Last Days of School

Bring on the flip flops!  The beginning of summer is always so exciting to me.  A change in pace from all the homework issues we deal with.  Family vacation to look forward to, friends to play with, and just a break from the routine for a bit.

 

We ended up trying something new.  Our neighbors, the Stoddards, invited us to a Real Salt Lake soccer game.  The kids love playing soccer, so we were excited to get them out to see something other than gradeschool games.  It was SO cold.  Winter coats and hot chocolate didn't do enough to fight the wind, and we headed home half way through the game.  It was still lots of fun to do something a little different.

 

Anika's dance recital was the week before school ended.  It is so fun to watch her go from being such a shy girl in public (NOT at home), to such a little performer.  She turns into a different person up on stage, and just loves performing.  She is always so excited for her flowers at the end.  This year she ended up with a trophy.  Add that to the flowers, and it just made her day, or rather, her month.

Once again, loving to perform, even if it was just the school dance festival.  Tanner was pretty excited too, but I wasn't able to get a decent picture of him.  Nathan acted embarrassed to have to dance, but it was a different story at the after school party when he and his friends got together and voluntarily performed for the neighborhood.

Anika's last day of Kindergarten with Ms. Lindstrom.  She was such a good teacher for Anika.  Very outgoing and sensitive to her needs, making her feel so good about herself and more confident.

Nathan's last day of 5th grade with Mrs. Hill.  Let's just say I wasn't at all sad to hear that she was moving to Las Vegas over the summer.  Our first bad experience with a teacher.  Let Vegas have her!!!

 

Tanner's last day of 2nd grade with Mr. Thomas.  I was excited to have a male teacher for Tanner this year.  He did a good job feeding Tanner's interest in science, reading, and social studies. 









 

Let the party begin!  The kids really look forward to the end of year neighborhood party.  Anika was proud to actually be in school this year, so the party really was for her too (after the boys telling her every year that it wasn't because she wasn't in school).  She has changed so much in the last year.  Her shyness and anxiety has really started to diminish (but is nowhere near gone).  She actually loved the bouncers this year.

 

Tanner getting as many trips down the slide as he can.  Bring it on!  This kid doesn't care how cold it is.  He doesn't stop going till the bouncers are deflating.

 

Nathan spent his time "hanging out" with friends...since that's the cool thing to do.  He and Tanner have both hit the age where you don't "play" with friends.  You "hang out".  Are they really getting that old?

 

It only took a couple of days to get the Slip 'N Slide out and bring on the back yard water games.  We put grass over our hill of ivy last September, and the kids have been so excited to try out the new hill with the water.