End of Schoolyear Wrap-up

After I finished my teaching semester, I had several people ask me how I was enjoying all my free time, especially while my kids were at school.  To that, I wanted to answer, “What free time??”  For some reason, both of the children’s schools were especially “needy” the last few weeks of the year, and I found myself at both of them several times a week. 

First, Luke’s class took a field trip to Nashville Children’s Theater to see Click, Clack, Moo.  His teacher asked if I could be a chaperone, and I agreed.  Anna couldn’t legally ride on the bus, though, so we drove separately, arriving at the theater a few minutes before the buses.

I could not get good pictures in the dim light of the theater, but here are a few , just so I can remember the occasion:

The show was really cute, and both of my children enjoyed it, as did Luke’s classmates. 

The very next week, the class went on yet another field trip, and Luke’s teacher again asked if I could come.  So Anna and I met them again, this time at the downtown library, for  a little play about a circus act.

While we waited to go in, Thomas, Luke, and Anna enjoyed a Scooby Doo book:

Having learned my lesson from last time, I didn’t try to take pictures in the theater.  Afterward, we went to Centennial Park to have a picnic and play.  After the class left, Anna and I hung around to feed the rest of her sandwich bread to the ducks:

Later that week, Anna’s preschool went to the zoo, and it was kind of expected for all the parents to come with their kids.  While we waited to enter, the class took a picture:

We went through Dinotrek for the third time, and I didn’t take pictures because I had taken so many before (although, come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve put any on the blog).  Anyway, after DinoTrek, we at lunch at the playground, and then rode the carousel:

Then, we had to leave early and go to Luke’s class to help with their Cinco de Mayo party.  I have an adorable video of them doing a Mexican hat dance (Anna jumped right in), but it will take forever to upload, so that will have to wait until later.

I also spent many, many hours in those weeks helping the Luke’s school’s PTA with Teacher’s Appreciation Week, and Anna’s class had a little “Muffins for Moms” gathering in honor of Mother’s Day.

Then, a week before school let out, Luke had Field Day.  Here he is with some of his friends:

And here’s a shot of the class:

Thomas announced that Luke was his best friend, and Marquise seemed to be taken with his hair.  That was funny to me because Marquise sits in front of Luke on the rug, and when he has beads in his hair, Luke idly plays with them while the teacher is talking. 

The Field Day events were largely non-competitive, and for the most part, the kids seemed to enjoy them.  It was really hot, though, and after awhile, the team-relay format started to get repetitive.  Thus, about 2/3 of the way through, we started getting complaints about Field Day being too long, which was sad to me.  I remember loving Field Day so much.  The kindergartners are a little young, I guess.  Oh well, it was fun while it lasted!

We actually left Field Day a little early because Gaga was in town…because Greg was out of town…and I had a homeschool convention to get to.  I spent the rest of the afternoon attending sessions and browsing curriculum while the kids enjoyed Gaga’s visit.  Then, Granddad came in town and built them a treehouse (post to come), and Gaga went on the decorating extravaganza that you read about in the last post.

In the midst of all that, both kids had graduations.  Luke’s came first.  We watched a short slide show (which consisted entirely of pictures that I had taken throughout the year.  I’m telling you:  my obsessive picture taking comes in handy!).  Then the kids sang a song.

Then Luke’s teacher gave diplomas:

Afterward, we served muffins:

These pictures were on the back of Luke’s diploma:

And here was a letter hanging by a sunshine bulletin board outside:

We will miss our multi-cultural school!

Then, unfortunately, Greg had to go to work, which left Anna and me to go alone to her graduation.  At first, she was very excited, but soon, she started to seem a little tired and emotional.  After her class got up and sang a song, she wanted to come back and sit with me.  Instead, the ushered the class over to the side of the stage to wait in line for their diplomas:

Sigh.  I try not to be too materialistic, but when the iPhone 5 comes out, I am totally upgrading for the camera.  Our regular camera has been broken since December, and the warranty doesn’t cover it.  Besides, I love the convenience of the camera on the iPhone.  In the meantime, I get lovely pictures like ones above.  My camera didn’t even work for the “photo op” they gave us with the teacher.  I had a friend send me this one from her phone (see?  so convenient):

Anna doesn’t look thrilled.  Again, she wanted to come to me, but was instead instructed to sit with her classmates until they had all received their diploma.  This time, she cried until they sent her to me.  That is definitely not like her.  Afterward, we went to Chickfila to celebrate, and she didn’t want a milkshake, which was also really weird.  Looking back, I really shouldn’t have been surprised when she woke up with a stomach virus later that night.

By Thursday, she had fully recovered, and no one else had gotten it (praise the Lord).  Thursday was also Luke’s last day of school, and afterwards, we went and got Dippin’ Dots to celebrate.

 

And then Friday was the day that our homeschool curriculum came…

…and I’ve already blogged about that.

Now, I need to do a post on the new tree house, and another one on Anna’s zoo class and Dinotrek, but after that, I think I will be caught up enough to start posting about summer.  That’s good, because this summer has already been full of things to remember!

Our Insane Interior Designer

Last week, we all enjoyed a visit from our personal interior designer:  Gaga.  In every house we have lived in, she has made it her mission that we don’t have bare walls in every room (which is what would happen if I were in charge of decorating).  She has painted, found and/or made curtains, and brought things to hang on the walls, among many other touches.  When the kids came, she stepped up her efforts even more, and since we moved, I think we have hit a new level of decorating craziness.  You may recall back in February when I gave you a tour of Luke’s pirate room.  As I mentioned then, that room was brought to us completely by Gaga.  And keep in mind that the room was full of all new décor; his old room looked like this.  Well, since then, Gaga has decided that it’s time for a new theme for Luke’s room.  Even though Luke liked his pirate room and at first wasn’t even willing to change, mom moved forward with her design plans and, predictably, won Luke over to her side.  So now…

…he has a Star Wars room:

We moved Luke’s Legos into his room, and got new organizers for them (before they were just in plastic containers in a dresser in the family room).  We also moved our table in there to be his building table.  Then, we hung shelves on which he can display his creations.  His space/Star Wars Legos are by his window, and the long red shelf holds everything else.  I didn’t realize that his pirate ships were so huge.  They are kind of running into the glow-in-the-dark solar system! 

I think Luke’s favorite part of his new room is the giant painting of the Death Star that twinkles with light.  It has become his nightlight (nothing like drifting off to sleep in the soft glow of the Death Star…), and he loves it. 

Even though she was still generally content with Anna’s room, Gaga did decide that she needed shelves for all her little “Strawberry guys” (Anna’s term).  Thus, she had Granddaddy cut her four boards, which she then painted purple to match the room.

 

Aren’t her little things adorable?  I love little shelves.  Here are her built-ins.

And here’s the girl herself, in her “painting shirt.”

Also, after I expressed my unending loathing of wood paneling, my mom suggested a pale yellow to brighten up the room.  I figured I’d get her to help me pick out the paint and then I’d get Greg to paint it over the summer (I am so not a painter).  But oh, no!  Our interior designer ended up painting the whole thing by herself.  She’s a machine, I tell you! 

Seriously, it was such a blessing.  I compared photos from when we first moved in and now, and the difference is amazing.  Here are two pictures from the same corner (we had moved the couch and tv, so it looks even more different):

 

And here are two pictures from the other corner.  Again, the difference just blows me away:

Gaga, THANK YOU SO MUCH for being our personal decorator!  You might be a little crazy sometimes:), but you also help our house be so much more of a “home.”  We love you and miss you!