Pre-K Graduation

Today my little boy "graduated" from preschool.  They had a really cute ceremony beginning with the kids walking in to "Pomp and Circumstance", reciting a poem, singing and dancing to "Tootie Ta", and each of them receiving their diplomas.  All followed by a potluck - yum!

"Remember when, way last fall..."

With Mrs. Linda

Tootie Ta

Our Graduate

My contribution to the potluck -

chocolate cupcakes with chocolate covered graham crackers, a fruit roll-up "tassle" and a York peppermint bit for a "button"

As we were walking out after his ceremony, I told him he wasn't quite ready for Kindergarten, and I thought he should do preschool one more year - he disagreed.  Oh well, it was worth a shot... Guess I'm the mom of a Kindergartener and a 2nd Grader come August.  I'm certainly not ready for them to be growing up as quickly as they are. 

Back to Ballet

We have finally found a ballet studio here in Pyeongtaek, so Grace has decided to give up swimming (at least for the time being), and go back to her first love, ballet.  She is one of two blondes in the class and I am only assuming that the other one speaks English as she is fluent in Hongul.

Monday is "stretching" day.  All the girls sit with their back to the wall and the teacher and another student gently push their legs open until it is a bit uncomfortable.

The teacher and the girls took really good care of her and made sure she knew where she was supposed to be and what she needed to be doing.  I'm also very proud of her for going outside of her comfort zone to do what she loves to do - I don't know many kids who would willingly go to a class that is taught all in Hongul (with very little, and very limited English).  I pray that she keeps it up and even learns a little of the language along the way.  She really seemed to enjoy the class, and even though you could see that she was a feeling a bit shy, I caught her with a great big smile on her face several times.

Father Daughter Dance

In preparation for Father's Day, the Garrison had a Father Daughter Dance last night.  We kept it a surprise for Grace until yesterday morning...  She was so disappointed when she didn't get to go to the MI Ball with David and I, I told him he really didn't have a choice in the matter.  If she would have found out about this dance and didn't get to go she would have been heartbroken!  Thankfully David was more than willing to oblige, and his work schedule didn't interfere either!

Every princess has to primp!

The finished product (poor girl doesn't have a lick of curl to her hair!).

Watching her Prince Charming finish up getting ready.

I don't know if you can tell, but she's pretty smitten with her daddy, and was SO EXCITED that he was taking her to a ball!

She doesn't know how lucky she really is that he'd put on a tuxedo for his little princess...

I still get complaints from him that he had to don a tux twice when we got married.

Dancing with one of her swim team friends

She had a fabulous "date night" with her daddy - and of course he had to put the icing on the cake and take her out for Hershey's pie at BK after the dance!  I think he's trying to ensure that she's always a Daddy's girl... and I'm certainly okay with that!

Look Mom!!

Last summer was Grace's big debut, and this summer is Tristan's...  We've been watching Grace practically hit her knees on her chin while riding her bike, so David headed down with his tools to raise her seat.  I suggested that while he was down there he may as well take Tristan's training wheels off.

Off they came!

And off he went!

He really doesn't like going up our little sloped road though!

His first "crash". 

He basically stopped and let go of the bike instead of putting his foot down and keeping his bike upright.

There's that darn hill again!

David thought it best to put our little dare devil in full pads - for safety sake.

Ready to go - guns and all.  Just in case he needs to protect anyone.

Just in case you didn't know - he's the coolest kid around, I mean, just look at him.

"Slow down Tristan!" David says.

We're still working on the steering and stopping part...

Over all he did a fabulous job and got back on after he fell - even the time he hit his chin on the handlebars and made him cry.

I'm an American Girl

Grace has been asking about getting an American Girl doll since she saw the catalog at my mom's house and Megan showed her all of her dolls back in November.  David and I were hesitant to get her one because she hasn't really been playing with dolls, they are marked 8+, and they are a tad bit expensive.  But, she kept bringing it up, so David and I discussed it and decided that if she could save up half of the money for it, we would pay the other half and she could get one.  Her share came to right about $60.  It only took her a few weeks since she already had money saved from her photo shoot 9 months ago.  So, when she had all of it together, we got online and ordered her doll and the accessories that she had chosen.

And it came in the mail incredibly fast!

Lacey has blonde hair (cut very similarly to Grace's), blue eyes, pierced ears, and purple glasses - just like Grace.

She was so very excited to get it and is now saving money for some outfits for her new doll.  It was rather hard for her to hand over her money to David and I, but after she received her "reward", I think she decided it was well worth it!

Field Day

Humphrey's American School has an annual Field Day where all of the kids have a day of outdoor games and activities.  It was a beautiful day for it today, but I am very thankful for the fact that Grace's age group was scheduled in the morning, or it would have gotten quite warm (for me and my built in furnace at least! (:  ) in the afternoon. 

Three legged race

The kids were divided into teams for each of the events. 

In this one they had to run and find the tennis balls with their team number on it and run it back and put it in the bucket.

This was a tough one - keeping the ball on top of the plunger and running it from the starting point, around the cone and back.

Grace said she liked the noodle throwing event the best...

...because she could put the noodle on her nose and pretend she was an elephant.

Kicking their shoes off.

Grace's class.  Mrs. Fichter's Fish

Having a little fun!