Sweet Summer Time

May, 2016:

Our first few days of summer...  Riding bikes in the rain (the first item checked off our bucket list!), a couple days with Callen while his mom finished up for the year,  Sadie making cookies to take to the Knopps for Memorial Day Weekend, water play, Sadie serving slushies to the neighborhood friends with her new slushie machine, naps, and a park play date to say good-bye to sweet friend moving out of state:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Day of School (3rd-1st-K)`

May 25: We love celebrating the last day of school at the Gorsch house (also the first!)  I love picking my kiddos up and knowing that we have the whole summer stretched out in front of us... time for lazy days, playing outside, traveling, swimming, games, books, trips to the park, trips to the library, ice cream, and SO MUCH MORE!  I love comparing their first day/last day pictures to see how they have changed.  We love honoring their teachers with notes and gifts, and we love celebrating as soon as school is out!  This year we had a pizza picnic with our friends--the Spikers.  The weather was amazing so Michelle set up their water slide.  It was the perfect way to kick off summer... feet up, sipping our LaCroix, chatting while the kids played in the water.  Summer seems so MAGICAL (it is... mostly!)  

Another thing we especially love is our family dinner to create our summer bucket list!  In the past we have always done hot dogs and smores over the fire pit... well, unfortunately our fire pit didn't make it through the last year so we changed it up.  We went to BD's Mongolian Grill and tried a new adventurous meal as we dreamt about summer.  I love traditions but was recently reminded not to become a slave to your traditions--leave room for spontaneity and improvisation, this was a perfect example.      

First Day/Last Day Pictures:

Last time as K-1-3!

K's class had an awards ceremony.

Kicking off summer right with some awesome friends!

Our fun BD Dinner and Bucket List Plan Session:

Kinnick was very adventurous!

I was proud of Sadie for stepping out of her comfort zone.

Beautiful Summer Night...

Sadie & Mikenna

May 21-22:  

Mikenna is Sadie's "oldest" friends.  Her mom and I went to WIU together (although were just acquaintances), then got hired to teach in Streator at the same time.  We reconnected during our first year teaching and went though lots of big milestones together (buying a house, getting a dog and having our first babies!).  Sadie & Mikenna were born about 3 months apart and have been friends ever since.  Since we have moved from Streator, we still try to get the girls together a few times each year.  Mikenna invited Sadie for a weekend in May.  They had such a fun day hiking at Starved Rock! 

Dress Up Days

May, 2016:

Crazy Socks & Shades Day:

 

Hawaiian Day:

Field Day:

Spring Miscellaneous

March/April 2016:

Kids had a day off school and enjoyed hanging out with Callen!

Happy Hour Milkshakes... Just because

JCA Spring Jubilee:  "Under the Boardwalk"

Two Sickies = Lazy Day of Movies

MOPS Paint Night!

Primary Voting with my Sidekicks

Spring Break Treat--TCBY!

Spring Break Camp-Out!

The kids made Breakfast in Bed for Marc and Me

Lunch Date--Trying a New Restaurant:  "Little Saigon"

Dress like your favorite Book Character at School:  McKenna (AGD), Shaggy (Scooby Doo), Hermione

Sadie's Book Sale to raise Money for supplies for our Africa Trip.  She made $60!

  

Mother's Day Weekend

May 7-8, 2016:  We had such a great Mother's Day Weekend.  We got to spend Mother's Day with BOTH of our Moms (first time this has happened!)  Marc's parents had planned to stay for the weekend and then my parents asked to come the same weekend.  We all had fun together.  Saturday morning started off with a couple of baseball games--we got ot watch Macey & Kinnick play.  We spent Saturday afternoon relaxing and Marc & I had an event to attend Saturday night.  My parents took the kids out to dinner and swimming at their hotel and Marc's parents helped get them to bed that evening.  It was fun having a night out and knowing our kids were getting spoiled by their grandparents! 

Once we know that both of our parents (and sisters) were coming, we called around to a few different places to see about getting reservations for brunch.  We couldn't find any place to accomodate our large group for a lunch-time meal so Marc offered to cook brunch for everybody.  He did an AMAZING job planning and executing this meal.  He wouldn't let me help at all.  (I eventaully talked him into letting me make a coffee cake to contribute to the feast!)  We enjoyed church, beautiful weather, and an incredible meal.  After brunch all  the parents took off.  Marc let me relax while he cleaned up everything.  Later in the afternoon we went to the forest preserve for some hiking/bike riding.  We ended our night with "supper" at TCBY (one of my favs!)  This worked out great since we were all still stuffed from brunch.  It wasn't our traditional Mother's Day of Starved Rock hiking and R Grotto pizza but it couldn't have been more perfect!

Baseball:

The kids decorated some extra cookies I had!

Swimming at Grandpa & Grandma's Hotel

Morning Star Mission Gala:

Mother's Day Pictures:

Aunt NeeNee

Aunt Kassie

Grandma & Grandpa Henry

Grandma & Grandpa Gorsch

Brunch:  Cinnamon Roll Waffles w/ Cream Cheese Icing, Strawberry Cream Cheese CoffeeCake, Cheesy Eggs w/ Peppers & Onions, Bacon, Spinach Salad, Watermelon, BBQ Ribs, Mac & Cheese, Cheesy Broccoli Casserole, Corn, & Party Potatoes

Chillin' with my Baby:

Hiking & TCBY:

Sadie surprised me with this cute earring holder--I love it!