1st Day of School 2010

This is how we do 4th and 2nd grade!

{my favorite girl went to school}

She is going to a little "joy school" type playgroup and

SHE LOVES IT!!!

{1st day of school}

{this is how we do 3rd grade at our house}

{the big 1st grader}

{ready for school}

{Kindergarten Graduation}

Sammy


ahhh, proof of accomplishment! Now he can get a real job!!

the Graduate and his teacher, Mrs. B

the Graduate and his mommy

A New Career for Sam

Goin' to school to get some knowledge...

Still smiling after the 1st day of his new career. He threw a fit because I drove him to school and wanted to take pics of him... Mr. Independent

1st Day of 2nd Grade

Daddy looks pretty teary about it but really it's severe allergies

That means "2" for 2nd grade

There he goes!!!

Can you see him there in the middle almost behind "Foxy"?
I missed the shot of him Hi-5ing the fox.

Photo taken through a very dirty car window.

We went and met his teachers last Friday so he wasn't worried about finding his class. I guess he doesn't need me anymore. {tear} This year he is a "later Gator" so half the class "early birds" starts at 8am and half comes in at 9:15. He's in the later half. I don't really know why they have this schedule, but hopefully the later start time will help with an easier wake up mood. He is definitely not an early bird.

Last Day of School

That's right! It's officially Summer Vacation at our house! I don't know who's more excited Jake or me. No alarm clocks for 2 and a half months is making me very happy. Now if I can just fill up our days with fun and frolic and keep the I'm Bored Monster out of here.

Jake after the 1 1/2 hr last day of school.

Also, *note* He lost his top tooth last night at Walmart.

Here's what I made for his teachers. Another cute idea from EverythingPink.

What are you doing this summer to keep the kids entertained?

Birthday Fun Begins at School

Friday kicked off Jake's birthday weekend with treats at school.

He became even more popular than usual!

Teacher Appreciation Treats

Here's what I ended up making for Jake's teachers... We have a vinyl cutter so I just cut this out. It says "Teaching is a work of (heart)" I think next time I would use white vinyl as my expert husband suggested, but they still turned out pretty great! Earlier in the week I sent a little potted flower to each teacher too. For more really cute ideas, I just found this today, way after I needed them :) I'll save them for next year! And thanks to all of my readers for your great ideas! :)

1st Day of 1st Grade

tell me how you really feel Jake
waiting at the bus stop

School started 3 days after we arrived in Utah and Jake was a little nervous. He was excited but at the same time a little sad that he wasn't with his friends back in California. What with all the changes and lack of routine, not to mention lack of sleep, we were starting out with it's not suprising. If you look closely you can see the black bags under his eyes. Poor Guy! But he's a trooper! He was excited to ride the bus to school for the first time. I followed it to school the first day and caught a picture of him going into school, his cubby and him at his own desk. All the teachers were dressed in formal wear and lined up along a red carpet into the school cheering and clapping as all the kids came in. It was pretty funny with all the old prom dresses and the janitor in a powder blue tux. Now 3 weeks into it, the excitement has worn off some but I think he will like it all more when he has made some good friends and as we settle into our new life in the desert.

Kindergarten Graduation

Last Friday was Jake's last day of Kindergarten. The school had a graduation/promotion ceremony complete with caps and tassels and parents going overboard with balloons and flowers, gifts and cards. You would have thought it was a high school graduation. It's not like you can go get a job now that you are through with Kindergarten. ;) I know, it's a milestone, but really. Now we are off to 1st grade to show off what we know! Our baby is growing up!

Grandma and Grandpa Goodman came to cheer Jake on too!

Open House

Jake's school had Open House last week and it was all very exciting! This picture does not do justice to the amount of STUFF we brought home. I already have a huge storage tub of all his school work, plus primary pictures and papers and just the stuff he draws at home. Does anyone know a statute of limitations on this stuff? Do I have to save EVERYTHING from EVERY YEAR of school and beyond? How 'bout just the favorite art work??? I don't know... I saw a magazine article where they took a picture of each piece of kids work and then shrunk it so it was this large poster of thumbprint size pictures of their stuff. That could work!! Anyway, his teacher Mrs. B is the best Kindergarten teacher at the school and she said Jake is doing really well. Only 2 and a half weeks of school left...

9 years ago today....

It was April 24, 1998. We took a trip from dreary South Dakota back to sunny Utah to attend the Spring Commencement Exercises at BYU. We got to walk across the podium and receive a diploma cover while family and friends took pictures. We had already graduated in December 97 but there is no ceremony then. It was a great day and boy did my hair look good! :) 9 years later and look how far we've come!! Congratulations to us!

RUN Jake RUN!

Jake's school had a jog-a-thon fundraiser last week so Sam, Brooke and I went to be cheerleaders. The kids had to run-walk as many laps as they could in 30 minutes. Jake ran 12 laps which is pretty outstanding for a kindergartener, I think. He kept a steady pace and even had time to stop for photos with his adoring fans. I thought for sure he would want to go to bed early and sleep really well that night, but that was not in his plan. I wish I had half the energy these kids have. I might be able to keep up with them then :)

Jake's first day in kindergarten!

Well our little baby is growing up too fast right before our eyes. It seems like yesterday we brought him home with us from the hospital. Jake went this morning for his first day of Kindergarten. Luckily the school is close to home so we were all able to walk him there. I got laid off from my job about a month ago so in a way it was a blessing to be able to be there for his first day and to be there to pick him up. Jake said he loved his class and discovered all about cafeteria food and lunch ladies:-) Sam also packed his backpack so he could walk Jake to school because he couldn't bear to see Jake with a backpack and not have one of his own!