a wedding & a baptism = whew!

Friday after school & work, we headed east...to Peachtree City.  The baby of the Villarreal family was getting hitched.

We have never been to Peachtree City before.  We quickly noticed lots of people tooling around in golf carts.  Even all the major shopping centers had designated golf cart parking areas.  Come to find out, the city has over 90 miles of multi-use paths and over 7,500 registered golf carts.  People drive them instead of cars [cuts down on the traffic] to go grocery shopping or to pick up their kids from school.  Pretty cool!

Friday night, we attended an after-rehearsal party at our hotel hosted by Belinda and Andy [parents of the groom].

Saturday morning, we hit the pool.  It was our first swim of the season [and thankfully everyone remembered how to swim]. 

Cannonball...



Mary Reese & Holley Ann [the groom's niece] enjoying the hot tub...



Owen sporting his new earplugs and Ear Bandit...




After a peaceful afternoon poolside, we got cleaned up and headed to downtown Newnan for the wedding ceremony.  The church and the ceremony were equally as beautiful.  The reception was back in Peachtree City at a country club down from our hotel.  The view from the clubhouse was spectacular...


Mary Reese wanted a single shot...

Owen had the best time ever at his second wedding reception [his first was my sister's almost a year ago]. He found the air conditioning vents in the floor and stood over them the entire time...

...until the band started playing, then he hit the dance floor.  He danced and played the tamborine all night long...


The lead singer even tried to get him to "sing"...


...he wasn't too sure about that microphone [eventhough he loves the one that goes with the Wii].  We almost made to help send the bride and groom off...but we headed back to the hotel for some rest because we had an early morning ahead of us. 

We got up early this morning to head to Birmingham for my niece's baptism.  I didn't get any pictures of her in her gown...but she wore the same one that my 3 children and her older brother wore.  After the service, we gathered for a delicious & delightful lunch at my brother and sister-in-law's house.  The kids couldn't down their meals fast enough because they knew there would be cake...


Before we could even get on the interstate heading North, this is what we saw going on in the backseat...


All 3 children took a good nap on the way home [Mary Reese opted to ride with Debbie]. 

This week is our last week in school.  It's going to be a busy one with baseball league playoff games [we are in a 3 way tie for 1st place], a field day and end-of-year "splash" parties.  Lots of blogging to come!

1st Grade Awards Day

Banks had 1st Grade Awards Day on Wednesday [I can’t believe his 1st Grade year is almost over…it truly FLEW by].


The entire 1st Grade [all 140+ kids] gathered in the auditorium for Honor Roll, Perfect Attendance, Phyiscal Fitness, etc. awards. Banks was awarded for being on the A/B Honor Roll for the entire year. Here he is with the other A/B students in his class…



Then we were dismissed to their rooms where Mrs. Propst gave out her own awards. She awarded him the Curiosity Award…




He was also awarded for being a Spelling Champ [they have to have 100 average in spelling for the entire 2nd semester]…




Here are all his awards…




Spelling Champ, Social Studies Awards [The Mrs. Propst Boys killed the Mrs. Propst Girls, Ms. Ducker Boys and Ms. Ducker Girls to win this award. All the other boys were bragging on Banks because he got 3 answers in a row! All the Mrs. Propst boys were so excited to win this award…it was a HUGE deal to them.], “Jeanius” Award for getting 25 AR points, Curiosity Award, Honor Roll and Accelerated Reader Award for getting 10 AR points.


Banks – Congratulations on such a fabulous 1st Grade Year! We are proud of you and all your accomplishments. I can’t believe you are leaving Mrs. Propst behind and becoming a Second Grader!

Disney Spectacular

Banks just completed a unit on the Walt Disney Empire in music, drama and art.  The kids got together and thought of questions they wanted to research about Disney.  They put all their research together into a Specatular...



Here are some video clips from the performance [a friend was video and I was snapping pictures.  Her daughter is on the right in the green shirt and Banks is on the opposite side of the stage on the top row in the blue shirt.  Make sure you watch the boy in the orange shirt on the front row towards the center...he is hysterical.]



