One cute little girl, all set for her first day. 

Ella walking from the car on her first day. 

Jaycees convention weekend

We had a great time this weekend at the Jaycees convention - hosted right here at home in Williston. There was so much for us to do, we spent Sunday lying around and being totally exhausted!

There were two kids programs this weekend, and we had lots of fun with our friends Jill, Michelle and Allayna as they led them. And there was even McDonalds for lunch!

We made a special appearance in matching shirts...just like the "real" Jaycees. It's fun being a Jaycee kid!

During the kids program, the children made cardboard cars to show off during the evening banquet. They all put a lot of really creative effort into the project, and had a blast doing it. 

Maia (in the lead!) and Cameron participate in a race of their special cars. Maia beat out both boys to take home the award for first place in the race. 

Cameron shares his special-made semi with the crowd. This baby has features galore. 

Maia shows off her Sponge Bob car. It had flames coming out the back! This one is fast! 

Ella poses with her special car - complete with windshield wipers and rain drops! 

Dance Photos

The girls' dance photos arrived this week. They were taken by Terri Rider photography, and turned out very cute.

Miss Ella Rose poses for her dance photos before the spring dance recital. 

Ella (second from left) with her ballet/tap dance class from the Dance Factory. Doesn't she look proud as a peacock? 

Maia posing for her dance photos following her spring dance recital. 

Maia (center) with her jazz/ballet class from The Dance Factory. 

Busy weekend

We had a super busy weekend, with lots going on!

Friday night we went to the rehearsal dinner for the wedding of some friends - J.C. and Susan. We played lots of board games with the family, and made some new friends. :)

Then Saturday morning, bright and early, we were up and at it again, off to Fairview to do some work with the Jaycees. The group was putting in a barrier to protect the area between the bridge and the historic railroad tunnel (the only one left in North Dakota), and we were big helpers. Got real dirty, climbed and played a lot, and had fun.

That evening was J.C. and Susan's wedding. It was beautiful, and we made fun of Mom for crying. Grown ups are such saps!

After the wedding was the good part - the reception! We had a very good time snacking on the treats, playing with the kids, and then partying the night away. We all did lots of dancing, and Cameron even got up on stage to sing karaoke with J.C.! They sang "Beer for my Horses," and Cam sang the Willie Nelson part. He did a great job singing his part.

We didn't make it back to bed until eleven, but it was a very fun night. We can't wait for the next wedding dance!

On Sunday, Cameron and Maia tried out for the youth theater program. They had to get up on the stage and sing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," then recite "Mary Had a Little Lamb." They both did very well, especially after Maia got some coaching about speaking loudly.

They find out at the end of the week what parts they will play, and we'll keep you posted!

Cameron and Wolfgang had a great time climbing up the hills while the grown-ups worked. They were pretty high up, but they weren't scared! 

Here is the bridge we were working at -- the old Fairview railroad bridge, which leads to the only railroad tunnel in North Dakota. 

We had a lot of fun helping out with the fence building project for the Jaycees. And we got pretty dirty! 

Great goat!

Wolfgang met a goat while we were at Amanda's this weekend. He wasn't sure what to think about that! 

Fishing trip with Grandpa

Written by Cameron:

I went on a fishing trip to the Little Muddy River and I caught a carp, and Grandpa's neighbor caught a catfish, but we had to throw them back. The catfish was too small, and we weren't going for carp.

It was fun. It rained pretty hard.

Brownie graduation

Last weekend, Maia had the chance to take part in her first Brownie graduation ceremony. Some of the girls bridged up to juniors, and Maia had fun watching them go over the bridge into their new troop. At the end, she got a little bag with all of the try-its she had earned during the year inside.

Maia loved her first year of Brownies, and is looking forward to being a part of the troop again next year!

Maia looks through her Brownie try-it badges. 

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.