Eva, Eva, Eva!

Poor Dylan.

This is always a rough time of year for him.  It's all Eva, Eva, Eva.

I, myself find her-it exhausting.

#1 Eva's Presentation
The third week of May, Eva was 'Student of the Week.'  This involved many finished products, but in my world it included a day off of work to have her present her personal life history to her class.  

Jeff and I took off work.  We brought Marley, (and Dylan) into her classroom to talk about her life (the whole eight years...).  She had to present for 25 minutes.  
She went over.
She did awesome.  Eva has a little bit of Jeff's gift of gab.  She likes to talk.  Especially about herself.  

#2 Lancaster Art Show
Eva's pieces of art were chosen to be displayed in a district art show.

#2 Eva's ATA performance
Her final performance of her acting/vocal/dance performance.  It totaled seven minutes.  Maybe.  She did great.  The family went out for ice cream.  People came out of the woodwork to see this.  She performed well....but her part is so very brief.

#3 Eva's ATA graduation
Eva receives a trophy and acknowledgement of another year performing.  

#4 Eva's Chorus
After months of performing, the third grade is ready to shine.  This is me.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/photo/113530525965696642919/6563077606816755714

#5 Eva's school celebrated birthday
Eva doesn't like cupcakes.  Only the best cookies for her.

#6 Eva's field trip
Eva goes to Bisons game.  Lots of preparation.  Sunscreen.  Rain Jacket. 

#7 Another Eva field trip/ field day/gymnastics/REAL BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION.
The third grade went to swim at William St. School.  Then returned home for soccor and kickball games.  This was actually Eva's birthday.  (Hey Eva....Do you know what I was doing nine years ago today?)
Then the clan went to gymnastics with a post party at the house.

Eva turning nine.  Can you see it?

#8 Eva's Friend Party
This year Eva wanted to paint.  We had 21 reserved spots at the site.  The owner assured me, 'Oh, we see this all the time.  We will sketch for 15.  21 Will not show up.'
We had 18 children show up.  
But it was nice.  Definitely better for the older kids.  The younger kids were done in 20 minutes. 

I need a week off from the week of Eva.

Dylan's ride

Seriously, not two months after Eva gets selected; Dylan gets chosen for the ride to school on the fire truck.  

He was Soooo....excited.

As an extra bonus, his teacher, was the selected teacher to ride with the students.  

Here are some cool fotos del momento!

A Plethora of Meat and Color

I did not blog about, nor do I care to remember what happened last Sunday morning.  Dance party gone wrong, Dylan cracked his head open.

Anyways.....that significantly changed our agenda today.  

Today was Dyleva's color run.  Eva looks forward to it every year.   Dylan usually cries because people are throwing stuff at him, but whatever.  

After the incident, 'no water, no horseplay, no dirt till stitches come out,' we decided it was best if we divide and conquer.

Jeff and Tia Linda took Eva to the Color Run.  They had a blast!  And then went out for dinner.

Dylan came with me to a meat raffle.

Yes, a meat raffle.  Yes, I know, why would a semivegetarian go to a meat raffle?  Well, now we can cross it off of our bucket list.  My good friend Miss Kelley, also lovingly known as my partner, hosts it every year.

First of all it was in the Pod.  ("Kelley...if I run into any exboyfriends so help me!.....")

Second, I got an eerie feeling as we arrived.  Dyl, my date and I, hung back in the car for a few moments as everyone arrived.  People were bringing in coolers, bags of food and drink.  I had nothing.

Third, we were literally sandwiched in.  It was ok, we were with good people, and Dyl was in good spirits, but I still couldn't wrap my head around the whole event.  

Do these people really think they are going to clean house?  If so how could the benefit actually raise any money?

I don't know.  It was puzzling.  It was also puzzling that no one else was disturbed by the fact that meat was sitting out at room temperature on end....I digress.

That is why they serve beer.  Draft beer.  I conclude.  So no one ponders the details.  

Needless to say, Dylan and I had a rough start.  He and I, both meat raffle virgins, were annoyed to begin with.  

But we eventually loosened up, embraced our position and had fun with the evening.

Look at my bag o' chicken parts!!!

First Dylan won chicken, which was exciting, but at the end of the night, he won the mother load.....hot dogs!!!!!

My poor deprived child celebrated with artificial meat!

He said, "I finally get the real thing!"

Hey!  What is wrong with my all organic chicken protein hot dogs?

It ended up being very entertaining.  I don't know if we would go again; we would at least go better prepared. (Dude next to me brought a cooler of real beer).

But we can cross it off the list.  Meat Raffle.  Check.

Eva's New Bling!

Today was the day.

We have been talking about it for weeks.  Months.

Eva has been asking to get her ears pierced; and I am on board.  

But then she wants to wait...not yet Mommy.

Virgen ear lobes

We had a crazy busy weekend.

Sunday we ran errands, which brought us to the mall.

So we just did it!


Check out Dylan's debut of video recording the event:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/photo/113530525965696642919/6552322721874112578

Coincidentally, her aunties were walking the mall at the same time and stopped by to witness the event.  What are the odds?

Awesome! Now my princess had cheerleaders!

She seemed surprised that it hurt.  

But Eva was very brave.  

She is also hardcore about taking care of them.  I got yelled at for not bringing the medicine with me in the car, after I had picked her up from school and she had an activity.

My bad.  

Another milestone.  It is too much  : (

Tia Lisa and the Fairy Festival

Seriously two months ago, Tia Lisa called and booked Eva today for a fairy festival at the Botanical Gardens.  

Today was the day!  

Eva and Lisa sat participated in a workshop where Eva created a beautiful addition to her current fairy garden.  

Dylan and I explored the grounds during the workshop, and finished a scavenger hunt.  We found all the items on the list!  Dyl also found a couple friends along the way.

Later we met back up with the girls, and admired all of the beautiful fairy houses that were in the competition.  We got a lot of unique decorating ideas for our garden at home.

Then Dylan was hungry.  Man, when that boy gets hungry, you need to act quick.  We ended up going for fondue.  My spoiled ninos.  

What a lovely afternoon!  Thank you so much Tia Lisa!

Dylan's double diente

Poor Dilly Dilly.

He didn't have a lot of teeth to start with.

This week he came home, wiggling teeth.    He wanted them out.  

"Can you give me something sticky so it will pull them out?"

We didn't have to wait very long.  One came out by the end of dinner.

And later on that night, my boy that whines about getting his hair brushed, yanked the other one out himself.

Crazy kid.

Busy tooth fairy!

Dyleva's Art Show!

Eva was telling me about her art class the one day.  She was angry; because her teacher took a bunch of famous paintings and put them face down on the table.

The students were then to select one to recreate.  Her friends got portraits, flowers, fruit to recreate.

"I don't know Mommy, there's clocks and its like a desert."

She tells me about her painting.

I lose it.  "Eva!  Are the clocks melted? On the landscape?"

She looks at me like a crazy person.  "Yessss......"

"Eva!  That's a Dali! That's 'La Persistencia de la Memoria!' "

I am such an art nerd.

"It's ugly.  So and so gets to paint flowers."

"Eva," I explain. "I studied a lot of Spanish artists when I lived in Spain.  Your painting has meaning, and symbolism.  It's not just pretty; the artist is trying to send a message and is challenging you to figure it out."

I don't know it she ended up liking it, but she did seem happier that she had chosen a special painting.

We saw it in exhibition at her school's art show.

Here are some other beautiful works from my children: