Maia waits her turn during the ceremony. 

Ella's monkeys

Dictated by Ella:

Ella likes her monkeys. She adopted them May 17. There is something she likes about her monkeys. That something is they are really good, and they are really good when she gives them baths and showers and puts them to bed.

One of them is Ethyl, one is Sarah, one of them is Bob, and one of them is Frank.

What makes me responsible of my monkeys is that I take good care of them. I make sure they got to bed at two o'clock at night, and their nap time is at two in the afternoon.

And the girl who adopted these is named Ella, and I love my monkeys.

Ella with her monkeys. 

Mother's Day dance recital

With the end of the school year, also comes the end of dance classes for the year. Maia and Ella have had a great year with the Dance Factory on Broadway, and were looking forward to putting on a fun show during the recital.

Ella was struck with a wall of stage fright as it dawned on her she would be dancing in front of other people. There were lots and lots of tears during the first act, but when her class came back for the second performance, she was right in there taking part. They did the cutest number called "The Shoe Song," where they pretended to be sleeping, then *jumped* up and danced around the stage. She looked so cute in her little snowball outfit!

Maia had done her dance on stage twice earlier in the season during competitions, so she was a little more eager to get up there and shake her thing. She had tons of fun, looked great, and really wants to get out there and do Hip Hop next year.

Come on everybody, jump! Jump! 

Maia gets down with the first grade class during their jazz performance. 

A sad little girl, with a serious case of stage fright during her first public performance. 

That would be Ella at left, crying while the other girls are having fun in their first number, "Zippity Doo Dah." 

Doing the "shoe song" with the pre-school and kindergarten classes. (Ella at center.) 

Miss Ella the snowball, with an *almost* smile during her performance. 

Band Day

Had lots of fun Saturday at Band Day (we all got just a *little* too much sun!!!).

Cameron was in the parade with the wrestling team, and chose to walk alongside throwing candy rather than ride on the float. Goofy kid.

Maia and her Brownie troop also marched in the parade, which she thought was lots of fun.

At the end of the route, they had burgers with the Lions club, then went to check out all of the activities in Harmon Park before heading off to soccer.

All in all, a fun day. :)

Cameron passes by with the wrestlers. 

Ella watching the parade, complete with a bag for collecting candy. 

Maia in the parade with some fellow Girl Scouts and her leader. 

Maia, Ella and Cameron having a burger in the park after the parade. 

The little graduate

All three of the kids are just growing up so fast, it's hard to keep up.

This week, Ella graduated from Head Start, and is ready to go on to kindergarten in the fall. She has six days left of school, but we have had our final parent-teacher conferences, and things are definitely wrapping up. She will miss her friends lots, and her teachers SO much. Ella has gotten to be very close with the women who have led her through Head Start, and she will definitely be dropping in to see them next year.

Head Start has been a great experience for Ella. Her socialization skills have moved ahead by leaps and bounds - she really is a different person this spring than she was in the fall, thanks to the great program there. She can hardly wait for kindergarten!

Ella in her cap and gown - so proud of her accomplishment! 

Soccer players

Cameron and Maia are taking part in the youth soccer program offered by the Williston Parks and Recreation Department. They play for an hour each on Saturdays during the month of May.

They have both really loved getting out and playing the game - especially Maia, who runs her little heart out, and is often found right down there with the ball working to get a kick in.

Once soccer is over, baseball/softball/t-ball starts, and all three of them will be busy with that!!!

Maia is also trying out track and field, another short program offered by the Parks Dept. She is out there each Wednesday afternoon, learning the ins and outs of the sport. Who says you can't be a hot chick AND play sports?!?

Maia warms up with coach as her teammates arrive. 

Maia plays goalie for the red team during Saturday's game. 

Sidney Dance Competition

Maia and her dance team traveled to Sidney, Mont. today to compete in a dance competition.
For the third straight year, the Learn to Tap Dance Studio held a dance competition at Sidney High School. Each year, the event becomes bigger and bigger.
After having 82 entrants in 2004 and 185 in 2005, this weekend's event had 307 entrants. More than 350 dancers were featured between the ages of 3 and 20.
Visiting studios are from Williston, N.D. (two studios), Devils Lake, N.D., Minot, N.D., Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Hingham and Glasgow.
Forms of dances featured tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, variety arts, hip-hop, and song and dance.
Maia's team performed their jazz dance, and received fourth place. She received a trophy, ribbon and other prizes, and was very pleased with herself!
While she was there, she also got her picture taken with Miss Montana, Sophia Steinbeiser, so that was pretty exciting.

Maia with Miss Montana, Sophie Steinbeiser, at the Sidney Dance Competition. 

Wrestling results

Results from Cameron's state wrestling tournament have been posted at the Williston Herald website. You can read them here:

http://www.willistonherald.com/articles/2006/04/09/sports/sports3.txt

State Wrestling

Well, Cameron's first year of wrestling has come to an end. The state competition was held last weekend in Sidney, Mont., and he took fourth place in the 50 pound Midget class. He had lots of fun this year, and was really bummed that it was over!

I definitely think he'll be looking forward to it next year.

Cameron (in the red) working hard at the state wrestling meet. 

Cameron and the little girl who was his nemesis throughout the year competing at the state competition. 

Kid's best friend

Wolfgang is growing SO fast, it's hard to believe he's the same puppy! He is far less snuggly and far more playful than he used to be, and he can be quite the handful. But he's also lots of fun, and we love him to pieces.

Here are some photos of him, only two months old and already a monster!

A lazy afternoon in the sun for a sleepy puppy... 

Maia loves Wolfgang...and he doesn't seem to have a problem with her dragging him around like a doll, so the relationship works out pretty well. 

Cameron and Maia show off their puppy. 

He is getting bigger and bigger every day...he's going to be a mammoth! 

They grow up so fast! 

Maia's birthday

Miss Maia Ann turned seven years old on March 1. To celebrate, she had about twelve friends over for a bowling party at Million Dollar Lanes. They didn't get through their game of bowling, but they had lots and lots of fun trying.

There was a Bratz cake, pizza, soda and lots of presents, plus a whole slew of super cute giggling girls. What more could you ask for?

Maia's birthday party at Million Dollar Lanes. 

Maia (center) with two of her girlfriends at her birthday party.