6 Years

Kindergarteners!

Six years old for less than a week, the boys started elementary school. 

That first morning was hectic, and I didn't have time to take the usual first day of school pictures on our front porch. Fortunately, Steve snapped a picture at the park near their school on their walk in.

Looking a little unsure:

Henry, beaming after his first day as a certified big kid:

Henry was positive about school for the most part, but he did draw this picture of how he felt about being away from Dad and Mom:

Picture day: 

I'm not sure what the photographer said, but Henry apparently didn't find it amusing. 

Jack was very happy with the new and exciting kindergarten environment. 

Jack has a fantastic memory, and frequently says goodbye by name to everyone he encounters when leaving school each day.

Picture day:

Around the House

The boys show off their new soccer gear:

I enrolled the boys in a seven-week soccer skills class through Santa Cruz Parks & Rec. Their coach is fantastic with beginners (the class is for 4-6 year-olds) and it's been a really good experience. 

Henry, insisting on carrying our fish-n-chips takeout home from the farmer's market:

Henry is definitely six going on sixteen. 

Proudly, "I tell everyone that Daddy bends the rules and they laugh."

Upset that I didn't believe that he was actually sick, "When is Daddy getting home? Daddy will fall for my tricks!"

Looking at me pensively, "Mom, when you die, I'm going to put you in a wheelbarrow so I can have your fossils." Hmmmmm...

Jack took this fantastic series of pictures of Henry. For your admiration and amusement, we proudly present, super-hero-princess-Henry and his dual-lightsaber routine:

Uh oh...

[insert sad trombone sound]

Cruising around the house on their birthday skateboards:

Henry isn't as interested in the skateboard, but Jack immediately understood how to steer the board and is now cruising small distances standing up. 

Taking a TV break:

Jack, daring me to remove blue bunny and penguin from the table:

Jack, definitely not scheming:

Visitors!

We love having visitors now that we have space to host. We were fortunate to have Steve's brother Lee and our sister-in-law Staci visit for a couple days while Lee cruised down Highway 1 on a rented motorcycle (a bucket list type endeavor, Staci elected to drive instead of being involved in the motorcycle frivolity). 

Lee pulls the motorcycle into our backyard:

Boys immediately claim said motorcycle as their own:

Ready to ride!

Showing Uncle Lee the Mario Kart Hot Wheels track the boys got from Steve for their birthday:

Off on an adventure!

We walked down to the beach and had lunch on the wharf. 

Boys on the wharf, Jack pointing out his future ride (in addition to the motorcycle, presumably):

Lee and Staci then accompanied the boys to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. 

Jack on the carousel: 

Henry on the carousel:

The carousel at the boardwalk has a "brass" ring dispenser, which the boys are now tall enough to reach! One grabs a ring from the dispenser, and then attempts to throw the ring into a painted clown's mouth as the carousel spins. The boys got astonishingly close.

Lee accompanied Henry on one of Henry's favorite rides: outer space bumper cars!

The boys never run out of energy, so we're constantly on the move.