School's Out for Summer!!!

I am so excited that school is out!!! I am looking forward to NOT having to wake up at 6am and make lunches everyday. I look forward to unscheduled days, time at the pool, and hopefully, time with friends! We will also have a week in the mountains, coming up soon!!! We are looking forward to a visit from my in-laws right after that. And then we have a busy week of Vacation Bible School! My quiet summer is actually looking pretty busy. But it looks like fun, too!

Our end of the year festivities began last week with Jacob's Kindergarten Graduation! I can't believe my baby boy is heading to first grade!!! He had an awesome year. We are so proud of him and how well he is reading. He loves school, and just soaks up everything. Everyday he would come home and tell me, in great detail, whatever new lesson they had covered that day. I was also blessed to spend one morning a week in his classroom, helping out. This year went quickly!!!

Jacob was glad that his Daddy got to come to the graduation program. Gil always looks sooooo serious. But he is such a fun and excellent Daddy!!!

The kids all sang their learning songs to a packed house of parents, then we watched them receive their certificates. After that, we had lunch in the cafeteria, and went back to the classroom for ice cream sundaes. Jacob's special day took place last Thursday!!

Yesterday after school, I took the kids with me as my friend Leisa and I painted the rock outside of school for Abbie's summer birthday! Last year, I helped Leisa paint the rock at her kids' school for the last day... and it stayed up most of the summer! So, I scheduled Abbie's rock with that hope in mind! We will see how long it lasts.

It took us about an hour and a half in 90 degree heat. I had a Vacation Bible School Training that I had get to by 6pm, so I was in a time crunch! But the kids played while we worked, and it turned out pretty well. Abbie was pleased!

I cannot believe she is almost 10 years old! She is turning into such a beautiful young lady. It was great to have my friend Leisa take a photo of us together.... even though I was sooooo hot and sweaty and wearing my ugly, baggy paint clothes!!! This is such a fun tradition. I never heard of painting rocks at school until we got to Charlotte 3 years ago!

And today was the last day of school!!! Here is Zachary, heading off to his last day of 6th grade. He started middle school this year, and Jacob started Kindergarten. Honestly, it was harder for me to send Zac to middle school!!! But he had a wonderful year. He recieved straight A's all year (except for a B in his keyboarding class, but does that really count?), and was in the gifted program. Zachary was nominated by his teachers to attend the Junior National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, DC this summer! However, Zachary has chosen to attend summer camp with our middle school youth group instead. We are so proud of our handsome and responsible young man!

Here is Abbie, heading off to her last day of 4th grade! This was her first year in the gifted program. It was very challenging and she had almost two hours of homework each night. But she is very self-motivated, industrious, and creative. This year she attended a new school, but quickly made friends and adapted so well. It really was a terrific year for her! I still have to share about her hilarious talent show entry a couple weeks ago... those photos are still on my broken camera (these photos are courtesy of Zac's camera... thank you Zachary!). Abbie is looking forward to 5th grade! I wonder if I will be able to help in her class again, like I did this year?

Here is our little man Jacob heading off to his last day of Kindergarten! He is trying to convince me that he should be done with naps since he is practically in first grade.

We are very thankful for the great schools and caring teachers our kids had this year. School's out! Summer is here. Let the fun begin! But first I have to deal with all this stuff from their backpacks, desks, and locker...