Outstanding Readers

Marin and Silje have been looking forward to this day for a long time. Ailey has come home each year of elementary school with her reading medalion, and Marin and Silje were very excited to work towards one themselves this year. 

They earn the medalion taking computerized tests on books they've read. They read the books they brought from school, and many more that we got from the library.

It was really fun to see how this program very obviously improved their reading. The points they earned were good incentive to pick up the books, but a love of reading has definitely begun!

They are very proud of their medalions, as they should be!

Ailey earned more reading points this year than in years past. Her points sky-rocketed when she discovered the Little House books in December. So she earned her medalion AND a pizza lunch at school. 

We'll keep reading over the summer, but the girls are looking forward to getting back to it next year, I'm sure. :-)

Life Keeps Getting Easier

Last summer I laughed at the idea of taking the girls biking or scooter-ing to the park. No way was I going to go through the anxiety of herding them along the sidewalk on wheels that could so easily turn towards the street. 

But we're growing older. And bolder. All of us are. 

Andy gets credit for doing it first - he took Marin and Silje on bikes this past weekend. And survived. That's two kids, not three. A little more doable. 

Today was my turn to try it. With Ailey at school, Marin and Silje padded up their knees and arms, grabbed the Razors and headed to the park. 

One of the girls is careful and cautious. The other would consider those two characteristics foreign concepts. So at least it was a short trip. 

Gotta start somewhere!

A Beautiful Mother's Day

We had a beautiful day for celebrating Mother's Day in Mount Vernon today. We were all outside most of the time, which is a rare treat. Good company. Good  conversation. Good food. Good margaritas. Good weather. 

Me and my girls

Grandma Linda and her girls and grandkids

Moms, daughters, grandmas, god-mothers, god-sisters

Happy Mother's Day!

A Happy Easter

Happy Easter from the Higgins girls! (And from the mom and dad hiding behind the camera.) We hope you have a wonderful, maybe even sunny day. :)

 

Happy Birthday, Baby!

She's nine years removed from being my "baby", but she will always hold THAT spot in my heart. 

I have a 9-year-old. :-)

Happy Birthday, Ailey. Its been a fun birthday spring break this week.