First Week of Summer Vacation

We are only one week not our summer vacation, and I am already exhausted. Here is a sampling of our week:

Monday: 
Swim lessons and swim team practice begin. In the afternoon, girls head over to "Québec  Day" as they like to call it. Our 4 1/2 year old has soccer practice in the evening.
Tuesday: 
Swimming in the morning. Strawberry picking in the afternoon. Two older girls have soccer practice in the evening.
Wednesday:
Swimming in the morning. Our youngest has gymnastics in the afternoon. The two oldest have their first swim meet of the season in the evening.
Thursday: 
Swimming in the morning. Tennis for all three in the afternoon. Mama takes Milou dog school in the evening.
Friday: 
The little one has gymnastics in the morning. The two older ones have swim team practice at noon. Very warm day, so in the afternoon, with nothing else to do, Mama takes the girls for a swim.

Thank goodness Mama will get a break soon when she goes away with Papa for their 10th year anniversary minus the girls...

At Quebec Day

On the tractor ride to pick strawberries

Yummy!

Our 6-year old runs into a school friend at the swim meet

Our 8-year old is excited. She went on to finish first in two races, and 5th in Butterfy

Our 6-year old proudly holds up her ribbons

@ their tennis lesson

Last Day of School

8:00: Drop off 8 and 6-year-olds at school
8:10: Drop off gifts for teachers
8:30: Go grocery shopping with 4-year old who doesn't have school
9:30: Call-in work meeting
10:30 Take four-year old to store to buy new sandals for the summer
11:25: Pick up older girls as their last day of school is only a half day
12:00: Go for celebratory ice cream with cousins
15:00: Go swimming in local pool

Ed-Stock Rocks

The second annual Ed-Stock concert took place Friday evening. It was scheduled for Wednesday, but postponed due to poor weather. Friday proved to be the perfect day; the weather cooperated and over 1000 tickets were sold.

Both of our older girls sang some rock 'n roll songs, including a french tune. The students went up in three separate groups from different grades, then all 400 school children returned to stage for the finale. 6 parents accompanied the children on keyboard, guitar, and drums. It was a great fundraising success for the school, but most importantly the kids had a lot of fun. Miss Jennifer, the wonderful music teacher planned, rehearsed, and conducted the 11/2 hour show.

Our girls were part of the same group, and their repertoire included:

Come as you are, Nirvana
Snow, Red Hot Chili Peppers
Groove is in the Heart, Deee-Lite
Space Oddity, David Bowie
I'm Yours, Jason Mraz
Sweet Dreams, Eurythmics
Where Did Our Love Go, Supremes
Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Queen
Je Veux, Zaz

Here are a few photos of the fun-filled musical evening:

Our 4-year-old enjoying the show

Posing with the Fire-Fighters

Enjoying a Ring Pop

Our 6-year old with good friend Ali

Preschool Graduation

On Thursday, my very last preschooler graduated. There were songs, speeches, a video montage, refreshments, and only a few dry eyes amongst the audience. Here she is:

Double Success at the Duathlon

My 8 and 6-year olds participated in their school's annual Duathlon on Friday. The event is for Kindergarten through to grade 3, and involves cycling around a cordoned off block adjacent to  the school, then jogging around the school's grassy field. Grade 2 and 3 does 2 loops for both the cycling and jogging portion, whereas the others do only one loop.

Our 6-year old, despite being new to the event, and only having learned to cycle last month finished in second place of all the kindergarten girls. Our 8 year old did very well, finishing a respectable 10th place. She would have done much better had she not jogged almost an entire extra lap around the field before one of the volunteers noticed and pointed her in the right direction.  Here are a few photos of the fun event that both Mama and Papa were able to attend:

The elusive finish line

The K girls at the start line

Our 6-year old getting off to a good start on her yellow bike

One of the volunteers taking down the names of the top 3 

Goofy face

Cheering on classmates with her friend

The grade 2 girls about to place their bikes in the transition zone

Warming up, as though it weren't hot enough!

The grade 2 girls at the start line

Looking good on her green bike

Closing in on the finish line

A well-deserved water break

On the podium during a well during the awards ceremony