Parker's Move Up Ceremony 2015

Once the children reach the 2 year-old classrooms at the JCC, they all "move up" to the next level on July 1.  There are three classrooms for each age group so the kids to get switched around and do not stay in the same group every year.  Generally, you can request a room if you have a preference and they are able to accommodate that.  Before the move to the new classes, they always have a Move Up Ceremony and Parker's was this week.

We invited Papa G and Sandy to join us this year and Parker was so excited for us ll to be at her school.  The kids sang three songs and then the teachers handed out a certificate to each child.

After the swimming lesson observation day disaster, we were a little worried about how our girl would handle the performance, but she did awesome!  

Here are some videos of each song:

They all wore t-shirts that they designed themselves.  Here is a picture of Parker's masterpiece (with her friend Dominic, who apparently tells his Mom that Parker is his girlfriend).

On the wall were drawings that each child made of their families.  We all thought Parker's was one of the best.  Some of the kids were just a bunch of blobs.

And this is the certificate that Parker received.  All very true!  She is very particular about coloring in the lines now!

After the show, we all went to pick up Graham from his classroom and then went out to dinner.  Even though it was early in the evening (we arrived at restaurant at 5:15) it reinforced our decision to avoid taking Graham out to dinner with us for awhile.  It was not very enjoyable for anyone in the vicinity.

Then, we went next door to get ice cream and then let the kids wander around the grounds a bit.  Graham found the only patch of dirt in the entire area and Parker wanted to climb the tree.

Father's Day 2015

Our Father's Day started off with breakfast at home and was followed by Daddy taking all three kids (including the furry one) for a walk along the canal.  Then the weather got a bit rainy so we hung out inside.  During the afternoon nap time, Greg went for a mountain bike ride.  Then Papa G and Sandy came over for dinner that evening.

We had a Mexican dinner with grilled carne asada tacos, as well as fish tacos.  
The weather ended up being nice that evening, so lots of playing in the yard.

For dessert, we had angel food cake with fresh whipped cream and berries.  Greg was feeding Graham some whipped cream and got a little on his face.  That snowballed into a bit of a food fight.  Graham was laughing so hard every time Greg smeared more whipped cream on his face.

Here is Parker's gift for Greg from school:

Weekend Fun

Our weekend started off early with a visit from my cousin Katie and her family from Kansas City.  They were attending a family wedding in the Adirondacks and flew in and out of Rochester.  We loved having a little Thursday night dinner party and especially loved hanging out with 7 month-old cutie pie, Owen!

One of Graham's birthday presents from Grandma and Grandpa was a new baby pool  It hasn't been quite warm enough to use it yet, so Saturday morning we inflated it in the basement.  It was a brilliant idea (if I do say so myself) and the kids played in it for an hour!

Can you find Graham?

Lunchtime laughs

On Saturday evening, we took the kids out to Papa G and Sandy's for their first joint sleepover!  The kids did great and Greg and I enjoyed a date night to the annual Rochester Real Beer Fest.  This takes place in our old neighborhood in the city, so we used to go every year.

On Sunday, we made it down to the outdoor JCC pool at Markus Park for the first visit of the season.  Both kids had a blast and we look forward to going many more times this summer.

Below is a structure that Parker "built" and then drew a TV to hang on the chair. Her own special viewing tent.

Teeth

Parker had her second dentist appointment last week and did great.  She is getting more comfortable at holding conversation with new adults and it's really fun to listen to how she answers the questions thrown at her.  

Parker followed directions really well but got scared when they wanted to do an x-ray of her mouth.  Oh well, try again next time.  The dentist reiterated that Parker has exceptionally "groovy" molars, so we have to be extra careful about brushing and not eating sticky foods.  We also have a fluoride gel to apply to her teeth at bedtime.  Parker has been great about reminding us to do it every night...our insistence that she has to take care of her teeth or they will fall out and she will be like a baby again must have sunken in!

Graham has also become a dental care fan.  He loves it when we brush his teeth but more recently just wants to walk around the house with the toothbrush in his mouth.  

He also likes to "help" Greg and I brush our teeth with our Sonicare brushes.  As soon as he hears the buzzing sound, he rushes over and wants us to bend down so he can hold on to it too.  He gets a really cute, serious look on his face like, "Let me make sure you are doing this right".  

Happiness

Just some random cuteness from the last week or two....

Over Memorial Day weekend, we walked into Pittsford Village for the Paddle & Pour Festival.  It was the first year for this festival and they did a nice job.  We started off with the petting zoo and a hayride through a neighboring farm.

Then we grabbed some food from a couple different vendors and listened to the live music.  Parker got her groove on! (disclaimer:  it was strange weather, we weren't sure how cool it would get, hence the pants.  And then Parker insisted on wearing her sneakers rather than the cute Sperry's I wanted her to wear, so kind of a strange ensemble).

Doing some yard work:

Cleaning the kitchen floor:

Graham's tricks & some giggles:

Parker yogurt face:

They love to climb up on this chair together:

Eatin' dirt: