A Day of Good Byes

Today has been one of many good byes.  Olivia had to say good bye to Kindergarten.  She is now officially a first grader.  But becoming a first grader means saying good bye to her first teacher, Ms. Mullins, saying good bye to all her friends and classmates.  For me it means watching my baby girl grow up before my eyes.  I also bond so much with all of the students at Congress.  Saying good bye is always bittersweet.  Trust me, I am elated that summer is here and school is out, but I will miss all the little rascals of our school.  Especially the 2nd graders.  They move on to a new school next year, and most of them have been with us for three to four years.  It's hard to let them go.


Olivia heading out the door for her last day of Kindergarten.

The last day of school at Congress has traditionally been Field Day, where children rotate between stations for various games and activities.  This year, they continued with the theme of building a home, since that was their service project they did along with their spring sing.

Here's Olivia sporting some stylish safety goggles in the Carpenter Relay.

Olivia and her best bud, Paris stopping in their building a home out of boxes for a quick photo opportunity.  I wish I could also post all the pictures Olivia brought home in her memory book her teacher made.  Anytime there was a class photo, there were always two students who stood out because of the way they were posing.  You guessed it!  Those two goofy girls above, Olivia and Paris.

Andy dumping water on Olivia's head.


Andy was a parent volunteer at the paint it station.  Students were given paint brushes and paint rollers to dip in water and "paint" the school with them.  I saw my opportunity to get my husband and doused him with a bucket of water.  I knowingly knew I would get it back, but it was so worth it.  That is until he did it a second time, this time with my camera in hand and soaked it.  Thankfully, my anger ended once the camera dried out and was working again.  But Andy and my antics started something at their station and it quickly became a water fight to soak "Olivia's Dad."  Too funny!

Andy running from 26 kindergartners. 

Another bittersweet good bye was to our sweet Vada.  She's been a great dog, but needs so much more time and attention than we can give her at this time.  She recently demolished her last crate so we've been attempting leaving her out all day.  She was doing terrific, but now has been chewing up multiple shoes, hats, trash, toys, you name it.  Once we got all that out of harms way, she went for breaking vases, knocking over lamps, clearing the kitchen counters.  She has a big heart, but is starved for attention, and right now our daughters get the majority of it.
It was a tough decision that we've been mulling over for a long time.  Neither Olivia or Mia were on board, but we found a family, where the husband stays home all day.  They've had mastiffs and other large breed dogs, so they are experienced.  They also have a Newfoundland so she'll have a playmate.  Vada loves other dogs.  Their home is on a small 10 acre farm with a horse, sheep, goat, 3 cows, ducks, chickens, turkeys, and a couple of cats.  The family seems wonderful, patient, and willing to work with our strong and stubborn girl.  We took her to her new home this evening and the family (Jeff and Renee) were gracious enough to have a cookout for us, so the girls could get to know them, their home, and be comfortable leaving Vada there.  Olivia knows it's a better home for Vada.  She did so much better than I expected.  I anticipated a tantrum and us having to physically pull her from Vada and put her in the truck.  Instead she gave her a hug, said she loved her and graciously got in the truck.  As the farm started to get out of sight, I heard her sweet innocent voice in the back quiver, "Good bye Vada," followed by some silent sobs. 

One last hug good bye.

Andy, Vada, Amanda, and Mia (photo courtesy of Olivia's photography)

Mia will miss her lifelong buddy.

Walking away before we drove away so Vada wouldn't get too upset.  We will miss her dearly, but it helps to know she's at a place she'll get all the love and attention she needs.  Plus they aren't too far away and we've been invited back to visit whenever we need to.  I am surprised at the tears I am shedding as I type.  She will be forever in our hearts.

A Day at the Zoo

We spent Saturday, June 9th visiting Potawotami Zoo in South Bend.  We have a family zoo pass thanks to Andy's parents.  It's just the perfect size zoo to get through in an afternoon.

Daddy even paid for all of us to take the train tour around the zoo.

Mia checking out the "mingos" as she calls them.

Zebras were a top favorite.

A photo of the cutest lion and monkey there.

Petting the goats was a huge highlight from our visit.  Last year Mia would go near them and do a quick touch then pull her apprehensive little hand away.  She was so into it this year.  She'd stick her face right up to the goat's and smile. 

It's hard to see here, but she just got done getting her face out of the goat's and is laughing.

Farmers Andy and Olivia, with their faithful cow Mia. 

The zoo was  a fun day trip to get away from all the hustle and bustle that has seemed to consume us laterly.

