5th Grader

Clip from Fencing Finals

Joe is on the left.
Nina, Zena and I each thought it was "nice!" and I admit in the beginning that I have no idea what ref (judge?) means.

Fencing Tournament

Farm/Joe Turns 11

Dear Joe,

A trip to the farm with the Pat and Ron, Matthew and Vera and Grand and Grandpa:

Nature lover:

Chipmunk rescuer:

Crisp eater (instead of cake):

Patient and loving big brother:

Happy Birthday. XOX.

Joe Turned Nine

Two Recitals (One with a lot more notes)

Spring Violin Recital 2013

Minuet in G...
(I missed recording the beginning, as usual.)

Yes I Took Pictures of The First Day of School. What Do You Think I Am, Some Sort Of Non-First-Day-Of-School-Picture-Taker?

Joe's first day of Second Grade...

 

 And Matthew's first day of Kindergarten...

Joe's 8th Birthday

Dear Joe,

Me:  You have turned out to be the greatest 8 year old I know.

Joe:  Did you think I wouldn't?

Your 8th birthday invitations...

I made these "official membership cards" and after you filled them out I had them laminated...

You helped me make this sign and we hung it in the front yard...

I made these nets out of tulle on my serger...

and used fabric to cover some composition notebooks I got for fifty cents each to make "field journals."

Your cake...

You don't like frosting, so this was a lemon buttermilk cake, layered with raspberry whipped cream and lemon curd, with a butter/sugar icing of sorts on the top to help the berries stick...  and those are last year's candles (plus one.)

The nets were assembled using a coat hanger, a hose clamp, a wooden dowel and some tape...

We also had a station where you could hammer holes into a mason jar lid to make a bug jar...

And James got to taste cake for the first time...

But the whole party started off with Dan, "The Creature Man"...




Your birthday gift...

You're in love...

And so are we...