Good bye Kindergarten. Hello Summer?

 This was a big week for Sam as it was his final week of Kindergarten!!!    I have to say I shamefully avoided going into the school to pick him up on his last day because I knew I would probably cry.    His teacher was the best teacher EVER and definitely the right match for Sam.   You know how some teachers just look past what your child does and sees who they are?      That's what this teacher did for Sam.    I had a lot of anxieties at the beginning of the school year about that boy and how he would possibly sit still long enough for anybody to teach him.    He was a busy boy!    However,  no matter how many times Sam acted like a "monkey" in class (clearly my fault for sending a banana in his lunch;)   she still patiently focused on his strengths.      More importantly, she helped me to see his strengths for what they were as well.   It didn't take long before I no longer felt the need to micro manage or lecture him on how to sit still or behave while at school.   I accepted the fact that Sam would be Sam because I knew his teacher accepted and LOVED him for who he was.    And the weird thing is that as soon as I stopped trying to tame this little boy- I began to see how GREAT he really is just the way he is!    This ended up being a much better school year for Sam then I anticipated and I'm so proud of him!

To celebrate his last day, I let him buy a new Bakugon toy while we were grocery shopping and then we enjoyed our first picnic of the summer.     Here's hoping we enjoy many more beautiful picnics this year.    (Preferably spent in Waterton:)

Our garden is coming along nicely.    It still makes me sad sometimes to think of the ridiculously huge garden that we enjoyed at our old house, but this little one suits us fine.    I am determined to grow tomatoes this year, and thankfully John built this fabulous cold frame for them to live in so they just may have a chance.     No guarantees of course that they will thrive with me in charge - but so far they are looking pretty happy!    We just need some SUN!!!   

My Brother Chad came down this weekend and brought us some Haskep Berry plants that we've lined our north fence with.    I think they are a great addition to our yard and I'm excited for the berries that we'll one day get to eat!!

The kids are finishing up with soccer and baseball in the next week or two and Abby would happily report to you that she has just TEN DAYS left of school!    John comes home each day and tells me how tired and drained his students seem to be and I think the whole town is ready for summer holidays to begin.   The countdown has officially begun!

We are headed out to St. Mary's in a few minutes for another one of our Sunday afternoon drives.    St. Mary's is quickly becoming a favorite place for our family as it's got everything you need.    A playground to play on, lots of rocks to throw and skip, and fossils to search for.   John always has to check and see how fast the water is flowing at the spillway,  and Sam always manages to steal my camera to get "wildlife" shots of gohpers.    (I think he's looked at one to many national geographic magazines- he takes his "work" far too seriously!)     Inevitably the kids will climb back into the van with a bucket full of things only they would call "treasures."    I'll be forced to store these treasures (think marmot skull and rocks) in the garage along with the precious loot they gathered last week.   

 And the week before that;)

  There's nothing better then a beautiful Sunday Afternoon!!