Moving Rooms

I started on my first goal of the summer today, which is to move my scrapbook room to what was previously the kids' playroom in the basement. The kids rarely used that room or any of the toys in it. We are also turning the old scrapbook room into a guest room. We started by clearing out all the toys. Then I drew a floor plan of the room and made paper representations of all the furniture to be moved and figured out the best layout. With some help from Maelle, I was able to move all the furniture in. There is still A LOT of stuff left in the guest room, and I plan on going through everything and getting rid of much of it. I also hope to get caught up on scrapbooking this summer so I can get rid of the things I don't need to hold onto anymore. I'm looking forward to continuing and finishing this project this summer. 

Home Sweet Home

We are all officially on vacation! (Except Chris who has to work a half day tomorrow, but then is off until Wednesday.) I drove up to get the kids from Cheryl and Mark's. The kids have had an awesome start to their summer at the lake and with their cousins! It was nice to have a little respite from the daily duties of parenting, but I'm glad they are home! Now we can just relax (and clean the house and weed the gardens and paint several things around here that need to be painted and...). Happy summer!

Final Farewell

I finished packing up my office today. At some point during the next two months, all of my professional belongings will be moved to South Early Learning Center where I will set up my new office and begin my next adventure as an Instructional Coach. To say I'm excited would be an understatement. I am so ready! But first.......summer!!!

Hay

While we were gone this weekend, the neighbors' farmer cut down the hay in their field. Chris was a little bummed because he was thinking of asking them if they would cut the hay on the other side of the creek for us the next time they are out there. It's only about an acre, but it would give us a few bales to store away for the winter, since our hogs (yes, I said hogs) go through it so quickly in the winter. Well, Chris stopped over there tonight and talked to the farmer when he always bailing the hay. He said he'd be happy to hay our field and that he can do it next week. We were both so excited! I'm sure it won't be nearly enough, but it's kind of nice to be able to use some of our own resources to get our pigs through the winter. 

Junior Lifeguards

Maelle and Bella took a Junior Lifeguard class at Great Wolf Lodge today. The boys opted for playing in the arcade instead. We got to FaceTime with them as they were having a dessert of ice cream cones. It looks and sounds like they are having an awesome time. Thank you, Aunt Cheryl, Uncle Mark, and Michayla!

Great Wolf Lodge

The adventure continues for Benny and Maelle. We left the cottage at 10:00 this morning and met Cheryl, Mark, Michayla, Tony, and Bella in Clare for lunch. Then everyone (except Chris and me) headed north to Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City. It looks like they are already having a great time. We will see them again on Friday when I drive up to Cheryl and Mark's to finally bring them home. 

Grandma Gloria

The kids had a great time at the cottage with Grandma and Grandpa this week. Grandpa was out of town today, but I got this cute picture of Grandma with the kids. A little while later, Maelle remarked how much she is going to miss being here. I know she will. I promised her that we would definitely be back a few more times this summer. 

Up North

Chris, Winston, and I drove up to the cottage today. It was so nice to see the kids and Clive and Gloria. It rained a lot of the way here, but thankfully cleared up and turned into a very nice day. We did some swimming and later on Chris an I took a pontoon boat ride around the lake. I was even able to read a little bit and close my eyes for about an hour or so. It was a good day. 

Dinner Out and a Sign

Tonight I had dinner with some of the most amazing people I know, the TPS Ad Team, with whom I have had the honor and privilege of working the last four plus years. It was a very enjoyable evening. I have so much respect for everyone on the team, and I will miss working so closely with them next year. Thankfully I know that they will still be there to support me in my new role. I was surprised with this very special gift. It is a sign for our farm. I have been wanting to make a sign to hang out by the road but I haven't found the time to make one. This is just perfect. It is so special! Thank you to Laurie and everyone on the team. You all have had a positive impact on my life that I will never forget. 

Instant Pot

This arrived in the mail yesterday. I really wanted an Instant Pot, but I was surprised to see it, since I didn't order it. It was a gift from my sister Jayne. She bought one a couple of months ago for herself and has been raving about it since then. She saw a good deal on one, and ordered it for us. I'm really excited to try it out. It will be perfect for those evenings when we have to come home from school and quickly head off to an event or practice. I plan on using it with the kids this summer so we can find and perfect our favorite recipes before school starts. Thanks, Jayne!

