when the big report card comes

Harry read his report card to Dean this morning.....

Here's how it looked when he got his first note from his teacher back in August. Did I mention what a great experience Kindergarten was for our youngest? Great teacher, great learning and growing...just a real pleasure for him and us!

Jack read his report card to Dean, too....

and here's what he looked like back in the fall, reading his teacher's welcome poem. He also had a great experience, with a very kind and creative teacher whose love of animals was a great fit for Jack.

JB's Summerzcool

It's the end of the world as we know it

The boys had their end-of-the-year party today, complete with awards - that's Harry carrying off his completion certificate and his Perfect Attendance certificate - he made it! That's his wonderful teacher and the adorable buckets they had the kids autograph for each other. The party had a beach theme, complete with limbo, water balloon tosses, tug-o-war that Dean got to ref, and all sorts of other fun.

Jack prepared to catch the water balloon...you know I love those shadows!

And Harry preparing to be soaked!

Jack with his wonderful teacher


Harry with his amazing teacher....thanx to you both for helping them start their academic careers so enthusiastically and with so much love - it's hard to imaging two kids loving school any more - you both rock!

REM

I'm shy, I'm right up in your face

It's hard to believe how much our youngest has grown this year...school ends Thursday, and I'm not even sure I can recall or document all the firsts. He's had an amazing teacher (and an amazing sub while teacher had a beautiful boy of her own) and stretched in ways I had only dreamed....this is how I found him stretching this afternoon

Kindergarten is not what it used to be....seriously, probability?? It's so great that no one seems afraid to put higher order concepts out there and see what the kids absorb - there have been discussions and questions in this house that I really didn't expect to have this early. Fun and exciting
Ever the helpful one, Harry helped me freshen up the old house with a little spray...his new favorite job....I guess as long as he doesn't spray it in his face ;-)

Jimmy Buffett's Piece of work

The guy behind you won't leave you alone

They were playing school the other day, and it just looked so sweet and magical to me. Then I realized that in that few feet are a table and lamp owned by my grandparents, a chair owned by Dean's mother, the desk where I learned to write, and a lighthouse from the place where we honeymooned. There's a lot of history and a lot of potential in this picture....

Chuck Berry's School Days

What a field-day for the heat

Field Day 2010 was a big hit! They were excited, and started the day boarding the bus armed with their new water bottles. The jungle gym was converted to all sorts of skill tests, and Harry was proud to earn some prizes. They had sack races, balloon pops, time with friends, sponge passes ala last week's Survivor, tug-of-war, and Harry's favorite moment - popcorn! Somehow I missed pix of the bouncey houses, but they were bit hits - thank you to the weatherman for a perfect morning, and thanx to all the parents and teachers who worked to make it a wonderful event.

Buffalo Springfield's For What It's Worth

Who's gonna keep these ivories talking

When we went to Papa Bernie's birthday party, we got to stay in the model cottage at the old folks' home....they had this lovely piano, and Jack practiced a bit. A good use for those long fingers - he's a natural :-)
It's been a good few months for him, he was invited to participate in a special program at school, and he and Harry have gotten a lot closer. It's nice to see them getting into a better groove - not having siblings, it's all new to me - I am always happy when they can balance the competition and friendship.

They made this zebra mask in class the other day, and he has hardly taken it off all week - does he look a little happy??

Here they are working together - Jack as the face of zebra, Harry as the voice.


Jerry Lee Lewis' Who's Gonna Play This Old Piano

Ain't no doubt about it, we were doubly blessed

Harry modeled the latest in prep fashions yesterday at their Mother's Day celebration. Too sweet, being serenaded by 50ish 5-6 year olds. The videos are too long and I don't have permission from the other moms, but trust me, it was su-weeeet!
Jack has been in a flower-giving mode, and I wasn't able to find any pix from yesterday's Mother's Day celebration at school that didn't include his other favorite girls, so I'm recycling this one from April....

Their classes made all sorts of sweet gifts for moms and had a morning filled with delicious treats and thoughtful kids....the only time it's ever sad is when I can't clone myself and share every moment with each of them. Luckily, they are really good at sharing.

Here are Harry's treasures - can you believe how big their handprints are now? I remember having to do a bunch of them to fill space for Dean's first Father's Day gift :sniff:...and if this portrait doesn't keep me at the gym, IDK what will - he's going from stick figures to more detailed drawings, but still...nothing like a rectangle body to make you question having seconds! His teacher appologized for encouraging him to add the hair, but I guess it will make a cute memory - My Mom, The Bearded Rectangle Lady ;-)

If you click on the picture, it's more legible, but basically he said it makes me smile when he takes a picture and says cheese. I had to laugh about the spaghetti and sandwiches - not, but the butterfly in a jar gift idea made my heart squeeze because he knows how much I love butterflies and really thought about what would make me smile. Love him!

Here are Jack's gifts - they are definitely going to have to use shorter poems or longer paper next time ;-) Jack said he makes me smile when he gives me hugs and kisses, he loves, me I am the best, and he likes to play with me :wub: He got the pizza right, took a more literal approach to the picture than Harry's descriptors, and thought I'd just LOVE a big Lego police set (interestingly, exactly what he would love!)

