last day of school recap

Well, we've got more than a week of summer break under our belts and I thought I would re-cap our last day of school for the 2009-2010 school year. Overall, I think it was a good year for everyone, although not without some challenges!

On the last day there is an awards recognition for the 5th and 6th graders. Jacob was honored for being a bus patrol and playing in the band. The 2 littles weren't overly cooperative, so we didn't stay for the whole thing, but we did get to see Jacob get both his awards. Way to go, Buddy! Here he is proudly displaying his band certificate::
I was waiting outside the school for the kiddos to exit. I wasn't making them ride the bus home {they would each rather get home in almost any other fashion than the school bus, so I said I'd pick them up on the last day!}. I was chatting with some friends among all the moms {and a dad or two!} outside, when Lydia came out the doors with tears streaming down her little cheeks, eyes puffy and red. Without even knowing what was wrong I start crying too {surprise!} and she b-lines it toward me for a hug. I hug her and try to compose myself and then ask her what's wrong. She can't answer {poor thing is turning into me right before my eyes. This is probably not a surprise to my mom, since she's been telling me for quite some time how much LJ is like me. Really? I was that much of a . . . what shall we say? . . . challenge . . . as a kid? I'm so sorry, Mom! So sorry.} Anyway, finally I ask if she's just sad that the year is done and she nods her head and hugs me some more. Later on in the van, when she was completely composed she asked if I wanted to know why she was crying. I said yes and she said that her teacher gives compliments to all the kids on the last day and her compliment to Lydia was really nice and it made her cry. She told us that her compliment was that at the beginning of the year LJ didn't enjoy reading and didn't want to do it and by the end of 2nd grade she had really blossomed in her reading and was enjoying it and that was great. Plus, she told us that her teacher sprinkled them with magic {confetti} and turned them into 3rd graders. LJ has been carrying her "magic" around with her ever since. I keep finding it all over . . . which is very sweet. And also annoying! See, she can be a very sweet, sensitive girl!

The kids and their fabulous teachers::

Lydia and her 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Kakaliouras::
{you might recognize her from this post. Yup, she taught 2nd grade to Rebekah last year!}

Lydia and her 3rd grade teacher, Miss Splett {a NWC grad!}::
Jacob and his 5th grade teacher, Mr. Hanson::
All 5 kiddos on the last day of school and the beginning of SUMMER! {Lydia can hardly contain her excitement, you'll notice! I blame the crying hangover. Those can be nasty!}
Also, the kids took my camera for a while during the half hour or so we were standing around chatting with other families after the official end of school and I have some really funny, crazy, pictures to show for it. Mostly taken by Joe, but with some help from his siblings too. Maybe I'll post them at some point, but it's a little bigger project than I intended for today!