Emma's 6th Grade Spring Band Concert

Emma's first band concert was in December 2011.  Personally speaking, I went to that concert thinking it'd be like Vanessa Huxtable's concert.  When I left, I was in awe.  The concert was not only good, but entertaining.  The 6th, 7th and 8th grade's performances was very good!
And so I was really looking forward to the Spring concert and it didn't disappoint.  Emma's band played 4 songs including the pop song "Firework."

This song below is called "Phantom Ship" by Elliot Del Borgo.  Emma said I would like it and she was right!

End of an Era: Camille Graduates from Pre-School

Camille's pre-school graduation was May 22.  That was the same night Emma had her band concert.  Jill and Camille went to the graduation while the rest of us went to Emma's concert - so we were sad, as was Camille, that we didn't see her graduate.

This is a picture of her teachers from this year.

Her last day of pre-school is May 24; and with that comes an end of an era that started back around 2004 when Emma went to pre-school.

Camille will go to kindergarden next year and will be in the same school with Erick and Ben ... will they be able to handle three Putnams?!

E. D. Putnam

You're looking at one of the future authors of America.

A few months ago, Erick found a book that had some "cool" pictures on it.  The book is part of a series by an author named R. L. Stein and the series is called Goosebumps.  Erick wanted to write his own "Goosebumps" books ... and so it started.  He grabbed some lined papers, stapled them together and started writing.

He must be up around 30 or 40 books.  At frist, he would skip 3 or 4 lines on the lined paper, but with a little encouragement, he now only skips one line on the lined paper and the books tend to be about 10 pages long.

The plots are generally all connected.  At the end of one book, he introduces a new idea or character and then ends the book with a cliff-hanger that doesn't get resolved until the next book.

For seveal weeks, he would write about a book a day and then when we put the kids to bed, we would all assemble in Camille's room and Erick would read the book he completed that day.

His teacher really encourged him early on.  Erick wrote a poem and his teacher loved it.  She submitted it to the school's poetry book and it got published!

We're so proud of our author!

April 2012 Picture Catch Up

Here are a few pictures from April. Stayed tuned over the next 3 days for more updates to come ... including E.D. Putnam, Camille's pre-school graduation and Emma's band concert.

Sunday walk in April

Easter Egg hunt w/ the neighbors

Erick writing one of his many "E. D. Putnam" books

Camille learned to ride her bike in April

The new bike rider!