May

Try outs for the next cheer season happen first thing in May.  I do not love the fact that the season literally never ends, but I guess it keeps the kids busy and active.  Sof has really improved her tumbling skills this year so she was hopeful that she would be moved up a level.  She was so excited to learn that she will be joining level 2 Firestorm this year(the team Lexi just left)!  I’m excited for her as well, but hoping she understands the commitment it takes.  There were not enough little ones to make a junior level 2 team, which means there is a large age range in this group.  Having been on both sides of it, I just hope the older girls don’t feel like the littles are holding them back.  There isn’t the same level of seriousness in training between a 7 and a 14 year old.  However, she is more than qualified to be on this team, and we’re super proud of her!!

Sof went through a phase of drawing emojis.  She looks at her iPad and tries to draw them all!

Rubik's cube has made a huge comeback!!  The triplets got one first.  Sof and Avery spent every day playing with it on the bus! 

No surprise that while I was gone in Virginia Beach, she conned daddy into getting her one! 

Speaking of, while I was gone Sof had a one day camp with her Daisy troop.  So thankful for friends and neighbors that take pics when I can’t!

Adrienne was inducted into the National Honor Society this month.  I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect(neither Mark nor I were ever smart enough eligible for NHS).  It was a really nice ceremony consisting of the seniors lighting the juniors candles as a symbol of passing the torch.  We are so proud of Adrienne for all she does while still maintaining her grades. 

Sof’s school has a mileage club.  Each Tuesday and Thursday in the fall and spring they have the option of walking/running on the track during their recess.  They earn little foot charms for each mile they do.  Every so often there is a special day to invite a special person to join you!  I was able to join her before work this day!  All 3 playground paras came to me at separate times to tell me what a delightful girl I have.  I couldn’t have been more proud of her!

She made this book to share with her class.  These moments always help me remember to take the time to acknowledge these things when they come into my classroom.  Sometimes it feels as though every kid has a picture or a book or a story they want to tell you.  There has to be a balance, because honestly you could spend all day listening to what these kids want to tell you, but it’s important to them and you must acknowledge their feelings and effort.

Mark and I celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary.  Funny story about that.  We planned to go out to dinner on a Friday.  It was a beautiful night out and when I drove down the street returning home from work I saw Sof playing with Allie while John and Jill sat outside.  I went in the house and said to Mark, “Let’s just go over and have one drink on the patio with John and Jill.”  We were so enjoying ourselves that we sat there a little longer, Jill’s parents came over, and we ended up leaving the kids with Lexi and all going out to dinner!  It was an unexpected but perfect night!    

Lexi made me breakfast for Mother’s Day!

Sad confession of something that brought me so much joy.  The pencil sharpener in my classroom sucks.  It is trying to kill me.  Every pencil you sharpen comes out like the one on the left.  I have spent endless hours fighting this.  I brought home every pencil I could find and spent a Saturday morning sharpening them with my home sharpener, which is far superior to the one in my classroom.  I’m sure there are better/more enlightening things I could have done with my Saturday morning.  Although, preserving my sanity for the last 20 days of school is a pretty good trade off. 

The elementary school that Adrienne and Lexi went to had a celebration!  

This is not something I would normally go to, but Mrs. Weakland sent us (and I’m sure 100’s of others) a hand written note inviting us.  She holds a special place in my heart as she was not only the teacher I did my first field placement with, but also Adrienne's 3rd grade teacher.  I was devastated when she retired before Lexi could have her, but we’ve kept in touch and I just adore her.  

Hand washing or murder scene?  Jury’s out.

My little helper.

Mornings with her Rubiks cube…

Livy had her dance recital.  She did a fabulous job!  I can’t believe how much she’s growing up!

I had a wild wire and 3 weeks after getting my hair trimmed I went back and said chop it off.

My friend Leslie’s daughter is still performing in the touring cast of Beauty and Beast.  They were coming to Detroit and Leslie was able to get me cheap tickets!  We took Jill and Allie, and the girls were so excited! 

  After the show we went back stage and waited for Hannah to come get us.  She took us on a back stage tour and out onto the stage.  The girls loved seeing the costumes!

Not too many first graders can say they’ve been on the stage at the Fox Theater!

Then we followed Hannah out the back stage door and got autographs from some of the cast members!

All that excitement makes you hungry!  A stop at Olive Garden was just what we needed!

Sof wrote about her experience the next day at school!

The pool opened!

Mark got some tickets from a customer to a WPGA tour near us.  We took Anne and Rick and had a fabulous day!  I even enjoyed the golf part of it, go figure! 

Sof had a field trip on a very hot day!  She has so many nice little girls in her class.

Finally, Memorial day…

I’ve said for years that as soon as Adrienne could drive I wasn’t going to go to any more parades.  It was my most hated dance event for many years.  Last year I went because the cousins were there and Lexi and Sof wanted to go.  This year I held strong.  However, Mark caved and took Sof.  How could you say no?