Our Citizen Of The Month!

June 4, 2012

Each week at school they award a Citizen of the Week award.  Both Kermit and Miss Piggy earned their award during the year!  You get a paper award given to you in the classroom by the principal. 

They also give our a Citizen of the Month award and this is HUGE!!!  It is awarded in an assembly in front of the school.  Parents are invited to attend, but we are hidden away in a room so the students don't see who the parents are and then figure out who has won the award for the month.  We got a phone call inviting us to come watch Miss Piggy be awarded Citizen of the Month and we were so excited, I'm not sure how we kept it a secret! 

The principal at our school is beyond amazing.  She is so actively involved in the students academic career, she serves them lunch and then sits with them to eat her own lunch!  She was the one to award the Citizens of the Month and she suprised us by breaking out in song for some of the awards!  The creative teachers would write speaches to song and the principal actually sang the words.  It was so much fun. 

Mis Piggy's award was not to a song however, it was a poem!

Some would say we have saved the best for last. 

She certainly has ended this year with a blast.

As warm breezes blow and rain clouds depart,

She keeps on working with all of her heart.

While others might daydream of the summer ahead,

She remains focused on being a good citizen instead.

With kindness and friendship,

She helps those in need,

I know I can always count on her to do a good deed.

When the year is over and all is said and done

She'll feel proud of herself and just relax in the sun!

 

 When she turned around she was BEET red!  It was cute!

That afternoon, she got to leave campus and go to lunch at a local pizza restaurant with her principal.  Her principal asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up and she told her "A McDonalds worker".  Later I spoke with the principal and she was impressed with her answer because other kids answers were not realistic and Miss Piggy's was an answer that was realistic.  Miss Piggy later told us she was embarrassed by her answer, that she really wants to be an art teacher.  No matter what she does, she'll be great!

A Sneak Peak Into Our Summer Fun!

June 1, 2012

Our kids are so excited to swim this summer.  We've got our little pool all ready and swim lessons scheduled!!!  Only one more week of school before the real fun begins!!!

End Of 1st Grade Awards

May 31, 2012

Kermit and Miss Piggy worked hard this year.  They attend a Charter School, which is a public school, but you get in by lottery.  They have stricter rules, less students in the classroom and more teachers available.  They had a fabulous year.  They attended PE, Music and Computers.  The cool thing about Charter schools are that it seems they teach at an accelerated pace.  Comparing their kindergarten class to their 1st grade class is like black and white.  Kinder seemed like a preschool classroom, whereas 1st grade at the Charter school was hard work, lots of homework and an extreme amount of learning.  It was just what our kids needed.  By the end of 1st grade, Kermit was reading at a 2nd grade, 4th month into the year level and Miss Piggy was reading at a 2nd grade, 5th month into the year level.  Kermit was digging into 2nd grade subtraction even!  They work on Hall of Fame awards throughout the year and at this assembly they were awarded for their hard work. 

Kermit was awarded Addition, Subtraction, 2nd Grade Addition and Phonogram Stars.

Miss Piggy was awarded Addition and Phonogram Stars. 

Their report cards earned them donuts at Krispy Kreme.  Kermit got 6 donuts and Miss Piggy got 5.  The kids came home with comments on their report card that makes a Mama proud! 

My favorites were from the music teacher.  Kermit's said, "Kermit has continued to grow in maturity and self-control this year.  He has a sweet spirit and is full of positive energy.  I truly believe that he loves his time in the music classroom.  Make music a part of your summer fun, Kermit!"
Miss Piggy's said, "Miss Piggy has been a blessing to her music teacher on so many fronts this yar.  She models excellent behavior and shows an understanding of musical concepts that is rare for a child her age.  I wish her the best in her furure musical studies, as I know she will pursue this interest!  Make certain music is apart of your summer fun, Miss Piggy!"

Way to go my sweet children and best of luck in 2nd grade!!!  (how did you get so old!!!??!)

Memorial day 2012

For Memorial Day we had the awesome opportunity to go visit the graves of Mama's ancestors.  The trip allowed for us to stop along the way to see where my grandparents were raised.  It was one of my favorite days because I love my family history.  I am so proud of my family, how they have taught me many things and shaped me into who I am today.

This is the home my grandma grew up in.  There were 13 kids in her family and they all lived in this cute house.  It is a one bedroom house with a living room and later they added on a bathroom and kitchen.  All the girls slept in the bedroom with their parents, they had two large beds, and the boys slept in the garage.  Not all of the kids were at home at the same time.  3 children passed away and grandma's big brother got married 9 days before my grandma was born.  Nobody lives in the house now.

 We visited my grandma's parents grave.

 And their children.  My heart just broke for my great grandparents.  They lost their first baby at 13 days old, a little boy named James to pneumonia.  I never knew that my great grandma went through what I went through and I just cried, knowing that she felt the pain that I felt, in losing our first children, our babies.  I felt close to my great grandma that day. 

