Schools Out For Summer

Last day of school, 2013. Aspen 5th grade, Liberty 3rd.

I have still not recouped from May. It was nuts- something every minute of everyday. I am surprised the household laundry ever got done and that we all had clean underwear.

At one point when the home teachers stopped by unannounced, Mick and I met them at the door to visit with them on the porch. You know May is crazy when the house is embarrassingly messy for guests we consider friends.

One day the school held an emergency drill. As expected I remembered my ID to get on the school grounds to pick up the girls. Vanessa and I are each others emergency contacts for our kids. She helped with the drill. I picked up her kids. I made my way to get her son, stood in line, showed my ID and signed him out. Next I picked up Lib and Dana while pushing Sunny with Wyatt and Abbie trailing behind. After a few stops for chats with teachers and friends, I made my way to the exist for a visit with Vanessa and friends before walking home. Soon Vanessa's kids ran off into the school (aka: the burning building!) for something they had forgotten and others ran to the swings. My head was spinning everywhere trying to keep track of all the kids among the crowd. By the time Dana returned I was so scatterbrained and ready to get out of there that I left without picking up Aspen. Meanwhile, she was yelling at me- from outside the burning building- but I could not hear her. Finally Vanessa got my attention. I made my way back to Aspen, showed my ID again and checked her out. I am certain she will never let me live this down and will be recalling it long after I am dead and gone. Who does this? Oh, just me the crazy mom.

May 30th was the last day of school for Lib and Aspen. It was a crazy busy day that capped off the crazy busy month of May. School was out at noon and as tradition has it, we planned to kick off summer with our "Schools out for summer party". I spent the morning entertaining ornery Sunny (should have named her something less happy, although I am hoping she will grow into her name), filling over 100 water balloons, getting guessing games together, preparing food and venturing over to the school to watch the kick ball tournament- 5th grade vs the teachers. Teachers schooled the 5th grade, 14-4.

Aspen is in the middle, hand on her hip, blue pants, white shirt.

At noon, I heard the school bell ring and 10 3rd graders trickled on over to the house with Lib. They were laughing, excited and playing all over the back yard. The fifth graders took longer to arrive. When they did all 13 of them came with big elephant tears streaming down their faces, barely able to talk. I hugged them all and cried right along with them! "We want to go back and say goodbye" they all asked. So I sent them all back to the school to say more goodbyes and told them to come back happy and ready to party. It was an emotional day.

They party was well attended (lucky me!) and we had a fun time playing water balloon volleyball/catch and other games. By three o'clock, I was toast. Thankfully there were some friends to help me and Mick was our official hot dog roaster. These two pics are the only ones I took over the two and half hours.

Dana, Kade, Audrianna, Lib and Wyatt

Next up was Lib and Aspen's piano recital. They both played two numbers confidently and performed so well in front of the large crowd. I was proud of them and could tell they felt accomplished.

Aspen left right after her pieces to go to soccer tryouts for next season. She made the select team and will be traveling the state next year in search of stiffer competition.

I was in bed, sound asleep by 10:00pm that night, and up bright and early the next day to take Abbie and the carpool crew to preschool. The madness never ends but I love it!

Hooray for summer!