Saturday, June 23, 2012

A Trip South (Photo Project 2012 - Days 157 to 164

On June 5, I took the girls to visit Ron's family in North Carolina.

Day 157


Tuesday, June 5 was a lovely day for flying south.

Day 158


The girls loved sleeping in the king-sized bed. Here they are reading before going to sleep.

Day 159


Ron's brother, Reid, raises chickens, so the eggs we eat are as fresh as can be. The color of the yolk is almost startlingly orange.


We timed our trip to celebrate Grandpa Ronnie's 74th birthday with him (and Carole).

Day 160
 

Annalee outside in the glow of the setting sun.

Day 161


Zelda along with Uncle Reid.

Day 162
 

We headed down to Kill Devil Hills, N.C., on the Outer Banks for a night (and day). On our way to the beach, we stopped for dinner at Frog Island, where the girls were nearly attacked by a giant crab!


We arrived on the beach just after the sun set. It didn't stop the girls from searching for shells in the sand (and getting bitten by sand fleas).

Day 163
 




Our main reason for going to the beach during this trip was to visit the Wright Brothers National Memorial just up the road from Ronnie's beach house. The park service hosted a kite-flying activity for children. Despite the sweltering heat and very little wind, the girls flew their kites up and down the field in front of the Wright Brothers Memorial.

Day 163



I baked a most delicious and beautiful (if I do say so myself!) chocolate layer cake for my birthday.  We celebrated with a swim and cookout at Carole's house on Bell's Island.

Day 164



Before leaving for the airport on our final day in North Carolina, the girls gave Grandpa Ronnie an early Father's Day gift.

Photo Project 2012 - Days 154 to 156


Day 154
 

I took the girls to a Chinese American Culture Club camp day on Saturday. The focus was on four holidays/seasons celebrated by the Chinese. The event kicked off with a well-done lion dance.


Zelda made a paper lantern at one station.


We also learned how to make spring rolls. 

Day 155


This year, our church held an old-fashioned play day. Annalee and I teamed up for the three-legged race - and we won!

Day 156

Nothing. Totally nothing. Too busy getting ready to go to North Carolina...

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Last Day of School

I can't believe that Annalee is a rising fourth grader! Though this year didn't go by in too much of a blur, it's still shocking to me that my older daughter is nine and has just completed third grade.

This is how she looked on the first day of school...


And, here she is on June 1, the last day of school (Photo Project 2012 - Day 153)...





Every time I take a picture of the girls together, Zelda always wants to hug Annalee. I've decided to call this the 'death-grip of love' hug...


I'll only boast this once and say Annalee had an outstanding school year with a report card to show for it. Better than the report card, I'm thrilled that she participated in five clubs during the year. One club's activities even has us gardening and composting!

Congratulations, Annalee!


Thursday, June 14, 2012

Photo Project 2012 - Days 140 to 152

Day 140


Zelda's hip-hop dance recital will get more blog time (along with Annalee's piano recital) than this little picture. But, I just had to include this in the Photo Project.


Day 141
 


On May 20, Annalee and I 'did' the 1-mile race in the Darien Dash. Annalee found some friends and posted a 12:35 mile. I was pretty proud of my own 15:16-minute mile, considering I hadn't been in training for this walk/run. Afterward, we went to Lemont Street Cafe, where Annalee ate a burger as big as her head.


 Day 142
 

I just thought Annalee looked so pretty with her hair half-up that I took this picture with my phone.

Day 143
 

An end-of-the-day picture of Zelda's recital bouquet.

Day 144
 

On Wednesday, Zelda and I were out in the yard planting some containers. As I walked back to the patio from the shed, I was wowed by this cascading rose bush under my bedroom window. In nearly 14 years of living here, I've never done a thing to this plant. And, I was greatly rewarded this year!

Day 145
 

Annalee's birthday request this year was to plant a garden. We started out planning a 4x8. When that looked too small, we pushed out to an 8x8. Included are collards, cabbage, buttercrunch lettuce, tomatillos, black cherry tomatoes, early girl and sweet 100 tomatoes, green beans, red peppers and jalapenos. And, don't forget the many flowers all along the edges. We definitely overplanted it, so when push comes to shove the flowers may have to go...

Day 146

I think...I forgot!

Day 147
 

My dad and step mom, Pat, came over to celebrate Pat's birthday with us. It seems like it had been a long time since I'd taken a picture of the girls with any of their grandparents. This was a nice one!

Day 148
 

A true reader in the making...Zelda laid out on the couch, covered by a cushion, to 'read' a book while the rest of us finished getting ready for church.

Day 149


I cheated a little for this picture. I actually took it on Sunday, May 27, which was day 148. But, I took it knowing it would be great for Memorial Day. For the project's sake, I did take a picture on this day - a picture of my Aunt Pat with her birthday cake - but it's on Ron's phone and it would be near impossible for me to get him to download his pics.

Day 150


Another end-of-the-day photo - Ron's computer screen. It has a picture I took of the girls in August 2010 underneath one of the lions outside the Art Institute.

Day 151
 

Annalee is dressed for Hawaiian day on one of the few remaining days of third grade.

Day 152
 

OK. I was really slipping this week...another last-minute photo...Ron in the office - in his jacket. Oh, wait, that's his shirt.