Last day of school/first day of summer

Well, the school year has come and gone.  This has been a stressful year with us at Good Shepherd and we are not planning to return next year.  Today was incredibly bittersweet for me.  On the one hand, I can't wait to start the summer with the girls.  I've missed them so much this year.  On the other hand, it has been really hard for me to prepare for this day knowing it would be our last at Good Shepherd.  We started at the the school when Keeley was 2.  Those teachers have loved and nurtured our girls through the loss of my Kendrick, my grandfather, and the birth of Killian.  The girls have learned so much!  They have truly blossomed in the montessori environment and we are so thankful for all of our experiences there.

Here's Kayden on the first and last day of school....

 

And Keeley.....

 And the family....

 

I cannot believe how much they have changed in a year!!!   I also cannot believe the girls will be in Kindergarten and First grade next year!

I decorated the mudroom as a surprise for when I picked them up and they loved it.....

 

And we compiled a list of activities to start working on during the summer.  I'm going to savor every minute of summer with my babies.  Or at least cram enough activities in to carpe kairos a bit!

 

Kindergarten Bridge Ceremony

In the montessori environment the students are grouped in three year cycles.  Completion of kindergarten also completes the primary cycle.  Keeley has been in the same classroom for the last 3.5 years (she moved up to primary a little early).  In that three years the student transition from the little ones in the class doing the "baby works" as the girls call them the to leaders of the classroom.  They are able to give lessons to the younger students and help the teachers with the flow of class more as they get older.  Keeley has had some amazing teachers and the ability to really shine in the classroom.  At the end of the year there is a bridging ceremony for the kindergarteners.  It is held in the school's garden and has some of the middle year students in attendance.  It was doubly special for me as Kayden was able to watch Keeley complete the ceremony.

Students arriving in the garden.  

Listening to Mrs. Stevens talk.

Mrs. Stevens explaining the artwork she gave each child.

Mrs. Stevens talked about the transition that occurs in the primary and compared it to a butterfly.  She gave each of the students a drawing she had done showing the life cycle of a butterfly.  This is an appropriate analogy but also really special to Keeley because she loves the life cycle of the butterfly.  She has come home with every work the classroom has pertaining to that life cycle.  At the end of the talk Mrs. Stevens talked of how the students had their wings and were ready for the next adventure - elementary. 

Middle year students looking on

 After that it was time to cross the bridge to symbolize the bridging to the next stage.

 

 

 

Keeley with Mrs. Bacon.

The kindergarteners.

Kindergarteners with their lead teachers.

Birthday party!

Kayden had so much fun at her party last year that she requested the exact same one this year!  However, this year, she wanted to help even more than last year.

Making the perfect shade of blue for the water.

Icing the "water" cupcakes.

Directing her assistant.

Cake and little jello fish treats.

Dolphin balloon she selected as her mylar balloon.

      

Watching the bounce house go up

 

The sand art table.

Serious about his snack!

Kayden wanted her snack inside, privately.

Pizza!!!  I asked if we could just get cheese and she made sure I got a few pepperoni because she's "noticed some of her friends like pepperoni."  Such an observant and sweet girl.

Wanted to sit in my lap for cake time.

     

Killian is intently watching and miming the blowing since he just had his party.

 

Serious about cake too.

Sweet little hostess.

Birthday girl!!!!

Five years!  It is so crazy to me how quickly time passes. Kayden is a firecracker.  Full of energy and emotion.  She has one of the kindest hearts and busiest minds around! She is stubborn beyond belief. That is going to be a very useful skill as she grows up....She is incredibly creative and can twist logic around on you to prove her point more times than not.  She has probably taught me more about myself than I have taught her.  Her giggle is infectious and her eyes sparkle with curiosity and excitement.  She is an amazing observer and she wants to watch until she can do something perfectly herself the first time she tries.  Already she is reading books, determined to keep up with Keeley.  At school she loves to work on maps.  We are in love with this sweet girl!

We got her a reading pillow since she loves to read in bed before she falls asleep.  Hot pink in color because her favorite color is still pink!

  

This year she got glasses and had been doing an amazing job taking care of them and wearing them all the time.  I didn't think she could get any cuter but somehow the glasses do just that!  Dr. Terry said she looked very healthy at her check up - 39.5 lbs (50%) and 44 inches (80%) - tall and skinny!  She is a great eater and she and I have made big strides in the drama in our relationship.  We struggle with sleep still and are working on that (if she wakes up at night she cannot go back to sleep for 3-4 hours).  When we discussed academics, the doctor's response to what Kayden was doing right now was, "Wow.  That's half way through kindergarten curriculum".  So, all in all, great report for my sweet girl.

Butterflies!

The girls received butterfly nets and coupons for butterflies for Christmas.  We are just now finally settled enough to start the project.  Here is what arrived - caterpillars in some food substance.

 

 

 

Update: May 3 - Chrysalids are ready for transfer.

Trouble.

 

I moved those packages inside.  Killian moved the little one off the big one and set it right next to the big one as a step stool so he could play with the lights.  Busy, busy boy.

Killian's birthday!

For Killian's birthday this year we just invited a few of our friends that had kids his age.  Of those, only one family was able to come but it was the family that he has played with the most so it was perfect.  That family has two older kids so it worked out amazingly well.  Killian is obsessed with trucks so we had a truck themed party. 

Dump truck cake!

 

Construction hats to hold the favors.

  

 

 

 

 

 

In his little bounce house.

  

Such a cutie!

All the big kids

Killian and Nate.

    

"truck!!!"  Grandma's present was definitely the star of the show!

  

I love that little boy so much.  He blew his candles out before we even finished the song !

Sister's playing with his new toy.