Backyard Campout

Over Memorial Day weekend Eric decided to set the tent up in the backyard for a campout. I made it known early on that I wouldn't be sleeping outside (sometimes I am no fun).

 

The setup:

 

 

While they set it up, I relaxed on the trampoline and took artistic pictures of my hand against the sky. I should be an artist (pronounced are-teest).

 

 

 

Complete!

 

 

Bit of Jackson:

 

 

Tent relaxing and playing:

 

 

It was all fun and games until Tucker came in and peed all over a sleeping bag. Gross. And then I remembered that last year he had peed on Megan's sleeping bag before she left for camp. So later, after we had cleaned it all up, everyone (EXCEPT FOR ME) thought it would be a good idea to let Tucker back into the tent. Well.....Of course he peed on another sleeping bag. It was a classic, "I told you so moment." Good thing we have numerous sleeping bags!

 

After tent set-up Eric dug a hole for a fire. Nothing like sitting around a fire in 90 degree weather.

 

 

Everyone wanted a turn lighting it:

 

 

S'mores time:

 

 

Not even S'mores created enough excitement to pull Megan away from her phone:

 

 

Shadow pics:

 

 

Soon it was bedtime for the campers. At which point Megan and I (the camping poopers, aka party poopers) headed inside. Happily, I would like to report that I slept better than I have in over a year. I went to bed at midnight and did not wake up until 6 am! That never happens. Eric reported that it was quite hot outside, and they had to sleep on top of their sleeping bags, but everyone slept fairly well. Success!

Kindergarten Transition Ceremony

So usually I am quite sad to find the school year ending, but not so much this year. It has been a challenging (but not in an academic way) year for all of my kids. Well, not so much for my kids, they have been fairly happy (which is what matters most), but mostly for me.

 

Anyway! Sade had a "transition" ceremony (we weren't allowed to call it a graduation ceremony and they did not take the ceremonial cap and gown pictures, which I really would have loved to have) marking her transition from Kinder to First Grade. (I promise the rest of this post will be positive!).

 

It was a beach theme, and each child was asked to wear a bright colored shirt.

 

 Cute:

 

 

Her class:

 

 

Her class was quite small compared to the other Kinder classes, with only 18 kids in it.

 

They performed a couple of songs with the other morning Kinder class:

 

 

And then she received her certificate:

 

 

With one of her teachers, Mr. Waggoner:

 

 

Halfway through the year, her original teacher, Mr. Cohen and her current teacher Mr. Waggoner switched classes (Cohen moved to 3rd grade and Waggoner moved to Kinder). I felt then, and I still do, that it was an unnecessary and disruptive transition. However, Sade really enjoyed Mr. Waggoner's class. She loved all of the animals he brought in, and she had more freedom to develop friendships with her classmates which she really enjoyed. She came home happy and full of stories everyday.

 

With her other teacher Mr. Cohen:

 

 

The "certificate" holder:

 

 

Where does the time go?

 

Megan and Jackson's end of year celebrations below.

4th Grade End Of Year Awards

Jackson's end of year festivities started out with entire 4th grade singing and performing sign language to the Nevada State Song. It was cute:

 

 

And then he received his awards:

 

 

He received the Nevada Citizenship Award, the Silver Horseshoe Award (for 3 and 4 honor roll), Outstanding Attendance (for 4th quarter), the Star Award (for growth in reading or math), and the Character Award (for outstanding behavior).

 

 

After the ceremony we were invited into the 4th grade classrooms to see all of the kids end of year Nevada projects. Jackson made a scrapbook of plants, cacti and trees found in Nevada:

 

 

Although I am quite sure Jackson didn't learn anything in 4th grade that he didn't already know, it was wonderful that he was in the same class with so many of his best friends:

 

 

Hello to 5th grade!