Yesterday was another beautiful afternoon, so we met some friends over at our neighborhood ponds for some fishing. There were a few fish caught, but there was a lot of playing around the water and lots and lots of exploring for Cayenne. After fishing, we got cleaned up and had some smores outside – another lovely spring day!!!
Yesterday was a most beautiful spring day, and we spent ours with some fun activities outside. Lyla started out the day with her first soccer game. She did great and got her hair sprayed pink for the occasion (there was a soccer festival going on to kick off the season).
After the soccer game, we headed out to the neighborhood Bunny Trail that was being put on for kids Lyla’s age and younger. They had activity stations that culminated with an egg collecting. I won’t even call it an egg hunt because, as you can see, there was no hunting required!!!
Since it was such a beautiful afternoon, we came home from the bunny trail and sat outside on the back deck while the kids played with friends. We have two beautiful trees blooming in the back yard, and already the bees are at work pollinating. The blooms don’t last for long, so we’re going to enjoy then while we can!
After dinner we headed back out for another community activity. They were having a flashlight egg hunt in the park for kids ages 7-12, so Nina and some neighbor friends got together for that egg hunt. Nina collected a basket full of eggs, but unfortunately she didn’t collect the coveted “golden egg.” There were a few special golden eggs that, if found, could be turned in for a special prize. We didn’t find a golden egg, but we still came home with a basket full of eggs and some tired kids who crashed in bed after a beautiful and fun spring day!
It’s been awhile since having done my last post. The whole Simpson family was down and out with the flu bug that was going around. So for over 1 1/2 weeks, we didn’t do much of anything. Lyla was the first to get sick, then Nina followed, then Mark and I got it at the same time. Not fun! Meanwhile, Cayenne was finding herself in “the dog house” quite often, so she didn’t earn any blog posts either. However, we’re back in the land of the healthy (mostly) now, so I’m glad we’re all feeling better just in time for the start of Spring Break!
Lyla is turning into quite the little student through this year of Kindergarten. She loves school, loves her teachers, and she’s doing a great job reading and writing. She loves “earning money” for her class store, sorting her coins and deciding whether to save her spend her money each Friday when the class store comes out. The Kindergarteners earn money for good behavior, helping others, doing optional homework, etc.
Lyla also started on a soccer team this spring. She really enjoys soccer, likes going to practice, and we’ll see how she does at the first game of the season tomorrow!
I took this picture with my camera phone, so it’s a little blurry, but this is Nina’s BFF crew in her second grade class (minus one other little girl not in the picture). She has such a great teacher this year, she’s doing great with her studies, and she really loves her group of girl friends in her class. Second grade has been a great year. It’s hard to believe there is only one quarter of school left!!
Nina is still participating in a tumbling program, and as she says, “it’s totally my thing.” She works on the type of moves that can be incorporated into dance and loves going to class each week. I have a lot more respect for what she does after trying to hold my own back bend. In the back bend position, I could barely lift my leg in the air, yet she looks so graceful going into a backbend, then taking her legs over her head into a walkover. It’s given me a new appreciation for all her hard work!
With everyone feeling better and spring break right around the corner, we’ll no doubt be back to posting more frequent updates. It feels good to be getting back to normal!!
Just took these on our bike ride/her run yesterday. I’m so glad winter is finally on it’s way out, and there are more sunny days ahead! I think Cayenne is happy about that too.
I could put a dozen photos up here of Cayenne posing, but I’ll hold back on that one. Cayenne is extremely motivated by treats. We can get her to do almost about anything if there’s a treat involved. One day I took her out to the park and took her off leash to take a few pictures. I brought some treats with me and would give her one after I took her picture, and now every time I get my camera out, she’s ready to pose for treats. Even if she’s not supposed to be in the picture, she’ll sit and pose with the expectation that I’ll take her picture and give her a treat. Looking on the bright side, I guess I’ll always have one member of the family happy to get their picture taken!
We are thrilled to report that we are done with diapers. This better be the last time I’m saying that! While we still have to wait until the end of April for Cayenne’s spay appointment, she’s no longer needing the diapers, and we are all thrilled. She’s back to her old self, her long runs, puppy antics (both good and bad), and family time. Here she is now at eight months.
Since Lyla and Bo share a birthday, and Mark and I aren’t too far behind, the family got together for a celebration of all the March birthdays. Lyla and Ryleigh in particular had a blast photo bombing Uncle Bo. Our six year old was also quite the poser showing off one of her new birthday outfits.
Well, our sweet Ly turned six today. Where has the time gone? I told her today that is doesn’t seem like six years ago when we brought her home from the hospital, and here we are celebrating her sixth birthday. She was so excited this whole week leading up to today. She really couldn’t wait for her birthday. Yesterday in school, they celebrated her birthday, and she was so excited when she got home from school that she literally jumped in Nina’s arms.
She was up bright and early this morning, and as is tradition in the Simpson house, we celebrated with donuts for breakfast, and she got to open a couple presents from Mark and I. She was most excited to get this fast, new, blue scooter that she had been wanting.
To celebrate her birthday, we let her invite some friends to a kite flying birthday picnic. Mother Nature definitely didn’t do us any favors when she delivered like 8” of snow at the beginning of the week. I was pretty worried about our party plans as the invitations had already been sent out for the party to be held at a local park. I looked this week for alternative locations that wouldn’t be snow covered, but nothing seemed to work out on late notice.
Amazingly, the snow DID melt from the field where the party was to be held at, but it was still very muddy. I warned parents ahead of time to wear old pants and shoes and bring a change of clothes for the way home, and did they ever need it!
They flew kites, blew bubbles, chased, ate lunch, had cake, and ran and flew kites some more. I think, young and old, after the winter we’ve had, we were all just happy to be out in the warm sun.
I had them all stand together so I could take a picture of how dirty they were, but the picture doesn’t even do it justice. By the end of the party, they were filthy, but they all had a lot of fun!
What a great day to be six!!
We love our crazy, goofy, funny, sweet Lyla! Happy 6th birthday!!!!
