Saturday, June 20, 2009

Kindergarden Graduation!

I am still amazed that we have a graduated Kindergardner! I have to pinch myself just saying he is now a 1st grader! Cameron's been out of school for just over a week. He's off to a good start this summer. He's in a program that is very active. Lots of swimming, sports, and other fun activities. Some days you can tell he is so tired that he can barely handle any more! It's just what he needed though. A good place for all that energy! Rylan is still in an in-home daycare. He gets really mad each morning because he can't stay with Cameron but we told him it's "Cameron's summer school". That's helped him cope with his disappointment in not being included. Cameron is in the youngest group in his summer program, so it will be a couple years before Rylan can stay.
Rylan's doing great too! His words are coming more and more! Just today I counted 5 words he used in a row. Now, the words he used were "mom, take picture my butt". Oh yes, a proud mother here!!! We've been outside most the day playing in the water and mud and just enjoying this gorgeous day! So he wanted me to photograph his naked toushie! That's my boys!!! Running around naked in the country!
Both kids are doing great though! We have a few minor tiffs here and there, a few minor melt downs with some little people trying to assert their independent opinions... but over all much better than even a year ago! Listening skills are always "in progress" in our house, but we do follow through on consequences much better than we had... and that's made a world of difference. I truly believe endless threats are what cause out of control kids.
Anyway, hope you all are enjoying your summer's too! We have lots planned. The first trip is just next week. I'm going to meet some wonderful friends that were a HUGE support to me through our adoption experience with Rylan. We all used the same agency (if you can call what we had an agency)... We've talked every single week, sometimes daily, for over 2yrs now and most of us have never met one another. I am so excited to meet these ladies and their beautiful children! I hope this is one of many, many visits in the future. I'll be sure to post pics when we get back.
Cameron is in the bottom row, far right. The most handsome little guy in the class I might add! They gave several cute performances before we had some cookies and refreshments in the lunchroom! I choked back tears the ENTIRE time. Especially during the slide show!!!
Rylan and Cameron having an "end of the year" photo with Cameron's teacher! Rylan insisted he be in the picture with his brother! He too was really proud of Cameron!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

National Train Day 2009

Oh yes, we celebrate National Train Day at our house! We went to the Amtrak Depot in LaCrosse, WI where they had a little celebration. The depot is not large by any means, but they had cake and refreshments along with door prizes. Cameron and Rylan were pleasantly suprised when they each got a new and free Amtrak hat too at the registration table! They held the celebration so that the tail end was with the actual Amtrak Train coming into the station to load/unload passengers. So we got to watch that, which was really exciting ; ) Adjoined to the depot is an eatery called Train Station BBQ. Yummy food so we ate there afterwards! Nothing is better in our family than a restaurant right next to the train tracks!
The boys had a blast and we had fun watching them. How Cameron came to have this passion for trains I will never know. But I can tell you this... I encourage it! It's a great hobby to have and would also make a great profession some day!
In our summer pictures you can actually see my husbands face without all that horrible winter hair he insists on growing each year!!!