Good-bye Preschool!

Ellie's last day of preschool was so bittersweet. Even the teachers were wiping away tears. I can't believe I now have two kids in elementary school! Yikes! We were trying to pump up Ellie for Kindergarten. We kept telling her that she's a big girl now, that she's a Kindergartner now... I failed to tell her that she didn't start Kindergarten until September. The day after preschool, she jumped out of the van with Mikayla ready to start. Poor thing, she was very disappointed.

Ellie and Mrs. Brown


Mrs. Vierkant


Her preschool friends, each going their separate ways next year...

May is Flying By!

Everything seems to be coming to an end so quickly. It's a bit overwhelming. This week, Elyana finished up her spring swimming lessons and Mikayla finished up her first year with American Heritage Girls. At Mikayla's award ceremony, she received 4 more badges, making her badge total this year 8. She also earned her first service award star, which means that she completed 5 hours of community service. This Thursday I will finish up my bible study this year. We will have completed a study on Ephesians, Galatians, and I and II Corinthians. Next week though, is monumental to the Jones family, we will be done with preschool. It's bittersweet and I am full of emotions.

My AHG girl! I will be leading the Kindergarten group next year! Yikes!


Elyana ready for her last swim lesson. She blew me away. I actually was filled with adrenaline watching the kid! She went down a fast large water slide at the end of class (without a life vest!)


In the middle of the night last night, Mikayla wasn't feeling very well. She was tired and still feeling a bit off today so I let her take the day off. We both took a nap this morning while Ellie was at preschool. Then, I decided to pack up a picnic and go to Silver Lake after we got Ellie. It was a perfect day for it and we got to feed some of our sandwiches to baby geese. Ellie got a bit tuckered out. I think it was just what we all needed, a little bit of time to play hooky. Now they are both watching a movie and I am trying to work some more on another article I have due. I'm also filling out an employment application for some part time work this fall...details to come.








And, we finally got our leak taken care of. I am so thankful to my father-in-law who suggested we open up the wall behind our stove instead of ripping apart our bathroom. It turns out that when the house was built, a nail was driven into the pipe while putting on the baseboards. It's taken almost 25 years for it to leak. Strange...Oh, and somehow, in the process, we replaced our sink faucet in the bathroom. Then, this momma read several manuals and decided to replace the light fixture in the bathroom also. It looks great!!! My summer project is to refinish the cabinets in the bathrooms and kitchen. Ambitious, I know. : )


Memorial day weekend, this family is heading to the Great Wolf Lodge in WI Dells. We are excited for a little family getaway! Elyana especially has been counting down the months, and now days until we leave.

I Love Goofing Around With the Girls

So, do your kids have a toy that you can't stand? Why not scare them with it so they won't want to play with it? Ha! It was not exactly my intentions, but it got an incredible reaction... The girls received a Barbie head, the kind you can put on makeup and brush it's hair, from a friend. Mikayla was taking way too long on the bathroom getting ready for bed. So, I put one of Ellie's nightgowns on the "head," then placed toy foam swords through the armholes (to make zombie arm movements of course). I knocked on the bathroom door and waited. Ellie and I were trying not to giggle. Mikayla finally opened it and screamed, then laughed. We took turns chasing each other with it.



Barbie Head Side Note: (We used to have one when Mikayla was 3 or 4 and I finally got rid of it. Mikayla did the weirdest things with it, she used to take off the heads of her barbies and put them on her fingers. Then, they became the mother Barbie head's children. Also, whenever we went to the mall she would tell me that the Barbie head could work at the mall since most of the mannequins don't have heads anymore. Barbie, could make a schedule being the head to the many headless mannequins...)

Easter 2011

I know that Nate will not like the first picture in this post, but I'm proud of his creativity. We have a leak inside the wall in our upstairs bathroom. Our contractor will come someday soon to start tearing into the wall to repair it. In the meantime, Nate hooked this up to keep the laundry room floor dry. The hose dumps any water leakage into our laundry sink.


The girls trying on their Easter Dresses!




Tearing around the corner from Aunt Cyndi's house to begin the egg hunt.


and Ellie finally starts the hunt too!


Cousin Macy and Mikayla


The Easter bunny was creative this year!


Chocolate Easter eggs in the flowers...




The Jones' in front of Nate's home church.


The girls hyped up on candy, made their shirts into capes.

April Drags On...

I can't believe we got a taste of spring and now we're back in the 30's this week. This week, I played hooky from a few commitments and hung out at the Mall with Ellie. I've discovered a nice shoe store that does layaway and I was finally able to pay off some boots. Elyana was happy to meet the Easter bunny there. I was annoyed that the Easter bunny doesn't talk. What's the point of that? (In all honesty, what is the point of even sitting on his lap for photos?) Anyway, Ellie was thrilled and I snapped a cute picture.




Today, Mikayla had a community education theater class. Nearby at the Civic Center, there was Mayo One, Mayo Clinic's helicopter. They were having a high school career education day and were cool about inviting us inside for a peek. Here are a few pictures of Ellie, Mikayla, and her friend, Drew.










Finally, I can't remember if I posted this one, but it is Ellie's preschool picture this year. I think it turned out cute.

Indoor Triathlon Photos

Spring is Finally Here!!

It has been so nice to be able to send the girls outside after school while I start on dinner. At the same time, I'm a bit overwhelmed with the things that now need to be done: yard work, wash and pack away winter outer wear, and figure out what the girls have outgrown and now need.

With the start of spring has come preparing for the 2011 Triathlon season. I did an indoor triathlon at the YWCA in Minneapolis this Sunday. It was a 600 yard swim, 10 mile bike, and a 2 mile run. For some reason, running is getting easier for me. I made 21 minutes for my run. Listening to good tunes really can quicken your step. I loved the cute signs the girls made for me. Hopefully, I will have some pictures soon to post.

Mikayla starts a theater class this Saturday. She says that she is nervous about it, but with her personality, I expect she'll get into it and do great! Now that spring is here, I'm going to push her to try to learn to ride her bike without training wheels. I don't know anyone her age that still has them. She's just afraid to hurt herself. Just getting a mere rug burn is traumatizing to her! Ahh, first born drama!

Elyana started spring swimming lessons this week. She was so so excited to be back into them and ran the whole way from the parking lot. We couldn't get dressed fast enough. I'm still trying to figure out what the girls will do this summer and what is logical budget-wise.

Right now, Elyana is watching Dora the Explorer and just reminded me of her father. She said, "Wait a minute, wait a minute. There is an owl in the background and it's daytime. Owls are only awake at night. They always do stuff like that! Geez!" Details, details.