Grade ONE - Done!

Yup - here is proof she is done with first grade.  And to think that at the beginning of the year I didn't know how I would survive with her at school ALL DAY.  Yet, I did.  And she loved school - so much that as we walked out of the building she sniffled and said "I don't want to leave school."  I pray she always feels that way!!!

Last fall I created some forms for her to fill out to document who she was at the beginning of the year.  I then kept them hidden all school year.  You can read about it in THIS PAST POST.  We even have her hand and footprints!  The end of the year needed to be recorded as well, so I created a similar version to see how she has changed since the beginning of the year!  She LOVED doing them and comparing!!!

After school let out, Kennedy's 1st grade scrapbook club came over for our year end get together.  :)  So I didn't have her Summer Fun Box out yet!  Then she spent the night with her BFF that night...so the box was waiting for her when she returned the next day!

Her Summer Fun Box was filled with all sorts of fun things we will need to have a great time this summer!!  I also set out the framed list of Summer Fun from THIS PAST POST.  I think the box was a hit!

I can't wait to start sharing all our summer fun!!!!

Polar Express Party

 As I said in one of my last posts, we have been doing MANY fun things found on Pinterest.  When the idea to host a Polar Express Party popped into my head, I had only given myself less than 2 weeks to pull it off.  So I went straight to Pinterest and searched for fun stuff!  If you want to see my Pinterest board about Polar Express, you can find it HERE.:

As with any shindig or holiday, Kennedy wanted to help "decorate." So we had 4 signs to make sure everyone knew they were at the correct place and that they could find the basement theater.  :) Love that girl.

Being that I am who I am, we just HAD to do a craft. Well, not just one craft....THREE crafts.  Yup.  TEN kids on my kitchen floor with paint, glue, buttons....FUN I tell ya! Thank goodness for my mom friends that get their hands dirty and helped out!

Poor Quinn....she wishes she could make a craft too...

It doesn't look too bad afterward, right?!  I just put a vinyl tablecloth down and taped it in place.  It is so nice to just roll up the mess and toss it when they are finished.

These were 2 of the crafts.  Each child was a given a bag as they entered the house.  It contained all the items they needed for the crafts, plus their Golden Ticket and a Silver Bell just like from Santa's sleigh and the movie.  For the first craft, each kid got a bulb ornament.  I had previously written their name and 2011 on the bottom.  I then put brown paint on a plate and walked around so each child could dip their thumb in it.  They stamped their thumb on the ornament once or twice (or ten+ times!) and we let it dry.  While they watched the movie I drew in eyes, antlers and painted red Rudolph noses on each.  The popsicle tree took the most time. Kennedy and I pre-painted the sticks and I cut them to the correct lengths. I basically showed them a model and said "Figure it out - make a tree and decorate it!"  It was funny to see them try to put the pieces together and then glue them.  Decorating is always a blast, too!

This was the last craft.  Each child got a rectangular piece of foam.  I drew what was supposed to be a Christmas light wire on each piece.  On a plate, I had poured various colors of paint.  I walked around and let the kids dip their thumbs in the paint of their choice and press their thumbs to make the lights.  

Aren't my sweeties cute in their matching jammies?!  You know you must wear jammies to a Polar Express Party!  They wear them in the movie!!!

Next up....SNACK TIME! 
I made some homemade hot cocoa in the crock pot...not so good.  But we still had a hot cocoa bar with yummies to put in the cocoa.  I made a cookie dough dip from Pinterest...yuck.  But the kids loved the marshmallow pops, the oranges, the snack mix and eating marshmallows plain.  After the snacks it was movie time!!!  I was so tired by then I forgot to take photos of them actually watching the movie!  Oh well!


And I can't forget! I had printed out a game for the kids to take home and play with their families but I had run out of time to laminate them. Yes. I own a laminating machine.  Go ahead. Call me a dork.  Anyway, my dear mommy friend Janet laminated them while I finished their Rudolph ornaments.  Phew!  That party was a lot of work!  But totally worth it all. And  Kennedy wants to do it all over again next December!  Will it be a new tradition?  Check back next December to find out!

Family Weekend

 Awwww......cousins!
We had a houseful this weekend!  My Uncle Tom from Texas came to visit along with my mom, her husband, my brother, his wife and their sweet girl, Marin. Oh, and Mom brought their dog, Roxie, too!

 There was quite a bit of time spent lounging (and quite a few naps - babies and adults alike).....

 But most of the time it was us watching the kids play and play and play!  There were toys strewn everywhere, sippy cups all around, snack cups dumped here and there, dogs jumping and sneaking in for attention and lots of smiles and giggles!

 Thank you to Tom for all these photos....I am too tired to upload and sort through  mine!  So another post may be coming !

 It is so fun now that both Marin and Quinn are old enough to walk/run and play together.  Marin is completely taken with Kennedy, or "Key" as she calls her! 

Thanks to all my family that made the trip to KC for a visit!  We love you bunches!!!!

Christmas Recap #1

Christmas was pretty low key this year....I guess that is what the sickies will do.  Jeff, Quinn and I all passed around a flu bug.  So, the pictures are pretty ho-hum and I didn't take many.  Bummer.  Just felt too yucky.  


Christmas Eve was at our home with Jeff's sisters' family, Papa Lou, Aunt Barb, Cousin Michael and Great Papa Henry.  This was the night I felt the worst...I didn't even eat dinner.   
Here is Great Papa with Barbe and Zia...sleeping.

Jeff and Quinn watching others open gifts.

Lou got a photo of his mom and aunt...such a treasure.

Both Jeff and Lou got Cotton Bowl t-shirts. Go Cats!

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The next morning was just the four of us at home.   It was such a change from last year for Quinn.  She wasn't sitting up alone yet but this year she actually opened her own gifts!

This series of photos reminds me so much of Kennedy when she had her 2nd Christmas.  Papa Doug and Grandma Jodie got them ride on toys and both girls were thrilled!

Pretty cute, huh?

This is Kennedy opening her BIG gift from Santa.  A Nintendo DS!  Wonder if she liked it?

Hope you all had a blessed Christmas!   The rest of our Christmas photos will be in the next post!

Good Bye Elfie!

Wouldn't you know Elfie would make his final day with us a memorable one?!  What a surprise it was when Kennedy woke up and was TrApPeD in her room!!!!

 

And Kennedy was not too thrilled about it either.   She wasn't really sure she was allowed to break through the barrier.  Unfortunately Quinn had been sick with the flu all night long so Mommy and Daddy were very tired and not feeling so hot either.  We all just kind of sat there for a bit.  Kennedy peeking at us through the streamers and the rest of us in the hall, half asleep.  By the way, do you see Elfie in the bottom corner with a gift for her?!

 

Finally Kennedy got the courage to run through her door!  I wish I had had the energy to get a photo of that!  Elfie left the girls 2 nice notes.  One about how well behaved they had been all year and how he would miss this so so so much until he returns next Christmas.  The other was a reward for their good behavior - they were allowed to hold Elfie ALL DAY!!!!  Do you think Quinn enjoyed that??

We already miss our elf friend to pieces! But we know he is working hard with Santa in the North Pole, preparing for Christmas 2012!!!  Thanks for following Elfie's adventures with us this season!

Mr. Elfie Strikes Again

Today Elfie left ELF DONTUS for the girls to eat!

Today Elfie hid in a cup in the cupboard and left a note!!!

On this day Elfie hung out with the snowman Mom made last year!!

Hmmm...we aren't so sure what Elfie was doing today.  Possibly bungee jumping??