After Grace received her trophy at the end of last season, she couldn't wait to get one- umm, play- again.
There was a little snafu with our registration so she missed several games but I don't think she minded She did a good job running and always had a goal of kicking the ball at least three times a game :)
Her personal cheerleader...
Grace was so excited to bring home a plastic bag that magically grew these bean stalks. Unfortunately knowing us, this is probably the most they will grow but we planted them anyway..
If Kate takes a short nap in the car she will not take a good nap at home. She was looking so sleepy after the zoo that I gladly took a sucker from the bank teller hoping she would eat it on the way home and keep herself awake. No such luck...
I took Grace to several zoo classes when she was younger so I was excited when several of Kate's friends suggested we all go. Kate loved petting the animals and wasn't scared at all. She even did a good job listening- only touching with two fingers :)
After class we rode the train- definitely a special treat!
There is a small town a few hours south of us that our church "adopted" 25 years ago. 30 years ago the town was bustling with a large lumber industry. Unfortunately the mill burned down and was never re-built. The town has never recovered. We have always helped providing school supplies, Christmas gifts and other support they have needed throughout the years.
Our church has decided to help them plant and grow a garden so our family decided to go down to see what would be needed and begin some lasting relationships with the people of the community.
We all had a great time- especially the girls! It's neat to see how kids have no barriers- they just like to play :)
Jack loved playing basketball with the residents
Future Garden
Grace was super excited about her letter program and really kept quiet about the songs since it was supposed to be a big surprise. As you can see, we made our own costume, without Nana's help, and I think it turned out really cute. I helped with the idea, Jack is the artist, Grace the colorer and artist.
Her class was so cute!
l loved how Ms. Judy had picture cue cards!
Grace's class has been working on a "letter program" where they show off all the work they have been doing with the alphabet this year. Grace was assigned to be the letter "R." She came home and told me she need a costume to represent the letter R....
Grace: "Mom, I need a costume. I have an idea. Why don't we just have Nana make it? You are supposed to make it so we will just tell everyone you did it but really, Nana will do it for you. No one has to know."
Not sure if I should be offended or realize how sweet she is to try and protect my reputation....
I know I've mentioned this before but we girls love our Mondays- the only day we have left where Grace doesn't have school. Sometimes we go out, others we just stay in. We are going to miss Grace next year when she goes to school every day!
Somewhere along the way Grace decided she had "fallen in love" with a boy named Braden from church. And she doesn't say "in love" she literally says she has "fallen in love with him." (too many Disney movies....)
She of course invited him to her birthday party and asked me every day if he had rsvp'd yet. Luckily he could come or I do believe the poor girl would have moved her birthday party.
I will be forever grateful to this sweet 5 year old boy who graciously seemed to understand his importance and ran to sit next to her and stood by her side the entire party- Grace was just beaming the entire time.
After the party Grace was asking everyone if they saw the "boy she fell in love with." She then elaborated by saying she "knows he loves her too." When pressed she replied saying "Well, when I saw him, I kept my arms down to see what he would do. He raised his arms and hugged me first. I know he loves me because he hugged me first." Oh Grace- I don't know if I should be pleased with your analytical skills or a little worried for a many, many years you have ahead of trying to make sense out of silly boys movements... But it is so sweet :)
As a follow up Grace told me she asked him a few days later if he fell in love with her. He said no :( But- not to be deterred, Grace apparently gave him all the evidence she had to the contrary. She came to me confused about this conversation and we had our first, of many I'm sure, talks about how boys are a little slow and don't always knows what they want... :)
