Kindergarten Memories

isabel's teacher put together the most amazing book and video for the parents, she has been absolutely amazing. as a teacher in the age of common core and rigor it's easy to lose sight of creating unforgettable memories and moments for students and parents... trust me, i live it. but as a mom, yesterday's graduation was worth as much to me as the education isabel has received this year. simply put, it was priceless. isabel had an amazing kindergarten year where she learned to read, write sentences, add and subtract, count to 100, learned about the life cycle, discovered US symbols, and oodles more. but...she also created artwork, read under tables, designed a leprechaun trap, ate pancakes at school, made a handprint calendar, and so many other creative things. i'm so thankful that isabel got to experience such an amazing kindergarten year.

Kindergarten Graduation

i feel so fortunate that isabel got to experience kindergarten graduation. all of the kindergartener's wore an adorable cap, performed a song and dance, received the graduation certificates, and ate some yummy treats. mrs. fries even made this fabulous movie for all of the parents with pictures from throughout the school year.

their caps

the graduate

their performance

look at those moves

an adorable gift from one of the parents

receiving her diploma

the certificate

the lopez minis

isabel and mrs. fries

the snack table

her behavior clip

yumminess

grandma and isabel

isabel and addy

daddy and the gals

The Last Day of Kindergarten

last night i asked isabel to please stop growing up and she said that she would try... what a little heart melter. it seems as if every morning she grows a little taller, seems a little more grown up, and is even more opinionated.

we have had an AMAZING year in mrs. fries' class and i'm pretty sure that i'm more devastated about going to 1st grade than isabel is.

grandparents night

tonight we had our very first grandparents night, but as parents. when i was a classroom teacher my grandparents would come to my class each year on grandparents night and my students always thought it was so cool. i thought about that for a bit at isabel's night and how my grandpa wouldn't be able to make it to her grandparent's night. it was one of those moments that creeps up on you when you least except it and knocks the wind out of you. but, then i took a look around and remembered how blessed isabel was to have her great-grandma, grandma, nana, and papa there to show their love.

prairie branch did a wonderful job organizing their art fair in conjunction with grandparents night.... students artwork was displayed throughout the building. i loved seeing my baby showcasing her work.

 just missing abuelita

the school van driver aka. papa

A Mini Me

Violet has an adorable habit of wearing my workout headbands... she even gets into my drawer to put them on! i'm not sure what is so appealing about them, but she keeps them on better than she does her own headbands. here's a shot of us one evening after i had worked out.