Kindergarten Graduate

Back-tracking just a bit. The last month of school was so busy that I didn't have to post as often. Nina had a pretty fantastic year of Kindergarten. I really love the the kindergarten year because I still get to have her home half-day. She gets on the bus with Sela and rides home around noon with all the other kindergarteners. We call it the party bus. The bus driver lets them chew gum, share treats (Nina never takes any but she comes home with packs of gum, tick tacks, you name it), and she plays the radio. It's no wonder all the kids are dying to ride the bus. I love seeing her bounce off the bus eager to deliver the details of the day.

Nina didn't have school on Fridays this year, which I also LOVED. Since Rollin was busy being a Vaulting Frog on Fridays (he pretty much wanted to live at the preschool), we had the morning all to ourselves, something Nina really needed and looked forward to. Friday quickly became my favorite day because Lori and I enrolled Nina and Micah in gymnastics together in the morning. Lori and I loved gymnastics just as much as the girls and we talked non-stop the entire hour each week. The girls often chastised us for not watching them, which we did (well, periodically) but they didn't always see! After class we went to lunch at 10:45 at Pallino (girls' choice) every single week. The staff came to expect us, knew our orders, Chicken Frutetto salads for Lori and I and cheese pizzas for Nina and Micah. We had the place to ourselves, naturally, given it was practically breakfast time. We had to wrap things up around noon, and both the girls and Lori and I were never quite ready, but I had to pick up Rollin and Micah had school in the afternoons. We're still trying to figure out how to continue our get-togethers next year when the girls both have full day school. Sniff, Sniff.



Mrs. Esping. Doesn't she just look like the perfect kindergarten teacher?!

Kate and Nina, best friends, watch themselves on the end of the year slideshow.

More best buddies: Gracie Messmer, Nina, Maisy Messmer, and Kate Williams

And here is Nina's "special friend," the Mason Banks. Not many days went by where we didn't hear this name at the dinner table. And reports from the Banks camp are strikingly similar. These two would not stand next to each other for a picture, but their cute little friendship is something Jayne and I wanted to remember. We had to hold them as they tried their best to escape our grasp, so if it looks like we're straining, well, we are. During the slideshow, they each blushed and giggled each time the other one's picture flashed up on the screen. Pretty funny!


These two are much more comfortable chasing each other than posing for pictures.


Nina and Micah Thompson at Pallino. Together, these two are quite a pair!


With summer finally here, Nina and our neighbor, Sydney, are able to play together more often. She was in full-day kindergarten this year which didn't leave quite as much time for playdates.

And now my little Nina is a 1st grader. It's bittersweet. Well, bitter mostly. I'll miss her next year and I wonder how she'll do being in school all day. She gets really tired even with half-day. But she's excited, nonetheless, so we'll see how it goes!