The Last Day

Katie had her last day of preschool. Ever.

She's changed so much over this last year. She's still tiny, but she has grown a little taller and she's a little more mature. You don't realize how much can change in a year.

She has learned so much and I know she's ready for kindergarten.

In fact, she's already started asking me when kindergarten is going to start.

#it'sgoingtobealongsummer

End of an Era

Sweet Katie graduated from preschool today.

It was a happy occasion...and only slightly bittersweet. 

Josh, Becky and Katie have all attended this preschool -- and Katie will be our last to ever go.

I am so glad she had such a good experience, and I know that she is going to be so excited to go to kindergarten in the fall.

It's hard to believe that we are entering this next stage of life -- it came so quickly and I know that the coming years will pass even more quickly. 

Enjoy. Enjoy. Enjoy.

Help me remember to enjoy!

Run Emma Run

Emma is doing track again this year and super excited to have a new event. 

She is running the mile again -- which she mostly enjoys. 

But, what she is most excited about is that she is doing the high jump.

I wish I had photos -- but it was the first event of the day and I didn't get there fast enough. But, I hope to have some soon.

Emma would really like to improve her high jump height and wondered if I might buy her a high jump mat and bar.

lol.

um. no.

Off She Goes

Ohmygosh.

Love this child.

Love being with her.

Love listening to her.

Love everything about her.

I even loved sending her to her first day of preschool. 

LOL!

She was totally ready and super excited. I am so happy for her.

(That didn't sound too happy did it? :) )

The First Day

The kids were so exited for the first day of school.

Everyone was up early and ready to go long before the buses even started rolling.

Mikayla left first and it was pitch black outside.

I can hardly believe she is starting high school.

How did that happen?

But...she is so strong and capable, I have no doubt she is doing to do great.

Joe and Emma are in 7th grade and now without their big sister at the middle school.

The students in the middle school are split into teams -- with half the students getting one set of teachers and half the students getting another.

Joe and Emma have never had the same teachers in school and last year were on totally different teams -- which meant two sets of field trips...totally different learning schedules, etc.

It made for interesting times here.

But this year, for the first time, they are on the same team and will actually have three academic classes together. 

I am excited as a mom for this -- but I hope it's okay for them.

I guess the one upside is that most people don't even realize that they are related and when told that they are brother and sister often don't believe it's true.

Josh is in the 3rd grade.

We are very excited for this teacher this year.

3rd grade is a big year here -- it's the first time they get grades and the first time they really have a significant amount of homework.

Josh is a really smart boy but he's not a huge fan of working hard.

We'll see how it goes.

And Becky. She is in the 1st grade and all of the sudden looks so grown up to me.

I am so excited for her to have a good year and continue to grow. 

And poor Katie. She just didn't understand why everyone else got to leave this morning except her.

She said, "Mom. I don't like this."

I know baby.

But...look for a post on little miss next week when she starts preschool - 5 days a week. MY WORD. 

I'll try not to happy dance in front of her. 

Happy First Day of School.

The Last

My goodness. 

Where did the year go?

The kids had a great school year and I am so proud of all of them.

It has been a year of growth and change. I was thinking that the kids really have changed this year...but I was surprised to see just how much with these side by sides of the first day and the last day of school. 

These kids are amazing. I am such a lucky mom! 

Happy Endings, New Beginnings

Mikayla graduated from 8th grade.

It was a very nice ceremony and I am just so proud of her!

She graduated on the Principal's Honor Roll, straight A's all through middle school.

She received the Gold Presidential Academic Fitness Award.

And she was chosen as the top French student.

I cannot believe how quickly middle school flew by. I am sure high school will move equally fast. I am definitely not ready for this. But I am grateful that she is!

Go, Go, Go

It has been a crazy busy weekend. The older kids are in the middle of SOLs and of course, that was when the school scheduled the 8th grade dance as well as the Showcase Music Festival in Williamsburg. 

The middle school orchestra competed against schools from all over the region. They came in 2nd! 

Mikayla played the violin and also recently learned to play the bass -- I continue to be impressed with her! 

After the competition, the kids spend the day at Busch Gardens.

Love these crazy kids. (Sami, Mikayla, Ashley, Chelsea, Andrew and Kevin)

And how could I not post about Adam and his pretty headband? lol!

Milestones

Not only did Mikayla get her braces off today, she also went to her first school dance.

She looked so beautiful.

She met up with Sami to take photos:

And then we headed to Nathan's to take photos with a bunch of her friends:

Morgan, Riley, Mikayla and Sami

Mikayla and Cameron

EJ and Mikayla

Emily, Matt, and Mikayla. Oh Matt Gray. He was funny. He needed to have someone else in the photo so it wouldn't feel like a "date" photo. Love this age.

Chelsea, Riley, Emily , Mikayla, Morgan and Sami

KayLeigh and Mikayla

I love these kids!  

They had so much. This has been a great year!

Remember that post about my beautiful new office?

