Rock Climbing

N2 took a rock climbing class this spring.  They LOVE rock climbing!  They did a class at the Y when they were 4 but haven't done it since then.  They start each class out bouldering which means that they just climb sideways along the bottom of the rock wall.

Here they are waiting for their turn on the wall.  I think they look pretty cute in their helmets and harnesses.

 There are 4 lines on the rock wall.  There were only 4 kids in the class and most kids climbed line 1 because it is the easiest.  N2 tried line 2 but they got much higher on line 1.  Here are N2, one is climbing line 1 and the other is climbing line 2.

 The picture on the left is as high as Natalie got.  There was this one hump on the wall that the kids couldn't get over.  The teacher would do manual belaying and he could boost them and that is the only way they were able to get over that hump.  I think Noah got that high as well on his own.  But I remember my kids climbing higher when they were in the class last time.  The wall may have changed though since then because the location has changed so maybe they had to change the wall-it used to be in the corner.

 They really love rock climbing but I had concerns about the instructor (I did have to call and manager and talk to her about safety concerns I had and things did get better after that) so I will have to think long and hard before I let them take the class again.  The last session of the class, they did the high ropes course.  Apparently Natalie did really well but Noah was nervous and once he got up, he had to come down because he had to go to the bathroom.  Maybe it was just too high for him.  Natalie has no fear (well at least of heights)!

Easter

These seem to be traditional pictures in my house.  Not sure what it is about these Easter baskets that make my kids wear them on their heads but they do this every year.

 We did Easter morning at my mom and dad's house.  The Easter bunny hid color coordinated eggs for each of the kids in both mom's garden and the neighbor's garden.

I  tried to take pictures of my kids together but they weren't the most cooperative.  I did get a decent one with Grace in the picture.  We didn't get all the cousins together or with Grandma and Grandpa because Amelia got sick during dinner and we took pictures after that.  Luckily Amelia seemed to be better pretty quickly and no one else got what she had (at least I don't think anyone else did).

We went up to see Brian's family after lunch.  I need to remember to pack non fancy clothes so that they can change before they start to play.

Aunt Lisa hid eggs for the kids to find.  Some were high up and the kids needed help to get them down!

We took pictures of all the cousins on the Weidner side.  This is the best I could get.

Then we tried it with Grandma and Grandpa in there to see if it would help and to get a picture of them with all their grandkids.

Random May

We went to the Cubs game with the music ed PhD program in May.  It was COLD.  We didn't not wrap up warm enough.  Here Brian has Noah zipped into his sweatshirt with him.

Natalie took selfies of herself on the L train.

My kids get up on their own in the morning during the summer and on weekends.  They often will get themselves breakfast and they often play games with each other.  This is what it generally looks like.  Both of them generally are wearing their fleece robes even though it is hot outside.  Natalie sleeps with an eye mask on (although she has lost it right now-it probably fell behind her bed).  Not sure why she keeps it on when she gets up!

End of Kindergarten pictures

I know that they have already started first grade but I'm working backwards in sorting through my pictures (just wait until I get to 2013).  Brian took some pictures of N2 on the last day of school because I asked him to do so.  When Brian takes pictures there are much funnier and stranger pictures of my children.  I figured I would show you what he gets.

Note how sweet these pictures are.

Then look at how these pictures get goofy (and a little creepy)!

School pictures

I never posted N2's last day of kindergarten pictures so I figured I would do a series of pictures of their first days.

First day of "school" for N2 in the 2's program (look at how orange and fat bear was!)

Here is the progression of Natalie.

 Last day of 3's preschool.

 Preschool graduation

Here is the progression of Noah.

Last day of 3's preschool.

Preschool graduation

Just to note, Noah has picked out his clothes for the last few pictures.  I noticed that his first day of first grade and his end of kindergarten shirt was the same but he didn't care and no one would know except for these pictures.