Tuesday, May 16, 2017

8 Years, 3 Months...Winding down the end of the year!

We have had some fun school activities at the end of the year.  We had a Celebrate the Arts night where our artwork was displayed in the hallway.  We got to hear the choir perform and did a God's Eye craft in the art trailer.  I also went to the choir pirate musical to support my 3rd grade friends.  The Bees (2nd and 3rd graders) went on a field trip to the Science Center. It was a quick trip as we came back before the end of the day.  Ella and Ranijah were in my group and Mom was in charge of us. I helped Mom with the remaining Leader in Me groups.  We had Donuts with Dudes and Daddy was able to come!  We also had a Literacy Carnival that was a lot of fun.  We played a lot of games and entered tickets into a drawing.  I won a set of chapter books (which I read in one weekend!)
The school year is coming to an end.  I have worked really hard this year.  We were all trying to get our best score on our STAR reading test.  I got two points lower than my best.  I was so disappointed.  So, I tried again on an iPad in the hallway, and blew my high score out of the water!  Mrs. Gross said I made over 3 years' growth in one year.  She never saw anything like that!  I'm also scoring my best on my STAR math test.  I got my name in a drawing for the highest score and it was chosen for a play date with Mrs. Gross and her son Kohen (whom I absolutely love!)  I can't wait!
We had the best student teacher this year in addition to the best teacher.  Miss K. did so many fun things with us.  She was a great artist and really cared about us.  It was hard to say goodbye to her.  She really loved the ducks and chicks that we got to have in our classroom for a week at a time. The ducks were so funny and loved to swim.  We named them Big Bird and Mizzou.  The next week, nine chicks hatched!  Some of their names were Chirp (I named him), Nugget (Miss K named him), JoJo, Popcorn, and Totally Not Food.  They were hard to say goodbye to as well!
I ended up with a crazy ear infection this month.  Nothing else bothered me and I never ran a fever, but man, my ear hurt!  I had to have drops put in 4 times a day.  Thank goodness I go to school with Mommy!
We also went to our first orthodontist consult.  (We will have another one later this month before deciding where to go.)  I was really nervous to go at first because I only heard horror stories from Corinne.  I loved Dr. Francis!  Carrie's mom works in the office too.  I will have to have 4 brackets on my front top teeth and an expander to correct my crossbite for about 9 months.  Then I will probably have to have another set of braces after my permanent teeth are in.
It was a month of birthday parties too!  I went to the roller rink for Cami's party.  Then, I had three parties in one day!  I went to Flipz for Kayleigh's party, Lazer Lanes for bumper cars and lazer tag at Ella's birthday, and then to Nana Arden's for Daddy's birthday!  At Ella's party, we played games to earn tickets.  At the end, we cashed them in for prizes.  I got a miniature Rubic's cube and a Jolly Rancher.  Ella's card wouldn't load and she was disappointed so I gave her my prizes.  I was happy to do it, but it was really hard too.  Mommy gave me some Kohl's Cash that was going to expire, so we stopped there before Daddy's party.  Instead of getting something for myself, I wanted to get something for Daddy and Grandma Kathy's birthday and Emily.  Mommy made me use most of it on myself!
We had some family events this month.  We went to Sarah and Greg's for a bonfire, but we had to leave before the bonfire started.  I enjoyed playing with some of the other girls there.  I am really breaking out of my shell!  Mommy took Emily and me to Washington for Mother's Day.  We went to Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Tom's and spent the night.  The next day, we went out to Uncle Duane and Aunt Mary's.  I was looking forward to riding horses, but their hooves were hurting so we couldn't this time.  I rode on a 4 wheeler with Chase instead!  Then we drove back to Columbia to Aunt Lisa's house.  Our whole family was exhausted after that!
I have decided to not continue with Girl Scouts next year.  I had fun selling cookies, but there are other activities that I am more interested in.  I have expressed a strong interest in learning to play the piano.  I am also interested in doing Girls on the Run next year.
I ran in another track meet.  I took first place in the 100 meters with a time of 19.07.  I was so excited!  The 400 meters was a lot harder to do and I decided I needed to practice more to get better.  I took 4th with a time of 1:53.1.  Since that was pretty hard to run, I decided to scratch on the 800 meter, but to train for next time!
Our family got a basketball goal!  We weren't able to use it for a few days because of the rain, but we are enjoying it now that it is dry.  Daddy is showing me how to shoot properly (and I'm teaching Mom!)
I'm also doing really well in soccer.  I've had a lot of spectators too!  I scored three goals in one game!  We are working a lot harder as a team.  Coach told Mom that I had a lot of potential and she would love to make me an excellent player if she could have me for more time.  She also recommended me to go to a selective group that will learn some more skills later this month.  My friends are not liking soccer as much as I do though, so this might be the end of some of our time together.
Throwing the ball in
 Emily holding Big Bird, I'm holding Mizzou
 Kissing ducks
 Finding out I got first place in the 100 meter!  (I screamed so loud!)
 Getting on the track with Makayla
 Ready to run the 100 meter
 Ready to run the 400 meter
 Sister love
 King Tut sign at the Science Center (my major class at EEE)
The relaxing game and levitating balls
 Constructing the arch
Arm painting at Kids on Track
Lazer tag and games at Ella's birthday party
Saying good-bye to Miss K was really hard!  She was a great student teacher!
 Reading the bible to Emily
 Shooting hoops
 Donuts with Dudes
 Farmer Ellie
Riding the 4-wheeler with Chase!
Reading bible stories in the tent
Running the 100 meter
Running the 400 meter
Swish!
The best part on the field trip to the Science Center
Goal kick and defense!