Oh...how I wish for beautiful. Really...i'd settle for clean.

It's a total disaster right now as I finish up the costumes for the middle school play.

This month is pretty much lost to me...but...it's going to be worth it, right?

Joe was good enough to model the clock for me.

I figured if Katie and Becky knew it was a clock I was on the right track.

The Final Frontier

The kids had a science project that required us to go to the National Air and Space Museum.

It was my first visit to this particular Smithsonian and it was a really great museum.

Since many of the 6th grades choose this for their project we had a pretty good little group to take into the city.

I think a good time was had by all.

Holy Smokes

I did not realize how long it's been since I posted.

Things have been crazy.

In the last month:

1. Troy has taken 4 trips. Chicago, Brussles, London and Paris.

2. Emma and Mikayla have had several track meets. Emma actually did well enough to qualify to run the mile at Regionals!

3. The middle schoolers auditioned for the school play. The play is Beauty and Beast and the kids are super excited! Emma was cast as a shephard. Joe was cast as Chip. And Mikayla was selected to be Head Tech/Stage Manager.

4. Mikayla turned 14. Wow. I feel really badly that she did not get her own post...so look for something on that soon. She is growing up way too fast for my taste.

5. I have sewn five halloween costumes, several pillow case dresses and hope to do a few more in the next few days.

6. I have had sevearl photo shoots. I really love that I can combine my passion and my work into something wonderful.

7. I have been sick for more than two weeks, and now finally feel like I am on the mend.

There is more. Much more. But I know you're asleep already.

So I will vow to do better and see if I can find a way to add a few more hours to my day.

xo

O Happy Day

Katie had her first day of preschool today...and wow, was she excited.

She has been asking for weeks to go to school and watching the older kids go was just painful for her.

But...finally...today was the day.

BEFORE:















And AFTER:

it must have been a good one, cause she home looking like this:






Somebody else's pants and undies (they were loaners)...no hair clip, no pony holder, no braid, just a mess...but totally happy!

First Day

The first day of school was a smashing success.






The kids all got there. They liked their teachers. And everyone made it home again.

What more could I ask?

I can hardly believe that I have FIVE kids in school. It's crazy that my little Becky is already a kindergartner. The other kids are looking so grown up!

And...how crazy is it to think that my little Katie will be doing this in just two short years? (Did I sound too excited when I said that? lol!)

By the Numbers

I know i've fallen off the face of the earth. So...here it is...by the numbers:

In May:

1 ER visit
2 trips away from home
3 birthday parties
4 field trips
6 doctor visits
8 photo shoots
9 baseball games
11 school functions
12 piano lessons
27 hours spent working at the middle school on the play

I know I'm missing stuff...but that looks like the highlights.

Hopefully, I can come back soon with pictures.

Lessons Learned

So...Joe had enough of the bullying and spoke up about it to his teacher.

I also called and spoke with the vice principal. It is one thing to verbally taunt another student, but when you put your hands on him...that crosses a line I cannot tolerate.

Background: Joe was sitting at his desk talking with another boy. The bully did not like what Joe said, so he grabbed a small wooden mallet off the teacher's desk and shoved it under Joe's face and threatened him. Seriously...are we in the 5th grade or a bad episode of Prison Break?

I know. It's not prison, but I was just so stinkin' upset by this whole thing.

The vice principal was wishy washing and even had the gall to ask me if Joe had provoked this. Really? What could he have possibly said that would rise to this level of retaliation?

I told the vice principal that I thought we had crossed from bullying to crime...because the last time I checked, this was an assault and battery. I think at that point she finally decided she better take this seriously.

So...they called out a bunch of boys from the classroom, and spoke with them individually. The bully admitted all that he had done, and even went so far as to say that he and his friends had been targeting Joe and his friend.

Holy cow. Targeting.

The bully was severely reprimanded, but nothing else. Because this was the first documented case of bullying on the boy's record, they felt they could not do more. Sheesh. I would have done more. But, that's me, angry mom.

Joe thinks the bully felt really badly, and I am happy to say that while the bully's father was unaware of his son's behavior he was appalled and angered by it. Thank goodness.

And...now for the last few days the bully has been nice to all.

Let's hope it lasts.

When Did That Happen?

My baby is growing up.



I don't know when we stopped being in the "baby" phase of our lives...but when your baby starts preschool, I think you are on your way.

Miss Katie is going to preschool!

2 hours a week.

LOL!

I know it isn't much...but, somehow it's a lot too.


The backpack is almost as big as she is!

Sweet Mary

Sweet Becky had her Christmas play this week...postponed because of the snow.

But...it was so worth the wait.

Isn't she the cutest little Mary ever?



Seriously.

Snow Day?

Are you serious?

No school?

WHAT?

Is a lack of heat really a good reason to cancel school?

I mean...isn't that what coats are for?

Run, Mikayla, Run

Mikayla made the track team and had her first meet this week. She did great! and her team totally won!!!



Yay Mikayla!!!