Happy 5th Birthday

This year Ty wanted a Football Birthday. He decided that about 3 months ago and never waivered from his idea. The only thing he added was that he wanted his friends to swim at his birthday. Which was A-OK with me.

So while researching Football birthday ideas, I came across these really cute Football cupcakes. Complete with Milk Dud footballs. I knew I wanted to make them, no matter what. I bought a special grass icing tip and half way through I was glad I had not decided to make a full playing field. The grass icing is tricky. But it was worth it.

Excuse me while I go apply for Carpal Tunnel surgery.....

Kindergarten Graduation

Mia's class had a Kindergarten Graduation. They sang a cute song about First Grade and then each child was called to get their award.

Each of the classes tye-dyed their shirts. We're not sure if it was an accident but those shirts sure look like purple and gold to us....

We DID IT!! Watch out 1st grade...

Field Trip

Trent's class took a field trip to a local park. They have an 1800's village set up. Local high school students were the guides and demonstrated all the different areas. I found the field trip very interesting and I think the kids did too.
Cooking over open fires

The smokehouse for curing meat.

Spinning thread and weaving loom

Look who's Riding

WITHOUT training wheels!!!!

Swim Team

It's Swim Team time. That means a variety of things...
learning new strokes
swimming with friends
getting great exercise
hanging out by the pool every afternoon
back to back practices every 45 min from 3:45 to 7:00
and one very tired mom

It's a good thing we all really like swim team. It's a sport that everyone can do...yes, even Ty and Mia are participating this year. They are in the 6 and under category and do freestyle and backstroke. or as Ty says "Backstroke and Front Stroke" (Makes more sense to me that way also)

So we're ready for school to be over....mainly because it's cutting into our swim team schedule

Teacher Appreciation

A friend sent me a link to some cute ideas for teachers.

Teacher gifts always baffle me. I don't know why, I was a teacher....(wait, maybe that's part of the problem) Plus we have a unique situation. Because our children are all in Spanish Immersion there are only 5 teachers and they rotate through them. So I can't have a standard gift, or they'd get the same thing year after year. (We've had one awesome teacher 4 times just between Kaylee and Zane.)

The girls on the blog made this gift look so cute and so fun to make that I just had to give it a try. I think they came out cute and I would have liked one of these so I think they're winners.

Here's the outside

And when you open it, here's the inside.....

Mia's teacher on the other hand is man. So I didn't think he would fancy and pretty ribbon box. So he got a book and chocolates instead. He and I had a conversation one day about books and I asked if he had read this book and he hadn't. So I thought maybe this summer he could fit it in.

*****Book PLUG*** This is one of the best books I've ever read. It's a true story written by two men. One is a modern-day slave(son of a sharecropper) who grew up in North Louisiana. He meets a man who is a wealthy business man and art dealer. How their paths cross and the effect they have on each other is astounding... but you'll have to read it to find out.

Same Kind of Different as me written by Ron Hall and Denver Moore