scoutmaster in our ward.

Miles and some of the Cub Scouts from our ward at the local firehouse. I'm Miles' Webelos leader. (This is our last year of cubs!)