Spring Cloverisms

- "One of the rules in our classroom is don't hurt anyone, on the inside or the outside."  Emily told us this one night at dinner after I asked Elizabeth to tell Emily a story about what had happened to her earlier that day (another girl told Elizabeth that she hated her), as I want the girls to understand how much words can hurt, and how words like "hate" can't be taken back with a simply apology.  For those of you worried about Elizabeth, she simply shrugged off the comment because, as she said, the girl is not a friend of hers so it didn't really mean anything.
- "When I retire, I'm going to live in Argentina.  You know why?  Because it's the beef capital of the world!"  Elizabeth loves beef!
- "If you don't have enough knowledge in your brain, you don't know anything."  True 'dat.
- "Elizabeth, can you darn my socks?"
- "Mommy, you have a lot of free time after we go to bed. Can you do some stuff for me?"  Sure, Emily. All kinds of free time.
- "If I lived in Africa, I would wear red all of the time.  To keep the lions away."  Random thoughts (although logical, given the history of the Maasai), by Emily.
- "Let me put my thinking cap on," said Emily, pulling the sheets over her head.
- "I know how to ride a horse.  I learned all about in books that I've read."  Elizabeth has suddenly decided that she wants a horse.
- "Don't you mean adult-napped?" asked Elizabeth, when Emily was trying to explain the plot of the book she was reading.  She thinks that there should be a different word for when an adult gets taken against their will.
- "Let's go ask google!"
- "What's a Klondike bar?" asked Emily.  "It's a kind of dessert from the olden days," answered Elizabeth.  Good grief, my childhood is the olden days!!
- "Do not repeat what I say!" So said Emily after she tried on a dress and declared herself beautiful and I was forced to remind her that she had refused to wear the dress earlier because it was "ugly."
- "If I was the Queen of England, I would make a law that outlaws paparazzi so that they don't do to Princess Kate what they did to Princess Diana." We spend a lot of time talking about Constitutional rights when Elizabeth makes these types of statements (and yes, I know that England doesn't follow our Constitution).
- "What is paparazzi anyway?" asked Emily.  "People that follow you around and take pictures of you all day," answered Lee.  "Oh, like Mommy."  "Yes, but she is just paparazzi for Elizabeth and Emily."
- "Everyone was talking about the sleepover at school today.  They said that they are all going to stay up until one in the morning, talking and playing and stuff.  I'm glad I'm not going, that doesn't sound like fun to me."  I don't know whether to applaud her or cringe.  Practicality is great, but too much at age 8 is probably not a good thing.  Also, as she gets older, it is becoming more and more clear just how much like me she is (or is becoming).  Lee and I spend a lot of time just laughing and shaking our heads...

Wings - Odds and Ends

Some odds and ends from Wings....

Photos from finale. 

Backstage. 

Wings - Emily

Of our two girls, Emily is the "true" dancer - if time permits, she will spend hours listening to music and dancing.  She truly loves performing and loves watching the older girls perform.  This year, Emily danced in ballet and jazz and loved being the recital so much!!

Wings - Elizabeth

The girls' dance recital was last weekend and they had a great time performing.  Elizabeth has become more picky over time, and so this year was only in one performance.  She loves jazz and danced her little heart out!

The (Almost) Finished Product

Still waiting on shower doors, finishing off the closet (which Lee is doing) and various accessories, but here is a glimpse of what the bathroom looks like:

The End of an Era

On June 18th, the girls said goodbye to their beloved school.  After one hundred years, St. Mary School is closing its doors.  Lucky for us, a new regional Catholic elementary school is opening in the fall and several SMS teachers and the principal will be part of the new school.  We are so excited about the new school and all of the opportunities that are opening up to our girls and other students.  Needless to say, the last day of school (Prize Day) was bittersweet.

Waiting for the bus on the last morning of school. 

Emily did a short reading at the beginning of the Prize Day service. 

Emily received an award for being a Voracious Reader!  We are so proud!!  Her end of the year reading test shows her reading at an end-of-second-grade level; she was below first grade level when she started school this year.

Elizabeth received an award for Overall Academic Excellence. 

Elizabeth also received an award for Perfect Attendance. 

At the end of Prize Day, the entire school sang Step by Step.  Here is Elizabeth with some of the girls in her class. 

Awards! 

Celebrating Seven

We celebrated Emily's birthday over the period of a couple of days.  Of course, if Emily could have it her way, her birthday celebration would have lasted a week.  Or a month.  Anyway, Emily loved her cake, loved all of her presents and just loved being the center of attention for a few days!!

Hello Kitty theme birthday cake. 

She requested this crown at the party store.  She wanted to wear it to school on her birthday.  I definitely said no. 

Blowing out her candles. 

Another lamb for her collection. 

Apparently, even little girls like to smell good. 

Awesome crafts from Peter and Lisa. 

She loved the frilly skirt!  This skirt symbolizes my love for Emily - I can't even stand to look at it, but the moment I saw it, I knew that she would love it, so I bought it for her.  She was so thrilled!!!

Cupcakes for school.  I go through A LOT of confectioners sugar in June!!

Students don't have to wear their uniform to school on their birthday.  Emily could not have been happier about this! 

Check her out - new skirt, new shirt, and pretty much every other pink accessory she could find at 6 am!

Presents from Felix and Theo 

Thrilled about the books - including one that wasn't even on her wish list! 

American Girl gift card from Uncle Mike and Auntie Sandra. 

Legos from Mommy and Daddy.