End of the School Year

May is such a busy month!  So many end-of-school activities!  By the time school lets out for summer, everyone is exhausted...

Muffins with Mom at Millie's school...it was raining cats and dogs!

These types of activities are hard.  You know you have to do it because you want to show your kid that she's important enough to make the effort.  But somehow, it never goes smoothly.  We had to show up a half hour early, in the pouring rain, and her teacher was late.  So we took our muffins and orange juice and popped a squat on the floor in the middle of a hallway.  Millie spilled her orange juice EVERYWHERE, and I'm trying to mop it up with mini napkins...all while Syd is bawling that Millie ate the last chocolate chip muffin.  Augghhhhhh!!!!  Love you, Millie, but next year we might skip this business.

Our beloved babysitter, Brittany, that has babysat weekly for the last year, graduated this month.  Not only did she graduate, but she's getting married and moving across the state.  Her last few visits sort of made me teary.  We love her and are so proud of her!  It is so rare to find a sitter that loves your children and actually plays with them.  She was wonderful and will be a tough act to follow!

Millie's school had a fun superhero day

I love this

Syd's blondie crew at a bday party.  She's already missing them this summer!

Preschool 3's class: First day vs. Last day

Syd brought home this Father's day gift she made in school for JKK.  We don't know what's in it yet; we're waiting for Father's day.  Hope it isn't perishable. ;)

She's very proud of it.

learning to trace; a surprisingly hard skill

"Rainbow River" on the back

Syd was also proud to give me her Mother's Day card

This is Syd's main coloring style.  I wonder if Jackson Pollack developed his specific style at such a young age.  Guessing that if Syd grows up to be an artist, she'll be into abstract stuff.

PS - Syd got that "castrator" for her bday.  Her and Millie have been having a good time with it playing grocery story!

Millie reads us a book every night before bed <3

I was pleased to find out that "the best indicator of future success as a reader is actually a child's ability to use invented spelling as he/she writes".

Millie has been doing this!  She's been writing words how she thinks they are spelled.  I love finding these little nuggets.  This castle that wants to go for a swim really cracked me up!

Always happy to go to school in the mornings.  So thankful I've been able to drop her off and pick her up every day.  

She made me this heart with her thumbprint in it.  I'm going to make it into a keychain.

She came home with a big packet of super cool artwork at the end of the year!

How great is this bat?!

I can't even describe how many worksheets she brought home daily.  I don't understand anything about teaching, but it seemed excessive.  Is this all kindergarten is??  Worksheets.  They did seem to get harder each month, and she does seem to have learned a lot this year, so who am I to question the method?!

3pm daily hugs for Syd when she sees us

 Kindergarten: First day vs. Last day

Will forever be one of my favorite pictures of Millie Bear

On the last day of school, Millie had a graduation ceremony in the evening.  JKK was traveling and his flight time was questionable.  Syd had her 4 year appt, and I was worried Millie would be late to her ceremony.  Nana to the rescue!  Millie got to go to work with Nana for a while, and then Nana delivered her to the ceremony.  It was perfect!

There's our girl with her teacher Ms. Helm and principal Mr. Young

So proud of this one for being kind and a good listener.  She worked hard this year and is really good at making friends.  It was a wonderful kindergarten experience for all of us!