School's Out!

Whoop whoop!  Just a few minutes until school's out for the summer!  My (going into) grade 3 and 4 children will be home soon and I wonder what they will want to do upon their arrival?  Plop in front of the TV/ computer?  Ha ha ha ha ha.  Little do they know what chores their evil mother has in store for them.  Clean the van.  De-clutter the basement.  Tidy the junk drawers.  Bah ha ha ha ha ha.

On a slightly more (or less) serious note, I'd like to reflect a bit over the past year.

Successes:

• We made it to school on time most days, approx. 95% of the time -- way up from last year.
• Each child grew by leaps and bounds, both personally and academically.  I'm so proud of my children.
• Johnny surprised us all by making it to the provincial track and field finals.  His art was displayed at the Jubilee Auditorium.  He did an awesome rapper impression in the school play.  He has lots of friends and is loved by all.
• Tasja is a voracious reader, a wonderful friend, and great writer/ storyteller.  She loves making lists and knows how to get things done!  She learned how to jump rope, do flips, handstands and more.  She is little mother to Baby Heidi.  And she grows more beautiful every day.
• Luke learned to love school and made lots of great friends in Kindergarten.  I am so proud of you Luke for trying and succeeding at so many new things.  Also, you are great at computer games, building things, singing, and making Baby Heidi happy.
• Owen grew and learned so much this year, like how to build Lego trucks, make potty jokes, and spell his name.  He is Mr. Enthusiasm.  Love you Owen!  One more year of playschool, and then you're off to Big Kids' School!

Things I would like to do better next year:

• Encourage the kids to participate in more organized sports or extra-curricular activities.
• Go on more field trips/ volunteer at my kids' school more often.
• Keep on top of everyone's calendar.
• Remember to do home reading/ homework every night.

It was a bit of a crazy year, with me being pregnant and so sick for most of it, and then having a new baby to really make things interesting.  Still, we pulled through with flying colors thanks to my amazing persevering children and gem of a husband, Chris -- who really stepped in to pick up the slack.  We are truly blessed.

And now it's time to have fun!  First up on the agenda: tonight, pull out the calender and pencil in all those parties/ play dates/ sleepovers/ excursions/ camping trips/ vacations we need to squeeze into this all-too-short summer.  Let the good times roll!  What plans do you have for the summer holidays?