Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Random Ramblings about the Past Few Days

This is the way that Dalton prefers to get around.  It's why he wants to take the UTA bus to school next year- so he can long board to the bus stop.
 Here is Shelby in her end-of-the-year Australia play.  She's the cutie on the left at the end in the green hat next to her friend Gabby in black.  Shelby was a snake (I think) and Gabby was a black spiky Australian creature of some sort.

 The end of the school year is always pretty nuts.  This year it seemed that it was extra crazy because Garrett is now involved in things other than living in the car being schlepped from one sibling activity to another.  This was his end-of-the year performance at the Little Gym.


 He is so cute.  I mean edible cute.  Of course I get teary looking at him, and remembering Dalton seven years ago doing these very same things.  
 Garrett was especially in to it because the Big Kahuna was there.
 And the end, when he got his extra special medal, was of course the best part.




 I've been volunteering once a week down at the homeless shelter, and holy crap, every time I go, I still feel like the wind has been knocked out of me, because of how bad these poor people have it.
 And when I am done volunteering I get in my car and I see the multi million dollar mall and condo development across the street.  It would be ironic if it weren't so depressing.
 I love this picture.  Garrett running to catch up with his big brother and the 5th grade friends.
 Here are a few pictures of Dalton and his buddies rock climbing.  We went to a local indoor climbing gym one day after school was over for the summer.  


 After they climbed they played some ping pong and fusbal.
 I love this picture because I don't get to have many lunch dates with both of my boys since Dalton is usually in school or with friends.  But this day Shelby still had school, where Dalton was already on summer break, so we got to play together, my boys and I.  Plus, I love seeing Dalton's long hair, since he just got it chopped off.
 One of Dalton's end of the year parties...this one with some of his besties.  Don't they look like darling little hoodlums?
 When I drop Garrett at his private pre school, where there are luxury cars pulling up to drop off their kids, I am always struck by who the school's neighbors are.
 Poverty is closer than I like to imagine.
 In this case, right next door to my kids school.
 I wonder what it would be like to grow up like this.  I wonder who the people are who live there.  I have this conversation with myself every time I drop Garrett off at school.  Across the street is an auto body shop.  There are boarded up buildings next to it.  The area of State Street where prostitutes hang out is just down the street.  Garrett's school has big fences surrounding its property so that it can try to forget who its neighbors are next door.  Wouldn't want the kids to bump in to reality while they are learning their phonics.  
 Last day of pre-school at Challenger with his costume for Circus Days.  I LUHHHUVE this kid!
 These pictures are from Shelby's girl scout camp that she attended this week.  I LOVE girl scouts.  I love what it teaches her, and who she gets to hang out with and how empowered she feels because of it.






 I took these photos of our house because in just a few weeks it will look and feel a little different as we start construction on it to add an attic addition.  I am excited.


2 comments:

Cammie said...

Hey Ashley--Just wanted to stop by and say "hello" to you. I saw a link to your blog on facebook via Meredith. I was so happy to find you.

Cammie

Ashley said...

Cammie, I miss you! Let's get together soon. And get on Facebook, for crying out loud. :)