Eight is Great!

This little princess is turning EIGHT!!

We celebrated today at school! Tomorrow is her friend's party

Paradin'

Wordless Wednesday: {My Dream Comes True}

Just a Moose

waiting for her ride to school

All School Read Aloud: The Power of YET!

Team No Wheat. No Cheat. For Ashlee!

* Missing Justin who had to go and pick Tyler up from basketball

Wildwood

The fifth-graders went on their first field trip today.

The ceremonial Wildwood retreat - where they spend the day doing obstacles as teams. If you don't work together and concentrate on the outcome, you'll spend hours on the same obstacle and be bored out of your mind.

Just ask Tyler and his team. They apparently spent almost 2 hours on the same obstacle.

I only heard about this second hand at lunch as I wasn't allowed to be with his group. They have a rule that parents are not paired with their children because you're not allowed to tell the kids how to solve the problems.

It's a bit hard not to interject, let me tell you. With or without your kid in the group. I've come to love all of these kids as if they are my own after nearly 6 years.

My group solved 6 or 7 obstacles and worked well together. I wonder what Tyler's weak link was?

 Ever played a 76/78 person dodgeball game? Yeah, I'd just say no!

Celebrate the Rainbow

I'm in charge of the yearbook at school this year.

It's a big. Daunting. Task.

Typically, the yearbook coodinator has to create the cover and all of the contents. While I still have to do that, I am leaning on the kids to provide the artwork for the cover and the insides.

Four students were selected to design the cover (2 for the front and 2 for the back).

I surprised them by getting them Skittles and putting these fun "Congrats" signs on them and sending them to school.

Mrs. Boyle, the art teacher who helped coordinate the contest, is going to make the kids feel extra special by announcing their names on the morning announcements!

Now who wouldn't want to taste the rainbow?

Stringed Web

I love seeing Tyler's artwork on display.

I love it even more when he is excited to show it to me.

Both he and his buddy, Jack, were excited to show off their artwork after school today. It's fun to see them proud of their hard work.

Now to start thinking where this one will live when it comes home.

I'm quite fond of it - and it's Cyclones colors.

Donutology

Yay for good friends who take you for donuts on no school days!
Extra points for gluten-free donuts!

Wordless Wednesday {Picture Day!}

Sonic Night

Dreams Come True

Meet George Niang, the Cyclone turkey.

He has a great story of overcoming the Hawkeyes!

Wrap Me Up

Ashlee's holiday party was full of mummies, or rather snow mummies!

The mom in charge of the game brought toilet paper, noses, buttons and eyes so the kid's could turn each other into snowmen. It was similar to what we did at Oni's Frozen party, but a bit larger since there were so many kids. Everyone had an absolute blast ... and it was the highlight of the party!

Holiday Bags

Tyler's class made care bags as part of their holiday party.

They decorated the bags and filled them with shampoo, toothpaste and other necessities for donation.

Check out Tyler's; I'm surprised he decorated it as much as he did!! His stuff is great if he puts his mind to it!

It was a fun way to give back this holiday season - rather than creating a craft they don't want to do.

The kids also were supposed to enjoy treats, but the parent in charge of that forgot - so, instead, they enjoyed some candy someone dug up.

How you forget you're in charge of that when you're emailed the day before, I don't know?!?

A Blake sandwich

Forever Royal

The big 4th-grade field trip is a tour of Kauffman Stadium, aka home of the Royals.

To say Tyler was excited is an understatement. 

Not only was he visiting his favorite place with all of his buddies, but he was going with his dad ... and dad doesn't usually get off for field trips.  

We're lucky he got to go.

Since I volunteer at school so much, Tyler got two "sticks" in the drawing and one of them was picked along with 1 other parent. The field trip is so popular every parent wants to go!

I gave Justin the option of attending this one. I knew he'd really enjoy it - plus I went with Ashlee's class back in preschool.

The two of them had a really fun day together - even if Justin had to serve as photographer for the entire class! And it was super cold out! But I think those were minor in comparison of visiting the World Series Champs!

Justin "played" Ned in the interview room (secretly he loved it)

 

I Love You Snow Much!

Another one of those homemade gifts I love so much. Opened early with love and adoration!

Wordless Wednesday {Celiac Kid's Gingerbread House}

*She did use 2 graham crackers on her plate that are GF

Be Still My Heart

My Ashlee. She is always so happy and joyful and so willing to share her heart with the world.

This week, she and her friend, Leah, came up with this idea for a Christmas gift for their teacher. Apparently, Mrs. Sibenaller really enjoys clean desks so Ashlee wanted to buy her Clorox wipes.

But that's not all.

She and Leah were going to make lots of pictures for her so she knew how much she was loved.

On Friday, Leah came over and together, the two of them made picture after picture for Mrs. Sibenaller. Ashlee continued to make pictures all weekend long.

Today, she was taking in 20-some homemade/hand drawn photos, 2 giant tubs of Clorox wipes and a purple "S" Tervis that I picked up at Hallmark (for her Diet Coke, Ashlee says).

Ashlee could hardly wait to get out the door with her present (which she could hardly carry!). She just knows she's going to love it.

Princess, she is going to love it. The thought alone is amazing!