Another School Year is...Over

Wow! How could it possibly be June already?

I am both sad and relieved at the same time.

The end of the school year really snuck up on me.

As I mentioned in a previous post, Connor's teacher is retiring this year and I had high hopes of putting together a really special gift for her. One that she would always remember as a gift she received on her very last day of teaching.

Fail.

But I did give her a really "sweet" gift...

an idea I got last year from Mel over at The Larson Lingo and have used many times for various occasions.

I do love this gift. It is simple and thoughtful.

I needed to give something to Connor's afterschool care teachers as well.

So this covered all of them.

BTW...Did you see Starbucks' teacher inspired gift cards this year?

So cute.

I added one of those as an extra for Connor's Kindergarten teacher.

Dominic also likes to take a little something for his teachers. High school teachers don't get nearly enough thanks for the work they put in.

(My high school teacher friends- you can thank me later;)

But seriously...it's true.

So he took these...

Very simple.

He said there was no way I was allowed to add a ribbon.

Or a note.

He ok'd a spoon...in which he would hand to them separately.

(I wonder if they actually tasted them. Hmmm.

If you received cupcakes from a high school student, would you eat them?)

Anyway, let's get to the important stuff...

like how much my boys have grown this year!

Dominic...August 2011 

And Dominic...June 2012 

What a man, ehh?!!

I could brag all day long about this guy!

It is crazy to stop and realize that we are half way through high school!

Dominic had an incredibly hard year this year, with 2 AP classes, a couple of honors classes, running Track & Field...and we have... Four. Point. O.

That's right! In other words....

ROCK STAR!

But aside from the grades and very high aspirations for his future.

He is genuinely a good kid.

With an amazing heart.

And an incredible, inspiring love for God.

The name "Dominic" does mean "Belonging to the Lord."

And boy does he!

Dominic also got his Driver's License this year and finished up the last month of school, driving himself to and from.

Woohoo!

This also gave Mom an extra half hour in the a.m!

Thank God for any extra time!

 Then there's Coco...aka Connor.

(Emma Kate calls him Coco...and it's kinda sticking with us all!)

August 2011

June 2012

 It's a little hard to tell from the pictures how much he has grown, but I tell you this boy is a weed!

And he is the one who is going to eat me out of house and home!

Our Kindergarten days are over and 1st Grade is quickly approaching.

This year Connor read his 1st book...Bears on Wheels, by Dr. Seuss.

He was so proud, that he wanted to take the book to school.

Apparantly he asked his teacher if he could read it to the class, and she obliged.

He came home with a special certificate from his teacher for having read a whole book to the class.

(P.S. I have shy children;)

This caused so many other kids to want to read for the class, that his teacher made a

Sign-Up sheet for reading to the class.

Connor has a zest for life and learning that I wish I could bottle.

(If only I had a quarter for every time I told him "Keep your hands to yourself" this year, I'd be a rich woman. P.S. I think he gets that from his dad;)

You know I have to admit that life gets pretty crazy.

Many days I look around my house in complete and utter discouragement.

There just isn't enough time in the day to get everything done.

I sometimes feel like all I do is yell and I definitely don't laugh enough.

 I just sit down on the floor to actually play with the kids, when the buzzer of the dryer goes off...and before I know it...it's time to leave for Taekwondo.

And then...

Dominic says something like, "What can I do to help?" as he shakes his head "no."

Or Connor says,

"Mommy, I want to stay with you forever."

Or Emma Kate comes running from the bathroom squealing, "Snake!"

after just using her big girl potty.

And it takes me right back into the moment, thanking the Lord for 3 amazing children.

Healthy.

Not perfect.

Smiling.

Not always.

Gifts from Heaven.

And nothing else matters.

Summer, here we come!!