A trip to Powell Gardens

Today we decided to take our first-ever trip to Powell Gardens. (And, why didn't anyone tell us about this treasure right in our own back yard?!?!?) We went to see the Jurassic Exhibit, and the boys really loved it! They loved seeing the dinosaurs scattered throughout the gardens, and really enjoyed the water features too. It was a fun place to spend a summer day...however, all that walking did tire us out! Thankfully there was a trolley to ride back when we walked halfway around the gardens and then were too tired to walk back to the entrance!




Chase digging for dinosaur bones!













The King of the Mountain!

















My two little guys!































Chase "chasing" the geese!















We ended up riding the trolley out to the "farm" area of the park, which was a really cool place to visit as well! The food gardens were laid out like a quilt, and you could climb to the top of the silo for a birds-eye view! As we wandered through the food gardens, the boys loved finding all the different fruits and vegetables they recognized...and even learned a few new things. They didn't know grapes grew on vines and were amazed with the grapevine arbor they could walk under!


Standing at the top of the silo!














Views of the food garden "quilt" designs.






























We inadvertently saved the best for last, I guess. We didn't know it...but, in the middle of the food garden is a huge fountain area. Had we known beforehand, we might have been more prepared...you know, with swim suits and towels. Instead, the minute Chase saw that fountain, he immediately ran straight into it! So, by the time we left, we had two soaked kids and no way to dry them off! They had to ride home nearly naked!! And, it took 2 days to finally get their shoes dry! But, oh it was so worth it....those boys had a blast! :)

More First Grade Memories

Mrs. Picket put together a really nice Memory Book for each child in her class. How cool is this?




















September



































October


































November

















December















January



















February



































March



















April





































May



































Friendship Quilt

Last Day of 1st Grade!

Today was Cole's last day as a first grader! Man...this school year just FLEW by!!! Cole loved his teacher, Mrs. Pickett, and did very well in her class! He even managed to read 100 BOOKS this school year, which earned him a lunch with the principal, Mrs. Haight!

Cole had a great year, but is very much looking foward to summer! (And, I'm pretty sure he will welcome the break from reading and writing...or so he thinks! Ha ha!) The last day of school was filled with yearbook signing, saying goodbye to friends, and visiting the classroom of his 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Young! Mrs. Young has challenged her class to read 20 books over the summer and has even offered a prize for each child who comes to the first day of school with their 20 books read! Now, that is a good incentive to keep this boy reading! :)

Cole was also excited about today because Mrs. Pickett, who has been on maternity leave the last few weeks of school, returned to say goodbye to her class. She also brought her new baby girl to show to the students. I know Cole will miss Mrs. Pickett, but he is now looking forward to being one of the "big kids" at school next year as his school only houses K-2 students!

He handed me his backpack as soon as he stepped off the school bus. No wonder...that thing must have weighed 20 pounds! It was filled with pencils, half-empty glue bottles, broken crayons, etc. And, it also contained his report card, reading assessment for the end of the school year, his yearbook, some artwork, and a very nice journal/memory book he had kept throughout the year.

4th Quarter Report Card. Although his grades slipped a little, he is still making A's and B's. Can't complain about that!



































Cole ended 1st grade reading on a 4th grade level!!!! Wow...you'd think with that kind of ability, he would actually like to read??? No. Sorry.














Space picture.













Rainy Day Duck!













Cole's class in the yearbook.

















Love note from one of the little girls he goes to school with. :)















The next few pics are from the journal Cole kept all throughout the school year:



















Lunchtime!


















Journaling about Mother's Day...































































































Apparently, he ate too much over Christmas vacation..???













Good thing we have rules! :)















Talking about his Daddy. Apparently, its not cool to say "Dad" anymore since the kids now refer to their father as Chris...

Preschool Graduation Ceremony (3's and 4's class)

Tonight was the Rainbow Kingdom preschool graduation ceremony. Though Chase still has one more year at Rainbow Kingdom, he was old enough to participate in the program this year and send the older kids off to Kindergarten!

Chase is normally very musical. He plays in his rock band at home, and is nearly always singing around the house! But, he really wasn't excited to be performing in front of a crowd of people tonight. In fact, he told me before the program that he really didn't know the words to many of these songs and that's why he wouldn't be signing. (However, the next day, he magically remembered all the words when he was singing at home!!) And, so, the performance was very similar to that Cole's performance at Rainbow Kingdom! Yes, once again, we had the kid who stood on the front row like a statue. *sigh*

Program














Chase making his entrance!



Notice all the other kids doing the hand motions, except Chase! He looks like he is just hoping this thing will somehow come to an end...and fast!














"Is this thing almost OVER?!?"













Handprints from Chase's class!













"Look, Mom! Here's mine!"















The ONE song he half-way sang!



Its official! He passed the 3-4 year old class! Ha ha!