Summer Vacation Recap--Weeks 1 and 2

It's summer vacation here at the Smith household, and it's gotten off to a busy but wonderful start!  My last day of class with students was Friday, May 25 (Brandon's was two days prior).  That weekend, we celebrated Myah and Maysen's 5th birthday with a friend party on Saturday and a family party on Sunday.  I/We chose a luau theme complete with lei's and hula skirts.  There was also a face painter! 

The Three Muskateers

Myah

Maysen

Party Friends with Princess lucinda

Who's birthday was it anyway??

The girls got some wonderful gifts.  Among my favorites from their friends were personalized aprons and animal-themed kitchen utensils as well as Flexees and a Bloco building set. If you have a 5-year old to buy for in the near future, consider these as gifts.  We have had so much fun with them already!  From family members, the girls got a lot of clothes, which they love--they are such fashionistas!  They also got new bean bags and some new board games (Super Why ABC Letter Game and Sequence for Kids).  Since Memorial Day, here's what we've been up to

Monday, May 28--our first visit to the "Big Bucket" (Furman Aquatic Center) for the 2012 season.
Tuesday, May 29-Thursday, May 31--Kari's teacher workshop day/TQ planning days at school so all three girls went to their care facilities.  Myah and Maysen's actual birthday on Thursday so we celebrated with dinner at Hickory Park.
Friday, June 1--The summer reading program at the Ames Public Library begins so we went to pick up our logs for that.  Kari, Myah and Maysen get their summer haircuts,and Kari heads to Des Moines for Dam to Dam race.
Saturday, June 2--5:00am, Kari loads bus downtown Des Moines to head to the Saylorville Dam for Dam to Dam 2012 and finishes with a time of 2:20:22, which was 10 minutes faster than originally anticipated, AND I ran the whole thing, which was my ultimate goal!  Myah and Maysen attend friend, Bailey's, birthday party at The Playground for Kids in Ankeny.
Sunday, June 3--Recovery day for Kari.  Took the kids to Daley Park near our house.
Monday, June 4--Myah and Maysen 'passed' their 5-year well-child appointment.  No shots were needed, Maysen's hearing check came out perfectly (finally!), and Mylie's hemoglobin was up where it needed to be at 11.9 (after being low at her one-year appointment and then still a month later).  We celebrated with a trip to Target and then to the "Big Bucket" that afternoon.
Tuesday, June 5--Third trip of the summer to the "Big Bucket" and then Myah and Maysen started swimming lessons that evening as well.
Wednesday, June 6--Spent the morning running errands including dropping off physical and immunization records to M&M's elementary school--can't believe Kindergarten (that K word!) will start before we even know it.  The girls chose going to the park instead of to the pool, which was kind of nice.  Mylie couldn't get enough of those slides!!  I attended a Vacation Bible School meeting that evening--the girls are looking forward to that in a few weeks!
Thursday, June 7--K, M1, M2 and M3 went to the library for the StarLab (planetarium) experience. While Mylie napped, K, M1 and M2 went to Culvers for ice cream to meet up with Kari's PEO Star Group.  M1 and M2 had swimming lessons in the evening.

This may not be important to many of you, but several family members like to know what we are up to, and one of the main purposes of this blog is to be a diary of sorts.  We hope you are all enjoying of your summer (we certainly seem to be making the most of every minute of ours!).