And if all the sweet words and pix weren't enough, they made these flower pots and grew these lovely plants.

All in all, it was a great day - big thanx to their teachers for giving us moms such sweet memories! I can't think of anyone else I'd rather share my kiddies with - you ladies truly ROCK!

Happy Mother's Day Weekend to everyone - hope your times are filled with sweet memories of you own moms and new adventures!

Meatloaf's Paradise By The Dashboard Light

It's all happening at the zoo

If you've been around a while, you may remember that Harry has a penchant for walking like this:

April 06

Well, he's added an accessory - what a difference 4 years can make!

The school took a field trip to a zoo yesterday, and it was a lot of fun to chaperone. We truly lucked out as the weather back home was not great, and we dodged all sorts of storms on our way there and home. The kids were a dream, and I thanked my lucky stars as I watched some moms running after excitable kiddies. It would have all been worth it, regardless, this morning, as Harry said "Thank you for being my partner at the zoo, Mommy! I love you SO much!" :wub:

This zoo is really cool because they have built a high sidewalk where the giraffes can come right up to you and enjoy treats.

It's a big hit with the kids!

I didn't take many animal shots, but thought this guy had the right idea....lazing on a sunny afternoon, indeed ;-)

And I'll be surprised if someone didn't send this to the coke people - this peacock was screaming for a coke....know how that feels!

After a fun lunch, we went back to the giraffes for a second round of treats, and Harry just let this guy dive right into the cup, skipping the middleman....

..getting nose to nose at one point about his behavior and concerns that he might still be hungry even tho we'd fed him numerous times and there was a line waiting for their chance

Thanx to the teachers, bus drivers and amazing kids and parents for a fun day! Thanx to my DH for making it possible for me to share these wonderful times...love you!

Simon and Garfunkel's At The Zoo

so much there to see inside of a week

The daughter of a friend of mine sent the boys a Flat Stanley, which we received before Spring Break and planned to take on all our adventures. Unfortunately, I forgot to take him and my best reminders were so excited about the things we were doing, they forgot to pack him, too. When we realized we hadn't gotten a single picture, we tried to make up for it by taking him to school and on a few other adventures this week.

School, ice cream and the park probably all rate high on Stanley's fun-0-meter, right?

Deena, and Raegan, the full story and better pix will be on their way to Florida next week - promise! It was fun, and Rae, you did an awesome job coloring him :-)

10,000 Maniacs' Earth Pressed Flat

We're going on a hunt, we're going on a hunt

The boys had an Easter Egg Hunt at school today, complete with these cute little baskets they made out of milk jugs. It was beautiful and everyone had fun.

Grayson, Harry and LoLo checking out their loot

Laurie Berkner's Going On A Hunt

Sure, they steal your heart away

The leprechauns visited kindergarten today and wrought all sorts of havoc, turning everything green and trying to trick Harry's teacher by moving all their ladybugs to GREEN....the naughty behavior!

Jack's class made pots of gold, tying in their money lessons with a little Irish fest

Silly Leprechaun
Harry's version of Wilson from Home Improvement

and Jack's Imp

I got to help out with Harry's class party, and there were games and lots of green treats. It was a pretty good tribute to St. Paddy ~ hope yours was fun and safe!

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

I hears some idioM ask if someone's inside

Can you tell what they are studying in class?
And at home, it's been all about the idioms. I got this poster ages ago - it's pretty dark, but I dig trying to figure out all the pix.

Jack actually sat down and started looking at it a few days ago, and recently found a favorite:He completely digs this carrot eating itself and will tell anyone who asks that 'it probably was a person, but he ate carrots so he turned into one....get it, you are what you eat.'

So, I've always thought Tedd Arnold's Parts looked good. The other day, I found Even More Parts at the library, and they both LOVE it. I've now put the others in the series on hold, and Jack insists on taking it to a friend's house for a playdate next week because it's just SO FUNNY!
He's pointing to his favorite ;-)

And demonstrating "I love my head"

It's a great intro into idioms involving body parts, and we can't wait to dig into the rest of the series.

Barenaked Ladies' Tonite Is The Nite I Fell Asleep At The Wheel

Days Go By

Life is just happening here

They've both gotten completely into using the computer - so far, it's for good (lots of learning sites) but we are having to limit them so they don't morph into computers. I remember this post when they first found out how much fun computers can be.

Why do I think that's so cute?!

The week is full of Dr. Seuss fun, and Harry made himself some silly socks for Fox In Socks yesterday. They included his favorite invention of late - the pimped-out bathtub on wheels:

Keith Urban

Under The Red DRAGON

The boys have been completing a unit on China, and the three kindergarten classes had a parade on Friday, complete with dragon hats, musical instruments and this great red dragon

That's our neighbor Joe digging the parade
Everyone made dragon hats and wore red

Jack really did have fun, despite this picture ;-)

And the blur of Harry's hands is because he got to use those little egg shakers.

The teachers really go all out, and the boys have learned a lot about Chinese culture these last weeks.

Bob Dylan's Under The Red Sky