Rainbow

I know I just posted that picture of the barn after the rain yesterday, but I just couldn't resist using this picture of the amazing double rainbow over the house today. Another very quick storm rolled through this evening and left this. So beautiful! 

Rain

It has been so dry the last week or so. Everything has really started to turn brown. We got a little bit of rain over the weekend, but not nearly enough to make much difference. Today we had a couple of passing showers, one this afternoon and one this evening. Although we could still use more, I am thankful for the tenth of an inch we did get. 

Fathers Day

With the kids up north, Winston was the only one here to dote on Chris for Fathers Day, although the kids did call to wish Chris a happy Fathers Day. I was here to help him move five of the piglets out to the front pasture. It was a gorgeous day (and we got about 10 minutes worth of rain). We grilled out steak and had salad for supper. I hope Chris had a great day! I also want to be sure to wish a happy Fathers Day to my dad and Chris's dad. They have both done so much for all of us. We love you! Happy Fathers Day to all the wonderful dads out there!

Date Night

It's been a while since Chris and I have had a date night. With the kids up north, we took the opportunity to go out to eat and then rented a movie from Red Box. The last few weeks have been really busy with the end of the school year, so it's been nice to have some time to just hang out with Chris tonight. 

I was asked to sing at the funeral for a dear friend's father. I was honored to do so. I was nervous because I wanted to do a really good job for them. Thankfully everything went well. I also worked today and realized that I have a whole lot of packing to do. I plan on going in tomorrow to see if I can make some progress. 

Farewell Herrick Park

What a bittersweet day it was. It was the last day of school, the last day of Herrick Park, and my last day in the role of principal. To say that I have loved being part of something so special as Herrick Park Elementary would be an understatement. It has been an honor and a blessing. It's hard to say goodbye to the place that has been my home for over 18 years. Next year I will be in a new role as an Instructional Coach for  kindergarten through second grades. I am looking forward to working in classrooms with teachers and learners every day. Maelle was also sad to say goodbye to an awesome teacher, Miss Jennifer Foster. She would much rather keep going to to school than have summer vacation. We also celebrated as a Tecumseh Staff and recognized our retirees, including our own Kathy Smith. She will be missed dearly. I felt so much pride and joy to be part of our amazing district. There is nowhere else I'd rather be. Farewell, sweet HP. You will always hold a special place in my heart. I love you. 

Farewell Fourth Grade

Today was the Herrick Park Fourth Grade Graduation Ceremony. Although Benny and a few other Herrick Park fourth graders, actually attend Tecumseh Middle School this year, they were invited back for the celebration. Each learner received a graduation certificate and one that was decided upon by their classmates stating what they are most likely to become when they grow up. Benny's was an FBI agent. We also watched the slide show and had refreshments. It was a very nice event commemorating this milestone. I'm excited about next year, but it's hard to believe how fast the last 6 years have gone since Benny started at Herrick Park.  

Loose Tooth

This morning Benny asked me, on a scale of 1 to 10, how loose his tooth is. At that point, I said 7. Right before bed he asked me again and showed me. This time I said 9.5. It is hanging by a thread. I asked him if he wanted me to just pull it out, but he said no. I'm guessing it will come out some time tomorrow. I can't imagine it staying in there any longer than that. 

Biography Project

Maelle was so excited to share her biography project with her class today. She researched J. K. Rowling, author of the popular book series, Harry Potter. We all learned a lot about Ms. Rowling throughout the last few weeks. Maelle was very excited to dress like her and we were lucky to dig into a box of clothes we received from cousin Lindsay years ago to find the perfect outfit. (They all fit perfectly now!) We found a beautiful green dress and sweater that looked just like something J. K. Rowling was wearing in one of her pictures on the internet. Maelle even put on some dangley earrings. She looked very grown up and professional. I was thrilled to be there while she presented all she had learned to her class. I am so proud of her!  