Did you know that Cinderella is not the top princess? [She is number 2 and Snow White is number 1.]

Banks and his class after the performance...


They did such a fabulous job!  I am always amazed at what these kids do.  Just watching it and listening to all the music makes me want to go back to Disney even more [if that is even possible]!

Lions at Lunchtime

Banks' class and Ms. Ducker's class joined forces for a class play...a comical rendition of Lions at Lunchtime [based on one of the Magic Tree House books].

In this story, Jack and Annie are transported to Africa to solve one of Morgan le Fay's riddles. They have a series of adventures with various plains animals; a lion, wildebeests, hyenas, elephant, giraffe, and a honey guide, a bird who helps natives find honey.

Here are Jack and Annie still in Frog Creek, PA before the magic tree house wisks them off to Africa...



Morgan le Fay giving them a riddle to solve while they are gone...


Once Jack and Annie land in Africa, they are welcomed by herds of animals...



The Fact Finders [the children riding in the super creative safari jeep] give facts about each animal throughout the play...


They had some super cute music inspired by other movies infused into the play...



Showtime for the vultures...


Eppes, Banks, Jack and Landon.



Inspired by the vultures in the Jungle Book [and so fitting of their personalities].

All the animals of Africa...





In the end, Jack and Annie solve Morgan's riddle and head back to Frog Creek until they are needed on their next big adventure.

After the play part was over, Mrs. Propst and Ms. Ducker showed a video of the children telling about their favorite book...



The whole play was precious [and tied into everything they had been learning, the trip to the zoo and their recyclable animal project].  The children practiced hard for weeks for their big performance.  Several of the mothers volunteered to help the children make their masks. I thought they turned out super cute!

The vulture is not the cutest animal but the mask turned out cute...


The set was also amazing!  After getting to the play, I was very greatful that my assignment was to make 2 of the 4 vulture capes [they were easy peasy]!

Mrs. Propst and Ms. Ducker declared the next day Pajama Day!  All the kids got to come to school in their pajamas with their sleeping bags to enjoy a nice restful day to recover from all their hard work they had put into the play.

We're a Grand Old Class!

On Wednesday, Mary Reese had her 4-year-old "We're a Grand Old Class" Program at CSA [which means she is graduating to Kindergarten...boo hoo].

All four classes marched into the sanctuary singing We're a Grand Old Flag.  Then each class took turns on stage reciting a bible verse and singing a song.

Mrs. Charlotte and Mrs. Meagan's Class...



Jack, Davis, Bo, Ellis, Aidan, Conner, Isaac, Crawford, Mary Reese, Deuce, Bentley and Mac [Mary Reese has been with most of these children since they were 9 months old and they are FULL of personality].

Their bible verse:

For nothing is impossible with God.

Luke 1:37

Then they sang I Am A Promise

I am a promise

I am a possibility

I am a promise with a capital "P"

I am a great big bundle of potentiality

And I am learnin' to hear God's voice

And I am tryin' to make the right choice

I am a promise to be anything God wants me to be.

I can go anywhere that He wants me to go

I can be anything He wants me to be

I can climb the high mountains

I can cross the wide sea

I'm a great big promise you see!

I am a promise

I am a possibility

I am a promise with a capital "P"

I am a great big bundle of potentiality

And I am learnin' to hear God's voice

And I am tryin' to make the right choice

I'm a promise to be anything God wants me to be

Anything God wants me to be!

For the grand finale, all the 4 year old classes took the stage...

...to sing their favorite song, What A Mighty God We Serve.  [Their shirts were created by my o-so-talented friend Tara at Smitten & Co.]

Owen loved all the music...

...he danced and clapped the entire time.

After the program, everyone was invited up to the gym to view their art work...




Visit with good friends...




[Mary Reese and Gray]

And eat lunch.




Mary Reese made a placemat to save her table.  Also on the table was a scrapbook which they have been working on all year long.  [I knew better than to look at it there...because I knew I would tear up!]  Mary Reese has showed everyone that scrapbook.  She is so proud of it and so am I!

