A Little Update

It’s been a long time since I updated my blog. There has been a lot of good and bad things happening lately. Here’s a run down on the good:
Teacher Appreciation Week- I was a little overwhelmed with this task. I needed to decorate her door on Monday and then do acts of kindness every day that week. As usual the parents of the children in this class are flakes. I didn’t have any volunteers, and very few donations come in. I had specific ideas about the door and I needed someone inventive with an architectural touch to help me. Soooo, I went home to my dad. We made this:

I was thrilled. I loved it and so did Miss Christensen. The kids all thought their door was the best in the school, and of course it was. Tuesday I brought in a snack of yummy cupcakes for Miss Christensen and her mom (who helps out a lot in her class when she isn’t feeling overly well.) Wednesday I made a candy-gram, and Thursday Jack and I stuffed thank you cards the kids made into helium balloons and brought her a big bouquet. She let the kids pop the balloons and read the cards out loud. Halle said it was a lot of fun. Friday I brought in a flower for each child to give her. It was a great week and it was fun to serve. She is an amazing first year teacher and is very dedicated to her classroom despite health issues. We are very lucky to have been placed in her class and I have really enjoyed being her room mom. Hopefully Halle will remember with fondness the time I spent in the classroom with her in first grade.

May 9th- My parents came to visit and brought Grandma Western. It was so nice to have them here. They helped me mow and trim the lawn and then gave me their mower. We had a nice dinner and Dad fixed my dishwasher as well. We ran errands and had a great time. I am so grateful that my parents are so willing to use their day off to help me when I need it. Mowing my lawn and cleaning the filter of my dishwasher are not lovely tasks, but that certainly doesn’t matter. I am grateful for a family with unconditional love, even when it’s a yucky task.
Dance Recital- May 9th was Halle’s Spring Recital for dance. Halle has been in the 8 year old class all year and she keeps up wonderfully! She is graceful and she does a great job in both ballet and tap. Gymnastics are a little bit of a challenge. What can I say? She’s her mother’s daughter. She was very excited to perform and didn’t seem very nervous about being on stage at all. I looked very closely and she was the most beautiful girl on stage. She is still taller than the 8 year olds. I love it.

Mother’s Day- May 10th we celebrated the holiday the day before with my parents. I had a great day with the kids. They were so excited that it was Mother’s Day and I got many hugs, kisses and "Happy Mother’s Day." The kids colored me gifts all day long but my favorite gift was a card that Halle made at school:

I am grateful for my mother, for the love and support she gives me every day. I am thankful for her patience and for loving me in just the right way. She never pushes me. She is constant, and kind, and I strive to be like her. I love you mom.
Halle’s 7th Birthday- May 11th And what a day it was! We had a lot of fun. Halle took snacks to school and she got to bring home a teddy bear. She had presents waiting at home for her, and yes there was a pink scooter. There was also her own nail polish bag with some really cool polishes. (What was I thinking?) We then went to celebrate her birthday with a party at Classic Skating. There was pizza, cake, and a lot of scootering. It was a blast.

And a cute random picture of Jack, for all his fans out there.