School's Out for Summer!

 I am sooooo behind in writing my blog.  Last night, I was laying in bed with Gracie & Katie as they read some entries from 2005 & 2006 (they've been published) and giggled & giggled about what they were reading.  It was the motivation I needed to spend this Friday evening catching up a bit...although I make NO promises as to how much of an order the posts will be in.

This one centers around the end of the school year!

We LOVE being able to walk to the elementary school and have spent MANY a morning & afternoon walking down this sidewalk.  Since Gracie's Junior High gets out about an hour before Katie, she is able to be with us when we pick her up. 

 Katie has loved starting to ride her bike to school this year.  She feels so big!  :) In the morning, I still walk part of the way and watch until she is just a few steps away from the school.  In the afternoon, we meet her at the park next to the school (where tons of other kids meet their parents) and we go home together, although she obviously gets there first since she can ride faster than I can walk!

I collected money from Katie's class and put together a basket of gift cards for her teacher.  Wow....what a blessing she received as the class contributed $310!  She got a gift card to a local shopping area with many stores & restaurants, one to my favorite local pedicure place, and one to one of her favorite restaurants. 

 Katie enjoyed having Ellie at her classroom awards time.  We are very proud of Katie as she continued to earn all A's this year and had excellent behavior, too!  Well, there was that one time she came home crying because she'd gotten a mark.  "She said not to talk, but someone asked me a question and I answered..."  Well.....not much to say about that!  LOL  Still, only 1 mark all year.....I'd say that's good behavior! :)

I love when my kids bring home their journals from school.  Here are 2 entries that I particularly love!

Gracie enjoyed a great first year of Junior High!  Here she is on the last day of school!  (which happened to be the same basic outfit as the first day....lol) 

walking out the door the last day of 6th grade!

last day of 2nd grade! 

Let's not forget little miss Ellie as she's a very important part of drop off & pick up each day!  

School's out for summer!!!