James' Last Day of Kindergarten

It has been quite the week. My first week in quite a while with my husband working away from the home full-time again and I graduated with my Associates Degree in Elementary Education last Friday so I did NOT have school. Monday we visited James' school to watch the kindergartners put on a celebration for us. They sang many adorable songs and recited poems. It was very cute!
We said good-bye to his Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Foster today. I could not of asked for a better teacher for my son's first year in grade school. She was the best Kindergarten teacher that anyone could ask for. She made learning so much fun for them- it was not about being silent or never leaving your seat except when told. It was about learning to use inside voices, being kind to other, and being respectful. She encouraged writing without focusing on spelling. She encouraged reading by teaching rules about "bossy E's". She taught punctuation and the importance of starting each sentence with a capital letter. Because of her, James goes to bed each night, writing and drawing pictures in a journal about his day or whatever is on his mind.

She thought up ways to have a party for the kids anytime she could. In the fall we learned about apples with an "Apple Party" and for Thanksgiving we had a "Pumpkin Party". There were lots of other parties too! Today for the last day of school, she put together a slide show for all of the parents and we had a "Doughnut Party". I am more than sad to see her leave this year because she will not continue her future as a teacher. She believes in the kids and cares about them individually and their success. Unfortunately, in today's schools test scores are the most important of all and being required to teach kindergarten like a military is against everything she believes in. We are losing not just a good teacher, but a GREAT teacher. Thank you Mrs. Foster for teaching James this year!


This is James with his buddies Casey and Landon, today on the last day of school.

Also this week, Jaely had her first ear infection. She is such a good baby and NEVER cries so when she was screaming, I knew something had to be wrong. We visited Dr. Rampley and yep - her right ear had "monkeys" in it. That is what she always tells the boys she is looking for when she looks inside their ears.

Here are the kids today for James' Last Day of Kindergarten. It never seizes to amaze me how quickly time flies and how fast they grow up!

Jacob has one day and one year left of preschool before he starts kindergarten. His end of the year party is on Saturday.

Jaely is getting her first tooth too! We we have been chewing on anything and everything we can to help sooth those gums. I will get a picture of it, as soon as she lets me :).