Preschool graduation

Well, that’s it. After two years we will soon be saying goodbye to our beloved Hope Preschool. It’s been a great experience. Graduation pics:

Miss Bethany and Miss Erica have been great!

We still have 3 full weeks of regular daycare left, then they’ll go back in July for a little summertime morning fun, just to give dad a bit of a break. So we have a little time left there.  We’ll enjoy it while we can!

Junior Master Gardeners

Today was the day to plant the Master Gardener Demonstration plot at Sabathani community garden, and when the other volunteers failed to show up, I called in the experts:

They know a little more than beans, about planting beans.

And cukes.

Pre-Dairy Queen treat reward picture. Thanks, guys!  And also thanks to a fellow volunteer who showed up a bit later and helped us get some things planted and watered and took this picture.

March and April outtakes

Whoops, forgot to download pictures off the “big camera” for over a month. Here’s what I found:

Our annual “kids in front of the magnolia” picture — earliest ever bloom of that bush on March 23, 2012. See 2011, 2010, and 2009 versions of this picture (guess I was too sleep-deprived in 2008).

Finally, the super nice classy results of me trying to take a really cute picture of them (above and below).

Easter 2012

Better late than never… here’s how Easter went down last weekend:

Started on Saturday with an Easter egg hunt at Adam’s cousin Nikki’s house in Sartell.

Somewhere in the middle of the egg hunting, these two very tall girls came barging in, shoved the kids aside, and grabbed a bunch of eggs for themselves:

Fortunately, the kids still managed to each get just over 40 eggs. Not a bad haul, especially in the plastic ring department:

Also the mustache department.

The kids had so much fun that they didn’t even hear the Easter bunny delivering their baskets early Sunday morning. But they were up for some hard boiled egg dying:

Later, they met their new cousin Sofia for the first time:

And finally gave cousin Justin his birthday present — every time we have tried to get together with him since his birthday in February, we’ve gotten sick.  Thank goodness everyone was healthy for once!

A happy, happy Easter was had by all!

Teach a kid to swing…

And they’ll be swinging at heights that make you nervous in no time!

Art Maniacs

Dog paintings in the style of George Rodrigue.

Rainy day pictures + watercolor paint blowing (a drop of watercolor then blowing on it with a straw).

More February fun

Singing at Hope Lutheran Church with the crew from the Hope Preschool Lamb Class.

Stuffing dolls in their shirts so they could look more like Auntie Lisa.

Dressing alike with Dad and Grampy.

Celebrating Blake’s 11th birthday with a dog treat and peanut butter “cake.”

Rody doctoring.

Being goofy with stuffed animals.

Winter miscellany

Been a busy [non-]winter as usual. Couple of our recent happenings:

“Bye mom, I’m going to work.”

Spring Lake Park Reserve, which has gorgeous views of the widest point of the Mississippi River as well as a small restored prairie. Must go back in summer to see that in full bloom!

Winter swim lessons at the YWCA. Dad’s been taking them on Monday afternoons, and they love it! Today they passed their test to go on to the next level.

The Tree of Life

Sometimes, having an art teacher for a dad is simply fantastic.  OK, most of the time having an art teacher for a dad is fantastic.  Especially when he helps you re-create famous pieces of art, like The Tree of Life by Gustav Klimt. Here’s the original:

Here is Rowan’s version:

And here is Anneke’s:

Now dad is ready to take this lesson to his 1st graders!

Ice skating

The kids made HUGE strides in ice skating today using these little supports that Powderhorn Park has. WHAT FUN!