Moving On

This was Henry's last week of kindergarten. It's impossible to wrap my head around how quickly it's gone. On Monday they had a trip to the park. Cari and I teach together the last week of school, so I was able to slip away and take some pictures. The room moms brought ice cream. It was so hot that it was hard for them to eat it before it melted completely.

One of the other moms asked me if Henry had been playing in the water. I had to explain that he's just a sweater.

Here he is with his teacher, Mrs. K and his classroom aide, Mrs. Hendle. They were a great team!

When I got home from work that night I found the kids in the backyard like this.

Wednesday was the actual last day. They had a moving--up-to-first-grade celebration. Again, I was thankful for my ideal work situation as it was easy for me to slip away.

Mrs. K showed a slideshow of pictures from throughout the year. It was accompanied by music such as You've Got A Friend In Me (from Toy Story) which made me cry.

Then I cried some more when the kids sang a cute little song to the tune of New York, New York. "I'm gonna be a part of it, First Grade! First Grade!"

Henry was so proud.

Mrs. K and Mrs. Hendle had put together memory books of many of their special projects, photos and pieces of work- all in a nice binder. The kids were so excited to look through them.

Here he is again. I'm so amazed by this guy.

The other side of my life this week has been getting my own classroom packed up for the big summer project. We had to have everything boxed by eleven PM last night. Cari and I did pretty well and we out by 7 PM. I took these pictures this morning before the kids came in for their final 20 minute day of school. This shot is from behind our desk. The cabinets on the right in this photo, and the wardrobe by the door will be pulled out and replaced with movable cabinetry, which we'll probably put along that far wall. When Clara looked at this picture the first thing she noticed was that the t.v. was taken down. She wants to know where they'll watch t.v. when they visit Mama's room now, and where they'll have their snacks!?!?

This is a picture from the opposite corner. You can kind of tell what a miserable stormy day it was outside. It was a little sad to dismiss the kids out into the rain, when all they wanted to do was run off to the pool or beach. Cari and I didn't count, but from these pictures I think I can determine that we packed up at least 55 boxes of stuff. We threw plenty away and gave many things away as well. On our last full day, yesterday, we let the kids "shop" through a bunch of the random crap we had left. I'm sure their parents were delighted when they came home with Mardi Gras beads, plastic sunglasses, fish-shaped bowls, junky toys and old magazines!

I already know that as soon as I blink I'll be posting pictures of this room at the end of the summer, with its new paint job, new carpeting and furniture and we'll be getting ready to head back to school!