End of the Year

Last week was our last week of CBS for this year. It's always interesting because the little children do the opening the last week and share some songs and verses they have learned. This year was Erin's first year in a class and so it was her first time "performing." Thankfully, I remembered my camera. She's hard to see in these pictures because I had to hide from her or she would fuss, but she did OK.

Her teacher used to be a music professor at UMD so she frequently uses her recorder when they sing and march. Erin is to the left of the teacher in the back (the recorder is kind of pointing to her).

Here's a close up. Like the other children in her age group, she didn't really sing. Just stood around while all the ladies oohed and ahhed at how cute (or mischievous) they were.

Luke, on the other hand, did a complete 180 from last year. Last year, he and another boy ran circles around the communion table the whole time. This year he was in front, singing and doing motions while most of the other little boys stood there like duds. Here he's doing the "yes sir!" from I'm in the Lord's Army.

And here he's zooming o'er the enemy.

And bubba-bubba-bubbling over with joy. I was pretty proud of him. At the beginning of the year, he didn't participate during the singing time with 2 combined classes - just stood there while the other kids sang and had fun. His teacher told me at the end of the year that he was one of the best singers and loved singing time, so I guess his attitude changed. Progress.

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We've had some pretty chilly days again. Erin likes to snuggle.

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This picture is from May 3. I took it because Erin is wearing a dress that Mom made over 20 years ago for cousin Erica Beelen. It just fits her now - probably not for much longer since the skirt is so short and the sleeves so tight. I wish I could've gotten a better picture, but she doesn't hold still for more than a second.

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Our irises bloomed this week. I don't think we've ever had this many blooms before - and they were all so dark and full. Lovely.

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Remember this picture, taken last year after I planted some new perennials in the front?

Well, I've been working out there some more lately. Reclaimed some more from the yard for my curving flower bed and planted a few new perennials and also some annuals for color.

Those lamb's ear were tiny last year.

Planted a spirea that is already flowering.

Some Gerbera daisies for color and height.

Impatiens in the front where there is less sunlight.

The lamb's ear with new spikes shooting up.

Anyone know what this clump is? I've been leaving it because it looks like peonies and I'm hoping it will flower one of these years but it never does. If it doesn't do anything this year I'm yanking it.

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Alec bought a blueberry bush. Not sure where it's home will be yet, but if it does well we might get a few more.

It already has berries on it that are starting to darken in color.

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Alec's current project - backyard shed. He's working on it today so I'll add some updated pictures later.

He's also been splitting a lot of wood. He had to move the logs to build the shed so he figured he might as well split it and stack it so he won't have to move it twice.

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My latest new project. A few friends had new babies and I wanted to try something new. Thanks to sister-in-law Kelly for the idea - she does something similar on t-shirts for older kids.