We Made It!

Hello, Summer Break we are excited you're here! Look how much my guy has grown in this year of school!

I will not miss the "find a matching school sock" game we play every other morning. Why is it that the plain school socks go missing but the patterned socks are so easy to find?! If I am being honest, I am not sad about Kindergarten ending one bit. He, however, is pretty sad. Which is hilarious because for a bulk of the year he definitely did not love school. 

Kindergarten was a rough adjustment for us after his TK year which went so well. BUT ultimately he soared socially and academically. His reading scores are through the roof! And his propensity for knowledge is crazy. Other parents have told us their kids have been checking out non-fiction books to learn stuff like C. 

We have the benefit of already knowing which teacher he will have next year and I feel so good about 1st grade! I am thankful for our little school community that has been so supportive this year. Last week he said, "I'm going to go to (our local Catholic high school and our local Catholic university) because there's a lot of mysteries in the Bible but if I go to a Catholic high school and college I will have time to learn them all." 

Thank God for Catholic school where my favorite guy can learn about the mysteries of the Bible, pray and attend Mass. Now onto summer!! One hour left!

Winding Down

Last night our school had a Splash into Summer Reading Party. It featured my kid's favorite things, reading, pizza, and lemonade. Seriously, for free we had a pizza party and played all kinds of games. BINGO for Books was hugely popular.

This messy haired gal won the raffle for the Pre K-K level! She got a bunch of books and other little goodies. 

Today was M's last day of school. Here's a little first day/last day action. Oh, my heart. 

She had such a wonderful first year of school. I am so proud of her! 

More Talk About Rain

I know this will shock you... but it is actually not raining today. Which is great, but it's going to rain tomorrow and we've had so much rain lately that there's still standing water in my yard. I am sure you're sick of hearing about M's soccer but the last rescheduled game is supposed to be tomorrow. My big fear is that they will try to force it and we'll all stand around in the rain tomorrow. This poor season. It feels like it's gone on forever, but really it started March 26 with our first practice and it will officially end tomorrow on June 1st. Hard to believe there have been only 3 games in that time!

Also... the gnats and mosquitos are out of control with the wet. It's rough. M loves being outside. Loves it. And she lasted 5 minutes today.

BUT the positive thing is that today is the school's field day so at least that didn't get rained out.

Anyway, in an update that is not about rain.

I had my last hoorah with the three musketeers on Tuesdays until next school year. They spent about 30 minutes skipping and running around the living room to a song they sang at school. I am going to toot my horn here since I figured out what song it was by three four-year-olds mumbling half correct lyrics. 

It's this song by the way in case you were super curious. 

Alright, hopefully, I can come back and write here about things that are not in fact about rain. 

Seems possible. Though, say a prayer for the farmers. There's a lot of talk around here that it is better to leave the fields unplanted and take insurance money this year. It's just too wet to plant. This is bad for the farmers, the land and the price of pretty much everything. 

Okay, happy weekend friends. And our last school year weekend! 

Birthday Fun: Nailed It!

Yesterday was C's 7th birthday! We celebrated in the perfect low-key but wonderful way. We hung up his birthday sign so he would see it when he came down.

He got to open one present in the morning and he zeroed in on the present he really wanted. The perpetual motion penguins. They go up the escalator and down the slide and repeat. He is very happy.

He picked Nailed It! as his party theme. Have you seen that show on Netflix? Well, we set it all up and then had the two teams play to make Walrus donuts. (From Nailed It! Holiday. Because of course.)

Two excited kids who were bursting to start! 

And here's the two teams hard at work!

They Nailed It! And this was seriously so much fun! We pre-colored buttercream and fondant for the group and left them a counter full of things to choose from. Not quite the Nailed It pantry but more than sufficient. We also gave them doughnuts and doughnut holes so no frying required. 

C picked Red Robin and a Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Pie for his "cake". And he got to open the rest of his presents and had such a good day! 

He's seven. He's happy. We have to find places to put away all his new stuff! We had a wonderful day but most especially, he did. 

Happy Birthday Goose

Oh my sweet boy,

I cannot even stand it that you are SEVEN. But here we are on another one of your days. (It's going to rain naturally.)

