Eli's Pre-K Graduation

Eli and his classmates graduated from pre-K on Thursday, May 14.

We celebrated before with BBQ and graduation cupcakes at home.

I can't even handle all the cuteness of it.  Look at this handsome little graduate!

We are so, so proud of you, Eli!  You have such a kind and sweet heart, you are a good friend, and have such a smart brain!  It is bittersweet that you're leaving pre-school, but Daddy and I know you will love kindergarten and be successful there too.

Eli and his buddy, Capps

Jackson and Eli

 There were several poems, songs, and scripture that the kids recited and sang.

I could eat. him. up!

Eli recited a short poem.  We worked for several weeks on memorizing the poem, but more so on building Eli's courage.  We prayed over him several times that our shy guy would be brave and bold to share his poem...and he rocked it!!

Jesus sees me when I sleep,
Jesus sees me when I pray.
Jesus sees me all the time,
Every night and every day.

So, so proud of you Eli Taff!

About to receive his diploma!

The graduate!  Cue the tears.

We were so blessed by the family and dear friends who were able to come and celebrate Eli with us.  Thank you for coming!  It meant a lot to all of us to have you there!

Watch out world!  Here he comes!

Memorial Day Weekend

As soon as we were out for summer, we picked the boys up from school, and headed south.  We spend Memorial Day weekend at my in-laws house at the beach every year, but we never go to the beach then.  Too crowded.  We hang around the house and pool.

My little fellas before church!

I normally don't do the church nursery when we visit grandparents.  I just hate leaving them with workers/kids they don't know, and won't see again.  Eli would have been fine in church.  Landon (at this age) ...... that's another story.  So, I gave Eli the choice to stay in the nursery or go to big church.  He picked the nursery.  After church when we went to pick up the boys the workers told us both boys were crying and very upset, so they put Eli in the baby room with Landon, and they both started smiling!  Eli played with Landon the whole time, and everyone was happy.  Win, win.  And sweet brothers.

 It's a tough life with nothing to do but float around the pool.

My guys!

On Memorial Day we got up and headed to the Track.

On this trip Landon was able to ride the train, and Eli was finally tall enough for some of the bigger rides.

Everyone loves bumper boats!

All four of us raced on go-carts, and had the track to ourselves!  Fun times!

Landon boy couldn't hang though.

Another milestone:  Eli was finally tall enough to drive on the small track by himself.  He was so proud!  By the last few laps though, he was slowing down.  That foot was getting tired of holding the gas pedal down.

Eli couldn't leave without getting Mommy on the bumper boats.  Our boat actually ran out of gas right after we started, but the workers got us towed to the side.  We switched boats, and were ready to get back in the water wars.

We had a lot of fun, and a very relaxing weekend to kick off summer.  We're looking forward to our next trip to the beach and actually getting our toes in that white sand!

May Reads

So March and April were tough months for me to actually complete any books, but I made up for it in May!

The first book I read was The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate.

I actually ended up reading this aloud to my third graders.  It's a Newberry winner.  My students loved this book (and me too!).  Several finished it ahead of me, even some reluctant readers.  It's based on a true story of a silverback gorilla, Ivan, and how he managed to be captured in the Congo, sent to a shopping mall in Washington, and eventually to the Atlanta Zoo.  It prompted some great discussions on how animals feel about living in captivity, especially considering we read this right as we were headed to the Georgia Aquarium on a field trip.  This article from the author is a few years old, but really great.

Next, I read The One and Only by Emily Giffin.

I actually started this book back in August, and then life happened.  I really loved the book, it was just tough to find time between work and kids.  I finished it the weekend school got out.  Emily Giffin did not disappoint.  It follows the story of a football loving girl from Texas, Shea, and her decisions to branch out from the university she has always loved.  Being an Emily Giffin book, there's a good little love story in there too.

My third book up has been on my to-read list for some time.  It was actually a series of short devotionals on motherhood, Out of the Spin Cycle by Jen Hatmaker.

The devotions are on everything from motherhood, marriage, and money, to comparison and worry.  There were 40 short devotions, but I read it more as one book and finished it in two days.  Great truths and scripture in there!

My final book was Melanie Shankle's latest, Nobody's Cuter than You.

Melanie Shankle is actually the author of the Big Mama blog (which I don't read regularly at all) and has penned two other memoirs as well.  I like her books.  She's funny.  It reads as if she's sitting next to you telling the story.  And, I laughed out loud several times.  Nobody's Cuter than You is several stories based on friendship, that I think all could relate to.  Several of her stories reminded me of Auburn (though I wasn't at the bars in college as she was at Texas A & M), and made me think about my own funny stories with friends there.

Here's to summer break, no where to be for the next two months, and many more books to come!

The Last Day of School

 Another school year has come and gone.

This guy has finished k4.  He started the year with career aspirations of becoming Spider Man, however that was SO last year.  Now he seems himself more as Iron Man.

Landon wasn't as easily talked into posed pictures.  

He can be a bit of a difficult subject to photograph.

I say it every year, but I can't believe how much you've grown!  It happens right before our eyes and there's nothing we can do about it, but we're so proud of the boy you are, Eli!

This seems like just yesterday!

 (sweet baby Eli on his first day of school, circa Nov. 2010)

And here he is on his last day of school, May 2015.

I can't brag enough on his school.  We have been blessed with AMAZING teachers who have not only taught him well, but loved him as their own baby.  He is ready for kindergarten, in large part, thanks to them!

Eli's amazing 4K teachers.  We love them!

Eli, I blinked, and now you're headed to kindergarten!