Summer Vacation

 Today is the first official day of summer vacation!!!

Unfortunately, it's raining!!!

 The girls enjoyed making balloon creations in PJ's - the first craft at our house during summer vacation!

Saturday Play Dates!!!

Both girls were able to have friends over on the first day of summer vacation!  Molly had her best friend, Paige Fangman over.  Kelly had the two friends she has known the longest....Sophia and Cambrie.  All the girls had a great time!!!  Just the beginning of summer fun!!!

 Paige & Molly enjoying a bomb pop treat!!!

 ***These three stooges below decided to make a pyramid!***

Sophia tried to be on top first.....

 .....Cambrie was successful.....

 .....and so was Kelly.....

 .....so Sophia tried again.  No suck luck!  These three are great friends!!!

 Rapunzel and Belle visited our house first....

 ......and then Snow White and Tiana too!!!! :)

After Cambrie went home.....the remaining 4 played beauty salon for an hour....rotating spots!  Fun times with the girls!!!!

Kelly's last day of First Grade

Today was Kelly's last day of first grade.  She has learned so much this school year....it just amazes me how much they learn every year!

She started off the year with Mrs. Reuter.....but she had a baby on Good Friday....so the last two months her class has had a long term sub, Mrs. Sheston.

 Kelly and Mrs. Sheston on her last day of first grade!

Kelly and some of her first grade friends!

(Sophia, Ellie, Courtney, Kelly, Maria, Savanna)

Molly's last day of 3 year old preschool

Today was Molly's last day of 3 year old preschool.  She has grown SO MUCH this school year.  She cried the first month and a half when I dropped her off in her classroom.  When she would see me in the hallway at school she would run up to me and give me a hug....and not want to let go.  At her first parent-teacher conferences her teacher said she was a great listener and was very smart and advanced for her age.....but she never talked or raised her hand or shared any ideas.  She made one really good friend right away at the beginning of the school year.....and when she didn't get to sit by her at circle time or lunch, she would be very sad.

By the end of this school year, she has really come out of her shell.  She is very comfortable at school, with her teachers, and her classmates.  She has a few little girls she talks about.....but her best friend is still Paige from the beginning of the year.  When she would see me in the hallway she would say "Hi Mom" but stay in her line and just wave.  She shared more and more throughout the school year.  She really thought about what she would bring for show and tell...to try to stump the other kids so they couldn't guess what was in the bag.  She learned all her uppercase letters this school year and all but four lowercase letters by sight.  She can read some sight words that were posted around the room too.

These two days a week of full day preschool this school year have been the BEST thing for Molly.  She will go four full days of preschool next year....in the 4 year old program. 

Molly with her fun kite from her teacher, Mrs. Schlueter

Kids computer

Memorial Day Weekend this year was a rainy, cold, yucky weather weekend!!!!  We had a lot of projects to do around the house....and one of Brian's was to set up a kids computer.  Kelly has been wanting to play games on our computer more and more this school year.  She is continuing to learn things in technology class and on the mobile lab and she is always bringing websites, ideas, etc. home from school.  When Molly goes to the Dyesville library for storytime...all she wants to do after storytime is play on the computers.  Brian built a computer out of old parts he already had at home.  He got an old flat screen monitor at work for free too.  The only thing we bought was a wireless mouse.  The computer is set up to only play the kids websites that are set on the desktop as icons.  The girls just LOVE IT!!!  Here they are before school.....all dressed, hair done, shoes on, and breakfast eaten by 7:15am.....so they can go on the computer!

Kelly's FIRST Art Show

Kelly has one of her art pieces from school displayed at the Dyersville library for the Xavier Art Show.  The art is displayed for two weeks at the library.  She was so excited and proud!!!  They had a reception for all the artists at the library tonight.  There were 70 students with art displayed in grades K-6.  She was one of 7 first graders.

 Kelly with her fish art piece

 An excited girl!

Kelly with her art teacher, Ms. Recker

Softball

Kelly moved up to Dyersville Softball this year.  The last two years she has played Co-ed T-Ball in Dyersville (for those who just completed Preschool & Kindergarten).  She moved up to girls only softball for the girls who just completed first and second grade.  She is the youngest girl on the team of 11....but she is doing GREAT and HAVING FUN!  We really questioned her wanting to play softball....as she didn't love T-Ball at the end of last season.  She was adamant on playing......and is loving it so far...and it ends up she has a lot of close friends on her team....which I'm sure helps!  She is doing great with hitting....and doing well fielding the ball too!  She has played a variety of positions so far....first base, right next to pitcher, outfield, and even catcher.  She doesn't have a favorite yet.

Kelly's softball picture

 Ready to hit....

 ....a good hit!  Way to go Kelly!

 Scoring a run!