End of School Stuff in May

It is hard to believe that Dane is already done with kindergarten. I felt way more sad about him finishing kindergarten than about him starting it! He had the most positive year--he LOVED school and loved his friends and loved his teacher, and he learned a lot. I was so sad to see it end and to think how things will change next year--nothing is as sweet and positive as kindergarteners. But end it did, and I was able to volunteer at a bunch of his school things so I got a bunch of pictures. 

Open House, where Dane showed off what he'd completed this year:

Dane and his beloved Mrs. Williams.

Kindergarten field trip to the zoo, which I was able to chaperone (with Graham and Lucy)

I love the big bunch of boys that Dane loved at school. He had a ton of friends and loved them all. 

Almost all of Mrs. Williams' class at the end of the zoo. 

Field Day, which Dane loved:

Dane's last day of kindergarten. He insisted on making a sign himself for it (because I wasn't going to make him one). He wrote: "My last day of kindergarten is today... Dane cannot stop writing" on it. Haha.

My view from walking him into school all year. So sad to see it end (but so happy to have a break too). 

We celebrated the end of school with getting a new book, with some snow cones, and then the splash pad with some friends. 

I love this picture with all of us smiling! It's so rare that we can get a genuine smile out of all three kids at the same time!

Graham also finished his "school" year with Joy School. I thought this year of joy school was so positive and happy. Graham loved nothing more than his joy school every Tuesday and Thursday and was always sad when he didn't have it. I am so grateful to the other moms who made this year happen and to the other kids for being Graham's friends. He absolutely loved every second of it. 

I loved this group of kids so much. They were so sweet and fun. It's so crazy to see the difference in them from the beginning of the year till now--they are all so much bigger and older. 

Graham was a proud Joy School graduate. Love this guy. 

The moms had to get a pic with the graduation caps, since we obviously were the ones who actually did the work. Just missing Jill in the pic!

Ten years ago...

Ten years ago, on May 8, 2009, Tommy and I got engaged. We had planned to go to Color Me Mine and made some really fancy plates (which we still have and use regularly), and then Tommy totally surprised me by taking me to McDonald's to get our traditional ice cream sundaes, then to a park and proposing to me. (I had no idea it was coming that day.) These are the best pictures we have of that night:

So on May 8, 2019, the tenth anniversary of our engagement, Tommy remembered and surprised me once again with a date to recreate that night of our engagement. He had a babysitter come over without me knowing, and then we went back to Color Me Mine and made some new things. 

We've changed a little since those first pictures, right?

And we finished by getting some McDonald's ice cream sundaes and eating them at our park again.

Tommy is so incredibly thoughtful at doing things like this. It's been really sweet to have him remember these small anniversaries. He is the best. 

April at a glance

I have so much to do, with our trip coming up this week, but I have the urge to post some of our doings from the last few months on the blog. So I'll work on that instead. 

April was a busy, fun month. Our big things were having the Leiningers come visit for a week, Graham turning four, going camping, and spending a day in Oklahoma City going to the OKC temple open house. I absolutely love April in Texas. The weather is gorgeous, there is so much to do, and we had such a great month. 

We did some fun things with Grandma and Grandpa while they were here. 

We went to the Fort Worth Zoo, and Lucy was charmed by the little tiny birds in the bird exhibit we could feed. 

We all got to go to Dane's first basketball game. It was hilarious. 

Graham turned four and we spent the afternoon at Little Elm Beach, his main request. It was so much fun. 

I love this cute guy. 

Grandma and Grandpa and Kenzie all read books to Dane's kindergarten class. I love this. 

We went camping with friends over Easter weekend! It was soooo much fun!

We discovered the hiking trails off the sidewalk path at Arbor Hills near our house--for the first time since we moved here--and went back a bunch of times to enjoy some actual nature (which is sparse in these parts). 

We went to take pictures and pick bluebonnets at this gorgeous patch near our house. The next day I learned that picking bluebonnets is against the law. Whoops! Won't do it again. 

I just think she is so dang beautiful. 

Dane sporting Tommy's old jacket from his childhood. I love finding old gems like this. 

We went to OKC and ran into our friends the Hawkses, who were there from Houston, randomly at a park! 

The two Lucys--the cutest. 

The temple was small, but beautiful inside and out. I was so grateful we went up there when we sat in the celestial room as a family. I could really feel the Spirit there and I knew the trip was worth it. 

After the temple open house, we went with the Hawkses to the OKC Bombing Memorial site. It was surprisingly moving and so well done. I hadn't planned on going, because I honestly thought it would be too sad, but I am so glad we did. 

And it was even better with friends. Our kids love the Hawkses.