Last Day of School in VA

((finally))  It seems like the last months of school have taken longer than the first 3 quarters.  It doesn't help that school went really late into June this year too.

We finished off the year with an all school assembly where all the students were marched across to receive certificates of achievement.  It took forever because of course all the first grade students excelled in all the subjects, which makes me think that makes them all average by definition, right?  And then there was a very disorganized CYO track awards give away.  Just another reason why the school needs a CYO assembly just for the CYO sports.

My kids both did really well again in school.  Evan's teacher wasn't there because of a death in the family so the class aide read off all the names while the principal shook their hands.  Evan excelled in everything and it still makes me worried about how he could have done if we hadn't put them in this school because his class was so big.  But they always saw hindsight is 20/20 and I just need to let it go and make sure that he continues to excel at his new school in TX.

Ian also did well.  Middle school was harder for him and a big misstep in Spanish around Thanksgiving really shook him up.  I again wonder if I made the wrong decision putting them in private school and if he would have been better off switching schools and being in a bigger school.  I guess I'll never know the answer to that and I need to own what we did decide and just make sure I am there to help guide him in the future.

Ian's teacher Mrs. Landon said some really nice words about Ian, Evan and the rest of us and made me cry during the ceremony.  I know the boys will be missed a lot at the school and I'm sure the work that I did volunteering will be missed too.  I know Ian is sad about moving because he didn't get to run for student council this year and I know he wanted to do it again.  Evan is sad about moving because he finally has a best friend.  Hopefully they both will be good pen pals to their friends and will keep in touch with them.  We live in an age where keeping in touch is so easy and the world is so small these days that it would be sad for them not to keep in touch and meet up with them again in the future.

Weekend Away

We decided to take Memorial Day weekend and go visit Busch Gardens Williamsburg.  We stayed at the Doubletree that was right outside the gates.  I feel like people who parked really late in the day were actually closer to our hotel than they were gates of the theme park.  It was a super nice hotel and had one of the best breakfasts I've ever had in a hotel.

We left right after the boys got out of school and it took FOREVER to get down there but we knew the drive was going to be bad so we planned for a nice sit down dinner along the way and also brought the audio book Eragon to listen to.  It really makes the time go a lot faster when you can listen to a book on "tape" instead of just the radio.

We woke up ate a great breakfast and were pleasantly surprised when we got to the park Saturday morning and found out they were open early!!

Evan was tall enough to ride all the rides, even the big roller coasters.  That didn't end up happening.  A teary eyed 10 year old came running out to me from Apollo's Chariot because he was just too scared.  But oh well, I don't like roller coasters and he's just 10.  He's got plenty of time to learn to like them!

Riding one of my favorite rides, the teacups -- called Turkish Delight!!

These two did Apollo's Chariot even though Evan didn't want to.  Darren told Evan when he got off that Evan made the right choice, that drop was a BIG one!

We met up with our friends the McNerney's and their 3 kids all loved riding roller coasters.  This first picture Darren and Ian are in the back row at the far end.

Their three kids are in the back row in the seats closest to us.

Then Darren decided he was done and the 4 roller coaster lovers road Griffin again.  This time they all sat together in the middle.

Then the roller coaster lovers rode Alpengiest.

All of them loved riding the water rides like Roman Rapids and Escape from Pompeii.  They all wanted to stand in the "splash zone" of Escape from Pompeii, Evan escaped the splash at the last minute by jumping behind the view window.  Smart boy!!

We spent the night at the hotel again after we were done at the park because it was a long day and it was nice to just relax in the hotel at the end of the day.  We played Ian's new Star Wars role playing game until bedtime.

ANZAC Day

We have some friends who are from Australia and they invited us to come to the early morning ANZAC Day remembrance ceremony at the Korean War Memorial.  It was a very early morning for us but it was a beautiful ceremony and we got to go to the Australian Embassy afterwards to have some breakfast.  Evan got to play a couple of games of 2-Up and actually won some money!

Like I said it was an early service.  We had to get up at 4AM to get there by sunrise.  This one wasn't tired at all though the rest of the day.  He was just resting his eyes!

Bowling Buds

We met Ian's BFF at a bowling alley while visiting family since his family had moved last summer to the area. It was good for the boys to see each other.


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My Last Pinewood Derby

Kind of sad but today was our last Pinewood Derby with the Cub Scouts because Evan will be joining the Boy Scouts this summer.  Darren and I decided to run it this year and we had a great turn out.  Of the 42 scouts registered with our Pack, we had 37 scouts race and 10 siblings!

Evan raced with the Webelos 1 group and ended up placing second in his den!  His car this year was decorated like a yellow minion!

Evan with his friends from school!

And I have to give a big shout out to Ian and his friend who are the Webelos 1 and 2 den chiefs.  They volunteered for three hours on Friday night helping the Cub Scouts get ready and then 5 hours on Saturday running the cars back and forth.  They did a great job and didn't complain at all.

10th Birthday Party

More photos that I found on the camera.  Right before school started again after Christmas break, we had a party for Evan to celebrate his 10th birthday.  He invited his friends to the bowling alley for bowling and pizza.