Mary Reese and Daddy before he had to go back to work...




Mary Reese sharing her scrapbook during lunch with Lulu...




Maddy, Gray and Mary Reese...




...sharing their scrapbooks with each other.

Even Owen was into looking at them...




After lunch, we headed downstairs to the bookfair.  Lulu treated Mary Reese to a book...




Thank you Lulu!  We have already read it numerous times.

Mary Reese - I can't believe you are graduating from CSA and moving onto big girl Kindergarten.  I know you will be a huge success!

Mommy's Day 2010

I got to spend my Mommy's Day with these three rag-a-muffins...



...and I wouldn't have picked anyone else to spend it with!

The whole week leading up to Mother's Day, I was showered with gifts.  They made me the most fabulous things at school [which mean way more than anything money can buy].

The entire 1st Grade at Banks' school made these for their mommies...




They took Alabama red clay, cut it into a shape, stamped it and painted it.  The teachers then had them fired and glazed.  I have worn it almost every single day since it was given to me.  I can't tell you how many compliments I have received on it. The best part of all...Banks just beams when he sees me wearing it [and I am honored to wear it]!

Mary Reese's class painted flower pots for their mothers...



Then they planted us some flowers.  I have it in my kitchen window seal and it makes me smile every morning when I see it.

Jody gave me a new pair of flip flops and this for my garden...




...hope it works!

We had our mothers and grandmother over for a lasagna lunch.  After lunch, Mary Reese had a little tea party for all her babies...




She has always been a mothering type and one day she is going to make a fabulous mother!

We played a little dress up...




And caught a quick nap...




I also did a few loads of laundry and whipped out 2 vulture capes for the class play on Thursday...




...a mother's job is never quite over!

After our busy day, we took baths and headed to bed...

I Appreciate Them

This week was Teacher Appreciation Week.  My children have FABULOUS teachers and I appreciate them more than words can say.  During Spring Break, we did some canning.  Since it is strawberry season around here...



...we decided to make some Strawberry Jam for teacher appreciation presents [and to enjoy at home]. 

First we sliced the strawberries and let them macerated with some sugar and a vanilla bean...



Then we cooked them with some more sugar and turned them into some delicious & delightful jam which we canned and labeled...



For our teachers, we attached a simple little tag...



I think it was a hit.  I know we have been eating the heck out of it around here!

Speaking of strawberries, have you tried this...



Strawberry Abita.  It is delicious!  My sister introduced me to it during our work weekend at the lake.  I hear it is hard to find.  She said some man gave her dirty looks when she grabbed up the only 4 six-packs at the grocery store!

Tubes on Tuesday

Owen got tubes in his ears on Tuesday.  We have been battling fluid in the ears for about a month now...so we opted for tubes.  He is the first of our 3 to have them [not sure how we have dodged that bullet until now].

We had to be at the surgery center center at 6:30 am.  We woke him up and shoved him in the car...



...he is not really sure what is going on.  [Thank you Debbie for getting the other 2 to school.]

We got checked in and were taken back to a room.  They gave us a baby hospital gown to put on him.  It was quite hysterical...



Then about 15 minutes before his turn, they gave us some "baby valium" to relax him.  He was even more hysterical...



...Jody and I just set there cracking up at him!  The surgery went great.  He was a little onry when he came out from recovery but after a good nap in his bed, he was up and at them.

He was feeling so great, I decided that we would surprise Banks at lunch.  Banks was thrilled we popped in [so was the rest of the class...they all love babies].

First we visited the class rain forest...



...isn't it fabulous?  They all had to pick an animal from the rain forest to research and then make from recyclable materials.  [Banks did the jaguar in the top middle.]  They all did such a great job.

Owen thought he was a big as the other boys.  He roamed the halls on the way back from lunch...



Then he tried to join the girls to see if he could help them out with their math...



He topped off his day with a popcycle in the bath tub...