This past year has not been without its challenges. I don't think either of us was prepared for Kindergarten to throw us quite the way it went down but, we are getting close to the end now and we've got a solid plan for first grade. I just know you're going to thrive and bloom into even more of the C that I know when you're at school.

You haven't stopped your love of reading or writing and you still want to be an author. We go through so much paper but it's okay because your creativity is unmatched and we recycle. You still love Mo Willems, and you're reading chapter books like nobody's business. Your reading scores are through the roof and I am so proud of you for that. I never want you to worry about testing of course, but it doesn't hurt that you're so good at it.

Still again, your love for Arctic creatures has not ceased. I love it. You are so passionate about walruses and penguins and you care so so much. And we are going to go to visit Pakak soon! This past year, however, you've discovered and delighted in LEGO and army guys. It's fun to see your imagination thrive! You also have taken to recreating theatre shows, building theaters out of Magna-tiles and using whichever characters you think best. When we take you to shows you have such a serious face, it's so hard to tell if you're enjoying it. I love your little poker face of happiness since you always do end up loving the show. You just take it all in. It's the best. You are also convinced there are dinosaur bones in our backyard and this one I hope stops soon because holes in the backyard aren't my favorite.

This year of six was a big one with medical stuff. Six was a year full of specialists with positive results. You got glasses! You lost five teeth this year and kept the tooth fairy busy! Seven is going to come in with a bang and then... I think it's going to calm down a bit.

I am in such awe of your faith. You have such a sweet spirit and you just get it. This doesn't mean you're always wonderful at Mass but for the most part, you do a great job. Your propensity for memorization has come in handy with prayers and things. I don't know many kids who know that "the D.U.E. chapter" as you refer to it, is one with rules. I also don't know a lot of kids who delight in saying a decade of the rosary.

Goose, you are my very favorite boy in the whole world. I am so glad you're mine. I love you entirely. Happy birthday!! Seven is going to be awesome, I just know it.

Love,
Mom

Friday Excitement!

Hello!

Way back when our school had an auction. Each teacher donates an item or experience. It could be a day at the teacher's desk or a special reading chair. Some teachers took the winning student and a friend to a movie. Or second graders could go bowling with their teacher and friends. There's gym teacher, librarian and principal for a day. Lots of fun!

Well, my mom bought M's teacher's "Movie Party." This morning M and her two buddies got to go to school on a non-school day.

During the party, they, of course, watched a movie. (Winnie the Pooh!) And had popcorn and donut holes. They also got to play in the housekeeping area which is their very favorite area. I am sure it was fun for them to be all alone in the classroom. 

The kids got to decorate cookies to bring home. They also painted personalized picture frames! And had another teacher take a picture of all of them together and print them off for each frame. 

And when we came to pick the kids up, each kid got a big bag full of goodies. And when I say big, I mean it! Look at all these goodies!

Each kid got a reusable shopping bag with pineapples full with: 

• A water bottle
• A large drawing pad
• A coloring book
• A sticker activity book
• 2 story books
• Markers
• Crayons
• Skittles
• Bubbles 

They had so much fun!! And not to be left out of fun is this guy! 

Who has his birthday treats in that big bag to share with his class today. It's a busy birthday weekend. Wishing you a safe weekend however you're spending it!

Jumble of Thoughts on Tuesday

Hello Tuesday! Let me be the 900th person to tell you that we just finished Dead to Me last night.

It was dark and funny as heck. If you've heard nothing about it, let me go ahead and tell you there's an awful lot of swearing so this is not for kids. But we loved it.

Basically, Jen (Christina Applegate) is grieving her husband who was killed in a hit-and-run accident. She meets Judy (Linda Cardellini) at a grief group and they become friends. If I tell you anything more I fear I will spoil it. But just when you think you know what's going on BAM another twist.

We stayed up way too late because we couldn't not watch! It's been a long time since we've seen a show we've enjoyed this much.

In other (not shocking because seriously) news, it's raining again. I have to make the decision about soccer practice tonight so I guess we will see. It's supposed to be hot again tomorrow and then rainy the rest of the week. So much water.

Look at this creepy "ghost" that I found in my living room. My kids have been so cute together lately. We are just so excited for summer break! Inching our way there. It's so close but still so far yet.

Life is just going on as normal here but that's okay. Normal is awesome!