High School Graduations!

We have had a great weekend celebrating High School graduations with friends.

On Friday we headed to Kentucky to celebrate my godson, Scottie's, graduation.

We stopped by for his Open House before heading to the graduation Friday evening.

Thomas and Brennan enjoyed seeing Scottie's cool room and seeing Aunt Jeanne and family.



 I love these t-shirt quilts that are so popular today.  Have I saved enough t-shirts from the boys' youth to make one in a few years?  And that's hilarious - I don't mean that I will be making a beautiful quilt - I meant "to have one made!"

Of course, Brennan can always be counted on to sniff out the Cokes and cookies when we head to a party.

Saturday morning we returned to Scottie's house for a lovely brunch with his out of town family and friends.  Thomas enjoyed playing with Misty and Abbie.  Brennan's smile is plastered on.  He's rather nervous around "jumpy" dogs.  These two are very friendly and calm though!  It's great for him to get to know pets again since we haven't had a pet in 7 years.

Then we headed to Jeanne's friends' farm to check out the animals!

I wasn't dressed appropriately for this side adventure, so Thomas was happy to take the camera and take some good photos while they were all out meeting the farm animals.  They had a great time.



We made it back to town in time to attend Lauren's graduation Open House as well!

Again, Cokes, a swing, and a party.  The boys are all set!

We are headed to our friend Amanda's Open House this afternoon, before going out to dinner to celebrate Thomas and Brennan's fantastic state testing scores that were available for the students' families to see online today.  We're proud of both of them for the work they put into their school work this year.

All this graduation talk and visiting has been fantastic! 

It made me think about my own High School graduation back in the day. 

I vividly remember Daddy taking this photo of me after the ceremony when I got home and took off the graduation gown.

Hawaii graduations are awesome!

Happy Graduation to All the Graduates!

Brennan's End of 4th Grade

Brennan had a really challenging, but very good 4th grade year.

He started the academic challenge program and was kept so busy with all the volume of classwork, projects, activities, and programs that he found himself fully engaged in school!  It truly is a challenging program for each student who enters it in the 4th grade, and for those with any sort of special need like Brennan, it's even more of a challenging year. 

We were so happy with his progress this year, and the hard work he put into all he was expected to take on.  I served as the "Room Mom" in his class, helping out in a number of ways.  It was great for me to be involved in his class on a weekly basis.  Brennan likes my being there, and I like getting to know the kids better, and knowing what all is going on in the classroom.

Here are a few photos that came home with him from Pioneer Days.  They visited a one-room schoolhouse in our county.  Typical Brennan - has a question.

Also typical Brennan, can only imagine what he is lecturing about.

On the last day of school we room moms hosted the End of School party - sort of a mini Field Day outdoors.  The kids rotated to different stations and ended the party with popsicles and water bottles.

Here are a few of Brennan and his classmates at the party.

Double hooping

Eamon and Will showing their skills

Kennedy in the jump roping/running relay

Jump rope competition

Cora Beth blowing bubbles

Megan hooping

Ball Pass Relay - the girls were serious about beating their previous times

Dutch Jumping for the first time

Brandon sharing his yo-yo skills

Sotaro in the bubble gum blowing contest

Brennan was so excited that David and his grandmothers go to come to his party at school and meet his teachers and friends.  We spent the afternoon out by the pool, celebrating the start of summer!



6th Grade Graduation

Yesterday was jam-packed. 

Not only was it the last day of school, but I led the 4th grade End of School party all morning, we had Brennan's case conference to re-set his IEP for next year, and we had Thomas's 6th grade graduation!

We're so glad my mom and David's mom are able to be here this week!

They've gotten to see what our typical week looks like (crazy busy), and are going to stay an extra day and enjoy the first day of summer with us!

Elementary School graduations are a big deal locally.

Our school puts on a very nice graduation, complete with Pomp & Circumstance, awards, and a reception afterwards.  Thomas was so excited that his grandmothers were able to see him graduate!

I did not have a great vantage point (I'll know better in 2 years when it's Brennan's turn!).

The four 6th grade classes march in two-by-two to Pomp & Circumstance.

All 6th grade students write a speech about what the school has meant to them.

The teachers read each one and then they choose one presenter from each class to give graduation speeches.  They also share the President Education Awards (not sure I have is name right), which Thomas received.  Then each student goes up to receive his diploma from his teacher and the principal.

Then the students turn to face us.  The graduating class of 2012!

It was awesome!  I love that the school makes such a great big deal.  I love that we were all there.



Afterward we headed to the reception and collected Thomas and all of his stuff.

During May, the PTO creates a "Baby Pirates" bulletin board and the 6th graders take in a baby photo.  They hang them and everyone tries to guess who is who.  Here's Baby Thomas and 6th grade Thomas!

Grandma Carolyn, Thomas, and Grandma Nan

Mrs. Stroh and Thomas

Next year Mrs. Stroh will be Brennan's math teacher, and then his 6th grade teacher the following year.  She just can't get away from the Boatwright boys!

Their grandmothers took the boys out for a much-deserved last day of school ice cream while we stayed for Brennan's case conference.  Then we all enjoyed some time out by the pool!



Summer is here!!



Pioneer Days 2012

It really does seem like just yesterday that Thomas participated in our school's 4th grade Pioneer Days celebration!  You can see those photos HERE.

