Good fortune

We are fortunate! While many schools are facing significant staff and program cuts, we have the luxury of knowing that our kids will have the same awesome opportunities and teachers next fall!! It is painful to hear of programs that are falling by the wayside-many of them art based. There is always the question "Is art a valid part of the school curriculum? Is it necessary?" I think my 7 year old daughter can answer that question quite clearly. While going through the end of the school year "stuff", we came across this writing sample done by Fiona. The prompt was simply to "write about something you love". Here are her words:

My favorite thing is art. I like art because it gives me passion. It's something where I can exspereince (experience) my work. It's something where I can just give what I got and give it all my might and just get my creation out of me and on to the paper. Art is fun to me because I can just make funny, cool, weird, and crazy creations and it's realy (really) delightful to me.
I LOVE ART!


So thank you Mrs. Mohrman for providing such funny, cool, weird, and crazy opportunities for the kids to just get "it" out of themselves and on to the paper! We are so incredibly blessed to be where we are and that is never far from my mind!

Baseball game with Grandma and Grandpa Story

What a perfect night!! Grandma and Grandpa Story, Baseball, hot dogs, and storm troopers!! Michael was in heaven!! Peris thought it was cool!!

The Bowling Party

Ready for her guests to arrive and start bowling!!
"Let's Rock This!"

Emmy and her pals

Two peas in a pod!

Emmy and Adrian

Emmy and Olivia

Emmy and Elliott (isn't he the CUTEST?)

Ella striking a pose

Emmy and Berlyn

Fiona and Grace (Elliott's sister)

Excitement over the Barbie!!

Emmy turns 6!

Waking up with a smile for her 6th birthday!!
Her new hotpink weiner dog!!

Flip flops and a new Barbie!!

Fiona's Poetry Celebration

Fiona and Derek after the poetry celebration
We love you Fiona!!

Peris, Gramma Choo Choo, Fiona, and Patrick

(not pictured Mrs. Rhodes-Patrick's Mom who also

joined us)

Fiona accepting her Literary certificate for her published stories that

were written this year

Mother's Day 2010

All I can say is this....I am the luckiest woman alive.

Wildcats

We are humbled to announce that Michael will be joining his 4 sisters at Metcalf School next fall. He will enter 3rd grade with his twin sister Ella.

God has answered the persistant prayers of many people who came together to lift this need up to Him.

This is yet another example of how prayer truly does work!! We continue to be amazed at all that God does for our family!

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:21

"G-Slide"

Ella (center in front row) on picture night for BPAR dance class. She is in the beginning hip hop class and is going to have her recital in June.

Show and Tell..Uncle Tim Style

Uncle Tim comes to show Emmy's kindergarten friends the recycling truck (I just happened to be subbing on this day!)
He is so good to her!!!!

Uncle Tim shows the crowd "the crusher"-this got a lot of ooohs and aahhhs!

Emmy got to get up in front of her class and announce that her Uncle Tim was coming for show and tell. She was so proud!! She also informed her class that they didn't need to ask me any questions because her Uncle Tim was the one who knew the answers...not her Mom.

The kids asking questions about what a landfill looks like, where the recycling goes after it is picked up, what can be recycled, etc. One of the little guys recognized Tim from his residential service pick up at home-it was so cute!!

Earth Day

Earth Day is a big deal at school! This year the weather was perfect for the outdoor program!! Each grade, kindergarten through second, performed a few songs and chants in the Butterfly Garden on this special afternoon. Walking on the ISU quad with 40 kindergarteners chanting "Go Green!" was also a lot of fun:)

Lincoln Park Zoo Field Trip

Obviously we are NOT bird people!!!!!!