Memorial Day

We had a good Memorial Day with sunny weather. First everyone ran a practice 5K. Look at all those new shoes! Everyone was back in under 38 minutes. For one it was the first practice, for the others (except Adam) it was the second practice.

We headed to the bay with the jet ski and kayaks.

We rented a paddleboard for four hours. Everyone had a try. Yes, I was able to get up on it.

Adam had the most trouble balancing. For all his athlete ability, he does not have good balance. He also runs into things a lot!

We pulled everyone behind the jet ski on assorted inflatables.

And we had watermelon--except me because I don't care for it. But we also had steak, chips and smores!

These two disappeared with the kayaks for a while and came back covered with wet sand. If they weren't both so mature, I'd think they'd gotten into a sand fight somewhere : )

Um, did I really say mature???

So, what did all of you do for Memorial Day? Someone please leave a comment! It's been too quiet on here. I made it so you can post comments without being signed into any program, but if I start getting all the spams, I'll have to change it back.

End of the Dance Season

 We ordered a cake for our dancers, but of course we all  shared it. I ordered Angry Birds because the twins did their tumbling routine to the Angry Birds song. You can see a video of the dress rehearsal dance in the last post. Recital night is so much better with the auditorium dark and all the lighting effects, but we aren't allowed to video tape the recital because all the cameras would be distracting.

 After the finale. Recital started at 6:30 and finale was close to 10:00, so the twins weren't there. They left at intermission. They'd already been there an hour and a half by then. Their dance was #23 and figure 3 minutes per dance.

 Jessica made her backbend kick over on recital night. She missed it during practice because she was having pain in her lower back muscles.

 The tumbling instructor gave this personalized towel to Jessica because she was a volunteer assistant teacher for Kaleb and Kayla's class. It worked out well because the instructor really needed a second adult in their class, and she was also able to immediately deal with some inappropriate behaviors with the twins during the class or I would have had to take them out of the class. So it worked out well for everyone.

Dance and Running

Last night was the second dress rehearsal for the recital tomorrow night. This rehearsal lasted from 4 p.m. until around 8:00 p.m. so shorter than Sunday. But a couple of groups had to practice their numbers afterwards to work out some things.

First year in tumbling.

Kayla's first year. Jasmine's 7th year. The twins are in tumbling, and Jasmine is in tap and jazz.

Jessica got her 5 year trophy. She did three years of beginning jazz for teens. Then she sat out due to marching band. She started again last year with tumbling and did tumbling again this year. She's said this is her last year. She's much older than the others. But she is planning to do adult open tumbling at the gymnastics studio occasionally. The tumbling classes at dance and at gymnastics are much different.

Jasmine's 7 year trophy. She did a couple years of ballet, but in the past few years has only done jazz and tap. Since she isn't  interested in company, she doesn't have to do ballet. She would do hip hop if she had more time, but she had so much homework we didn't even do spring soccer and she dropped out of tumbling. Jasmine has flexibility issues, so she would have become very frustrated anyway if she'd continued the class.

The twins' adoption decree from the state of FL arrived today. It legalizes the Haitian adoption in FL's mind. They are holding copies of the same decree. Also now their names are legally Kaleb Fredlin Cassel and Kayla Frednise Cassel.

Jessica's female puppy had her surgery today and is not feeling so good. Jessica got experience in cleaning up vomit too : )

All the kids are working up to running 5Ks. Adam, of course, already runs that far. Jessica used to but stopped when we moved from GA to FL in 2004. We did a practice run last night, except for Jessica who wasn't here, and everyone was in under 39:00. I was impressed since it's their first try at 3 miles.

I got the twins new shoes and the boys new running clothes. The others still need new running shoes. I know which is heavier, but which is taller?

Weekend

This weekend four of us were in the Armed Forces Day family run.

Tyler wasn't totally willing, but we dragged him along.

We all survived.

And then went to Chick Fil A. Jasmine had a cookies and cream shake.

She shared with Jessica, and Jessica got cookies she shared with Jasmine--which were eaten before I could get my camera out!

Tyler had ice cream with blueberry topping.

After that, we went to the beach. Ty and Rick aren't beach bums like the rest of us. Adam is, but he had to work. Jasmine only gets soda on the weekend, so she was making the most of it.

Jessica tried out her snorkel, mask and underwater camera.

Kaleb getting a ride.

Sunday afternoon we had the first dress rehearsal for the recital. It was several hours long.

The twins came a few dances before theirs and then had pizza with us and left so they didn't have to sit more than an hour.

Birthday and Band

The twins are seven. Their birthday did not go as planned, but we made the best of it. Some days it's more obvious that we have a long way to go than others. But looking back over two years, it's easy to see progress.

Clothes from Grandpa and Grandma Cassel.

Books from Uncle Ken

Books from Uncle Ken

Candy from Jasmine

Bubbles and ring pops from Jessica

A doll and car from Grandma Sims

Basketballs from Aunt Lou

Water guns from Adam

Nerf guns from Tyler

We got them bikes. We sent them to their rooms while we set them out. Then we told them to come out and see their surprise, video camera going. We hoped for shrieks of delight. Instead they came out, looked at the bikes and walked away. Kayla looks right into the video camera and says, "I have to pee can someone get me some paper?" At that point we stopped taping. The twins never even looked at the bikes or showed any interest in them.
We got a small dog cake for each of them and a red velvet roll for the rest of us.

I had an IEP meeting for  Jasmine concerning her accomodations when she moves to middle school next year--same school and location but different buildings and teachers. Jessica and I brought her lunch.

Sister love.

Jasmine's spring concert was last night. The twins acted out so badly in the van with Rick that they didn't make it to the concert! Thankfully someone was hired to tape the concert and I'd already ordered a DVD. So we will all watch it when we get it.

TGIF after the concert.

Today is Haitian flag day. We will have a cake and sparklers for that this evening. Jasmine has field day today so hope to get to part of that.

Tomorrow is Armed Forces Day and there's a family walk. Not sure how many of us are doing that.

Then we get into long dress rehearsals for the dance recital and the actual recital next Friday. Jasmine's fifth grade dance is earlier that same day. I found out they just wear their school uniforms since it's right after school. They don't start doing the more formal dress until the middle school dance.

Kiara has her surgery this week so Jessica has to drive her an hour to the shelter where we got her and then drive back to pick her up the next day.

Jessica also has a special workshop coming up and Jessica and I have a class coming up together. I'll tell more about those after the fact. Want to make sure we survive first : )

Anyone else have end of the school year stuff the next couple weeks too? Or dance recitals?