Summer!!

The kids made cards for their teachers. Garrett's says,
From Garrett
To Miz Mowldoon.
Her name is Mrs. Muldoon. Pretty good, huh? I love that he put a period at the end of it all.

Well, school is FINALLY done! I can't believe that my kids are done with kindergarten and third grade. It's unreal how fast this parenting gig goes. I'm big on the last day of school photo shoot- to compare with the first day of school photo shoot and commemorate another year well done. Today all the kids were dressed in their last day of school outfits, looking scrubbed, clean, and oh-so-cute. We were doing great on time (for once), and everyone was happy. Ten minutes before we were going to leave Maddy told me she didn't feel great and 20 seconds after that she emptied her already pretty empty tummy. For like 5 minutes. Poor thing was so heartbroken to miss the last day of school! She's had such a great year. She's grown as a reader, as a writer, and in her second language learning. I'm so proud of her and I felt awful for her having to miss today. She was all amped up for her last day of school cry (it's an annual event!) and our tradition of milkshakes after to numb the pain. (I believe in starting an inappropriate relationship with food at an early age.) After we took G to school I stopped at Walmart and bought her High School Musical 3- which she's had her eye on for months, and I wasn't going to buy until next Christmas. It definitely brought a smile to her face, which was exactly what I was going for.

Never to sick to pose!

Then there is Garrett. He's such a funny boy and so very different than his sister. He has had a good year in kindergarten in a lot of ways. He likes his teacher a lot. He has made new friends and become closer with the friends he already had. He may or may not have his first crush. He is a reader now! And, my favorite thing? His writing went from a page filled with 'O', 'I' and artsy 'G's (traditional 'G' with much swirling within, and sometimes upside down) to a page full of phonetic writing that we can read and makes us laugh a little too. While Maddy generally sobs her eyes out at the end of each school year, Garrett writes "I can't wait for school to be over!" on his memory book page that was supposed to be about his field trip. But who can blame him? Yeah, kindergarten is fun, but funner than jumping on the 'chapolen' (trampoline) with his sister? Not for this six year old! However, he did tell me today that he was sad. He said it with zero emotion though, and promptly changed the subject afterwards, so I am not convinced.

Dear Mis Mowldoon (Dear Mrs. Muldoon)
Dac yuw (Thank you)
For being (for being)
miy techr! (my teacher!)

I love being a mom to these kids.