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)