our summer has offical begun

I can't complain, it has been a fantastic school year and we definitely ended the year right by finding out my girls got the teachers they wanted for next year. What a relief! Bella, however, got separated from her 2 best friends and was devastated. Luckily she rose to the occasion and didn't let it wreck her day. We are all so excited it's officially summer...hopefully the weather will cooperate. Is it summer for you?

I've really been looking forward to this summer not because we have big plans, but just because it's summer. Man, how I loved the summer as a kid. I think I'm also excited for it because last summer with the almost move I feel like we did nothing else, but think about moving and keep the house clean. Thank goodness we have no plans to move so we can lay back and relax. While I want to enjoy each day with them while they're home, I hope to not only play a lot (swimming, play dates, etc.) but use this opportunity to teach my girls how to do more specific chores around the house and my favorite...teach them to sew. They've been asking for a while and I've been telling them we would do it this summer. Can't wait to share with them something I enjoy doing.

It was a good 9 months

If I could tell the complete story of our last day of school in a photo it would be this....



Megan bouncing around being her cheerful self not in tune to the heightened emotions going on around her. Tess a little in different and bothered about the teacher she got next year. To be completely honest, I'm a little bugged as well only because it's the same 2nd grade teacher Bella had. It's not that I don't like her, I just don't want her comparing Tess to Bella because academically they are not the same. Tess' teacher did make sure to put her with her good friends so she has that to look forward to. Then there is sweet Bella in the background struggling to keep it together. In fact, she totally gave into her emotions and cried as she said good bye to her teacher (swollen eyes here). I can understand...I cried too. She's the type of teacher you don't mind your child spending 6 hours a day with. I'm not sure how it started, but they sure do have a special relationship. Her teacher even told me as we were leaving that Bella changed her in many ways...not sure what that meant exactly, but I couldn't have agreed more.

The last day of school the kids have an awards assembly. I never go because the kids haven't gotten awards, but I wish I had this year because they did. Tess got the Physical Fitness award (she still hasn't told me what it was for) and Bella got an award for being in the top 10% in the nation on her Iowa tests in reading & language. Needless to say I was more than impressed that someone from my genes could ever get an award like that (if you haven't noticed already reading & language are not my strengths). I was proud of them both and wouldn't you know, the awards fit them perfectly.


[megan art, may 2009]

So the summer has officially started for us. Do we have big plans? NO, not really. I mean we are going to do swimming lessons and the girls are going to do a theater & dance class, but other than that we don't have any big plans. I'm sure we'll go swimming a lot, have picnics at the park, club house read-a-thons, and hopefully time with cousins. I was feeling a bit intimidated weeks ago, but now I'm looking forward to the lazy summer days.