Fall Harvest Party

Kennedy's class had their fall harvest party at a local farm.  

Thankfully the weather was sunny, although it was awfully cold.

There were several fun activities planned and I was happy to be able to help out with many other moms.

It was such a fun way to spend the morning.

Kennedy and the two Maddie's, Maddie Z and Maddie R, decorating foam pumpkins

the girls and their finished pumpkins

waiting for their turn to gourd bowl!

bowling with a gourd is serious business, look at that face of concentration

having fun in the leaves!

Yay for fall fun!

cookie decorating and some fun snacks

A fun day on the farm!

Grandparents Day

Way back in mid October, Kennedy's school hosted a special morning for grandparents.  I absolutely love stuff like this, and I was so thankful that my parents were able to be in town for it.  Times like these remind me of how much I really wish they lived closer.  Luckily my mom's fall break fell the week before, so my parents simply extended their visit by a day and were able to go to school with Kennedy.

Feeling very blessed that three out of four grandparents were able to be with Kennedy on her special morning.

Kennedy was so very excited to have Nana and Pops going to school with her in the morning.

I was thankful for a good picture.

Grandma was able to make the performance, as well, but headed straight to school, so I missed the opportunity to get a picture with her, too.

Each class did a little performance for their honored guests and then the grandparents were able to go back with the children to their classrooms.  It was a quick, simple little event but so very special, too.  

My parents reported back that Kennedy sang every word and did every hand motion to her songs.  She was the best little performer up on stage, according to them!

Thank you Grandma, Nana and Pops for spending a few special hours with Kennedy!

CCA Fun Run

Kennedy's school hosted a fall "fun run" fundraiser and parents were encouraged to come and cheer on the students.  Unfortunately the September rains continued and the run had to be moved inside the sanctuary.  The school and volunteers did a good job making accommodations and the kids had a blast!  

Mrs. Bader and Kennedy's kindergarten class

my little racer was ready to run!

Kennedy did an amazing job and finished over 40 laps!

She ran nearly the entire time...

except when she would take water breaks.

Which was nearly each and every time that she completed a lap.  Kyle and I finally had to tell her to stop, because we were worried that she was going to get sick!  

But those little Dixie cups are so much fun!

Daddy joined her for a few of the final laps to give her a little motivation...way to go Sister!

whew, running is hard work!

Mrs. Bader presenting Kennedy with her medal

Kennedy was so proud of her medal and it's now hanging proudly from her bed post.

As much as I dislike fundraising (as it seems like one of the kids is always doing something!), it was really fun to see the kids get excited and running.  The teachers did a great job about stressing the importance of staying healthy through exercise.  

It was a fun activity to watch and we were so proud of how hard Kennedy ran!

First Day of School ~ 2013

First day of school ~ 2013

We have a second grader and a kindergartner this year and everyone was so excited to start school!

a festive table and a special breakfast to help kick off the day

and of course, I had to torture them with oodles of pictures before we could head off to school.  Kennedy's first day was actually two days later, but I dressed her up so we could take pictures together.  I had purchased this dress last year for her to wear on her first day of kindergarten, but since the private school she is attending requires uniforms, I knew she wouldn't be able to wear it then.  Hopefully it still fits next year!

my loves

Carter

Nearly 7 1/2 and starting 2nd grade

His teacher is Mrs. Hanson at Grass Valley Elementary

His favorite subject is math

And when he grows up he wants to be a pilot

 

Kennedy

5 years old and a kindergartner this year

Her teacher is Mrs. Bader at Camas Christian Academy

Her favorite thing to do at school is art

When she grows up she wants to be an artist

I have so many hopes and prayers for this upcoming school year.  Above all, I pray that Carter and Kennedy enjoy learning and love going to school each day.  I hope that they will be good friends to their classmates, showing kindness and tolerance.  I hope that they will discover new passions and nurture current favorites, too.  I pray that they will respect their teachers, their peers and themselves ~ having pride in their work, giving grace and humility when there are conflicts, sharing their talents and accepting help from others and always trying their best.  I am excited for this year, excited to see where their paths will take them and where God will lead them.  I love you two with all of my heart and am so proud of you both.  May this new school year be the best one yet!



 

heading off...looking so big and grown up!

