Thursday, June 15, 2017

8 1/3 Years Old...End of 2nd grade fun!


I went to the 5th grade graduation.  Part of it was boring, but it did get me thinking about when I will be in 5th grade!  I worked really hard on my reading this year.  I was disappointed when I only got my second highest score on the STAR reading test, but then I blew my score out of the water when I was able to take it on an iPad out in the hallway.  My name was put in a drawing, and I was so excited when I was one of the students chosen to go on a play date with Mrs. Gross and her son Kohen!  We went to McDonald's play place instead of the park because it stormed that day.  It was also too cold to have our field day at school, so we did a movie afternoon instead.  We watched Inside Out, and I didn't cry!  I think it is because I already saw it once.  We had our awards assembly, and my awards were Outstanding Academic Achievement in Reading, Outstanding Academic Achievement in Math, Math Whiz (for ST Math), and Teacher's Assistant.  I was really sad that school was over for the year.  Miss K came back on the last day!  That was amazing!
Our first day of break was supposed to be a day of meetings for Mommy, but those were cancelled so we ended up doing errands that day.  In fact, the next week was a lot of errands too!  I was a pretty good sport though.  We went to a middle school for a going away party for someone Mommy works with, and I was thrilled to see they had the next Baby-Sitter's Club graphic novel that I hadn't read.  I actually read the whole thing during that party!  I also got to go to Emily's graduation.  I was pretty sad because Daddy went to her graduation but couldn't make it to my awards assembly.  We talked about it, and he always has a way of making me feel better.
I had one play date at Brynn's.  We haven't had too many of those lately because we have been busy with end of the year things.  I was able to have two play dates and a sleep over with Ella and Gabe.  I am so glad we are such good friends!  Auntie Heather, Uncle Sean, Ashley, and Ian came and spent the night too one night.  All of us kids got along so well this time!
Soccer finished up this month.  I was able to play one game against Madelyn.  That was my best game yet.  I played really hard, and my whole team worked well together.  We had a rainy week and had a cancelled game, so our family went out for donuts that day.  My coach nominated me to play at a Soccer All Stars camp.  That was a lot of fun to play with a lot of kids who loved soccer.  I made good friends with a girl named Lila here.  (She's also taller than me!) Coach Steve asked me to try out for the competitive team, but Mom and Dad decided to pass this year due to the time and financial commitment.  I am also wanting to play volleyball and learn to play the piano.  There just isn't time for everything!
I started EEE summer school.  I was kind of nervous until I found out that Lila was there!  We should be going to EEE together on the same day next year.  So far at summer school, I had a class in art history and a class about Rome.  I am really enjoying my teachers a lot.  We went to a field trip to MU's Art and Archaeology Museum which was really cool.  We also get to go swimming once a week.
We also have pool passes this summer, so Mommy has taken me a couple of times.  When Emily was there, I stuck with them and dove for pool toys.  When she wasn't there, I think Mommy and I went down the slide at least 25 times!  Our family also went to a My Little Pony concert at the library.  That would have been right up my alley about 4 years ago!
I'm working really hard to learn how to ride my bike without training wheels. It was my idea, and it is hard, but I'm not giving up!  I am also working to stop sucking my thumb.  We got this disgusting stuff to put on my thumb, but it seems to be working.  At the same time, Emily is giving up her pacifier at night.  I offered to sleep without brown puppy that first night.  That was really hard!  We are getting closer to braces.  We just have to wait for insurance to kick in, so I'll be sporting them right at the start of the school year!
Girl Scout End of the Year Ceremony
Nighttime with Emily
After our 3.1 mile run
Being silly with Emily
A rare snuggle with Daddy
Last day of 2nd grade

With Emily
Me with Mr. Foster, one of Daddy's former basketball players (He called me "Little Boyer")
I'm going to miss Miss Garmon, my math teacher
And of course Mrs. Gross!
It was super hard saying good-bye to Miss K!
They made a great 2nd grade teaching team!
I'm just arranging the gift cards at Hy-Vee.  Nothing to see here!
I got to play against Madelyn!
We were even the same number this year!
Just a friendly rivalry
Madelyn and me in action
Soccer All-Stars with Coach Steve

(Here I am kicking against my new friend Lila!)
Last game of the season
Team picture
And of course, the goofy one!
Emily's graduation day
Hanging out with Molly
Twist gets love too
Working hard on riding my bike with no training wheels
I got this!
Summer nights...
Not complete unless you have ice cream!
All sass lately
Playing nicely with Emily
At the My Little Pony concert (this was about 4 years too late for me!)
All ready for lessons!
Using my long legs to climb
All Star Soccer
Emily ruins this game every time!
She just won't work with me
I have my own cheering section (Learning to ride bike)
Back on the slide

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!