4th of July

We had a wonderful -- if very hot -- fourth of July this year.

The morning started with red, white & blue Greek yogurt & whipped cream parfaits...

Then we headed out right away for the Museum of Life & Science (a nearby favorite with kids and adults alike) where the kids got to try the new bungee jumper...

sail the sailboats in the pond and cool off in the new mist exhibit...

explore the butterfly house and try desperately to get butterflies to land on them...

check out some of the animals (including lemurs, red wolves and all kinds of farm animals)...

 and have some indoor fun once it got super duper hot.

After a classic American dinner with grilled steak and watermelon with the grandparents, we tried doing sparklers in the driveway. The sparklers were leftover from last year and total duds that had to be relit every 10 seconds, but the kids enjoyed it anyway.

And then it was on to the fireworks! This was the first time our kids were both old and brave enough to handle the 9:30 show with 27,000(!) of our fellow Chapel Hillians, and it did not disappoint!

Happy 4th of July, everyone! We are so lucky to be Americans!

Kindergarten goodbyes

Today, Amelia had her last day of kindergarten. What a wonderful, wonderful year it has been. I have gotten teary-eyed several times over the last week, thinking about the bond we've forged with her two sweet teachers, the fellow parents and her 18 classmates. We will miss them so much! But what a gift for the start of formal schooling to feel so positive for Amelia and for us. She has learned so much and made some really great new friends, many of whom will be with her through middle school and high school. And Amelia keeps reminding me that she can go visit her old teachers anytime. Thank goodness for that!

Amelia and good friend/hair twin Cate at the last-day family picnic

Amelia and the most patient, calm teacher on earth, Ms. Dais

One last view of Amelia's classroom, all cleaned out and ready for next year's class

Tech-savvy classmates videotaping the end-of-year slide show on the Smart Board. Ha!

Teacher assistant Mrs. Gage handing out popsicles as the kids leave the classroom for the very last time

Amelia and Maya, a wonderful new friend

The three musketeers minus their #4, Marian, who was sick on the last day! :(

And just like that... our daughter, our first baby, our big girl is no longer a kindergartner. Somehow the feelings today are even more keenly felt than when we left her for that first half-day of kindergarten. It's really hitting home that now that she's in the numbered grades, the treadmill of life just keeps rolling. And one morning, we'll wake up and that sweet-faced baby will be in high school. The days sure can be long, but these years are zipping by lightning fast. Kindergarten feels like such a sweet, innocent start to the public school world of rules and testing, and I wish we could hang on to it forever. But on to first grade! Amelia is ready!

Dance finale

At long, long last, dance class is over!! The kids had their dance recital (attended by Grandma, Granddaddy, Mom, Dad and Aunt Libby) and we all survived. Best of all, we don't have to yank on tights, cram feet into shoes and trek to Hillsborough for 1.5 hours of dance each week. Yahoo!

But they sure were cute while it lasted...