Wiffle Ball and Bees

Benny and Chris enjoyed some time together this evening playing Wiffle Ball while Maelle and I went out to check on the bee hives. I'm happy to report that the three splits we made last month now have laying queens! We saw lots of brood and eggs in all three. We didn't stay out in the bee yard long, though, because it was still about 90 degrees at 7:30. (Hotter in a bee suit!)

Soccer

Benny's soccer team started their tournament weekend last night. Unfortunately with the Picnic at Herrick Park, he was unable to play in the first couple of games. Thankfully his team won one of their games, so play continued for them this morning. The first game was at 8:00 in Ida, about 40 minutes away. The team played very well, but they came up one goal short of the win. I was really proud of Benny. He scored a really nice goal for his team. I hope he will continue playing soccer. I've seen his skills grow every season. Thanks to the great coaches who helped make this a great season!

Farewell Picnic and Talent Show

Tonight was the annual HP Picnic and Talent Show. It is one of my favorite events every school year. Maelle performed in two acts: hula hooping and singing "Gary Indiana" from The Music Man. Mr. Simon and I also did a duet of "Time of Your Life." We had a great turnout, great food, entertainment, and everyone had a great time. It was bittersweet sharing the evening with my amazing school family. I will miss them next year. 

Ice Cream with Benny's Team

Tonight was Benny's last soccer practice of the season. His tournament is this weekend. It was such a fun season watching this team learn how to work together and increase their skills. After practice, The coaches bought all the players ice cream. Maelle and I joined them too. It was a great night for ice cream with friends. 

Ice Cream and Memories

Chris and Benny sat down together over bowls of vanilla ice cream tonight. Benny topped his with chocolate sauce, which he mixed in to essentially make chocolate ice cream. Chris chose maple syrup on his ice cream. He said it reminded him of winter days in Montreal at the maple syrup farm rolling up syrup and snow on a stick. Sounds delicious! 

Baby Apples

I fed the pigs tonight, and as I walked by the apple trees in our yard, I noticed the tiny apples that have begun to appear. Chris trimmed the branches of these trees sometime during the fall or winter. I can't remember exactly when. The trees have grown back nicely and many apples have started to grow. Hopefully we will get lots of apples so we can make lots of pies and applesauce this fall. 

Playing

After piano lessons the kids went outside to play until bedtime. I could hear them laughing and pretending and having so much fun together. They were bummed when it was time to come in and get ready for bed. I let them play for a few more minutes and took some pictures. I think they may have been looking for a place to build a fort or something. I look forward to summer when they can play outside all day long. 

THS Graduation 2017

Today was a very special and exciting day: Tecumseh High School graduation. About 200 learners walked across the stage to receive their diplomas. Some of them were my former second graders. I am so proud of each and every one. It is such a special and memorable experience to shake hands with each graduate as he or she walks by with diploma in hand, brimming with pride. I am honored to have had a role, albeit a small one, in making this day possible for our learners. 

Buffalo Wild Wings

We had some gift cards for Buffalo Wild Wings and decided to use them tonight. After church we drove to Adrian to pick up our wings. We figured it would cost a lot more if we just went there to eat. We got 25 medium and 25 honey barbecue wings.  The kids and Chris said the Buffalo Wings were not hot enough. I disagreed. We all thought the honey barbecue were delicious. All said and done, we had 14 Wings left. This is something we all agreed we would like to do again. 

My Guitar Girl

I was playing my guitar tonight, which I haven't done in a while. Maelle came into my room and asked if I would teach her how to play. I said yes. The only thing is, I don't really know much. I only know a few chords and a couple of strumming patterns. I really only play the guitar so that I have accompaniment when I sing. Maelle didn't mind. I taught her four chords: D, G, C, and Em. My guitar is a little big for her, but she did okay. Hopefully she will continue to practice and even learn a few more chords. We will also have to get her (smaller) guitar restrung soon. 

Science Night

Tonight was Science Night at school. It was the Imagination Station Science Festival, and the theme was Energy. This is such a great program. There were 12 different hands-on activities for the families to check out. I am so grateful for all of the teachers, parents, older siblings, and former students who volunteered their time to help make tonight a success. We had a lot of families come through, and everyone had a great time.