I was a little sad that he didn't want me to drive him on his first day, but I am also thankful that he's confident enough to board the bus and head off for his first day independently.  There are so many things about Carter that just make me extremely proud!

one last picture of my darling girl

I couldn't imagine a better way to spend my day than shopping and lunch with my best girl.

I know it was hard for her to watch Carter head off to school two days before she got to start, but it was made easier by a fun morning with mama!

 

a little ice cream sundae makes everything better!

 

Kennedy's actual first day of school

She's a kindergartner!

She began school on a Thursday which is a PE day, so she was in her "gym" outfit.  I can't tell you how hard it was to send her off on her very first day of school in navy yoga pants!  (I know it's ridiculous, I really do)  There are definitely pluses to her uniform requirements, but I would be lying if I said I didn't miss dressing her in cute outfits each day.  I know these days of ruffles and bows are short lived...hopefully she'll still love to wear dresses next year!

walking in with Daddy, ready to start school!

my girl

growing up too fast...

I had to walk out of her classroom rather quickly because the tears were threatening to escape and I didn't want her to see me cry.  It was such a bittersweet day for me.  I was so proud of her for walking into a new school without hesitation, I was thrilled to see her excitement for this new chapter in her life, but I was also so sad to know that the majority of my days would be spent away from her.  Her school day is a long one and I knew that I would miss her dearly.

Thankfully I was able to spend my first morning with my dearest friend, Kathy.  I was so much better than being alone!  We were able to enjoy coffee and just talk, which certainly helped the hours pass more quickly.  I have a very ambitious list of things I would like to accomplish this year, although I can honestly say that the hours pass much more quickly than I could have imagined!  My cupboards are still disorganized and clutter continues to abound but I'll keep working on it, making the most of these hours away from my precious little ones.

Back To School Night

As summer was coming to a close, we were all getting excited to kick off another year of school.  It was a big year for our family, as Kennedy was starting kindergarten!!!  And since we decided to enroll her at Camas Christian Academy, she would be attending school all day long.  It was sure to be a big adjustment for us all.  But she was so very excited and I did my best to be excited with her, despite my fears and bouts of sadness. 

Both kids had Back to School Night on Thursday before Labor Day weekend ~ thankfully Carter's started early, so we were able to attend both without missing anything.

So excited to head off to school, meet their teachers, see friends and drop off supplies.

Carter is getting ready to start 2nd grade...there had been a lot of changes for our district since last year, with a new school opening and a lot of boundaries changing.  Most of his friends from first grade had moved to other schools.  In addition to that, his principal had retired and teachers had moved around too.  He was a little nervous about all the changes.  I am happy to report (seeing as how school has now been in session for over 2 months!) that he's loving 2nd grade and is doing wonderfully!  He struggled a bit with behavior towards the end of last year and we haven't seen any of that this year.  I couldn't be happier!

A large part of his happiness and success is due to his amazing teacher,  Mrs. Hanson.  I had prayed all summer that Carter would be placed in her classroom, as I had heard only wonderful things about her.  Carter and I were both jumping up and down when we opened his letter and saw "Mrs. Hanson" on his class assignment.  She is full of energy, sets super high expectations and has clearly defined boundaries.  She expects a lot from her students and they definitely deliver.  I have the privilege of volunteering every other Thursday and leave each morning so very grateful that she is Carter's teacher.  He is learning a ton, writing better, cruising through math skills and improving on his spelling.  She makes learning fun and provides such a safe and positive classroom environment.  I honestly feel like we hit the teacher jack pot this year.

sorting supplies and getting acquainted with his new classroom

 

Next it was Kennedy's turn!  She was so very excited to be starting kindergarten this year.  It was a tough decision, but we placed her at a local private school this year.  Her class size is super small (only 12 kids), she attends all day and also gets a hefty dose of Christian education, which we love. 

At this point, I am still on the fence about whether we made the right decision, but she's flourishing and loving school.  She has started to read, recognizing lots of "star" words and her handwriting is improving too.  More than anything, her willingness to learn and accept instruction seems to have improved greatly.

I am very thankful that she is in a safe and loving environment and continue to pray that this year will help set her up for future success.

Kennedy with her teacher, Mrs. Bader

Ready to start kindergarten!!!