Saying Good Bye to Good Friends

Our girls have been blessed to have Jackie for their daycare provider.  But not only is Jackie the best, she also has some other pretty awesome children she watches, that have become dear friends of my girls.  Two of them being Mallory and McKinley Cronin.  The Cronins moved here several years ago from Maine and have been wanting to move back for a few years now.  Their house finally sold and they were ready to go.  The girls last day at Jackie's was June 4th.  Sadly, since Olivia is at school she didn't get a chance to say good bye.  When Andy came home and told her they were moving the next day, she was a wreck.  She really bonded with Mallory and thought Kinley was so cute.  We made a few attempts to track them down that evening to say goodbye with no luck.  So we showed up on their doorstep the next morning and woke the girls up to get in our last good byes.  Olivia felt much better after being able to say good bye.  She's already established that we have to Skype with them on a regular basis.  Mia and Kinley were partners in crime at Jackie's.  Both girls will be missed by many, as well as their terrific parents.


Kinley, Mallory, Olivia, and Mia, up super early to say farewell.


A good friend of mine who also blogs, occassionally puts in lists of her childrens favorite things.  She does it in an interview format so the answers are genuine from the kids and she can look back and see how they have changed over time, and can always remember their treasured responses.  I've always thought it was a splendid idea, so I'm stealing it myself.  Thanks Natalie!

Answers from Olivia
What do you want to be when you grow up? A surgeon
Favorite color: green
Favorite food: guacamole
Favorite TV show: Phineas & Ferb
Best Friend: Paris for a girl and Adam for a boy
Favorite part of today: Watching mom sew

Mia snuggling with her sleepy sister

These two either get along like best friends, or are at each other's throats.  Definitely true sisters.

Answers from Mia
What do you want to be when you grow up? Chicken Nuggie
Favorite color: blue
Favorite food: "moley" (guacamole) followed by, "I want some.  You go to store and get some stuff and make it mom, kay?"
Favorite TV show: Bubble Guppies
Best Friend: Abe, then Kinley
Favorite part of today: Jackie's, my day in the red chair!

Mia finally loves the camera and to pose.  She's getting better too.  Before it was always squinting her eyes shut trying to smile too big.  She's such a ham, or meatball and she prefers to call herself and everyone else.

The first pillow I finished sewing for the basement.  I am not that skilled at sewing, but can handle a pillow.  The girls were enthralled watching me and want me to teach them.  Sadly, I'm just learning myself, but maybe someday.

Updates

As is apparent from my lack of posting, life has been busy.  I was hoping to get about four posts a month, but May flew by, so hopefully we can make up for it.  My camera battery died and I was lazy on recharging it, so there isn't much on the photography side of things.  We've been busy tackling projects for the basement, wrapping up the end of the school year, a quick trip up to Alpena to open up the camper last weekend, and shopping for a new camper have seemed to consume our lives.  We've decided not to buy a new camper, but build a barn/garage on our property instead with living quarters above.


As most of you know, my dear friend Adam Lackey decided to take his own life at the end of last summer.  This has been so difficult for me as well as many others.  He was a true Titanic fan and his family happened to find someone who had a relative traveling on a ship to the wreckage site of where the Titanic sank on the anniversary of her sinking.  This kind woman named, Helen Edwards, took some of Adam's ashes with her, and Adam is now part of a piece of history that captivated him.  If you Google Helen Edwards and Associated Press, you will find articles and a video of the event.  This amazing turn of events is the first time, I've really felt like I've had some closure in this whole awful event.  My heart can only imagine what his family has been dealing with.    Adam's parents and sister, Keri came back to Michigan from Montana on Memorial day and brought with them a beautiful stone from Montana to place in the Coldwater Cemetery where some of his ashes are buried with his grandparents.  I was blessed to be invited by his family to be part of this ceremony to remember him.  Jackie and Bill Heinrich and I all traveled over to Coldwater together.  A life gone from us too soon, but his love lives on.  Afterwards, Adam's Aunt Skip opened up her home so we could all get together to eat and share our beloved memories of Adam.

I know it doesn't look exciting to any of you, but we're thrilled it's in.  It was a lot more work than we anticipated.  We learned we have 12" thick walls, and no concrete company or tool rental place in the area has a saw to cut it with.  We finally found a place out of Marshall that came and cut it for us.  Then we had to get the giant piece of concrete out of the window and break it up and get rid of it.  I like how I said "we." It primarily was Andy, but I was there for support.  I did help get it out of the window and fell into the gaping hole in the process.

The excess dirt from the egress window hole built up my landscaping.  It still needs a ton more mulch, but I'm pleased with the end result so far.

