THE RATCHFORDS

Monday, June 11, 2012

Mi Casa

It's very bittersweet to say goodbye to this house. We (and many of our loved ones) have poured many hours into making it so lovely, and now that it's exactly the way I've wanted it these past two years, we are leaving it behind. That being said, I am ready to finally sell it, but only because keeping a house this size clean enough to show to potential buyers with four kids out of school and home is killing me. It has been a great place to live and we have many happy memories here.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Wrapping up the School Year

This time of year is always so busy with end of the school year happenings.

Since January, Liam has been going early to school a few mornings a week to practice with the Sage Choir, and a few weeks ago they had their performance of "Stone Soup." It was cute and Liam did a fabulous job!

All the kids have had plenty of spring field trips. Here's Sam at the city library for story time and a puppet show.

The sixth grade band had their spring concert. Since Grace has excelled so quickly at clarinet, her band teachers had her choose another instrument to learn and she chose percussion. So she performed half the concert on clarinet and half on percussion. She is one awesome musician, that girl.

She even totally delivered the cowbell in one song. And I'm glad, because I had a fever for more cowbell.

Declan had his big night of preschool graduation. He has had such a great year. We love his teacher so much and he misses school already!

Happy Birthday, Sam!

Sam turned 7!!

For his party this year, he invited his two best friends over for a very fun night. Grace was out babysitting and we had Declan and Liam watch a movie in the basement so Sam and his friends could have the house to themselves. They had fun just playing together and we had pizza and ice cream cake, plus Garreth played a few simple games with them on the trampoline. This is definitely my new favorite way to host a party. It was very relaxed and we had none of the birthday meltdowns that happen most years. And when Sam opened both of his presents, the boys could actually open them and play with them together. I hope I can talk all four kids into this kind of party every year!

On the actual day of his birthday, our good friends the Wolfgrams were staying with us. We had a big panini bar for dinner and chocolate raspberry cake and ice cream. Here's Sam's sad face because I made him take a picture before we could eat the cake!