Human Piggy Bank

What happens when your 7 year old reports he has swallowed a nickel???? You do not stop, you pass go and you head directly to the local children's hospital and find.....that....the....nickel....is....in....his.....stomach!!  Oh wait, no, he finds the nickel on the x-rays that the Rad. Techs let him look at to show them where his nickel is located....to which the Rad Techs say to him, "Oh, you could grow up to be a Doctor?"  To which Austin replied, a real one, or one like my mom?

So, I am pretty sure we should stop letting him talk ... or we should start to censor what he says when he talks.... or we could just send him to college and hope for the best.....so, here is to no more human piggy banks.....we are strongly encouraging him to save his pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and any other coins he might want to taste :)

But he sure did look like he was enjoying the hospital bed.

Summer School

Well, yesterday we finished summer school with CCS; Ansley and Austin both went for about 7 weeks and learned lots of new stuff so they are ready for school to start again in a few weeks :)

Austin went to Cub Scout camp on Wednesday with Eric so he missed the graduation ceremony at school but Ansley was there....here she is getting the certificate of completion

 Each kid went up to get their certificate and shake the Preacher's hand.....each did it in their own unique way and some, like An, were very afraid to shake his hand

 Then, they gave out awards from the teachers and Ansley got the Compassion Award.....I am noticing a trend.....as her Pre-K Award a few weeks ago was the Dove Bar Award for keeping the peace.....she may just one day be a Social Worker like her Mom :)

 Then came the Talent Show.....the K & 1 class sang several songs, including This is the Day; God is So Good; and....

 then they handed out Daisies for the kids to hold ... why can't you see Ansley's face??? Because she is laughing so hard from saying something that made all of the other kids laugh, but not the music teacher......not worth repeating, but the whole audience laughed too, just not her Mother!!  And to think she just got the Compassion Award!!

and finally, they sang Edelweiss....now you know what has been stuck in my head for 24 hours???

 

Once the boys get home from Cub Scout camp we will have more pictures...

Flashback!!

Thanks to my very special cousin's wife Peggy :) I have a family memory from Mertzon circa 1982 or so .... what fun!!!  No idea why Scott has his back to the camera :(

Love, love, love it!!!

Summertime in Georgia!!

It is good to know these kids have not forgotten what it is like to jump in the lake!!

 I am home working and Eric took the kids to the lake, so I have no idea what she is doing in this picture :)

He found his swimmers' legs :)

I can only hope they are dancing :)

The tale of a 5 year old graduate!!

 Well, ladies and gentlemen, it has been a 3 day party and we are finally pooped!!!.......It all began on Sunday with a little birthday party here for Ansley....I should have known better than to have a kid this close to the end of the school year.......here she and her friend Megan are hanging out eating lots of pizza!!

 Austin is totally shocked that she is having a 3 day party....who knew you could do so much for such a little person......

 Here the party begins with An and her Uncle Bunny's girlfriend Lauren, who happens to have the exact same birthday as An!!  He knows how to pick young uns'....kidding!!!  But she did share with Ansley in the princess theme for her birthday :)

 So then on Monday we took the party to school where she had a princess cake with her friends....cake is behind her head :)  She was being a little shy at first for the camera.....

 But then a little sugar fixed the shyness!!  So we had more cake......

 Finally, this morning she got to open gifts from family.....her dad gave her a sports car......what a great color!!  Seems the Barbie convertible has changed over the years, but not by much.

 Then a card from GG B.....with a check, at which point Ansley said, and you have to know I cannot make this up...."Oh boy, look Mommy, money for college!!"  I could not be more proud!!!!!  I mean come on, kid!!

 A parting shot this morning of Austin giving his sister a birthday hug :)

 Then on to Pre-K graduation!!  She is signing/singing the ABCs....very cute and now she knows her ABC signs.

 With her teachers Mrs. Cathy and Mrs. Megan getting her "candy bar award." She got the Dove Bar award for being the peacemaker in her class through playing so well with all of her friends, being a leader, and making sure everyone was included .... little more pride for the day :)

Finally outside to the swing set to get in a few final minutes of playtime with her Pre-K friends she will not see next year at Kindergarten.

 

I cannot believe our baby is 5!!  5 years since we had a bat flying around on her due date :) 5 years since we got to see that awesome smile :) 5 years since we had just one ACB :)

 

 

An, Ansley, Annie, Ansey-pie, Ampersand, you name it kid, you have got more names than all of the rest of your family combined!  You keep changing and becoming such a delight to be in our lives.  You still eat like an adult, and believe onions should be eaten like apples.  You are quite the dresser these days, foregoing bloomers for leggings, and leggings only!  You can talk to anyone, anywhere, at anytime.  You literally talk our ears off ALL of the TIME!!!  You can be so polite; your friends' parents often tell us how well you used your manners at their house even when we are not around.  But you also know how to antagonize your brother like it is a full time job!!  If I was anything like you at this age, then it is no wonder why Uncle Scott and Mommy got into so much trouble as kids!!  You have some amazing facial expressions and can be such a character!!  But you can also be as stubborn as a mule and frequently remind Mom & Dad it is okay to laugh!

 

The other night you snuck in Mom & Dad's room and slept on the floor beside our bed, while I was in the shower you started talking in your dream and said, "no, I do not want to eat the turtle, no turtle....okay, I'll eat the turtle" at which point you threw up in real life!!!  It was the weirdest thing ever!!  Your dream made you throw up in real life....no more dreams!!

 

We are so glad you are 5 and cannot wait to see what happens in the next 5 :)  Love you snuggle buggle :)

Ballet Practice....Dad's Version

Proof they can be nice to each other ... nice huh?!?

 Obviously, it could not last forever, but it lasted long enough for us to create proof....

 Then, there is the official uniform for the ballerina....super cute, huh?!?

She is ready for her recital in just a few weeks.....proof that everyone needs a girl :)

Graduation 2013!!!

He did it!!! Eric graduated yesterday with his Bachelor's and Master's degrees!!  Yippee!!  We are so proud of him!!!

 

I did not have the best angle for pictures, so please forgive....of course there were professional pictures made, so we do not have to worry that these are the only one we have :)

 He is trying to tell jokes to the name reader....kidding!!

 Up close, about to walk across the stage.

There he goes!!  Yeah!!  We are so proud of him and glad he made it through!!