Jonathan's Back to School Days: A Look Back

2 years old! August 2006. Ready for his first day of school ever!

You got that backpack there, buddy?
Jonathan had a great first year of preschool in Wee 3s. :)
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4 years old! August 2008. On his first day of VPK.
With his sister Anna, 2 years old.

Jonathan had an awesome year of VPK! He was ready to go to Kindergarten!
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Anna and Jonathan on his first day of Kindergarten! August 2009! 5 years old!
This was his first year with the red and black backpack that he says he intends to keep until it falls apart! We shall see!

Anna, 3, and Jonathan, 5! Jonathan had a great year of Kindergarten! We could not believe how much he learned and progressed over that year.
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August 2010! Jonathan, 6 years old! First day of first grade! Rezoning in our district brought us to a new school, but Jon did just fine. Same red and black backpack.
Jonathan 6, and Anna, 4.
Our first grader and VPKer! :)
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Which brings us to this year! August 2011! Jonathan is 7! First day of SECOND grade! His third year with that red and black backpack!


Jon is 7 and Anna is 5. Our second grader and our kindergartner! Amazing scrolling down on this post how they just grow up, huh? If there are any typos, forgive me! It is hard to type when you are crying! Sniffle! I am so proud of my boy! He is growing up so strong, so tall, and so kind! He has always made me so proud.

New Hampshire: Summer 2011, Part I

Anna and I on the top of Mount Washington, or as Jon has renamed it: Mount Puke-ing-ton

We caved and bought some hats at the gift shop at the summit. Partially because our ears were freezing because we were up in the clouds, and partially because Anna was just so darn cute in hers! See her modeling it below? Awww!

Anna, 5 years old, found the drive up the mountain and the weather to be exhilarating. Jon? Not so much. I tried to pretend to feel like Anna, but I was really feeling more like Jonathan. But it was a very neat experience, and I am glad we had it! It was an awesome view and a fun adventure!

Anna, Uncle Cory, and Jonathan. Jonathan was wearing Daddy's shirt that we had bought at the gift shop... He was not so pleased with this.

Baby Abe, 1 year old! On the porch at his house. He was the best part of New Hampshire!

After he got home from school, Abe liked to forage in the garden for a snack.

As you can see here, Abe enjoys his meals.

Mia (German Shepherd puppy), Jon, Uncle Cory, Abe (in stroller) and Anna out on a walk

Aunt Erin with Mia and Jon

Abe out in the garden

Jonathan and his Mama (me) after our swim/picnic at the lake (okay, I never got in because that water was COLD!)

Anna doing her thing and rocking out to the music they were playing at the lake... She is so funny. According to her, it doesn't matter what kind of rock music it is, as long as it is LOUD!

Anna said, Get a picture of me being like the Little Mermaid on these rocks! (As if I need any encouragement to take MORE pics!)

Uncle Dave, Abe, Jonathan and Anna. Cousins! Jonathan, 7, Anna, 5, and Abe, 1. Seeing Anna and Abe together brought back lots of memories of Jonathan and Justine together... Anna loved spending time with Abe. She took lots of pictures and video of him, and at one point proclaimed, He is just so cute I want to put him in my suitcase and take him home with me!

Aunt Jamie, Abe and Jon.

Uncle Cory had fireworks! Yay! The kids had not had any fireworks or sparklers this year so they had lots of fun with this.

Anna, Jonathan and me. I love my babies. They are going to start 2nd grade and the big K in a few weeks! I would say, where does the time go, but Jonathan looks so tall in that picture? I can totally see him as a third grader! And Anna has been ready to go to Kindergarten since um, like, DECEMBER! When she turned, FIVE! DUH! SERIOUSLY! (her words, not mine!)

Front porches are just fun! The end!

Jonathan made a great new friend! They had so much fun together!

Baby Abe with his mama, Erin, by the lake.

Jonathan, talking about something funny. Cory, Abe and Anna in the background.

Is Jon 7... or 17 here????

Abe giving his cousin Anna the staredown... maye thinking, is she going to eat ALL those chips? Is she going to SHARE whatever is in that green bottle? Hmmm...

Kentucky, Summer 2011: Hammock

Okay. Above, you see a posed picture. Below, you see an unprompted one. See the difference?







Anna and Jon used Grandma Jane's hammock for everything except for its original intended purpose: relaxation. If anyone else tried to relax in it, they quickly switched into anti-relax mode and either climbed into swing and started jamming their bony appendages everywhere, or they started pushing the hammock like it was an amusement park ride meant to catapult the rider out. There is a large stone in the ground under the hammock and I think maybe there was an angel on assignment at Grandma Jane's hammock the week we were there. I don't know how everyone stayed unhurt and the hammock stayed intact. It was fun. :) And I love all the many pictures I snapped of them acting like siblings do... Taking off their shoes and beating each other; Trying to bite toes; Pinching ears; Screaming "Push me push me! Okay stop stop it! No, no, come back! Okay, again!"