Bennett starts Pre-K

Today both kids are back in school.  Finally!  This is Bennett's year of Pre-K or is it?  Since we're most likely sending him back to the same school next year for TK I guess we'll go ahead and call it Pre-K.  He has the same teacher Ella had in the 4's and then a new one with her.  We couldn't ask for a better teacher!  Meet the teacher was Wednesday and he didn't want to leave.  He had friends in his class from last year and kids from his class two years ago that were only going T/Th last year.  I think it'll be a great year!  Ella is so excited he has Mrs. Bartalone.  She already requested to go read to his class and of course Mrs. B said, "Yes!  Please bring her one day."  Ella read to the 4's last year, too.  My little teacher in the making.  This morning he went right to a table and started coloring at a table without even saying bye to me.  Such a big boy.  I did go say bye to him. :)

He actually posed

This is more like him

Silly all the time

Silly silly boy

Have a great weekend!

Go Aggies!

First grade

Today Ella started first grade!  I'm not sure how this happened.  It really feels like summer just started but somehow our summer is officially over.  At least Ella's is over.  Bennett starts school next Friday.  You'd think I'd be pushing them out the door but this summer flew by and these last two weeks at home I really enjoyed.  I was actually a little sad to have summer come to an end.  I could have had one more week at home with the kids.  Ella had a great first day!!  She picked out a cute new outfit and asked if it was the proper "three finger" width tank.  I told her it was as long as it's her fingers, not mine.  She was so excited to wear her glitter Tom's since Monday is a non-PE day.  She has a few friends in her class.  Her teacher is new to Norton this year but we got a good vibe from her last week and we even saw her out on a "date" Friday night but I told Ella to let her have quality time with her husband. :)  Ella loved her first day of school.  In fact, she was "Star Student" in her class!  Wow, way to start the year and set the precedent for yourself, tiger!  We'll be making sure that is how she behaves every day.  Our little star will be off to soccer practice tomorrow and jazz on Wednesday while mommy registers her for softball this week.  Her buddy, Sutton (below), is on her soccer team and they will hopefully be on the same softball team.  This will be a busy year for us but life is an adventure and we live it to the fullest!  Here's to a great year!!

Ready to go to school

Headed to school

Outside the class

Ella & Sutton

Giving hugs (the only picture I could get of Bennett)

After school (I forgot to get out my sign before school)

First day cookie

It's almost your turn, Bennett

Enjoy first grade, Ella!

Spring Recital 2012

Last night was Ella's recital.  She was in a ballet/tap combo class again.  She enjoys dancing but tap was her favorite.  She has decided to take a jazz class in the fall, no more ballet.  Some of her friends will be in her class again which she is excited about.  The recital was cute and short.  Thank goodness for that because Bennett had to go.  He was good for the hour, thanks to Brooke, pretzels, a crazy lollipop I bought on the way, Skittles and Brooke's water. :)  Next year Ella advances to the Big show.  She'll be preforming in the night recital where the youngest dancers are six.  Although it is cute to watch the little ones dance, I'm ready to watch the ballerinas and all the fun dancing I did waaayyy back in high school!

Daisy Troop - Kate, Lexi, Ella & Georgia

Monster faces

After the show

Our pretty ballerina

Sweet girl

Ella & Georgia after the show

Bennett's last day

Bennett also had a great first year of pre-school!  His two teachers were wonderful!  Mrs. Fields and Mrs. Lammes were great.  I had really high expectations too because Ella's 3's were awesome but they left last year.  I'll say my expectations were met. :)  He loves going to school and he loves his friends.  He has really started talking so much over the past year.  We can really understand him and so can most people.  His teachers love him to pieces.  They would tell me almost everyday a "Bennett-ism," something funny he'd say or do.  For instance, one day he walked up to Mrs. Fields and gave her a hug (she was sitting) and she turned to look at him and he kissed her right on the lips!  She loves him so much she met us (and the Cains) for lunch yesterday with her daughter, Claudia.  Let me say that Bennett is smitten with Claudia and has been since camp last summer.  She's going into 7th grade.  I'm so thankful for our pre-school and the amazing teachers.  Both of our children have loved going to school and I think they are a huge reason.

I can't believe he'll be four in a few days.  sigh

Here he is on the last day.

Mrs. Lammes

Mrs. Fields

B & Stasia 

It has been joked all year that this is his future wife. :)

Where did the year go?

Kindergarten came and went just like that.  At least it seems that way.  I feel like just a week ago we walked our little girl down the halls for the first time and it's already been a week since school has been out!  Ella had a great first year of school.  She is an excellent student, social butterfly but only when the time is appropriate, people pleaser, over achiever to some degree, very bright (not because I'm her mom)... you know the typical model student. :)  I hear from people all the time how pretty she is and that we are going to be in trouble in the later years.  I think we're in trouble now.  She was caught holding hands with her friend Colin earlier in the year.  Almost all her friends in her class were boys.  Finally, at the end of the year she started talking about some of the girls in her class.  Her best friend was next door and she ran around with a few girls in that class but her teacher told me that in class it was Ella and a few boys.  She said the click was the "smarter kids".  Love it!  Let's hope it stays this way - pretty and smart.  Check back with me in a few years and I'll let you know how we're doing!!

Just before she left for her last day of school

Before the last week of school (3 days after Memorial Day) they had a Kindergarten Program, party and Field Day.  Ella had a speaking part in the program.  It was a sweet program.  Here are a few pictures from the different events.

Proud parents after the Kinder Program

on the left are boys from her class; on the right is one that went to her pre-school

Ella & Mrs. Cole.  We LOVE her!!!

Some girlfriends

Ava (BF) & Ella at the Kinder party

 Field Day

What a great and fun year she had.  In case you're wondering, I held myself together until I opened her report card on the last day.  It was all good, of course, but had extra testing, all good with high marks and also included a letter from her teacher.  Reading it all just made me cry.  I really am one proud mommy!  I love my girl to pieces!!

To SUMMER!

(taken this morning)

Queen of the Waves

Ella participated in her first talent show!  She and Ava sang and danced to the song "Queen of the Waves" from the movie Barbie and the Mermaid Tale.  They were absolutely adorable!!
Here is a video.  It's a little blurry at first but gets clear after a few seconds.

Before the show

Easter

I'm playing a catch-up.  This year we celebrated Easter with a visit for the Easter Bunny overnight, of course.  The kids had goodies in their baskets and eggs to find out back.  Then Ella's choir was singing in church so we listened to them sing, beautifully, I might add.   Then we went down to our friends, Nathan & Jill's for brunch.  Our tradition for many years has been to have brunch with them on Easter.  Now we get to hide eggs for the kids to find while we drink champagne.  Good times!  It was  great day!!

Ready, set, hunt!

let's see what the bunny left us

Easter's finest