Teacher gift for End of Year

 I can't remember where I got the straw flag for this.  I wish I could give credit to someone but I'm sure I will run across it again and I'll try to update my blog accordingly.

Here is the whole gift that I gave Andrew's teacher for the end of the year.  It is a reusable cup with Crystal Light packets inside, a magazine, and the awesome tote bag that my mom made.  It is reversible and the next picture shows the summer side.

Here is another gift I made for Andrew's teacher.  We also gave these to the principal and assistant principal and office staff.  We even took some to the first grade teacher.  I found this one here.  I just found this blog through another blog and loved this cute, quick, easy idea.  Jasey's Crazy Daisy also has the tags you can print out.

Playground Fun

3 Piggy Opera

On Monday, Andrew's class performed the "Three Piggy Opera."  It was really cute.  Andrew did not have a significant part. and I think he was ok with that.  He sat in the back row and was the choir I guess you could call it  He is on the top step in the middle.

Another mom and I made the houses.  We got together one morning and worked on them and then realized they were kind of fragile so they didn't get to practice with them before the play.  After the play, we took our kids and went to eat lunch and yogurt for a special treat.  They didn't have to stay at school that day so we made it a fun day!

End of the Season

 Coach Daddy giving him some direction!

 He made it to first before the ball!

 In the dugout right after he scored a run! (except we don't keep score!)

 The last huddle of the season!  Go Twins!  (Actually they yelled Indians since that is who we played)

 All the kids signed this poster and I framed it for the coach who happens to also be my awesome hubby!

Andrew getting his trophy from dad and medal from mom!  We had a great team party at the park.  We had a lot of fun this season and can't wait for next year!

Women's Retreat

I didn't get very many pictures at Women's Retreat and have none of me but I took a few pictures on the walk around campus.  It was beautiful there and hopefully I will get to go back another year.

Field Trip

Here are the moms from school that I have become friends with this year.  I'm sad to say that one of them may be moving away this summer and we are all so sad!  We went to see "The Ugly Duckling" at the college about 10 minutes away.  The play was awful and as adults we couldn't wait for it to be over but the kids enjoyed it....I think.  They didn't really talk about it at all.  I think they were very tired.  Andrew was so super excited that morning and then when we got on the bus he realized there were no seat belts and he very sweetly held my hand and asked me not to let go because he was scared to not wear a seat belt.  Love that kid!  Although I'm not a fan of not having seat belts I assured him it was ok since we were in a school bus.  After the play we went to the park to eat lunch and let the kids play for a while.  Overall it was a great 1st field trip!

Teacher gift

This is the gift we gave Andrew's teacher for her birthday.  I used my kids hand prints on it since we couldn't fit 30 on it and then the kids each wrote their own names on it.  I went in one day during centers and did my best to hide what we were doing from his teacher.  She said she had no idea what I had.  I sat on the floor behind one of the tables and had one students at a time write their name while the others were making a card at the table. 

I spray painted a terra cotta pot white and then did the hand prints and used sharpie markers for the names and then we coated it with a clear coat just in case although I'm sure it would have been fine without.  Inside we put gardening gloves, a knee pad, some tools, seeds, and a garden spray bottle.  She really liked it and was surprised.  We also brought her lunch which I think would have been enough for her.  She said in the 11 years she has been teaching, no one has ever brought her lunch.  I'm going to remember that.  Maybe nobody ever thinks about it but what a great thing to do on a random day.  There isn't much time for teachers to run and grab lunch because they don't even get a full hour and the school lunch isn't the greatest and adults get the same amount as a child.

I also have a fun end of the year gift for her that I will share next week (after I give it to her).

Snow Day!!!!

Today is our snow day!  No, it's not snowing but since our district didn't take a snow day this year we get it today!  We are being lazy and sleeping in late and having a friend over to play.  Of course I have lots to do around here but no motivation to do it.

Today is also my nephew's graduation from High School.  I seriously cannot believe it is here.  I really wish I could be there to give him a big hug and celebrate! 

The kids are playing in the mud and Grace is changing clothes like every 5 minutes.  Guess I better get going!  We still have to go to the grocery store and grab a couple things.  Have a great Friday!

