Reid's Birthday

Sunday Surprise

Grandpa stopped by on his return trip from Canada.  He caught a 30+ pound Northern.

Abby:  You must be an expert fisherman.

Italian Ice for all!

Amish Bakery

We went to an Amish bakery on Saturday morning.  Known for their cinnamon/sugar donuts; they were awesome!

Goshen Brewery Co.

New brewery in town!

The pulled pork sandwich was very, very good!

Emmie rated her hot dog a 5/10, but only because she asked for chips with it and they gave her carrots.

Poolside

85 degrees and sunny all day Friday.  Took a long walk in the morning and then spent 6 hours by the pool.

"I call this my waterbed"

Marty!

Ski Soda is the best!

Stuffed Animal Love

Emmie & Connor

Emmie & Mopar

Goshen, IN

Arrived to Goshen in time for dinner Thursday evening, and was in the pool an hour later.

Cowboy or Indian?

Memorial Day Grill-Out

Library - Now Open!!

Emmie opened a library in the basement.  All her idea.  We distributed flyers that read:

Now Open

Emmie's Free Library

Where:  Emmie's House

About It:  

Open on weekends and Holidays.  

Movies on Holidays (times to be announced).  

Memorial Day:  10:30 AM - Math Circus

Kids get free fruit.

If you don't want to watch the movie, you can play with horses, make a rubber band bracelet or take a book and leave with a stuffed animal.  If the book is returned on time, please keep the stuffed animal.  If the book is not returned on time, no stuffed animal!!

While deciding on the movie:

Kris:  Your movie should be educational since it is a library, right?

Emmie:  Yes, but don't list that on the invitation since kids won't come.

Kris:  Well, parents do most of the decision making and they may be more apt to bring their kids if we list which movie will be shown.

Emmie:  Oh, fine.

First customers!

The sign says R E A D !

Movie and Fruit!

Let Me Sleep!

Fishing Trip

Jump, Skip & A Hop

Spring Soccer

Doggy Dress-Up

Chopped Competition - Hands Up!

Emmie has been watching Chopped on the Food Network.  She choose her own ingredients here.  Emmie melted syrup in the toaster oven, drizzled it over the apples, sprinkled cinnamon on top, placed the blueberries and then cut up a cheese stick before plating as shown.  Emulating the show, she finished with her "Hands Up".

Emmie then chose 7 ingredients and placed them in a wicker basket for me:  Plum, Apricot, Apple, Grape Tic Tacs, Cinnamon, Peanut Butter and a Cheesestick.  Emmie served as the judge for me:

"The texture of these two ingredients together (my genius idea of an apple slice with peanut butter) is.....wow.....it blows my mind.  You made my day."

Later in the week, she combined fresh lime juice with orange juice to form a sauce.  She judged her own creation, "I just love, love, love this sauce that I made."  Grandpa and I, as judges, enjoyed dipping graham crackers, Lays potato chips and apple slices into the sauce.

The Perfect House

We arrived to art class early and thus, walked to a local park.  En route, "Look, she has a perfect house.  No weeds in the garden, a door to the backyard, a place that she can put flowers, perfect grass...."

What the dogs do when Emmie is at school....

Monkeying Around

Sunday Night / Monday Morning

Sunday evening....

"Eric has super human strength.  He defeated both of us (wrestling).  His super hero name should be Erickoo.  Like cuckoo bird, but Erickoo."

Emmie:  I'm not tired.  Why do I have to go to bed?
Mom:  You have school tomorrow and need your rest.
Emmie:  Why do I have to go to school?
Mom:  The State has a policy that children need to go to school.  And you need an education such that you can get into college, graduate school and then get a job.
Emmie:  So it never stops?
Mom:  (chuckling)
Emmie:  Do I have to get a job when I grow up?
Mom:  Depends on the standard of living that you want to have.  You need a source of income to pay for a house like this, have food on the table, etc.  You don't necessarily have to have a job working for someone else though.
Emmie:  How?
Mom:  You could be an artist and sell your artwork.  You could start a business.  You could be an author, and write books for a living.  You could be a professional athlete and get paid to play sports?
Emmie:  They'll pay you for that?  Playing sports is just fun.  I'm going to be an artist.  People won't pay for scribbly-dibbly art though.  It needs to be special and I have just the idea.
Mom:  What is your idea?
Emmie:  I can't tell you or else you'll create it first.

Mom:  I'm exhausted.  How is that you're not tired?
Emmie:  Maybe I have super staying up powers.  Or, because I ate too much candy.

Monday morning....

"How is it morning already?  I tried to stay up all night."

While studying a DVD with 3 Ernest movies on it at the breakfast table:
"They should make a 4th movie and call it Ernest is Honest since that kind of means the same thing."

Moments later, and while studying a Monster High DVD:
"This guy, Valentine, he broke up with like 10,000 girls.  He pretended to love them.  Isn't that not very earnest?"

"My fingers are getting stronger at squeezing stuff again (wrestling injury from the night prior).  When Eric gets back, let's put our turtle masks on and jump on him "booyah, kasha" style."

Ingenuity

2nd Tooth!

B&B Birthday Party

Emmie dressed up in her new Monster High outfit (given to her by Grandma & Grandpa).  The wig was in the car at this point; it had to come off for the bouncy house.

7th Birthday Party

At pool capacity?

Reid & Emmie

Grandpa (the lifeguard) & Sophia

Christine, Gabi, Baylor, Franklin's Brother & Sasha

Reid, Jeremiah, Zane, Emmie, ? & Mia

Ava, AJ, Summer, Abby & Shaylee

Franklin & Benita

Emmie (Michelangelo) designed the cake.  She sketched it out a week in advance.

Kids in attendance, but not named/pictured:  Sean, Conrad (and brother Jasper), Berkley

Kindergarten Musical

Emmie was an usher for the event:

Mom:  Emmie, this flyer says that you're going to be an usher for the musical.

Emmie:  Yeah, I hate that part about it.

Mom:  Well, they must have chosen you for a reason.  They are trusting you in that role.

Emmie:  They didn't choose me.  I signed up for it.

Mom:  Why did you sign up for it if you don't want to do it?

Emmie:  Mrs. Collier was asking for volunteers.  All of the roles were really fun so I raised my hand right away for the the next one, and she said, "Usher.  Great.  Emmie Diehl and Jack Hayes, you'll be ushers."

Mom:  What was your response to that?

Emmie:  I just put my hand down and hung my head.

Artist at Work

Where's Turner?

Happy Mother's Day!

Uncle Dan & Aunt Angie hosted everyone at their home.

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Like Mike, Like Mike...

They call this "the hot dog bun".

DogDay

"Did someone order a mini dessert?"

While driving.....

"Hey, that sign says there's a Subway around here.....3 of them!"

Tulip Festival in Holland, MI

More photos:  https://www.facebook.com/felipe.cancun1/posts/686504878142109?pnref=story