This year Brennan got to celebrate the 3 day event, including a trip to a one room schoolhouse in our county.  The kids had to take a pioneer era lunch wrapped in a bandanna (biscuits with bacon and an apple was Brennan's choice).  I spent the day at school, dressed in my pioneer outfit, helping the kids with pioneer crafts and games.  I really enjoy volunteering for events like this even though I'm exhausted by the time we leave school!

Pioneer Brennan

Yesterday, though, was the big Square Dancing event. Parents come and watch all the 4th graders do the 3 square dances and 2 Virginia reels that they learned over the last few weeks in Music Class. During the last reel, the kids get to ask anyone they want to dance. Most kids ask their parent who's visiting. Brennan asked a girl in his class (she was standing close by). I switched with her and Brennan's remark was "well this is awkward". Yeah, get over it :)

I did not have my camera for much of the events, but I did take photos during the square dance time yesterday.  It was really fun, and I was so proud of Brennan for jumping right in there and square dancing his heart out.  He feels like he's a real pro now.



Lined up and ready to go

Brennan and Megan

Sami and Adrienne

(They all had traditional Pioneer-era names for the event)

All the 4th graders squared up and listening to instructions from their music teacher.

Tons of parents behind me.

Serious Square Dancing Business

Swing Your Partner!

Poor Megan.  Brennan would whip her around to the starting point. 

And here is a short video of one of the dances.  You may have to click over to the blog if you are reading this in a Reader or in email.

I'm surprised Megan didn't come in today with whiplash :)

Happy Pioneer Days!



Crazy May

I honestly don't remember May being this busy normally.  I don't think we've stopped going, going, going since April.  It's evident in my lack of blog posts, and the fact that I haven't been to the movie theater since March 23rd for The Hunger Games!

I'm in the middle of a lot of volunteer responsibilities, the boys' school work & projects have been non-stop, and we've been working in the yard a lot.  A ton of house maintenance has all come up at once.  I'm so looking forward to the summer!

Here's a little catch up for the past couple of weeks.

I got new glasses.  Actually these are my first real glasses.  I should wear them when I read, then can wear them any other time too, but it's weird so I wear them when I think about it.  They're awesome though.  And don't I look smarter? :)

A couple of weeks ago I met friends at a hotel downtown for dinner and drinks.  The boys had been dying to go play at The Commons playground downtown, so I took them with me. 

They love checking out the Chaos sculpture in the Commons.

It's really cool - it tells the time (I don't know how, but the boys do).

Since Lora, Tricia, and I gabbed for hours at dinner, the boys entertained themselves by playing with the board games and reading in the cool hotel lobby after eating.

And of course, playing with hotel resident Miles. 

Thomas would bring him home if he could.  Miles is awesome.

On the way back to the car after dinner and Miles time - I had to quick snap this photo of the boys, walking together.  They really do get along well.  MOST of the time :)

Thomas has been enjoying being a part of the Junior High Youth Group at church this year.

They had a grill-out and bake sale to raise money for the Presbyterian church in Henryville, IN that was devastated by the tornadoes two months ago.  Youth Group wraps up in two weeks for the summer, and I know he'll miss it every week until school starts back.



Thomas had to career shadow as a 6th grader and write a paper, presentation, and create a poster for the career he is interested in.  He delivered the final product today and said it went really, really well.

He shadowed the corporate architect at Cummins.  She was fantastic and he learned a lot.

Spring is a busy time for friends' birthdays.  The boys have enjoyed swim parties, skating parties, and Katie's party below at the Laser Tag place.  Cute picture sent by Katie's mom.

Thomas also had to invent something, make the product, and deliver a presentation on it at school.  All the parents are invited to the Invention Convention on Monday to see all the 6th grade inventions.  We're looking forward to attending that.

Thomas invented a Nose Muff - you know like an ear muff but to keep your nose from getting cold in the winter.  He delivered his presentation yesterday and apparently it was a hit.  This is part of the marketing for the poster that he created.



 

(Yes, we know Peyton is no longer a Colt, but we love him anyway).

We have been soooo busy with yard work and I love it. 

Of course, we love to get the boys in on all the fun.  Here they are spreading 3 yards of mulch that I had delivered.  They were a big help, but it was a tough job.



Between David, the boys, and me, we have done tons of weeding, mulching, weedeating, mowing, trimming dead limbs, power washing, pruning, planting, watering, cleaning, fixing, and pool opening over the last 3 weeks.  The yard is looking really good though.

David and the boys gave me beautiful perennials for Mother's Day and David bought a new weedeater at my request.  I love it!  We also went out to dinner and spent the entire day together, which was really great.

Brennan had a HUGE research project on a famous Hoosier that started in mid-March.  This project is a culmination of all they've learned about the researching, organizing, writing, and presenting processes this year.  Brennan's "Hoosier" is Wilbur Wright.  He struggled through the research piece but made huge improvements throughout the process.  His poster and 10 minute presentation were really, really well done.  He got A's on both (which is NOT easy to do in his class).  He was thrilled and we were thrilled for him.  I'll have to take a photo of him with his poster when we get it back from school.

Thomas and all the 6th grade band members in town put on a great concert last week.

We were really impressed!  Thomas continues with Trumpet next year in Middle School.

And surely that's not all that's been going on around here??

It feels like many, many more commitments have been met, fun has been had, and projects completed. 

We're looking forward to finishing up the school year strong next week, having my mom and David's mom visit and attend Thomas's 6th grade graduation (gulp!), and then heading to Kentucky for my godson Scott's high school graduation (double gulp!) 

A great month!!!