As Alice Cooper says... "school's out for summer!!!"

...but not forever. Thanks the heavens. Already I have had to lay out the rules... everyone shares, everyone gets a turn, we have to take turns, geez, didn't you guys have to take turns in school? Whew...

So, on this first official day of summer 2009 (well from school... solstice isn't until Sunday), Thomas was up at 6:15am (and I had to wake him at 7am for school yesterday) and sent back to bed until 7:10am. Glee slept in until 7:45am. We went for donuts (them in their jammies... I got dressed, and good thing because we saw someone we know!). They are watching a movie, playing nintendo and play-do all at once. We will head to McDonald's for lunch, to my aunt's house for a hi8 player (hopefully) and home for more movies, snacks and general lazing around. Starting Monday we will get up in the morning and take our poor neglected dog for a walk, every day. That is my goal and I know Glee will hold me to it.

So, I know you all want to know... we almost sold out on yearbooks. We sold all but 23. I ordered 400, 50 more than last year, but they were cheaper than last year (almost half price) and I got a lot of good feedback. Maybe next year I will have more people taking pictures.

As for end of year grades, both kids are sent to the next grade, so now we have a 3rd grader and 1st grader. Glee got all perfect marks on her report card, and I have to say, she is headed for good grades in 3rd. Her report card had one v+ and all the rest e's. On the whole thing, one v+ at the beginning of the year, in the equivalent of penmanship. "V+" is "very good" which is above the level she needed to be at to complete the grade. "E" is excellent, which is pretty much performing at the next grade level. She loved loved loved her teacher, and I really liked her too. She was a kind a generous teacher, just the sort one would hope for their child. She will be teaching 1st next year and with luck Thomas will get her. I know he would do well in her class.

Thomas has room for improvement on his report card. That's good. His small motor skills (scissors, coloring, writing) need work, and we will work this summer. I have to say, as bad as his penmanship is, it is almost exactly like his kindergarten teacher's writing, so he did a great job learning from her, she just has horrible writing! He is advanced in reading, reading at or above 1st grade level, which I am super happy with. She did say he doesn't use manipulatives for math (that is big language for counting with your fingers) but I see him count that way all the time, so maybe she just didn't see him do it. He does simple addition and subtraction which is the math the will start to learn in 1st.

Glee was okay with school ending, a little sad but okay. Thomas had a harder time and I wasn't expecting that. He didn't want me to leave him, wanted to stay for the day. Poor guy, but heck, the day was only three hours long, and he recovered okay when he realized it would just be a whole lot of recess!

So, now we are on to summer. We will be heading to Colorado for 5 days in July, and swimming lessons, but that's all the organizing I have done. I am sure we will have friends over to play, museums to visit, and libraries to go to to participate in summer reading programs. I also seem to have a little bit of work coming my way. I bought some home use equipment so I can transfer video tape (vhs and hi8 for sure), and a friend may be making a family history book (she has been talking about it for a couple of years now). It should be good! Happy summer to you all...