365 ~ 2014: Day 181

Deck Renovation Project Day 34: We have a wall for the shed space and a half finished lower deck!

365 ~ 2014: Day 180

Hanging at the pool with Grammy today!

365 ~ 2014: Day 179

Two weeks ago I photographed my cousin's wedding.  I'm not even close to a professional wedding photographer, and I don't even play one on TV, but I was happy to be able to catch some great moments for them like this one right after they were pronounced husband and wife!

365 ~ 2014: Day 178

Deck Renovation Project Day 33: Staining the decking for the platforms and lower level and building the frame for the wall to the shed space!

Shaun 6.0

Our Shaunie is SIX!  He had his 6 year check up on Tuesday and had another major growth spurt!  He's grown 4 1/4 inches in the last year!  And we measured him back in April and he grew 2 of those inches over the last 2 months.  I thought his shirts were looking shorter on him.

HEIGHT: 48 inches (89th percentile!)
WEIGHT: 54 pounds (86th percentile)

The Birthday Boy!

We had some scheduled baseball games and practices on his actual birthday so we celebrated the following day.  He chose to have dinner at his favorite restaurant, El Rodeo.  He LOVES their chips and salsa!

Yummy chips and dip!

Birthday Chicken Taco!

After dinner we headed home, I had stopped a bakery and picked up some desserts for his "birthday cake".  He had the chocolate cheesecake muffin.

Happy Birthday to you...

Make a Wish!

Turning 6 would not be complete without his well check.  He's healthy and growing and that is all that matters.

Super tall!

Vision check - still 20/20 (for now!)

Someone just found out he was up to date on his shots!

A week after his birthday he finished his year in Kindergarten.  He's reading above grade level and aside from some issues with having the silly's when he should be focused on learning, he did great this year!  Next year he's off to FIRST grade and he'll be in school all day, it will be an interesting transition since he still went down for a nap most afternoons.  He didn't always fall asleep but most of the time he did.  We're working on getting him adjusted to an all day schedule this summer.

He is still a constant ray of sunshine and really just a happy kid.  He makes friends with anyone he meets and loves to march to the beat of his own drum.  I'm looking forward to seeing what six brings for Shaun!

365 ~ 2014: Day 177

Deck Renovation Project Day 32:  More work on the platform and the lower level deck.  Lots of time spent getting the appropriate amount of support beams to handle the load of the staircase.

365 ~ 2014: Day 176

Deck Renovation Project Day 31:  I took off today to take the boys south to hang out with a friend at the beach today!  It was the perfect beach day, we had a blast hanging out and soaking up the sun.  I'm a little bit crispy but totally worth it!  We stayed in town for dinner so we wouldn't have to sit in traffic.  I have never felt so welcome with my overtired children than I did eating at Marvels' Lunchbox.  You walk into the small dinning room and saw all the toys and knew it was a place that welcomed children!  The owner came out to chat with us and gave the kids some treats and took their pictures for his Facebook page!  Anyway...back to the deck...I left Nantasket Beach with blue skies and 90 degree temperatures...arrived home to pouring rain, thunder and lightning.  The best picture I could get was from the upper level.  Looks like they made some major progress today with the lower level!  I'm looking forward to seeing it in the daylight tomorrow morning!

365 ~ 2014: Day 175

Deck Renovation Project Day 30:  Today they began building the platform for the top of the staircase.  It's much bigger than I thought it was going to be.  I'm looking forward to seeing the finished staircase!

Schools Out for Summer!

We are officially in summer vacation.  It is hard to believe that another school year has gone by.  I'm going to be honest, not having to set my alarm is pretty awesome.  After a super busy "kick of to summer vacation" this weekend the boys even slept in a little this morning.

The last week of school was also pretty busy with parties, popcorn making for the entire school, and success nights.  Evan's celebrations were up first since his last day was on Monday June 16th.  His class had an outdoor ice cream party and the parents were invited to come and hang out.  We found out a the week before school got out that Evan's teacher would not be returning next school.  She also taught Shaun last year.  I am sure that Evan will no doubt wrap his new teacher around his finger as he does with almost every grown up he encounters.

Evan and his teacher Ms. Anne

Last Day of (his first year at) Preschool

On Tuesday night, Shaun had his Kindergarten success night.  We had Omi come up to watch David and Evan so that we could take just Shaun out and so we could celebrate just him.  We did the same thing for David when he had his Kindergarten success night.  First we headed to the school to watch the different classes preform a couple songs they had learned during the year.  Shaun's class sang about an apple tree.

