Early Summer!

The beach and Camp Munoz are open for business!

Great start to the summer!

The Race

On Saturday everyone in the Leclerc family ran in a race. Kathy, who came home from California, Rick and I ran a 15k trail race and Emily ran a .25 mile kids race. Our race was dreadful! Hilly, single track, slick terrain, it was so hard and awful we walked a lot of it. Emily loved her race. she was so happy to report (we missed her race because we were running) "I was tired but I kept on running."

 Grammy watched Emily in the race and then they patiently waited for us to finish

3 people in this picture are happy to be finished. 1 person is just happy!

The Prom

When I first met Kelsey she was the same age as Emily. A few weeks ago she went to the prom with her boyfriend Cory. They are both juniors so we have one more year to go but it seems like yesterday she was a 5 year old at tennis camp!

the back of the dress was amazing

5 year old Kelsey

Father's Day Pizza

Last week Emily's school celebrated Father's Day with a pizza dinner. The teacher sent these pictures and they are definitely worth sharing!

Playing Catch

This may be a different kind of catch than Rick is use to but Emily is obsessed with it! I bought this toy years ago and we are finally using it! Emily loves to play and her record is catching it 8 times in a row!

The Birthday Walk

Last week Emily celebrated her birthday at school. The Montessori does a "birthday walk". The teacher puts a sun on the floor, the child walks around the sun (one time for as many years they have been on earth), and as he/she walk the teacher says what the child could do when she was 1 year old, and 2, 3, etc. After the walk the children, if they want, offer birthday wishes to the birthday child. Emily has told me she always offers a birthday wish to the birthday child. I was nervous this would not live up to her expectations but apparently it did and all but one (known naughty) boy offered her a birthday wish. 

In honor of her obsession with the solar system  we made earth cookies for her birthday snack,  which apparently were a huge hit!

Birthday celebration #1 is in the record book

 so proud of the earth cookie

the teacher sent me this photo of the birthday walk

A Little Yoga

There were so many people and so much going on, on the Common on Sunday. We watched one group of people doing the coolest yoga moves I had ever seen. Rick and Emily tried their own moves too!

#6

My 6th Mother's Day was the best yet! We spent the day on the Common in Boston, rode the swan boats (a first for all of us), ate outside on Newbury Street, rode the merry-go-round,  and some of us practiced our handstands and cartwheels! A most spectacular day!

Making Strides

As most of you know, Emily has always been petrified of dogs. It did not matter what size, shape or color, is was every dog. Some owners would say to her "our dog is friendly, her won't hurt you" it did not matter, she was just afraid. In the last 4-5 months she has gotten much better! It started with our favorite dog Lucy, who is "old" and doesn't jump or bark.....then there was Pele, one of her teachers dog that comes to school occasionally....then there was Spencer (a young golden) who she will pet if he is lying down.....all of this is major news!

Yesterday she went to a birthday party at the Bedford Animal Shelter. A few months ago this would have  been very difficult but yesterday it was successful! Below you will see a photo of Emily and Sarah the dog. I realize Sarah is small enough to be a cat but it doesn't matter, Emily was up close and personal with the dog!!!!

And yes, she has also be terrified of cats.... she is also improving with them too!

and NO we are not getting a dog, I know what you are all thinking.....

Auntie Emily

Pancakes?

I loved the little gifts Emily gave me for Mother's Day. The picture in the middle is actually a cookie decorated with edible markers. It was too cute to eat. My favorite gift was the little book with the answers to questions about me....read on...

 Pancakes? really?

my girl knows me too well!

Time for Tea

Last Friday I was lucky enough to be invited for tea with my best girl. The event was first rate, complete with tea (in china cups) yummy food, songs and a few gifts. 

The teachers work very hard on this day and it shows. One thing they tell the children is "it is not a time for playing with friends, it is a time to just spend with your Mom"

Emily had told me this and in the middle of the tea, I was talking with Pranay's mom and Emily tapped me on the shoulder and said "you are not supposed to be talking to anyone except me"

Perfect

Emily and her 3 best boys...Pranay, Ellis, and Elias

That was then, This is now

Emily and The Twinkies (Evan and Kendall) In April 2008 and April 2012!