End of May Photos

OK, so it's only the first week of June, right?  Oh wait . . . it's the 8th, so it's officially the second week.  Oh well.  Here are some pics from the last part of May!

Justin had his first band concert at Global Village Academy.  He has worked very hard on his trombone playing.

Closer-up, so you can see him!

Getting an award from his band director, Miss McMaster.  

Caylie with two of her Chinese kindergarten teachers, Zhang Laoshi and Annie Laoshi.

My big boys before church one Sunday.

Sometimes Colorado is snowy in May.

 And sometimes it's sunny and warm.  Sam likes this dinosaur at the park.

Auntie Caylie and Tessa.  

Keelan finished up his 50 hours of driving with parents . . . 

. . . and got his license . . . 

. . . and there he goes.

New games have been learned and played.  I dunno what Sam's doing to Caylie . . . 

Caylie and Tessa again.  :)

Justin met up with an "old" friend at church.  He and Carolyn have known each other since pre-school and were in the same class till second grade, when I was their teacher.  They have been "Pookie and Pooka" (her mama's name for her and my name for Justin) since they were little.  We haven't seen them in a few years, and now Pookie and Pooka are big almost-8th graders.

Tessa and her ponytails on our balcony.  

She's getting to be a big girl!

Keelan had his last band concert at Gateway High School.  He's not going to be in band for his senior year.

Cutie pie Tessa Lillian.  This was the first time I put two ponytails in her hair, so this picture really should be before the other one!

Samuel and Caylie are going to be starting swimming lessons at this indoor pool in a couple of weeks.  I took Sam in for a swim test so they could see what level he needed to start at, and afterward he played on this cool slide.

Caylie and her friend Genesis.  They are three years apart in age, but pretty much the same size!  I took this pic at Village Inn when our friend Mark was in town, but for some reason this is the only one I took.  Sorry, Mark!

Keelan and his long board.  I told him I was taking his senior pictures.  On my phone.  Ha!

We've been window shopping for a few furniture items for our new house.  I want to get a new table that will seat many more than the current one does.  (You should see the 9 of us, scrunched up around a table for 6, haha.)  Sam and Caylie were trying out this one at IKEA, which will seat 10 - 12 without scrunching, and many more WITH scrunching!   

Next up . . . report on new house!

Caylie!

Caylie's had an exciting time lately!  On May 18, she had her kindergarten graduation at Global Village Academy.  She has worked very hard this year.  Her reading and math are much improved from last year, and her Chinese is amazing!  We are so proud of her, and she is ready for 1st grade!

This picture was taken on a regular school day, so she's got her red uniform shirt on.  But so, so cute!

These are the two Chinese kindergarten classes at graduation.  (The school also has French and Spanish immersion classes.)  Caylie's class has the white caps.  She is in the front center.

The teacher of the other class, Ge Laoshi, is retiring this year, so the parents of that class made her a quilt.

 Here is Caylie getting her diploma with the biggest grin on her face!  She was so proud.  

And that's her teacher, Annie Laoshi.

After the program, I took a couple of pictures of our beautiful girl.  

Caylie with one of her teachers - and our friend - Gao Laoshi.  (And her cute son Ethan!)

And, of course, Samuel had to get in on the action.  He loves Gao Laoshi and always wants to see her, but he still refuses to speak Chinese to her.

And another of her teachers, Zhang Laoshi, whose son is in Samuel's 5th grade Chinese class.

And THEN . . . the very next day was "Caylie Day!"  

On May 19, 2013, Caylie joined our family in Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.  We went out to one of our favorite Chinese restaurants to celebrate THREE years!

Caylie and Samuel.  Caylie always speaks Chinese to the wait staff, but Sam will not - silly kid.

Jim and Keelan

Justin and Joy

Happy Caylie Day, sweet girl!  We love you!!

30th Anniversary!

32 years ago, January 1984, these two young'uns met at Anderson College in Anderson, Indiana.  Jim was a junior studying Accounting and Joy was a freshman studying Elementary Education.

Two years later, on May 10, 1986, they were married!

And so, today . . . 30 years, 6 children, and a whole lotta life later . . . it's our anniversary!

Fun at the Park!

It's hard not having a yard, but there is a nice big park near our apartment that the kids like to go to.  I took a few pictures last weekend when we went there on both Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday I dragged Justin away from his computer and books so he could go with us.  He ended up having a good time, haha.

Samuel is all about the basketball.  

Daddy played with him that day.  

Caylie and Justin on a crazy kind of see-saw.

I remember when Caylie would NOT go down a slide.

  Now she even likes the curly ones!  

And she likes a horsie, too.  

Caylie likes to climb, but not TOO high. 

 I encouraged her to go to the top box.  You can see the terrified look on her face, but she did it anyway!

Samuel, on the other hand, is FEARLESS.

Justin on the spider web.

And spider-Sam.

Caylie likes dandelions.  I do, too.  :)

It was a little sunnier on Sunday, and Taylor went with us.  

More basketball with big brother Taylor.

And more see-sawing with him, too!

Mama and Caylie.  We had fun!