
YAY!!!!! The big girls did it! They both 'graduated' and had wonderful school years. School ended this week (Tuesday for Jayna, Wednesday for Ellie) and the week was filled with fun celebrations. The above picture is of the girls at the beginning of the school year (August 2008!) and then on their last day of school this week. Each girl received a trophy from the school...and each girl received a treat from mom! After Jayna's celebration, we had 1 hour before we could pick Ellie up from school and she decided to use her "free cone" coupon that she got at the library for signing up for the summer reading program. I think she liked her cone...what do you think? And Ellie....she got to pick the place we went for lunch after her celebration--she picked McDonald's. I let her pick ANY drink she wanted.....and boy, was it fun to get a BIG drink...guess what she picked?! YUM....diet coke!
The girls are looking forward to this summer and the fun we will all have together. Our summer activities include:
- Gymnastics for the 3 girls
- Swimming lessons for the 3 girls
- Piano lessons for Ellie and Jayna
- Ava enjoying the big girls ALL day--she misses them when they are at school!
- Colin giving up his morning nap & learning to walk!
- Numerous trips to the grandparents' homes for visits and swimming
- Ava getting to go to the American Girl Store to get her doll's ears pierced
- Long bike-jogs and family bike rides
- Playdates with friends
- Parks, parks and more parks!
- Trips to the beach--Andy's favorite summer day trip is to Point Beach on Lake Michigan!
- Learning to cook/bake--the girls are SO excited for this!
- and Lots and lots of summer reading!
Here are some video clips from the learning celebration, as well as the photos that we captured!
Jayna receiving her "Christ Like Characteristic", click
here . Her characteristic was "diligence"--and boy, does that ever describe Jayna!
The Kindergarten class singing "I Am Lovable"--precious song that the children sang all year...click
here.
The Kindergarten class singing "No Mountain High Enough"--this was Jayna's surprise for me--she knows I love this song and kept it a surprise from me that they would be singing it! Click
here.
"Salt and Light", being sung by the 1st and 2nd grade children. Beautiful singing. Part 1 of the song
here--the song is about having a heart like Jesus, learning the meaning of God's grace, and showing the world the LOVE of JESUS. (The 2nd graders are standing behind the 1st graders...the 1st graders were TALL this year!)
Part 2 is
here--
"I am not ashamed, to lift up Your Holy name"...what a great way of life for these children! The girls are so thankful that they get to attend a christian school. One day, Jayna was getting her haircut and the stylist asked her "What is your favorite part of school?" Jayna's response? "Chapel!" What a witness!
Ellie's teacher, Mrs. Koeller talking to the 2nd graders is
here.
Ellie receiving her Christ Like Characteristic is
here. Faithfulness was her characteristic...and yes, that describes Ellie very well!
Enjoy the pictures!

Jayna during the learning celebration.

Jayna with her teacher, Mrs. DeYoung.

The "big girls"....Ellie was so kind in really wanting to come to Jayna's graduation--she took it upon herself to make sure it was ok with her teacher before I even had a chance to talk to the teacher!

The Fabulous Four Friends of afternoon kindergarten. Anna Rose, Jetta, Jayna, and Abby.

Jayna showing off her "prayer" card. Her part in the learning celebration was telling the parents about what the kindergarteners learned about prayer..."'God wants to hear from us and wants us to listen to Him."

Moving onto 1st grade!

Showing off the earrings that she got--they are sparkly stars. This year, we've observed Jayna to be like a shining star in kindergarten. She loved every minute of it, she had such joy in all that she got to do, from the minute she hopped out of the van, to the minute she skipped out of school at 3pm. She really LOVES school!

Jayna (and her gum!).

Ellie during her learning celebration.

Ellie and her teacher, Mrs. Koeller.

Yay! A 3rd grader now! Like mother, like daughter.....enjoying diet coke from McDonald's!

Ellie with her trophy.
1 comment:
I have so much to say I don't even know where to start!! Happy Summer girls and congratulations on making it through the year. Much love from Iowa.
Aunt Karen
ps- Katie, I love the idea of the end of school tradition of a treat and them holding up the next grade they are "sweetly" moving into! :) You are so good at that family tradition thing. I am envious.
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