Rain or shine, the Four Happy Campers are goin' camping!!

We are less than two days away from the start of our camping season and we're all jumping out of our skin. First up: Memorial Day weekend in the Badlands - our tradition. However. Rain is predicted most of the weekend. Nice. We wait so long for this, can't the weather just cooperate?? No matter - we're going no matter what, even if it means sitting in the camper playing games all weekend. It's still perfect. I'm so anxious to get away from the routine, the house, the phone, etc. Whatever the circumstances, bring it on!!

Anyhoo, where did I leave off? Prior to Mother's Day, I went on a field trip up into the hills with Jack and Noah's class - fun day but then had to stop twice on the way home for 2 puking kids. Nice ending to the day, don't ya think? One was carsick, one had the stomach flu. Luckily, neither was in our vehicle. I know, I sound terribly selfish. But that is one thing I CAN NOT handle.

Then I had a very lovely Mother's Day with all my boys. We didn't do ANYTHING which is exactly what I wanted to do!
And they showered me with some terrific gifts . . . this cute purse with slots for pictures:
. . . a pink basketball so I have my own ball for Around the World and HORSE!
. . . . cute popsicle stick notecard holders that the kids made in school . . . . . . and my new "toy" - a new phone with a touch screen and full keyboard. I can finally text!
Had our annual track meet last Friday with the other Christian schools in town. Jack and Noah LOVE this and looked forward to it all year. Both did well.
Noah at the starting line for the 75m dash (he's closest, in the green and gold). He placed 2nd.

Noah pushing hard in the 200m dash. He placed 2nd again!
Jack in the 200m dash - he placed 2nd too (different heat than Noah).
Jack in the 400 - finished 2nd.
Noah and friend Hailey in the stands - aren't they cute??
Some of the boys - late in the day and getting a little dicey.

Saturday, Jack and Noah had their first piano recital. SO CUTE. We loved it. They were fantastic. They each played 2 pieces - a duet with their teacher and one on their own.

This is their teacher - she ROCKS. If they stick with her, they'll go far.

And here's what Noah LOVES to do lately . . . .
Both the kids have now figured out that mom will let them stay up later at night if they read in bed for a while. Funny how that has turned them into avid little readers!

Tomorrow is the last day of school, then we have a closing chapel service on Friday morning. It's all bittersweet for me - I'm happy that certain things about this year are behind us, and yet sad that 1st grade is in already in our past. Wow.

And I'll leave you with two recent conversations:

Here's Jack, driving home one evening as we're driving past Ruby Tuesday:

"I wonder what Ruby Tuesday's is like on a Tuesday?" :)

And Noah: One night after we'd had a bedtime devotional conversation about where the devil resides and how people who go there are separated from God forever, he was laying in bed with big tears in his eyes and said "Mom, I don't like thinking about people being separated from God." Oh my, what a heart that little dude has!! Amen, sweet boy, amen.