The Rest of May

 May was a whirlwind of events.  Basically like ever month of the year.  A key to maintaining sanity with a house full of kids is finding activities that they can do with very little input from you...and eventually they don't even want your input.  For example, I picked up an Eiffel Tower for them to build at a flea market.  As they started, I sort of wanted to assist...and they denied my request to help.  I suppose I can say: Success...but, yet it felt a little like a loss.  Though I did get to take a picture of the process.

 We celebrated May the 4th in the usual manner: Cut out sandwiches (we added quesadillas to the menu this year!) and light saber vegetables!  We also had our annual viewing of Phineas and Ferb Star Wars!  Highly recommend this if you haven't watched it.  We quote it nearly as regularly as Lord of the Rings and Office Space.  High praise, indeed.

 The boys and Molly finished up their soccer seasons.  It was a rough one, but the boys played hard and learned valuable lessons.  And John made a friend that he had a great time with during the games.  Molly commented that it was so much fun to watch them just run around after each other...and they didn't get into too much trouble.

 We introduced John to volcanoes.  At least I think this was the first time...let's just say it was. He was dutifully impressed and continued to have eruptions for a solid hour after the initial one.

 We hit a big time milestone at the library in May...John sat with a stack of books and 'read' to himself while I also read quietly nearby.  My days of chasing small children around the stacks have come to an anti-climactic end just over a decade since someone commented that the librarian knew Dominic's name and I quipped it was because she heard me calling him so often.  And it is everything I dreamed it would be.  Stay strong you mothers still in the trenches...your day will come!

 In May, Will crossed over to Webelos at the end of year camp out.  His troop leader made a special point to single out Will and let him know he would be missed.  Our stoic boy wiped a few tears away...and I had to wipe several more away.  It stinks to say good bye.

 But, we had a great time at all of the festivities.  They had exhibitions of skills they had learned...like how to defeat zombies in the inevitable zombie apocalypse.  And a giant bonfire...with s'mores!

 We opted to not participate in the actual camp out as we had Mass the next morning...and sleeping outdoors with a bunch of strangers who like to get up at 6 AM and start yelling didn't seem like the best use of a perfectly good night to sleep.  However, to stem Molly and John's disappointment, we set up a tent in the living room.  They slept in this for a couple of nights.  Then we moved the tent to the boys room where I believe Molly slept for the remainder of our time in Alabama.  We added disco globe lights...it was pretty sweet.

 Molly also said good bye to her American Heritage Girls.  She made a couple of very sweet friends there and has been corresponding with one of them from our new address.  Hopefully they can keep up their friendship!

 Also in May, we took part in a kids' running club.  The boys loved it!  And John enjoyed watching the yard crew.  We also got to watch a guy fly his drone...pretty awesome morning activities.

 The excitement of May continued as a friend of our had the 7000 piece Millenium Falcon and invited the boys to help him put it together.  I don't remember how many total hours it took, but he kindly waited for us to return from a trip to finish it off before we all moved to our new locations.

 Will received his religious award from Fr. Linn.  We loved our little Catholic Community on Maxwell Air Force Base.  They were so welcoming of us and happy for William.  Fr. Linn announced we were leaving for several weeks before our actual PCS.  It felt much like when we left St. Helen's.  The big difference being we were parishioners at St. Helen's for 7 years, and here only 10 months.  But, it so quickly became our family. 

 I'm attempting to share a video of Molly's RE class singing at the end of year performance.  I have never quite figured out how to upload a video to this blog, but if it works, you will not be disappointed.  If it doesn't and you need a pick me up...email me and I will send you the video.  It is a remarkable performance.  Molly had a bit of a fan club by the end of the year. 

Ok, it worked!  But, this next one is my actual favorite...watch either one or both...or neither.  I will never know, but they are there to be enjoyed by my kids in the future. 

 Eric with his favorite girls.  He and I attended ACSC's Ball in May and a friend generously offered to watch our children...and even agreed to let them spend the night so we could stay on location. 

Oh, and here is the finished Eiffel Tower.  I spent the World Cup Championship stringing it with lights to surprise the kids.  Turned out quite nice, if I do say so myself.

Next Up: June...which may or may not include a trip to Kansas, World Cup, and PCS