Birthday Party

Last week Ally went to a birthday party at the same nature preserve she takes classes at. The them was birds and she got to hold a chick.
She sure loves animals!

Mini Golf

Grandma Barbie skipped out on mini golf this year. She said it was too cold for her, and asked that we come back in July to play with her. (I worry it will be too hot then.) Since we had promised Ally we would play before driving home, Becky and Ally and Grandpa Frank and I played.

It was not the same with out my mom. But we had a good time.

Ally’s form is painful to watch. We kept trying to get her to hold the club properly and she kept forgetting and said “its not comfortable”.

Becky got a HOLE IN ONE!!!! My dad said it was the best shot he had ever seen.

Between holes Ally had fun blowing the dandelions.

This year Ally had a new task – she was Grandpa’s ball girl. When he hit the ball in the hole, she would grab it for him and give it to him.

She earned an ice cream cone for her efforts!

It was a first this year a tie for first place! Becky and I tied, and Grandpa came in 2nd by only 1 stroke!

Long Commute

Ally has been taking a weekly afterschool class at a nearby nature preserve. It usually takes us 25-30 minutes to get there, but this week it took us 50 minutes! We also brought one of her classmates, Oscar and her friend Stella with us. 50 minutes in urban traffic with 3 six year olds! I was amazed at how much food they ate. They consumed so much I had to buy more snacks for the trip home!

At one point I dug around in my console and found a few toys; a slinky, a red matchbox car and a purple flower ring. Then in what I thought was a stroke of brilliance I gave them my camera.

Here is what they shot:

It was really interesting to listen to them talk and joke around. There was no teasing. And they had a couple of serious conversations.

Ally told them what it meant to be adopted

Ally said something about how sometimes friends don't know or forget she was adopted, like Erik. Oscar asked what does adoption mean?

Ally said:

"It means that you were not born from your parent's tummy" ..."Some one else who could not take care of you"...

she said it very quietly the first time and I heard it and encouraged her to say it again loudly for her friends to hear - they were really listening to her for her answer

so she repeated it

Oscar then said "some families have 2 dads" and I said yes, or 2 moms like Ally or maybe 1 dad or maybe 1 mom or maybe 1 dad and 1 mom - and Stella said "yeah, like I do" and Oscar said "me too" and so I ended it with - "there are all different kinds of families"

I was thrilled with Ally for being able to put into words in a very age appropriate way what it means to be adopted.

We also had a pretty good conversation while stuck in  traffic about being homeless and poor - because there was a small group of people settled in to camp in the median area across and the kids were honestly talking about it and not in a negative or derogatory way.

We were about 20 minutes late to class, but we found the group hiking in the woods, and when I went to pick them up, they were in the classroom working on their journals.

On the way home we played a game Oscar and Ally and told me Becky had taught them the week before.

Its called BORING

The adult asks the kids if they want to do something and the kids answer BORING (in a really annoying sing song way) or FUN (in a loud excited tone)

Me: Do you want to take a nap? Kids BORING

Me: Do you want to stop for ice cream? Kids FUN

This went on and on for about 15 minutes. They begged for more. I was stunned that Becky taught them this game.

Becky claims she did not teach it to them, but that Ally and Oscar made it up the previous week, and she just played it with them.

Hmmmmmmmm I guess we’ll never know what the truth is.

A huge first. A moment to remember.

Today we walked to church. Well Becky and I walked and Ally rode her scooter. It's a mile each way and it felt so good to be outside and exercising. 

The HUGE memory today is that Ally sang along in church. She can read enough to follow the words and sing along. It was amazing. It was admittedly a simple song with simple words, very short and repetitive. But I was so excited! What a great first. I elbowed Becky do she could watch and hear. 

Later during service I took a picture of the piece so I would remember it. 

On the way home after church we stopped at the ice cream truck and Ally got a snow cone. 

Another first is that Ally's hair is finally long enough for a pony tail. And she's kept it all day!

The pony tail!

Mother’s Day 2013

Mother’s day weekend was a whirlwind for us. One of my oldest friends got married in NJ on Saturday May 11. So on Friday we drove to my parents after school, spent the night with them, and Becky and I drove to NJ in the morning. Ally spent the day and night at Grandma Barbie & Grandpa Frank’s house with them. Becky and I spent the night in NJ. Sunday Becky and I drove back to m y parents, took the pictures above, and surprise, my brother Frank had come for the night, so my mom had 2 of her kids home for Mother’s Day.

Then we played miniature golf and drove home to our house.

It was a long weekend of travel.

But it was fun.

Below are pictures of the wedding:

My friends, Jill, Scott, Matt, Lisa & Doug and their spouses were there for our friend Joe’s wedding. It feels pretty lucky to have so many friends for so many years. Scott traveled all the way from Norway (his wife stayed home with their 2 daughters). I’ve been friends with this group since middle school, and some since long before that. Scott and Matt and I go all the way back to pre-school!

Finally

It seems that it was inevitable I would take Ally to Build  a Bear. Up until now we’re walked thru it and true to form Ally has never once asked for one. I offered one Sunday to take her to the mall and get one – I had an ulterior shopping motive at the mall.

Once you pick out your bear it gets stuffed – the kids get to step on the pedal to fluff the stuffing as it shoots into the bear.

Then Ally chose a heart to go inside of the bear.

After washing her and making her a birth certificate, (Ally named her Rainbow) we walked around and looked at all the clothes and accessories one could purchase for her bear – but Ally decided all she wanted was the bear. She carried her all over the mall.

Rainbow is a favorite “special thing” now – Ally cuddled her and bunny close on our recent trip to my mom’s.

Another Daisy Badge Earned

Daisy Girl Scouts are all over for the year. Ally is already excited for it to start up again next year! Her she is with her new (4th) badge she earned.