Glen VS The Water

 This summer I wanted Glen to put his head under water.  Simple right?  WRONG!
He was determined to not go under water.  I tried to go under with him.  I tried to make it a game.  I tried to make it fun and easy so that he could see that it was not that bad.

 Each time I would hear "No Mommy, I don't want to"  "Don't make me"  So I did not make him.  Until one day at the pool I went under really quick while he was in my arms.  He coughed and sputtered when we came back up but he smiled and giggled too.

 So when he asked to do it again, I did.  Then Amy had a great idea to turn it into a game.  He wore the goggles and if he put his head under water, she would make a special number with her hands and he would have to tell her how many her special number was.

He was so proud of himself for going under.  He was so happy to play the game.  He said "I went under, it was so much fun I can not stop doing it!"

So proud of him!

Bridging to Brownie

 Last September we were informed that one of Grace's great friends was in girl scouts.  Then she found out that another of her friends was in the same troop.  So after talking with her about it we deicded to have her join that troop and try out being a daisy.

 She loved it!  She loved the service projects.  She enjoyed the crafts.  She really liked that her friends were there.

 And her favorite part of the year was selling cookies at a cookie booth in the FREEZING cold!

 She was a daisy for one year, now she bridges to brownie.

 At the ceremony the current brownies welcomed her.

 And put her sash on.

 I am happy with the group.  I like what she has been learning.  I think that it is good for her.

 We now have a brownie in the house.

 I can not wait to see where the troop takes her, and how far she may go with the scouts.

 Cookies anyone?

(Since Grace was a daisy for one year I did not buy her a sash or a vest or anything.  So I took all of her patches she got this year and made a framed wall hanging.  I think it turned out very well.  It is a nice memory of all of the fun things she was able to do with her troop for the first year.)

National Zoo

 One of the field trips that first grade took (and the only one that I was able to accompany) was to the National Zoo in Washington DC.

 We rode in charter buses up to the zoo then we were let loose to explore the zoo for about 4 hours.  It was a great time.  Grace had made a very good friend this past year who's name is Andrew.  Andrew's mom and I decided to team up so Andrew and Grace had a blast going around the zoo and having a great time in general.

 We got to see so many animals.  Grace's favorite was the monkeys and the cheetahs.

 During our time of looking at animals we also found a merry-go-round in the middle of the park.

 So we let the kids have one turn on the ride.  They loved it!

 Grace was allowed to buy one thing from the gift shop.  She chose a mommy and baby monkey set.  She also decided to strap it on Andrew like a backpack.

 He was a good sport and kept it on for awhile.

 It was a great day.  However the ride home was crazy.  The ride should take 2-3 hours.  It took us 5 hours to get home.  We had some tired, hungry kids by time time we got home.  But it was a happy and very good day.

Last Day of Preschool

 Glen is now done with preschool (well he has been since May, but I am a bit behind).  He has grown quite a bit in the past year physically, but also mentally and socially.  I am so proud of who he is becoming.

 Just like the tradition in the past, the class paraded up the hill to the shelter by the playground.

 Then they got bags with a class picture, book, and pencil pouch with items they may need in kindergarten in it.

 Next was the snack that they had with the parents that could make it.

 I think Glen is happy to be moving on to elementary school...

But he will miss his best friend Dillon.  It has been a good two years but we are looking forward to Kindergarten.