More Summer Fun and Projects

Summer time is a fun time for Mike to be puttering around in the yard and doing neat outdoor projects. He has built two really nice lattice trelices and is now constructing a hammock swing stand. (photos to follow) Luckily for him we have had such a miled summer thus far that he's not out there cooking in the sun. Spencer and Kyla are at zoo camp this week and Mikayla is at a gymnastics camp. Poor Damian is stuck home with me. He didn't express an interest in anything but a golf camp, so we will see if we can get that done. Next week he will be busy at scout camp. The fourth of July was a good one. All the kids were with us and our neighborhood provided quite a display of fireworks for us to enjoy, along with the ones we purchased in Vancouver, WA. We had our dear friends the Beikmans over, along with Mike's mom and Paul and my mom. Small group, but lots of fun. Card games and great kabob BBQ dinner.

Make a Smilebox postcard

School Ends (kids: "hooray") Summer Begins (parents: "yipee")

Well here we go. Summer 2009. As soon as the sun decides to show its face and provide some heat we will be ready to go. The end of the school year was a good one. Kyla ended her 7th grade school year with excellent grades. (all A's, except for the B in French) I should have known that was coming as I ask her french words all the time and I am convinced now that she doesn't actually know any. Spencer and Mikayla both did well adjusting to their new schools (they transferred to West Linn)and are doing very well academically as well. We are not sure how the grades will work out for Spencer with the transfer but he usually proves to pull through nearly all A's. He is learning responsibility and diligence for sure. Mikayla tested very well at her new school and has been asked to join the TAG (talented and gifted) program at school. She reads very well, and has grasped and excelled at all the math concepts she has been taught. Now if they could just get her to focus and complete a task that would top it off. Damian had a terrific year at school and was loved greatly by his teacher, who even said she "wrote home to mom about him". (actually I think it was a call). So our school district is losing lots of money for the 2010 school year which has displaced many of our great teachers and programs so far. Ms. Lepore (Damian's teacher) was on that list, so for a few days Damian didn't want school to end. He wanted to hold on to Ms. Lepore as long as he could. I appreciate her impact in his life. Her caring and investment in him made for a good experience in 3rd grade. Here are some shots from our last end of year field trip to Ibach Park.







This is the adored Ms. Lepore.

We look forward to lots of trips and camps and fun this summer. In fact we will do a Simon family first in July. ROAD TRIP!!! We are going to drive to Utah. Start crossing your fingers now. We have a 50/50 chance of this being a serious love/hate vacation. :o)