The McMahon Family

The first slip n slide session of the season.

Mac's first run.

Patrick's first run ever!

The boys have finished their school year.  My baby is no longer a kindergartener!  And Patrick is all excited that he’ll be in the ‘big preschool class’ next time he goes back.  The last day is field day and Mac showed up totally excited.  We pulled up to the inflatables being set up.

Both boys had a great year.  We have seen so much academic and spiritual growth this year in both of them.  When the year started, Patrick was very hesitant to worship.  He now sings whole heartedly during worship time and even at home!  And Mac, while having always excelled academically, struggled at the beginning of the year with self control and behavior.  He finished the last few weeks with perfect behavior!  They are both very eager to pray not only thanks at meal times, but prayers of blessing, requests for protection and healing over each of us.

Mac’s teacher sent out a slide show of their year in the classroom.  It was soo great to see!  I’ll spare you the half hour, 280 photo show and sum it up with a few of my favorites and send you to a link of just the ones highlighting Mac and the class.

Dad's Day for 100s Day

Praying for each other.

They’ll definitely miss these great ladies.

I am thrilled that Mac’s teachers sent home a summer packet of work to stay sharp and to prepare for first grade!

I think we’ll start June 1!

It’s so fun to see how different my boys are.  Their personalities are on opposite spectrums and I love that.  Mac, for the most part, is my little pleaser.  Obviously, he’s not perfect and has his obstinate times when he’s not happy, but over all, he wants to make us happy.  Patrick wants to do the opposite of what we want.  All the time.  Every morning is a fight to dress him.  He absolutely does not want to wear what I tell him.  And I try very hard to give options!    I mean with Mac, I made sure he matched anytime we had to leave the house.  With Patrick, I’m down to just making sure if it’s cold, he’s in pants and long sleeves; if it’s warm, he’s not in sweatpants!  And he still fights me. Anyway, so different.  So great.

Yep, that's him. Yellow shirt, Illini shorts and snow boots.

Today is the perfect example.  The three of us were watching the Cubs game.  Mac says, “Go Cubs! Mom and I are going for the Cubs.”  Patrick’s response, “Well, I’m not.  I’m going for the blue shirt guys.”

If you want to feel good about yourself, I would normally say having kids is not the way to go.  Most of the time I feel like a failure.  I see the wrong things I say and ways I act come through in the way my boys talk to each other.  I’m sure I’m permanently scarring them now and constantly worry about how they’ll ‘turn out’.

But on Mother’s Day, that goes away.  My boys make my day each year.  It began early in the week with flowers at work.

Then Friday the boys brought gifts from school.

Patrick signed it himself. 🙂

The best moment occurred at church.  Each child got on stage and told why they loved their mom.  I am sad to say I didn’t film Mac’s turn.  I was so wrapped up in the anticipation of his turn…I knew he wouldn’t speak into the microphone.  I was waiting for him to say no thanks and just walk by.  But he didn’t.  He read his card just as clear and well spoken as the best of them!

Family lunch was a blast with the family, including Nate!  I am sad to say that I didn’t get a pic with MY mom.  I realize that now as I’m posting this.  (Mom, we need a current pic together, soon!!) She was there and we had fun, but the pics seemed to be centered on Nate, his fiance Kimberly and her daughter Halle.  It was great to finally meet Halle!

You can see how well she fits into the family!

I promised each boy I would go on a field trip with them.  So, last week was Mac and the Dairy Farm.  This week, the Bloomington Zoo with Patrick.  I was given charge of three little ones plus Patrick.  On the way there, I asked them what animals they thought they might see.  They predicted giraffe, tiger, elephant.  Never ask that when on your way to the Bloomington Zoo and not the Indianapolis or Chicago Zoo…I said, ‘Well, let’s think a little smaller.  Those animals can’t live in Illinois.’  So they changed to rhinoceros, hippopotamus and lion.  “Well, I guess we’ll just have to see when we get there.”

Imagine 80 preschoolers (I’m estimating, not sure really how many came).  This shot does not do the scene justice.  Upon arrival, they were all running around the grass, wild with excitement.  It was a little overwhelming for a moment.

First up, snack…

First animals, wallabies!

And this is when we started to hear after each animal, “Let’s go see another animal and then go play!  Can we go play?!”  Four year olds just don’t care about animals in cages and fences.  In fact, Patrick was most excited about the water fall!

Then, lo and behold:

The rhino and hippo!!

Way cool eagle!

And before lunch, the carousel!

I would love to tell you all the details with all my pictures here!