End of the School Year Events: Elijah's Preschool Graduation, Ella's Author's Celebration and Sophia and Arianna's Author's Tea

 Elijah's Preschool Graduation was very cute! He is the only one out of all my kids who didn't get to wear a cap and gown. (I may need to go to Sears or something to take a pic of him in one)

He did so good singing all the songs and saying all the Bible verses.

 We are so proud of him and all he has learned this year at Christ Lutheran Preschool.

Special thanks to Ms. Pam and Ms. Maureen for your love and patience with him! 

 The twins got to showcase their writing work at the annual 3rd grade Author's Tea.

They get to publish their own book of special writing compilations which is very special.

 Elijah has spent his fair share of time at Hopkins this year. We are there almost every day and he loves to pal around with his friend Cameron (left) and he loves to play on my phone! 

He draws quite the crowd sometimes:) The big kids love him:) 

Ella also had an Author's Celebration in her Kindergarten class.

Parents came in and they got to listen to the kids read one of their writing pieces.

  Ella wrote all about her bunny, Cottontail.

The end of the school year is filled with TONS of papers coming home and it is so much fun to look thru their writing from the year. I save my favorites and each year fill a three ring binder with their work, cards, mementos, report cards, etc. from the year. I hope they like looking thru them some day.

Teacher Appreciation Week

Teacher Appreciation Week is my most favorite volunteer thing to do within the PTO at Hopkins. 

I appreciate the teachers/staff so much and remember when I was a teacher and how small acts of kindness meant so much! 

Day One-  "Thanks for Keeping Calm and Shining On!"

We were able to get the teachers a Keurig Machine (I think their favorite part of the week) and little IKEA lanterns. I made the pompoms with tissue paper and found a free pdf for the sign here.

Day Two- "Thanks for Being Sweet As Pie" 

Every year we have had a pie contest where parents bring in their pies and teachers vote for their favorite. We gave out Village Inn gift certificates to the winners. 

Day Three- "Thanks for Keeping Our Kids Hopping"

Since we are the Hopkins Frogs, I used lots of green frogs to decorate. Panera graciously provided breakfast sandwiches and we made up a little yogurt bar to go along with the sandwiches.

Day Four- "Thanks for all you do. Please enjoy a BB-Q"

We provided a BB-Q lunch which was easily put together by purchasing everything from Costco.

Day Five- "Thanks a Latte For All You Do"

For the third year in a row, we used Executive Perks to provide a barista who made specialty lattes for the teachers and parents at the beginning of school. Its always a favorite!

 Another fun thing we added this year was DOOR DECORATING. I contacted classroom reps and others who were interested and we decorated the doors of all the teachers/staff. It was quite a project but the teachers LOVED them all. We had winners too:) I hope to continue this tradition every year. I just love that it gets the kids involved as well in saying "Thank You".

2nd Annual Science Fair

 The twin-ers participated in their 2nd Science Fair with J.J. again this year.

They made ELEPHANT TOOTHPASTE.

It was funny to watch their faces as they waited for results. 

 We experimented with adding different colors and different amounts of yeast.

 They got to show their project at the Science Fair. 

The school also had a traveling Planetarium come in- it was pretty cool. 

2013

2012

2012- It cracks me up that J.J. is wearing the same outfit a year later!!!! 

And the twins look so much older to me!