Last day of Kindergarten & the start of summer...

Maggie finished Kindergarten last Wednesday. I can't believe how fast the year flew by! She grew so much and can't wait to start 1st grade.

It's been summer for a week, but we've been so busy we haven't had much time to ease into it yet. Last Thursday we spent the day in Omaha visiting doctors about Gracie's nose. It had continued to bleed and spearing you the details, I'll just say "be gross". We got some new medicine, a 2nd opinion and in the last week things have REALLY shaped up. She still wants an ice pack every day but I think it's just habit I'm not sure she remembers where to put it :)

Maggie got a sewing machine for her Birthday, she's really been working on it.
She is an expert ice pack maker...let me know if you'd like to place an order :)

 



While I was in Omaha, I got to sign the papers and officially sell our building downtown!!! It was a relief and the new owners are great people who will really use that space. It wasn't the HUGE investment we hoped it would be, before the market crashed, but it worked out ok. As a part of the transaction we now own a little office building on L street. The parking isn't nearly as useful to our friends and family, but it's a good little investment (as opposed to our previous BIG investment!) I left the building closing and went and signed the papers to list our Douglas Street house, it's "get rid of real estate" month around here! It'll officially be on the market next week....I'm hoping I feel as good about that deal when it's done.

After everything was wrapped up, we headed for Camp. We had a great weekend with mostly nice weather. There were a couple of real downpours and we came home with plenty of mud, but it was still great to be out there.

Mom, Dad, Arnie, Mark and Maggie did a little project while we were there. Maggie was the official bolt getter :)

That's A LOT of mud! Our dinner was on the grill, thankfully it passed pretty quickly so
our potatoes weren't burnt!

"Want a bite Elsie??"

"Nope, we're not up to anything! why?"

Grandpa hung a new tire swing at the park. Gracie didn't want
anything to do with it, but Maggie liked it.

This week we've been busy getting a few projects wrapped up around here and getting ready to head for the beach.

While Maggie got a haircut Gracie got the Royal treatment :)

This week Grandma Betti got to watch Maggie ride. I think Grandma was a little
afraid she might get run over.

Yesterday we got to spend the morning at the park with some friends. Hopefully in the next couple of moths there are lots more days like that!

They were playing Hide & Go Seek....this is how Gracie and Lauren decided to hide???

 

Last night was Maggie's first softball game of the year. She did great and her team won by 1 run. They didn't do much cheering....I guess they need to warm up to the season a little :)

 

 We're off to the beach in the morning. I can't wait for a little sunshine and lots of play time!

Maggie's Birthday!

Maggie has been six for a week and a day (just ask her :)). She had a great time celebrating her big day, a few times!

The Friday before her Birthday Miss Lauren (a SAINT) & I picked all the girls in her class up from school and took them to the pottery place for a little party. Mrs. Marsden had been kind enough to walk them all to the ice cream shop that afternoon, so they were even more wound up then usual!

back row: Sophie, Keara, Desarae, Carly, Ella
middle: Claire, Addesen, Atley, Olivia
front: Maggie & Taylor

I have NO idea what was going on in this picture, but our expressions crack me up!

Arnie and Gracie joined us for ice cream.....Gracie was apparently not interested in being part of the party.

Gracie did join one last picture before we send them ALL home! Silly girls.

Maggie's actual Birthday was on Tuesday, it was also the last full day of school and Field Day. Maggie took horse cookies to school for treats and Arnie & I got to have lunch with her. Field day was long and hot so the kids were pretty tired by the time the day was over.

 

Maggie did not want to cancel her riding lesson for her Birthday. So after a long day at school she headed for the barn. She had really hoped to lope (run really fast) before her 6th Birthday, but hadn't been quite ready. Her Birthday was the BIG day, she was pumped! Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Deem and Uncle Mark got there in time to watch her do it. By the time she got home she was totally worn out, but she was determined to party :)

 

For her Birthday dinner she requested Prime Rib, baked potatoes, broccoli, garlic bread and strawberries :)

How many Grandma's does it take to get Maggie's food cut :)

After everyone left she went up to put her pajamas on, we went up to tell her good night and she was snoring on the top of her covers with all the lights on :) What a fun day!!!

Wednesday night, we had a last day of school celebration with our friends. We set up a movie in the back yard and had our own drive in. The weather was perfect and it was a great kick-off to summer! Maggie got lots more special treatment and we all had a great time!

Maggie is a lucky little girl! She has so many people who love her and who make all her BIG days special. I think six will be a good year for her :)



6!!!!!