Here's a picture of Olivia with the oodles of flowers from her recital!  We even had to combine a few to make them all fit.

My chair I painted and recovered that will hopefully soon, become part of our finished basement.

We moved this chair from the basement upstairs to the girls' room for the time being.  Mia wanted to sleep in it the night it went in their room.  I laughed figuring she wouldn't last long, but she fell asleep and made it most of the evening in the chair.

A Star Is Born

The second weekend of May was a busy time for our budding star, Olivia.


On May 10th, a slightly feverish Olivia had her big school Spring Sing Concert at the High School gym.  The theme this year was Wishes coming true.  She was excited to be in her concert as all the family was there in attendance.  She started not feeling well mid day of school.  A temp of just over 99 degrees crept up by the time the bell rang.  I rushed her home, gave her some Tylenol and had her nap.  She woke refreshed and raring to go.  First she had her last dance class of the year and then it was rush to the high school for the big show.

It was a huge success!  The kids all did awesome.  They also learned the end result of their hard work in a fund raising effort they did to help build a new home for a family in the Phillipines.  The goal was $2000 to make this family's wish come true.  The announcement came on that the children raised over $3000 dollars!

Mia watching her big sister at the concert.

After the concert she was still feeling great, so dad decided to treat everyone to Dairy Queen.  Well, around 3:00 A.M. she came in my room not feeling well and running a fever.  Andy stayed home in the morning and I took the afternoon shift.   She wasn't running a fever in the morning, but I didn't want to chance it.  She had her dance dress rehearsal that evening and the big recital that she's worked for all year the next afternoon.  When I came home at lunch, the old Olivia was back.  Tons of energy, with no sign she'd been under the weather.  We did some running around, then around 2:00 she fell asleep on the sofa.  Part of me thought this wasn't a good sign, but maybe she's just catching up on sleep from being sick.  When she woke up she wanted to take her clothes off because she was hot.  Oh no, you guessed it, her fever was back.

Another round of Tylenol, sitting in what I dubbed as the quarantine section of the auditorium, and we were doing alright.  The theme for the recital was "A Night at the Movies."  All songs were off soundtracks to hit films over the years.  Olivia's tap class did, "I Like to Move It," from Madagascar, a favorite song in our family.

She smiled through the entire number, never looking off stage at the instructors.  She had her routine down pat, and was outstanding!

By the day of the real recital she was feeling great and no signs of fevers were ever seen.  She had a huge number of audience members cheering her on, and received and absurd amount of flower arrangements, seven total if I remember correctly.  We litterally had to go buy more vases after the recital to put all her boquets in.  I joked that our home looked like a florist or funeral home.

 

The weekend, besides the fevers was terrific.  It was Olivia's time to shine, and boy did she ever!

A Mad Scientist Among Us

Olivia loves science.  It's never been my favorite, but she loves it.  So when Congress School announced they were having an optional Science Fair, there was no option for this parent.  She had to develop a hypothesis that she could test.  This proved more difficult than I imagined.  She wanted to test what the most preffered type of dog food was, but I wasn't buying that much dog food and rounding up a dozen or more dogs to test it on.  Then, she wanted to determine which type of light bulbs lasted the longest.  I had to explain that we didn't have that many years.  Finally, with a little prompting from me, she decided she would see what happened when she soaked an egg in vinegar.  Her hypothesis was that the shell would break off.  She didn't think anything had happened at first, until she stuck her finger in the vinegar and touched the rubbery egg.  She was amazed to find the shell disolved in the vinegar.

Posing with her "rubber" egg

Let's see what happens when we shine a flashlight on our egg in the dark.

Look!  It glows!


After the experiment, we had to type everything up, print pictures, put it all on a trifold presention board, and take it to school.  Then Olivia was called in front of the judges and had to explain what she had done, why, and her findings.  All the students were scored on a rubric based on having all the complete information, following the scientific process, oral presentation, and being able to answer questions asked of them.  Olivia was one of only two kindergartners who got all 100 points!  She had so much fun doing the science fair.

For Easter, the Easter Bunny brought Olivia some science experiment kits.  One being a tube you attach to a Diet Coke and slide in the pack of mint Mentos.  Then you pull the pin and watch out!

It sprayed pretty darn high!  The girls had a riot watching the pop spray everywhere.  It even has different tops to screw on top of the tube, to change the way the pop sprays.

Mia running for her life. 

So as much as I have been averse to science all my life, it is now a part of it.  Olivia loves it, and I am thrilled she does.  Mia seems to be following in her footsteps.  She loves most things that her big sister does.