End of School Festivities, House Stuff, Swimming Lessons

Time for my Friday post. Geez, I've been horrible with the blogging lately. Well here's what I've been up to this week - school and house stuff. Isn't this time of year packed with end of school stuff?!! Picnics, class parties, teacher gifts, performances, graduations (preschool)... So much to do and remember, but I think we've made it through all that and I remembered to go to everything. Whew. And then there's the house stuff, but I'll get to that in a minute. Oh and also swimming lessons are starting up too. I can't believe summer is already here! What am I going to do with my children all day?? Probably go crazy and hopefully have some fun too. I'm going to switch to bullet form cause that'll be easier.

Preschool End of Year Picnic/Party:
This was actually really fun and Ben had a blast playing with all his friends. He had a great experience in preschool this year and his teachers (there are 6 of them!) are all very sweet and enthusiastic. I am amazed by preschool teachers, honestly it must be hard to be that happy and up-beat all the time!

Ben Preschool Graduation:
This was adorable in every way! Ben wore a cute little mortarboard and everything. The kids all walked to "Pomp and Circumstance" and crossed over a little wooden bridge to get their "diplomas" to symbolize them crossing over from preschool to kindergarten. Though Ben didn't actually cross the bridge, he more walked up and then jumped back down on the same side - everyone chuckled. I wonder if that means he doesn't want preschool to end?? It was pretty funny. Oh, and all the little kids singing the songs they learned all year was so cute. Ben actually sang and did all the hand gestures. I was so happy that my shy shy boy is doing so much better and having fun participating with his peers. Yay! Congrats to my little grad!!


Sophie's 4th Grade Concert:
We went to this last night and it was really a fun! The theme was "You Can't Stop the Beat" and the whole 4th grade sang songs from different Broadway musicals. Sophie was so into it. She always tells me she doesn't like to perform - she did not want to participate in choir or the school play, but we could totally hear her singing and having a great time doing it. Smiling the whole time. I think there is a ham in Sophie trying to get out! It was a very cute concert and afterwards we went out for ice cream to celebrate. You did a great job in 4th grade Sophie! Way to go!

Okay, here's my little house rant. Feel free to skip.
So this has been a crazy week activity-wise but also going on at the same time has been some major house work/repairs since our builder's warantee is going to be up soon. Yesterday we had a window replaced (long story, but the window had a leak and has been ruining our wall and carpet everytime it rains), which meant the siding in the front had to be torn off and put back up along with dry wall repair, a new window sill, carpet pulled up to allow it to dry which will be put back down and fixed next week, and lots of painting to still be scheduled... Oh my goodness I hate having a new house sometimes. I know, I know that sounds totally ungrateful... I am grateful for my house. I think its awesome to be the first ones in it and I get to smell that new house smell when I come in from being outside. It's great. But having said that the first year in a new house can be quite annoying with all the warantee issues, landscaping, blinds to put up, appliances to buy, drapes to hopefully get someday... There's just a lot to do and sometimes it gets me down. I feel like I have contractors in and out of the house all the time and I hate dealing with the contractors. Some of them have been so nice - I love our carpet guy - but some have been condescending and after waiting all day for them to come it's hard when they act like you're overreacting to whatever issue they are there to repair... But chin up (I say to myself), soon we'll get the quirks of our house fixed and contractors won't be in and out all the time. End of rant. I feel better.

Summer swimming lessons:
All the kids are starting swimming lessons tomorrow. Fingers crossed big time. I know that both Sophie and Nina are going to love it. They both love water and even though Sophie gets a little nervous in the water I think this is going to be the summer were she really gets comfortable and learns to swim well. Oh and Nina is SO excited and LOVES water so I'm sure her parent-child class with Adrian is going to be fun for her. But. There's of course my sweet and sensitive middle child who has issues with water. We have been working with him and he has been "swimming" in the tub during bath time which is huge progress. Adrian got him to put his face in the water and blow bubbles the other day! He is even excited to start the swimming lessons. Let's just hope. Please. Please. That he actually gets into the pool. That will be a miracle. It really will and I can't wait to see it happen.