School's Out

As per usual, we ended the school year with a whirlwind of end-of-year activities.  We said good bye to a great year of firsts...kindergarten and spring baseball for Palmer, calling preschool her very own and sweet playmates for Grace.

Grace went to Wilshire this year and had such great teachers, Ms. Bethany and Ms. Erin, who summed up Grace as "small, but strong and mighty."  Very on point, I must say.

Grace's class performed for the parents and we celebrated an early Mother's and Father's Day during an end-of-year gathering.

 

Grace really bonded with a few special friends this year, mostly younger siblings who also tagalong to baseball and tennis on a weekly basis.  

Growth comparison from the start of the year to the end of the year:

Palmer completed kindergarten with a bang.  His first elementary year was strong and straddled an eagerness to learn and succeed combined with learning the ropes of the great socialization of 190 five to seven year olds on the recess play yard.  Palmer's favorite recess activity was managing a "rock store" with several friends after lunch.

Ms. Masters was such a rock- patient and kind, yet firm when needed.  Palmer excelled in reading and math under her guidance.  Her hands were full this year with what she described as "the most type A kids in a classroom" that she had ever had in her 15+ years of teaching.  Palmer received the award for "Goal Setter", an award I will proudly acknowledge in such a type A environment!

Camp Gladiator provided a fun field day for the classroom and it was fun for me to watch Palmer participate in activities I regularly do at the crack of dawn.

 First day of school to last day of school:

An after school lunch celebration with these crazies turned into a celebratory last-day-of-school nap by all.

We are moving on to an exciting summer filled with planned vacations, a temporary stay in an apartment while we move on to a large construction project at our house (the kids are thrilled about having a pool and basketball gym at the apartment), swim team and weekly tennis drills, and lots of ice cream because this mama just can't help it in the summer.

-Bethany

Wordless Wednesday

-Bethany

Jordan Family Photo Shoot

Our annual photos...always super carefree and incredibly fun.  "JUST SMILE AND I WILL BUY YOU ALL THE ICE CREAM AND CANDY IN THE WORLD."  "LOOK LIKE YOU LOVE EACH OTHER AND WE ARE HAVING FUN!"

Thank you to the super talented Brandi Allyse Photography.

-Bethany

Grace's Third Birthday Tea Party

I went all girly and embraced Grace's third birthday with a sweet tea party theme.  

Can I just say one more time that I am so enjoying the "every other year for a party" thing going on around here? I love the anticipation of the child who has the party and it's so fun to pour the creative juices into just one event a year.

PS I MADE this cake! I was super proud because we all know my sister got the baker and creative cake genes in the family.

The girls started the party with some hat making.  (Whose idea was it to give them markers combined with their party dresses??)

Bounce house fun...

And some very random joke telling(?!) from Palmer's perch...

Our little ladies were so well-mannered with their spots of tea.  It was especially special to use some of my grandmother's tea pots and tea cups from her longstanding collection.

A special thanks to our older sibling wait staff, Palmer, Henry, and Ruby.

Happy birthday, sweet Grace.  We can't believe you are three!

-Bethany