Random information

• Class #2 is over
• I didn't answer a discussion question and lost a point.  I will no longer have a 4.0 GPA.  Nobody will ever see my GPA so it doesn't even matter but it bugs me.
• Class #3 starts tomorrow and I don't have a paper due in Week 1.  But we have 4 due in Week 3.  Crazy!
• Andrew has been on antibiotics for a long time for fluid in his ear.  I'm tired of remembering to give him his medicine every night.  You would think it would be routine now but we still forget.
• I'm tired.
• 7 days left of school.  Where has the year gone and what will we do all summer?
• My daughter thinks my friend Sharon is the best person in the world (no offense grandparents).  She baby sat 2 times last week and I think Grace would move in with her if we let her.  She gives her chocolate donuts and plays barbies and has cute dogs in the house.  Really, people, that's all it takes.  Oh, and a dvd player in the car for Grace to watch.  
• Today we gave Andrew's teacher her present and brought her lunch and she was thrilled.  She said she has never had a parent bring her lunch in the 11 years she has been teaching.  
• My mom is coming to visit in July and I'm super excited.  Maybe not so excited about the American Idol concert we are going to but thrilled to be spending her birthday with her doing something she wants to do.
• I've been terrible about keeping in touch with people lately.  If you are one of them, please excuse my behavior.  I have no excuses.
• It's cold and windy here and supposed to rain for the next couple days.  A lot of people are unhappy about the weather but secretly I like it.  

Really?

Has it really been that long since I posted?  It's been very busy with school these last 2 weeks.  I just finished my second class and submitted the paper tonight!  I get Monday off and then my new class starts on Tuesday.  I'm still debating whether I should have taken the summer off but I guess I will just press on and do my best!  I can't believe Andrew only has 8 days of Kindergarten left and then he will officially be in 1st grade!  My baby is growing up really fast!  He is an excellent reader and I am so proud of him!  He loves to sit and read and amazes me every day with how well he can read.  The other day he was reading something that I thought was too hard and I asked if he needed any help and he said no.  He told me that he can read most of the words and then proceeded to tell me what the book was about!  I really just couldn't believe it. 

Grace is doing very well in her tumbling class.  She goes on Mondays and looks forward to it which is so good for her!  It is something that she gets to do on her own and we get to sit and watch her.  She has had to go to Andrew's classes, school, tee ball games and just sit and watch and now it's finally her turn!

I went to a Women's Retreat with my church this weekend.  I left Friday and went to the spa with 2 girls from church and then that evening we went to the retreat!  One of the girls had a gift certificate and then Andrew's teacher gave me one that she had never used and between the 2 we paid for all 3 of us to get in plus do a skin conditioning treatment.   It was awesome.  All we had to pay was $.20 and the girl said not to worry about it since we didn't have change.  God is Good!

Last week I was blessed to have baby sitters for Grace each day that I needed them.  Our baby sitter was unavailable and I got a call to work last Wednesday at the last minute so a friend took her home and then brought lunch for Andrew and I because we were at the doctor's office when I got the call.  So thankful for her.  On Thursday Papa Wayne came over and stayed so I could go on Andrew's field trip.  So glad I went because as we were getting ready to leave on the bus he asked me to hold his hand because he was scared. Poor guy was worried because he didn't have a seat belt on.  Then on Friday the same friend took Grace home again so that I could go to the spa.  It was very last minute which gave me only 20 minutes to run home shower and pack the rest of my stuff and get out the door.  So glad I went though!

Tomorrow is Mrs. Green's birthday and I had all the kids make cards last week and we made a flower pot with hand prints and the kids wrote their names all around.  We filled it with gloves, seeds and tools and it is really cute!  I will get a picture up here for you to see after tomorrow.  Well, I'm sure that's enough for tonight!  I'll definitely try to get on here again this week since it's the first week of class I won't have as much going on.  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, only 8 days of kindergarten!

Dates with my kids

On Friday a sweet friend took Grace and I to Starbucks to celebrate my birthday!  Grace was excellent and we were gone most of the day.  First we sat at Starbucks for about an hour and a half and then we made a last minute decision to go shopping at Michaels for Mrs. Green for her birthday!  We walked around aimlessly for quite a while and then all of a sudden an idea popped in my head and it turned out to be a good idea.....I think.  We'll see how it turns out on Monday and then I'll decide if it was a good idea!  I'll post a picture after we finish it! 

Two things helped Grace get through our time in Starbucks: the ladybug she found while walking Andrew to the playground and her Leapster Explorer.  Yes, she had a ladybug in the truck and the entire time at Starbucks and as we were leaving she said it had died.  Not sure but she got rid of it anyway.  I can't believe it lasted as long as it did!

Today I got to have a Starbucks date with Andrew and then we went to Walmart.  It was nice to spend time with each of them individually.  When we got home, I looked through the mail and had a coupon for a free drink at starbucks!  Lucky me, I get to go back this week!  I'll probably go on Wednesday while both kids are in school and do my homework for this week.  I did that last week and it was nice to get stuff done without looking around at everything that needs done at home. 

I hope all of you moms have a wonderful Mother's Day.  Relax and enjoy the day.  I will be at church working tomorrow and enjoying the afternoon of no school with my babies!

Tumbling

 Waiting patiently for her turn on the balance beam!

 Look!  I can do it all by myself!

 Hi Mommy!  She kept turning around and smiling/waving at me!  I was a little worried but she ended up doing ok.  There were a couple times she got really shy and wouldn't do what the instructor asked but she has to get used to it.

 Trying to learn how to do a cartwheel.