 Wilda was only 7 weeks old when she passed away from whopping cough. 

 And Arthur passed away at 9 1/2 years old to meningitis. 

We then traveled to see the house my grandpa grew up in.  I remember going to this house and visiting my great grandmother.  I remember the windows being bigger, but as a child, everything is bigger. Grandpa only lived in this house during the school year, during school breaks and the summer he was working up on the family ranch. 

 

 We visited my grandpa's parents grave.  Grandma Ruby was the only great grandparent I remember on my mom's side of the family.  (I do remember my father's, mother's parents)

 And right across from Grandpa's parents are my great, great grandparents grave!  It was raining very hard so we couldn't see the writing very well, but it was so neat to be able to see their grave!

I am so thankful for my family members who have passed away.  I love them and I love reading stories about them and getting to know them through family history.  I love them all so much.

Happy 76th Birthday, Grandpa Great

May 25, 2012

We were able to go visit Grandma Great for Grandpa Great's 76th birthday.  His stone was placed earlier in the month and for his birthday they put sod out on his grave.  It is beautiful up there.

Happy Birthday to the worlds greatest grandpa.  This was an incredibly hard day for us, we wish you were here, healthy and showering us with hugs.  We love you very much!!!

Kermit Plays Little League!

April-May 2012

Master Chief has some great video of Kermit playing baseball which I will upload later since he's not home right now!  Kermit had a great baseball season.  He generally played 3rd base, short stop, but had several opportunities to play 1st and 2nd base and occasionally he played catcher or outfield and pitcher once.  It was a coach pitch team and these coaches were amazing.  They were so motivating and supportive of all the players, it made baseball rock!

Kermit even had a few double plays in a game.  After that game, the coaches gathered everyone up and told the kids they were going to start something new and give the game ball to the player who played the best.  Kermit was the winner of the first game ball, with his double plays and amazing batting skills!  Way to go, Kermit!

At the end of the season the players all got medals and did a great team cheer!  Go Hurricanes!

I think we will be playing baseball for years to come!!!

Baby Girl Turns 3!!!

May 15, 2012

Baby Girl has been SO excited to have a birthday.  She watched Mama celebrate her birthday and mothers day and she has just been 'dying' to turn 3 and not be 2 1/2 anymore!  She now insists that she is no longer a baby but I think we've convinced her that she is a big girl, but will always be our baby!

The day started out great, Gram Gram and Grandma Great came out and while we waiting for Master Chief to get home from work (He was working night shift) she patiently stacked all her presents up in a tower!  Finally the time came and if you can see her face in this picture you will see she is so excited to get a Micky Mouse Clubhouse DVD.  She is very into Mickey Mouse right now!

 

She was so excited to pick out her own cake, she wanted a balloon cake and luckily Costco has a great one!

We celebrated by going out to McDonalds for her to play with her brother and sister in their playland and eat Happy Meals! 

Aunt S, Uncle B and cousins J and P sent her stickers.  Remember the bandaid obsession... stickers are another favorite!  And she never enjoys just one at at time... all stickers must be stuck on one's entire body to get the most enjoyment!

The day after her birthday we took her in to have her well check.  She is amazingly advanced, doing things at a 4 year old level.  She can draw a stick person, and a few letters of the alphabet.  As for her stats...

Weight 25lbs 8oz, which puts her at 4%

Heights is 37 inches which puts her at 50%

We finally moved her to forward facing in her carseat because while she doesn't hit the 30lbs, which is the recommendation, she is too tall to be rear facing.  She thinks it's pretty cool to be forward facing but I'm so glad we waited to turn her around because saftey is my priority!!!

We have so much fun with her.  She is a sneaky little thing, she pulls the greatest faces and is the worlds best hide and seek player.  She can hide in the greatest spots and be as quiet as a mouse.  It becomes scary when I realize she's playing the game and didn't tell us and we can't find her.  We can call and call for her and she stays still with her lips sealed. 

Baby Girl is a sensitive little girl, she tells us when her feelings are hurt and is great to tell us that she loves us.  She's a tease though and knows how to push Mama's buttons by telling me she's Daddy's best friend.  She does love her Mommy, but she is a Daddy's girl at heart. 

Baby Girl loves to dip all of her foods.  If I can provide a dip at dinner, I'm sure to get her to eat.  She loves to eat tomatoes, strawberries, chicken nuggets,fruit snacks, steak and ribs.  Oh and gum, she sneaks that too! 

Baby Girl is a great liar.  Oh my goodness, she is going to get herself in a lot of trouble!  Kermit and Miss Piggy are horrible liars, but Baby Girl can tell her stories with straight faces and true sounding things.  3 weeks ago I happened to walk into her nursery class and her nursery leader told me congrats, that Kaitlyn just said, "My mommy's going to have a baby!"  Luckily I was able to smash that story before it got spread! 

We adore our Baby Big Girl!!!  The last 3 years have flown by but we couldn't imagine life without you!