It's a Tie

All parents seem to focus on the really important "firsts" in each child's life.  First word.  First step.  First food.  First day of school.  Yesterday we had another first in our home.  

Briggs has never had tie shoes that he wore on a consistent basis before.  Since his school shoes were falling apart, I just brought up a few pairs of shoes from the bin in the basement of hand-me-downs and garage sale finds.  He found a pair he liked, we did a few shoe-tying lessons, and then yesterday this happened...

First time tying his shoes all by himself!

All the firsts are important.  All the firsts are exciting.  All the firsts propel us in a new direction.  I can't say that one first is better than another.  Is this the most exciting or important first?  It's hard to say.  Let's just call it a tie.

School is Out

Yesterday was the kids' last day of school.  The school year ended with a bang.  Final parties.  Final activities.  Cleaning out desks.  Getting prizes.  The talent show.  Field Day.  The learning was over and the last few days of school were just fun, fun, fun!  I am so thankful for this past school year.  My kids needed school.  They needed teachers and friends and activities and structure and routine and academic instruction.  It was a different year, but it was a great year none-the-less.

Staley performed 'Born to Entertain' for the 3rd and 4th grade talent show.  She sang and danced and did a great job!  Although we could only attend virtually, I loved seeing her confidence shine as she performed.  She definitely was born to entertain!

Although I didn't get to attend Field Day because I was at work (and parent attendees were limited), the kids all had a great time with the games and bouncy houses and water balloons and popsicles...and friends.

It was a fun way to finish off a great school year!

On the first day of school, I had no idea what this year would look like.  I anticipated another school shut down and virtual learning.  I anticipated quarantines and disruptions.  I anticipated the kids complaining about mask wearing and struggling with all the changes.  I anticipated limited school activities and sadness over these missed opportunities.

On the last day of school, I just felt thankfulness.  For my kids who had perfect attendance this year without sickness or quarantine.  For the ease with which my kids adjusted to the changes.  For all the activities and opportunities that the school kept in place for the kids to enjoy.  For the full year of in-person learning.  I am so thankful for this school year.

Good-bye Kindergarten, 2nd, and 4th grade!

Hello 1st, 3rd, and middle school!!

Poems by Adelie

Water
We drink it,

We swim in it too,

Seas are full of it, 

It is

Everywhere,

In the sky,

In the seas,

In a cup that you just drank out of,

Water.

Salon

Glittering polish,

Shining nails,

Hair looks like flowers,

Shining in the sun,

Hear the soft music,

And smell the sent of the shampoo.

Beach

Hear the waves splash again and again,

Smell the smell of sea water,

Feel the sand,

And the shells,

Under your toes.

Flowers

Lovely like an angel

Red and orange,

Yellow and green,

Blue,

Purple and pink.

Books

Pretty princesses,

Brave princes,

Mean dragons

Adventures on paper.

Love my creative little girl!

Track Meet

My kids have been so blessed to have a mostly normal school year.  Sure they have to wear masks and primarily stay with their class and follow new rules related to social distancing and snacks and drinking fountains, but they have been in school all year...all day...in person.  Many schools can't claim that and I am so glad we can.  

In addition to enjoying in-person learning, most of the extracurricular school activities have remained in place.  Staley got to participate in Safety Patrol and be on the school news team.  Both Staley and Adelie participated in a special before-school STEAM program.  Although they were virtual, we got to see Staley do her living museum (Hello, J.K. Rowling with your British accent), her science fair (floating grape experiment), and her Drama Club performances (short skits based on stories by Robert Munsch).  We enjoyed Adelie's virtual Monarch program and Potato Parade (Eliza Hamilton).  And now, as the school year winds down, the kids are enjoying their final few end-of-the-school-year activities.

One such activity is the 3rd and 4th grade track meet. Staley was so sad to miss out on it last year, so she was extra excited to have the opportunity to participate this year.

Mickna's Blue Bandits took home 2nd place among all the 4th grade classes.

Staley ran in the 4 X 100 relay and her team placed 3rd.

She also placed 7th in the high jump.

Staley had a great day competing, enjoying the sunshine, hanging out with friends, cheering on her classmates, and getting a little sunburned in the process. 

I'm so glad that Staley's final year at Davenport has included all the things she's been waiting years to do.  The track meet checked one more box in that column.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a lovely day full of relaxation and gifts and love.  One of my favorite things about Mother's Day, however, is the homemade gifts and cards that my kids give to me...and how excited they are about them.

My Mother's Day haul this year!

Each of the kids came home from school with a Mother's Day gift for me, and I had to hold them off until Sunday as they were all so excited to show me what they had made.  Staley gave me a handprint tile and card, Adelie painted a small birdhouse and made origami flowers, and Briggs gave me a class cookbook and an all-about-mom lapbook.  Of course, I loved Briggs lapbook and all the sentiments he shared.  The fact that he filled in the blank on 'I love my mom more than' with "legose" was a pretty big deal.  He did write that 'My mom likes to wear' "a dres."  Hmmm....  He noted that I hate to "do londry", I'm not very good at "dansing", and that I love him because he is "cyoot."  He also noted that we like to "snugol."

