The Finish Line

We are on Zz with the "babysitting kids" this week.  So we have reached the end!  There are 2 of the 8 who when given a letter can recite a Bible Verse.  About 2 more that can do it with 80% of the verses and the rest can do it with almost all if given the first word!  That far exceeds my expectations!  They really did well.

This week we have slowly dwindled down in numbers to only 1 left today, our final day!  But on Wednesday we had our biggest crowd (7 with Eli) so we had a picnic outside!

These are great kids, I've been blessed to have them this school year.  I am also thankful to have the summer off - a bonus of babysitting teachers kids!

Ron snapped some pictures Wednesday of us reading books outside after lunch!

I'm already thinking ahead to next fall and what we will cover and the things we will do.  I prefer to be overly prepared than be caught off guard :)  I will have 5 of these same kids every day, 1 every other day.  Then 2 after school and one more, a 5 month old!  So I'm trying to plan a little in advance!  

So thankful for a good year where I actually saw growth in the majority of them!

Garden

Last weekend it was Garden Time!

For some reason I didn't get Nathaniel in the pictures, but he was helping too!

This year we have potatoes, several kinds of tomatoes, green beans, several kinds of peppers, cucumbers, onions, spinach, lettuce, squash and garlic.  We'll be ready come winter!

Catching Up...Again

We went to my parents house for Memorial Day!  We took our Corn Hole board and the kids had fun after the adults all played!

I didn't get too many good pictures, but I did manage to get Maddie still with both grandparents for a quick pictures.  She loves her Grandma...

and her Pap!

She took more pictures than me!

We got to spend some time with Russ, Connie and Anna, who we hadn't seen in WAY too long.

We had a great day of relaxing and fun!  We need to do it more often!

Our Graduate!

The seas have lifted up, Lord,

the seas have lifted up their voice; 

the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.  

Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, 

mightier than the breakers of the sea-- 

The Lord on high is mighty.  Psalm 93:3-4

Eli's Kindergarten Graduation was tonight!  

It's hard to believe our little man is now officially a 1st grader!  

My baby boy, he's getting so big!

It was a nautical theme.  The kids sang some cute songs: "Six Little Starfish", and "Swim Faster Jonah".  They also did the Pledges to the American and Christian Flags and the Pledge to the Bible.

There were 5 graduates.  He actually had six in the class, but one little girl was sick.

After the songs, there was a slide show presentation.  But the part that really got me was after the slide show.  The kids had gone to get their caps and gowns on and they came in to the song, "Let Them Be Little" by Billy Dean. (If you haven't heard it, you have to click on the link - it's a great song).

So Eli comes out looking like this...

holding a rose and walks up to me!  I lost it!  Tears were flowing.  I grabbed him and hugged and kissed him.  My little man.  So cute!  So Big!  Growing too fast!

Mr. Cummins, the principal, handed Eli his certificate.

He looks so big! 

(behind is his teacher, Mrs. Andrews)

 They sang some more songs: the Old and New Testament Books of the Bible and a cute little song called, "He's Got Plans". 

Here he is...The most recent Adkins Graduate!

Elijah Wesley

he's now officially a 1st grader!

 Here is Eli with the world's greatest Kindergarten teacher...Mrs. Andrews.

There was even a reception in the graduates honor.

Eli wanted a pictures with his 6th Grade "reading buddy", Sam!

We went to Subway afterwards with Pap and Grandma!

When we got home, Eli released one of his balloons and watched it "fly to heaven".

Eli, We know there will be many more BIG days in your life.  Many more milestones met, but we are so proud of you tonight and the Little Man you are becoming.  Our prayer is that you will ALWAYS desire to serve and sing to the Lord and Bless His name.  Remember Psalm 100 that you memorized in Kindergarten  and "Shout to the Lord" all your life.

We love you Buddy!  

Congratulations!

Field Trip and Last Day

Yesterday was Eli's final day of Kindergarten!  That also meant, a Field Trip!

Maddie and I were invited to join the group as we toured the brand new Fire Station, ate at Pizza Hut, took the Trolley Tour at Spangler Candy and got ice cream from DQ.  A fun filled day!

We started at the Fire Station.  Assistant Chief Pool gave us a demonstration on how to suit up like a "real Fireman".  Maddie and Eli were both into every word!

They all got to hold the hose and I'm not sure they believed the Chief when he said that it took 2 men to hold it when it had water running through it!

There were several trucks and engines and they got to look at each one and the different things they did.

Eli even sat up in the biggest one.

They even watched Fireman Pool slide down the pole!

 So for a day there were a few extra firefighters around Bryan!

 I had gone on this tour with Nathaniel in Kindergarten, but this year with the new facility, it was pretty fun!

Our next stop was Pizza Hut and I didn't get pictures there.

After lunch we went to Spangler Candy Company for their trolley tour.  Everyone had to wear a hairnet during the tour as we went into the factory and watched them in the assembly lines.

Maddie wasn't sure about the hairnet at first, but she quickly got over it.  She was just a baby when we did this before, this time she really thought it was neat!

Both Maddie and Eli pretended to be the Dum Dum Man, while enjoying a Dum Dum Sucker.

Our next stop was to be the park, but with rain we instead when back to the school to play in the gym for a little while before heading off to DQ for some ice cream!

It was a great day and both Eli and Maddie had a fun time!

It's hard to believe his last day of Kindergarten is over.  His graduation is tonight!  Wow, my littlest little man is getting so big! :)

Puzzles

The other evening, Eli came down the stairs with an announcement, "The Puzzle Museum is Now Open".

We knew he had been putting puzzles together, so we took turns visiting!  Apparently there was a fee to be admitted.  "A penny or a dollar" either one could get you in! :)

Eli was thrilled when Daddy got into his change jar and paid the boys way too!

The Puzzle Museum was simply a place to look at all the puzzles he had put together! 

Eli was pretty excited to have made money so easily that he quickly moved to a store.  That caused some problems when he was selling his brothers things ;)

Gotta love his ingenuity!

Frisbee's and Family

Today we wanted to do something as a family and something new, inexpensive and fun!  We decided to go to a nearby park and play Frisbee golf.  We had seen this "course" on several occasions, but had never played before.  We were surprised to see that there were 18 holes and even a score card.  

For some it was the first time throwing a Frisbee, but she really did great!

Others got better the more they threw!

Some looked like pros!

The course was really pretty as it weaved around trees and we searched for the next hole location.  

 Here Maddie is showing the size of some of the trees...

compared to others!

We had a great time, got some great exercise and spent time together.

We're already planning when we can do it again.

 A Beautiful Fun Day Together!