More Graduations!

Leah finished up her middle school career last week! Poppy & Gheghe came down for the weekend and then we all attended Leah's graduation ceremony on Monday. Along with a middle school diploma, she received the Citizenship Award, won the Patriotic Essay writing contest (second year in a row!), received the President's Education Outstanding Academic Achievement Award and the Bronze Scholarship Award. Jack received the National Physical Fitness award (and was nominated for the Robert A Gibbs Athletic Award) along with several academic mentions in individual subjects. His art work placed second in the county-wide Yom Hasoah Day of Remembrance Art Contest. So, we are pretty proud of these two! They will both be attending new schools next year, and we know they are going to kick butt! Way to go, Leah & Jack!

The Unbearable Weirdness of Being Jack.

So glad they canceled school today so these poor kids wouldn't have to go out in the big storm.

Middle School... meet Old School.

Last night we got together with friends of ours and surprised all the kids with a black stretch humvee limo, which took the 17 of us to the Ford Amphitheater in Tampa to see the triple bill of Cheap Trick, Heart, and Journey. It was a great show and the kids had a lot of fun at their first concert. I know they were psyched to spend the evening with their parents, partying like it was 1983!

Gardens of Busch.

Since Leah & Jack didn't get enough excitement in Chicago, Karen and I decided to take the kids to Busch Gardens in Tampa for a couple of days. We had a great time... Jack and Ashley rode the "big four" roller coasters - Gwazi, SheiKra, Montu and Kumba, and we experienced the new Jungala attraction on opening day.



































And how could I forget... the kids saw their very first concert!

Cool School of the Week!

MyFox Orlando | Cool School of the Week

Each week one of our local news stations broadcasts their morning show live from a different "Cool School of the Week"... and this week Page was chosen! Actually, they filmed down at our Orlando branch, but they invited our middle schoolers to participate. Definitely watch the video and look through the pictures and see if you recognize anyone!

**Nice pass, Jack. That guy couldn't catch a cold if he were naked in a snowstorm!

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We are really not having any fun.

And the weather isn't very nice.





















































Marathon, Florida Keys.

So Be.

Spent the weekend in Miami Beach...






































































Yes, this is an actual mailbox dressed like R2D2!



















Will's idea of a roller coaster!















More photos on the Flickr badge! -->

Let the music play.

Yesterday afternoon we had the opportunity to watch and listen to Jack and Leah's first band performance. The school band is new this year, so the kids have only been practicing together since August. Most of the kids in the band only first started their instruments in August as well. They have had to learn how to put their instruments together, take them apart, clean them, read music, follow the conductor's leads, actually play the right notes at the same time as everyone else, and also, breathe at some point. So for only having been together for three months, it was pretty impressive!

Back to Disney.

7-11.

Don't forget your FREE Slurpee!!

Camping Out!

The kids are having a blast this week - doing two camps a day. In the mornings, Band Camp - Leah, flute; Jack, sax.




















Then it's a short break and a quick lunch before they head to the Art Studio. Yesterday they did cartooning, today they learned to throw pots.
























Thanks, Karen, for the art shots!