Mrs. McKenna's morning and afternoon sections of Kindergarten preform their song

After the mini-concert we headed to Shaun's classroom where we got to see his portfolio.  He showed us some of the stories he had written and his alphabet and number books.

Shaun's portfolio

And no success night would be complete without a special dinner with Mom and Dad.  Shaun's original choice was Wendy's but since we had some time we were able to convince him to choose a different place.  His number one favorite restaurant is El Rodeo.  He LOVES their chips and salsa!

Chips and Salsa all for Shaun!

Me and my "almost" First Grader!

Shaun and Daddy!

On Wednesday June 18th, it was David's turn to have his success night.  It was bitter sweet for me since he will no longer be a student at the Mill Brook.  Next year he'll attend Broken Ground for grades 3-5.  We dropped Shaun and Evan off at a friends and headed to get some Chinese food (David's choice!) for dinner before heading over to see all his work.

David and Dad!

Me and my "almost" Third Grader!

David's Success Night feast!

After dinner we headed over to the school to check out his work.  He had some of his art work on display and his favorite journal entries.

Welcome to Success Night!

Dave's portfolio!

David and his teacher Mrs. Moore!

Last time at Mill Brook - I might have cried, but I have two more still there!

And that brings us to June 19th, the last day of school.  The year seemed to fly by.  It was a pretty low key day and of course Shaun was bouncing off the walls.  Even on the last day of school he was asked to take a couple breaks.  I'm thankful for the teacher he had this year, she knew just how to work with his spirit without crushing it.

Last time being picked up, next year he'll ride the bus to and from school.

Shaun's awesome teacher (David had her too, I wonder if we'll go 3 for 3!)

Last Day of Kindergarten!

Last Day of 2nd Grade!

Even though it's totally cliche to say, my babies are growing up so fast!  Just look at the side by side of the first and last days.

 

365 ~ 2014: Day 174

Deck Renovation Project Day 29:  The layout for the lower level platform deck began today.  Once the layout was measured and marked out, they began digging more holes to support the lower deck.

365 ~ 2014: Day 173

Practice makes perfect!  The boys are loving the new pitching machine.  Now who wants to come over and play!?

365 ~ 2014: Day 172

A beautiful day to be "Down on the Farm" for a group shoot with the SOPHA community!  I really go for the desserts, but it's fun to hang out and continue learning the ins and outs of location lighting.

365 ~ 2014: Day 171

Schools out for summer!  Here are the boys with their teachers on their last day of school!  All 3 of these teachers were amazing.  I loved watching them learn and grow all year long and it's all because of these wonderful ladies pictured below!

365 ~ 2014: Day 170

Deck Renovation Project Day 28: Today they back filled the retaining wall, smoothed out the ground level.  They had enough fill to fix a deep hole in the back yard (bonus!)  The work on the lower level begins on Monday!

365 ~ 2014: Day 169

Deck Renovation Project Day 28:  It's coming together nicely!  The electrician was back this afternoon to install the balcony outlet and light, flood lights for the backyard, and the recessed lighting and fans on the ceiling!  The concrete guys poured the concrete for the cement slab that will be the floor for the shed space and took down the mold used to make the wall.  Also they began the installation of the upper railing system.  The contractor is at a standstill until the concrete guys finish their work so they will be back on Monday to start the stairs to the lower level.

365 ~ 2014: Day 168

Deck Renovation Project Day 27:  More work on the retaining wall, the cement truck came to pour the concrete into the mold.  The railing was also installed today and they began the prep work for the cement slab for the future "shed" space.

365 ~ 2014: Day 167

Deck Renovation Project Day 26:  Friday it was pouring buckets and cold enough to wear sweatshirts.  Today it was blue skies, full sun and HOT!  But no rain means back to work, and so the the mold for the cement wall was built, the beams and balcony were painted and the door frame was installed.  The rail system came in today so that is going to be installed tomorrow.

Happy Father's Day!

The whole family was at my cousin's wedding the night before, but we decided to still have a very low key cookout to celebrate Father's Day.  We kept it really simple, hamburgers and hot dogs.  I'm pretty sure everyone dozed off at some point during the day.  Even still it's always fun when the family gets together.

And I'm never too tired to get portraits!  Here are the Dad's with their kiddos!