Saturday, April 15, 2017

8 Years, 2 Months...Lots of activity!

On St. Patrick's Day, we had a leprechaun visit my classroom!  He made a mess out of the place.  We went on a hunt with clues to try and find him, but we weren't successful.  One Saturday, I helped Daddy in the yard without complaining.  I got to have a donut date with Daddy the next day!  We also went to Barnes and Noble to spend some gift cards that we had.  I could spend all day in a book store or library!  We had a girls' movie night and watched The Little Mermaid.  My comment was, "I like Ariel because of the romance."
We also had spring break this month, the same time as Daddy!  Mommy and I cleaned out my closet so we are ready for spring and summer.  We also did a cookie booth and I loved it.  I did a lot of errands with her that day-Once Upon a Child, The Wardrobe to drop off clothes, the library, Sam's, and HyVee.
I also had a lot of play dates over spring break.  Corinne spent the night and we watched Fox and the Hound 2.  The next night was a play date with my preschool friends.  During this one, I told my friend Carrie that Brynn told me at EEE that she hates me and Carrie and likes Bella better.  Mommy and I talked about how we shouldn't tell people mean things we hear about them.  (This ended up causing problems with my friends the next week because all my friends said that I made up what Brynn said to me.  It was a really hard night to have all my friends call me a liar.  After walking off and crying, I learned to come back and hear what they had to say.  I still don't think I am a liar, but I shouldn't have told Carrie what I did.)  The next day, I got to have a fun play date and sleepover at my house with Cami.  On Wednesday, I spent the afternoon with Nana Arden.  We went to St. Louis and Washington the next two days.  We took Papa Ron out for his birthday and got to see his new office.  Then, we went to Washington.  I got 11 inches cut off my hair to donate to Children with Hair Loss! I love it and am very proud!  (We tricked Daddy for April Fools and told him I wasn't going to do it.  Boy, was he surprised when he saw me!)  We hung out with Grandma Kathy and went clothes shopping and got to see Grandpa Tom a little.
I went to Lazer Lanes for lazer tag for Grace's birthday party and had a really fun time.  We also went to Prairie Fork Conservation Area for a EEE field trip.  We got to dig up clay pots and other artifacts for my archaeology class.  I had 2 ticks there-one I was able to brush off, but the other one Mrs. Richardson had to pull out of my skin.  That kind of freaked me out! I had an upset tummy and diarrhea one Sunday and stayed home with Nana Arden that Monday because I still wasn't feeling well.
We had a few Girl Scouts meetings this month.  Even though I started to like selling cookies, I don't think I want to do Girl Scouts next year.  I also like to help Mommy out with her Leader in Me group after school. I also helped her decorate the school for our state testing.  I really love to help!  Soccer practice has started again. I scored a goal in the first game and had an assist in the second.  Nana Arden and Papa Rodney came to both of those games.  Papa Ron and Nana Carol came up for my first game and we went out to Bob Evans' after.  Papa Rick and Nana Peggy came to my second game when they were in town.  They came over the night before and we ate pizza and had fun playing outside in the yard.  We got to hang out at Aunt Lisa's before Easter.  Tomorrow should be a very busy day-3 Easters!
Daddy-daughter donut date
 Riding my bike
 Look mom, no hands!
 My castle
 Cousin love
 Sister love
 Going to get our summer pool passes!
 Dance party with Cami
 She just plopped down in my lap!
 Showing Emily the benefits of Shelter Insurance
 Happy birthday Papa Ron!
 Visiting with Great-Grandma Rose
 Before the hair cut
During

And after
Massive curls!
 Being silly in the morning before school
 Playing at the park with Daddy
Checking for fish
 Posing at the lake
 In action at the first soccer game!
 Visiting the Easter Bunny
Showing Emily something cool on the iPad
 Learning about the world with Papa Rick
 Grandparent snuggles
 We found our eggs at Nana Arden and Papa Rodney's (Easter #1)

 Ready to go at Nana Carol and Papa Ron's (Easter #2!)
 Hunting

 Found them!
 With Mommy
 Heading out to find the eggs at Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Tom's (Easter #3!)
 I couldn't get there fast enough!

Sisters dance party