When I bought Claire this Hello Kitty doodle book, I had no idea how seriously she would take it. She spends hours coloring in it every day, carefully completing each page in order. She has also enlisted (or more like demanded) help from me and Matt. Neither of us can appear idle for even a second or she will insist that we help her color.
"Wash-a feet, Mommy?" Lucy insists on having her feet washed off in the kitchen sink whenever she comes in from playing outside.
After being canceled twice due to bad weather, Ella finally had her field day during the last week of school.
Her class was the first grade tug of war champion, beating both other classes handily.
It was hard for Ella to say goodbye to first grade this week. Here she is with her wonderful teacher Miss N. Ella wrote her a letter after school got out that read: "Dear Miss Neilsen, I miss you very much. I wish you could always be my teacher. Bye bye. Love, Ella"
Ella on the last day of school. Her first day of school picture is here for comparison.
Claire and I painted this poster for Ella and had it hanging on the door when she got off the bus on her last day. I painted the letters; Claire did everything else!
On Saturday we drove north to Mystic, something we seem to do about once a year. This time we visited the aquarium, where the girls said they liked the penguins best of all.
I personally enjoyed trying to spot frogs in the marsh and listening to Lucy say "ribbit"...
... but I was especially mesmerized by the beluga whales. I could have watched them all day long. Our aquarium visit coincided nicely with the string of ocean-themed animal rescue movies we have been watching for movie night recently: Dolphin Tale, Free Willy, and Big Miracle.
Of course, the true motivating factor for making the drive was to stop for some lobster. As usual, the potato chips were the main attraction for the girls (seen here with the same potato chip bag in 2009).
I love how all three girls are crouching down in this photo we took before heading home. Whenever somebody kneels down to take a picture with Lucy, she always kneels down too. It makes me smile.