Dear Maggie,
Six???? Six???? How in the world did we get here? It seems like we were just waiting for you to arrive, but it's also hard to believe all you've accomplished in your short life. This year has been a big one. You started Kindergarten, you made new friends, you learned a ton and you grew up so much.

You love school. Mrs. Marsden was such a great teacher for you. You worry way too much about how good your doing, whether your as smart (or really smarter) then all the other kids. You've always been at the top of your class, I wish I could come up with a way to convince you that that's not really what's most important. You're working on reading Chapter books and most of the books you read at school are 2nd grade books. You learned to add, subtract and even do a little multiplication (which you call groups) and division. With all you've learned in Kindergarten, I can't imagine what next year will bring.

Your favorite place to be is still on the back of a horse or even just in the barn. You'd never leave, if we let you. You were really hoping you'd lope by yourself before you turned 6, you are so close! You may even get to try it today. I love watching your confidence and control when you ride. You don't worry about anything and you seem to have no fear. I know you were hoping for a horse for your 6th Birthday, I hope you aren't disappointed when you don't get one. You and Chevy are a good pair, I'm pretty sure there is a horse in your future, but it'll have to wait until your at least 7 :)

You are very creative. You love to work on projects with me in the sewing room and especially love to be in the wood shop with Grandpa. Your constantly coloring, gluing, stamping, glittering....creating in the playroom.

This year you tried soccer and seemed to enjoy it. Daddy and I joke that we don't want to let you try new things, because you love them all and you never want to quit anything. That determination and attitude will serve you very well one day....but for now it keeps us all hopping. You also still play softball, have lots of activities at church, dabble in gymnastics and have started girl scouts.

You and Gracie drive each other crazy sometimes, but you are such a great big sister. Last night Gracie said she was afraid of the dark and wandered across the hall to your room, you scooted over and let her snuggle in. She was up to her usual shenanigans, trying to get you in trouble, but I watched you kiss her goodnight and rub her back. You watch out for her all the time and while sometimes her crazy free spirit makes you nuts, you do your best to manage the situation.

Daddy and I are so proud of you. We're proud of how smart and determined you are but more importantly we are proud of the kind of person you are. Last week one of your classmates mom told us that she didn't care which teacher her daughter ended up with next year, but they requested their daughter be with you, because you've been such a good friend to her in Kindergarten. That's pretty awesome. You love your family, your friends and your God with everything you have.

We couldn't ask for a more amazing little lady. I wish time could stand still for a bit, I feel your "little" years slipping away from us. I can't wait to see what's to come but I wish we had just a little more time to enjoy what is.

You blow me away every day and I love you more then you will ever understand,
Happy 6th Birthday Cowgirl!
Love, Mommy

Frozen!

Gracie LOVES the movie Frozen. She has most of the movie memorized.... (click the link below for a song.)
http://youtu.be/OhvP3-Ink5A

She and Maggie play Frozen a lot. They fight over who gets to be Elsa and who has to be Anna. Sometimes they even let Daddy be Olaf (the snowman).  A couple of weeks ago they tried to convinced Uncle Deem to play, they told him he could be the Dad. He said he didn't know how. Maggie told him, "you just have to get on the boat and die." Why are Disney movies so morbid!

Kindergarten

Kindergarten has been such a great experience for Maggie. She has really matured and has done so well in her class. One day last week her teacher was gone, so I went in to help the kids write Thank You letters to give her the last day of school. While we were there we took a class picture.....

....there are 21 of them right now, but 2 of the boys are moving over the summer. Next year there will be 13 girls and 6 boys!

When I got there Friday for my last day in their class they had written me thank you notes too. They were really sweet. Maggie wanted to be sure I knew that Mrs. Marsden said it was ok that she wrote "Dear Mom", instead of "Dear Miss Julie" like everyone else :)

 

10 years ago I would have thought you were crazy if you told me I'd be a stay at home Mom, but I am SO grateful for the time it allows me with my girls and their friends. I have really gotten to know Maggie's classmates and teacher this year and I am so glad. I know someday she won't want me at school, but for now I'm going to take advantage of the fact that she likes having me there. They're a great bunch of kids. One of the awesome things about Maggie's school is there is only one class of each grade, so for at leas the next 4 years, we will get to continue to enjoy this bunch!

Challenge!

A couple of weeks ago, Maggie was invited to take 3 tests to determine if she was eligible for the Challenge program at school next year. She was very nervous about the tests and we had no idea when we would get the results (which was driving her crazy!) This week, this letter came home.....

....not only did she do well on the test, she did awesome! She was so excited and REALLY proud of herself. She made lots of phone calls to tell everyone how great she did and grinned from ear to ear the whole time. We've always known how smart she was, I'm glad she can see it in her test scores.