Saturday, May 25, 2013

Don't Fight the Tide, Come Along For the Ride

That's not a Bama reference, for the record. It's from this:


You should watch the video because I shouldn't be the only one with that groovy tune stuck in her head.

Let's face it... they were no Partridge Family. Behold, the origins of autotune!

What was I-? Oh, yes. Might be time to get the TSH checked again. SQUIRREL!

<real post>
It's graduation season!

I've made a couple of graduation cakes- I hope to make a LOT more this time next year.

There is so much gear in my cake room that I literally forgot I had a  Cricut Cake until I was trying to figure out how to do this cake. It is time to move all this stuff into a shop, right?

Both of the monsters graduated from their respective schools.

Bug's graduation was in her school cafeteria.


There was a lovely reception spread and the teachers called the kids' names and gave out awards. Bug won her class art award. The ceremony was short and sweet. And, Bug's amazing teacher made each kid a scrapbook with pictures of them doing things throughout their entire pre-K year. They're full of pictures, poems, handprints, and stories. And they're all hand-made. Those things must have taken hours and hours, and I absolutely treasure it.



This is the same teacher who came to Bug's ballet recital and birthday party. I've known teachers who have invested their lives into their students before, but they're rare. It's phenomenal seeing it happen from the parent perspective. We were very lucky this year and will miss Mrs. Grouby terribly.


Oh, yeah. And, Bug managed to test to mastery on all the kindergarden standards by the end of pre-K. Sheesh.

Then, a quick stop at the doctor for this sinus infection and I was off to meet the family at Boo's graduation.

Boo's graduation was in the rec center next to his school. It was hotter and much more crowded than Bug's ceremony. There was no reception after, and many parents were talking on their cell phones throughout the program. Not cool.


Boo wore a medal around his neck that said "Honor Roll". He got all S's on all his academics (and conduct) all year. 


 See the picture on the board behind them? Boo's teacher made a movie of her class and their adventures this year. She gave each kid a copy It's adorable. Boo's watched it at least a dozen times so far.


But the best thing Boo's teacher sent home was the writing journal. She took that kid right there, the kid who couldn't hold a pencil correctly, the kid who was scared to learn to read, and she made him a writer. He writes all the time. All. The. Time. I now understand that it's because Ms. Mark built in her class the habit of writing. When Boo sees something that might be worth writing down, he does it. You can see that habit develop in the writing journal.

There's a page for every day. The early pages are mostly random marks and drawings. Near the scribbles, in neat teacher handwriting, the intent of the message is translated.


As the year progresses, the letters become more easily recognized, words form, spelling happens, and punctuation starts. It's amazing. The May entries are multi-sentence paragraphs about life as a kindergartener.

He also reads now. This teacher gave our son a love of books- mostly Junie B. Jones. He's always enjoyed being read to, but now he can read to himself.

Next year, the kids will be back together at the same school. They were separated this year because the pre-K program is only run out of two locations in our school system.

For now, though, we're looking at a summer of adventure and baking. It's going to be a good one!

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