Just thoughts...

So, school has come to a close.

I am so happy to see how far Tyler has come this year!

I mean...he can do simple math, he can count to well over 100 (before school started, he could count to around 35), he learned all of his "sight-words" and has such an interest in reading. His knowledge and skills have evolved and he is now reading his early level books to us at night, and doing VERY well at it! He draws detailed, and elaborate pictures now and can write sentences by phonetic sound. He works and plays well with his peers and socially couldn't be happier! He loves his school, his class, his friends and his teacher!

I am SO happy that he developed a love of learning...that he had a good experience in Kindergarten so as to be excited and love the idea of coming back in the fall! It was such a wonderful year, and we had a great teacher and a great group of kids! I couldn't have asked for better!

Funny, it all comes full circle....if I think back...I was so afraid of him going to the big world of school...the world where I can't fully protect him from the people, the experiences, the change, the bullies and the germs. Where he will grow, far more then 10 months worth, in just 10 months.
The world where I, for the first time, had to let go.

What I learned is, in order for our kids to grow, and become who they are destined to become, we have to let them live...to grow, outside of our ever existent shadow. We can still guide and watch them with the goal of protection...but in the end, how they cope has to be up to them, or we are setting them up for failure.

They are all growing so fast, and I wish I could just freeze now, for a tiny while...just to enjoy all it has to offer. To breathe in the innocence, the unconditional love for life and everyone in it, the smiles and the multitude of belly laughs.
That is my reward today and everyday, and the only one I need.

I have happiness for how time turns us into ever-growing, ever-changing, pliable, moldable adaptive people...and also have sadness for how the world requires us to grow and change and adapt...
because sometimes....
I wish it would always be, just like it is today...

Summer birthdays...

So, often, having a summer birthday means that you are forgotten at school...

However, in Tyler's class, they took all of the summer birthdays and celebrated them all these last two weeks of school.

So today was Ty's day....

I tried to get him to choose ice cream bars or sandwiches...but he is not a fan of chocolate, so it limits the options a little......

but he went with doughnuts!

Being that you can't make things at home anymore, due to allergies etc...he got to pick anything other than that.

A Day in Kindergarten

If you are 5 years old (or 6), and about to finish Kindergarten....you need to do it RIGHT!

Today was PARTY DAY!!!!!! The end of the year party!

The kids had SO much fun.

We wanted to make this party fun and memorable for the kids, and that it was.

They made very cute frames, decorated in a beach theme...in which I would later put pictures that I took of each child...

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Here they are all finished! SO cute! I always love the way they come out!

They planted sunflower seeds, and decorated a planter stake for them...

They made "fish bowls" with paper plates, foam fish (which my friend lovingly cut out, individually, for me) and sand and fish bowl rocks.

Finally....the cherry, as it were....we made ice cream sundaes! That was a hit! Chaotic...but a hit!

(look at Makylie....isn't she hillarious! She was just staring longingly...and I think she stole some whipped cream a couple of times.....)

What a great day....Filled with laughter, and smiles. Memories to carry....

We have such a great school. It is simple and wonderful! For me, it has such a home-town feel! We are in this trifecta...sitting right on the corner or Snohomish, Mill Creek, and Everett...and our area is growing by the day...literally! Our school is one of the oldest, and has such a modesty about it...but what a loving happy place to be!

I have surprised myself with how sad I am for this chapter of our lives to be closing. I mean I get emotional often enough...but seriously I get choked up just thinking about this......but at the same time very excited for the first grade. Ty is SO ready!

I just can't believe he is about to turn 6.

A boy and his snowman!

Could he be cuter... :) I am biased, but I will go with, NO!

Here is the snowman poster that I made for Tylers class. I took pictures of each child in front of it...and they were to be holiday gifts for the parents. However....due to all of the snow and school cancellations for the ENTIRE last week of school before Christmas, we are actually putting them in the kids memory books (which is a scrapbook we are making for each of the students documenting the year) instead.