All about me according to Briggs.

Very cyoot!!

I am so blessed.  Although the noise and the mess and the arguing and the whining and the needs can sometimes drive me crazy, I wouldn't want to imagine my life any other way.  My 3 made it a happy Mother's Day.  Not because of the gifts they made for me, but because they are my favorite gifts.  God has blessed me beyond measure and I couldn't be more thankful.

High School Musical, Jr.

The girls finished up their spring semester of Stage Kids with their production of High School Musical, Jr.  I can think of no better way to celebrate Mother's Day week-end than to watch my girls 3 times on stage doing something they love.

The Eureka/Tremont cast performed 2 shows on Saturday.  Both girls were part of the thespian group in the ensemble.  Staley had a brief role as one of the kids who sang really poorly during the musical auditions.  She did awful!  :)

Then the girls were asked to fill in with the Bloomington cast on Sunday.  Adelie was especially helpful in being a big-kid helper for a little girl in the cast.  It's so fun to see Adelie grow in her confidence and knowledge on stage enough to take a younger kid under her wing.

We stayed after the final performance to help take down the set.  It was so fun seeing my girls embrace a new, behind-the-scenes aspect of theater life.

The girls invited their friends, Olivia and Stella, along with their mom to come see the performance.

Of course, they also were supported by their grandparents...

more grandparents, an aunt, cousins...

and Miss Vickie.

One of Adelie's school friends whose sister was in the show brought Adelie flowers.  So sweet!

The friendships that the girls have gained through Stage Kids have been some of the biggest blessings.

There are so many bigger kids that serve as role models and friends.  I'm hopeful that my girls will be that for the younger kids as they continue to grow.

Their directors, Ms. Kelleen and Ms. Taylor, continue to give them opportunities to grow on stage and do something that they really enjoy.

I love how the stage gives my kids opportunities for learning important life lessons.  Working as a group, handling disappointment, being happy and doing your best with the role you are given, confidence, the importance of the work done behind the scenes, how to work with individuals of all ages and backgrounds,... 

Stage Kids has been such a blessing for our family.  It was another wonderful show and another wonderful opportunity for my girls to do something they love.  Now...on to Seussical, Jr.

Things Have Happened

I'm usually better about keeping up with the blog, but this past month has slipped away.  It's not that things haven't happened.  It's not that we haven't seen family or finished projects or celebrated birthdays or started activities or entered the end-of-the-school-year crunch.  I think it's because of the increasing schedule of activities that blogging has taken a back seat.  But here are some of the things that have happened while I was away...

Staley got to help Lilian celebrate her birthday at the roller skating rink.

Teeth keep falling out of Briggs' mouth.  He lost 2 teeth at school on the same day.  He's now lost all 4 of his middle bottom teeth.

As one of my Christmas presents, Zach agreed to paint our bedroom.  So he spent one week-end turning the burnt orange into gray.

I love the new color, the rearranged furniture configuration, and our new comforter.  I also took the opportunity to declutter and clean out.  It feels like a whole new room!

The girls had also been asking for a room change, so we used another week-end to make that happen.

Although the girls still want to deck out their "reading nooks" under their loft beds, they loved the new colors and the idea of arranging their own "space" within their room.

We celebrated April birthdays with Zach's family, as well as Zach and I enjoying a kid-free afternoon of hiking and dinner out on his actual birthday.

We also celebrated Grandpa's birthday with brunch on the deck with Grammie, Grandpa, and Uncle Ethan.

The girls had fun with Zach and friends at a Daddy-Daughter dance at a local church.

While the girls danced with Daddy, Briggs and I (and Uma) went out for ice cream.

As you can see, things have happened.  Not to mention school and Stage Kids and piano and singing and Adelie starting gymnastics again and cleaning and laundry and running and planting the garden and playing with friends and end of the school year activities and planning for summer and...  I'm beginning to realize why it's been almost a month since I've blogged.  Sometimes life just gets a little crazy..and we get a little crazy with it.

She Says...

We were walking home from school when we heard a car alarm going off.  Briggs asked what the sound was, and Adelie informed him that it was a car alarm.  He then asked, "What's a car alarm?"  Adelie responded, "There's a button on your keys and when you push the button it makes that sound so you can find where your car is."  #yep  #thatswhatiuseitfor

The girls were talking about some of the kids in their Stage Kids class.  Staley mentioned a girl named Karli.  I asked what the girl's last name was, and Staley said, "I don't know, but it's Karli with a 'K'."  Adelie responded, "Really?  She looks more like a Carly with a 'C'."

This girl always amuses me!