End of 1st and 3rd Grade

How this school year is done is beyond me.  I seemed to go by faster than other years, especially the past couple of months.  The boys each had field trips for school (Corban had 2!), spirit week/book fair, field day, and a concert and art show.  In true covid life fashion a bunch of people got sick before the last week of school and therefore the last week ended up being virtual.  Corban was especially bummed because his teacher had special things planned for each day the last week of school, but it ended up being a really fun week and we still got to have awards day to cap it off

Corban's class went to the Radford Planetarium and Museum and then to a park closeby for lunch.  This was actually the first field trip that I could not chaperone and I felt sad about that, but he didn't seem to mind and had lots of fun.  The college student running the planetarium show was asking the kids questions and apparently Corban answered most of them and added lots of tidbits that he knows about space.  His teacher said that she had no idea how much he knew about it and the student in charge told Corban that he could teach the lesson for him, which he thought was funny.

Park time after lunch

Gabriel's class went to Dixie Caverns, which is a series of caves about 45 minutes from here.  Gabriel had gone once several years ago with Aaron and Tiffany but I had never been.  Afterwards his teacher talked to the manager of Dairy Queen and he opened up the inside dining area (which hasn't been open since before covid) just for his class to come and have ice cream. 

Gabriel has such a fun class of kids.  They are all kind to each other (most of the time) and enjoy being together.  They have all had these "big" birthday parties (at pools, museums, bowling, Virginia techniques, the trampoline park, etc) and almost all of them have come every time.  They just enjoy playing together, talking, and being silly

One thing that Mrs Martin has said is that this class does NOT do well together in PE.  There are a couple of very competitive kids and also some kids who don't care at all about sports.  After the caves, time in the gift shop and lunch she arranged for them to play kick ball in the field like she does every year with her class.  This group had a hard time and it started to fall apart.  She had them all sit in the grass and talk and pray about together

The next week Corban had another field trip and this time I got to go.  The mother of a classmate is the lead vet at the VT dairy so they went and got an amazing tour.  Corban had so many good questions while we were there and while I didn't get to see it, she told me that the "thank you" card that Corban made for her at school was very detailed and thoughtful

Ice cream at Sweet Frog after the dairy tour

The next week was field day.  I came and helped for a little while in the morning.  I love the spring field day because the whole school participates.  Every kid from kindergarten to 12th grade is put on one of four color teams and they compete in various things in the day to earn points for their team.  In the morning the elementary does games but there are high schoolers from their team helping and cheering them on.  Some high schoolers even went around and painted faces before the things started.  In the afternoon the whole school does some events like a tug of war and a sled race. It's great how involved everyone gets and what a fun time it is for all the ages to work together

Green team. I had to go to Once Upon a Child and get him a green shirt.  For all the shirts we have around here we didn't have one that was even close to green

Orange team

                                    

During spirit week there was an elementary music time.  We didn't get to do the one at Christmas because lots of people were sick so it was so nice to see them all singing together.  Corban was especially easy to hear above the crowd.  We also had time to shop the book fair, look at upper grade humanity fair projects, and look at a display of elementary artwork.

Malachi, Corban, and Evan.  Corban is a big fan of Evan and one day he said to me "Mommy, I think that I love you as much as Evan!"

I realize that I didn't take a picture of the boys each day of spirit week, but of course Mrs Wilson was great about taking first grade class pictures

Dress like your first initial day.  I wasn't sure if this meant to dress like something that starts with your first initial, but the boys thought using sticky felt and covering themselves in "C"s and "G"s was fun

Corban as Harry Potter and Gabriel dressed in his Hobbit outfit

For tie dye day the boys both wore their shirts that Amelia made them for Disney last May

And then the last week of school came and we were back on zoom.  I have to say I was really mad about the whole thing for a day or so.  I am tired of covid changing everything that I wanted to school year to end with all of the fun things that were planned.

However, Gabriel's class and their parents are all about communicating and making things happen.  On the Monday that they did zoom in the morning a mom texted everyone and said that they were going to the pool.  About half of Gabriel's class showed up.  On Tuesday Aela's mom organized a party for the class at the park and every student came, including Mrs. Martin.  Everyone chipped in to bring chips, drinks, and order pizza.  Tabi and I got things for them to tie die shirts.  The kids played for several hours and Corban had a blast because Evan and Britton in his class also have brothers in Gabriel's class so they were all there playing together

I was working and didn't see any pictures, but on Thursday Corban's class met at school and had time together playing on the playground.  Gabriel also got to come and play with his friends who are siblings.  I'm glad that even though the week didn't go as planned they still got to celebrate with their friends.  And for Corban's class on zoom during the week his teacher was so kind of put together fun themes like she was going to do in class during the week (bubble day, beach day, camping day, birthday party day)

And finally awards day.  I love ending the year this way, with each student getting a character award as well as an academic award

Mrs Wilson, Evan, Emma, Addy L, Britton, Addy M, Corban, Colton, Malachi

Corban got the "Miraculous Memorizer" award for excellence in memorizing scripture, a excellence in math award (for having a 98-100 average in math all year), and the responsibility award for being a responsible student

Gabriel sitting with some friends during Corban's awards ceremony

Shelby, Georgia, Noelani, Luke, Aiden, Mrs Martin, Callan, Isaiah, Aela, Bentley, Gabriel (I think Selah might be standing right behind Mrs Martin so we can't see her)

During the last week of school Mrs. Martin asked each student to write something about every other student in the class.  She then compiled them and gave each student a list of what their classmates said about them.  A mom had told me that her son had written that last one and it really warmed my heart.  He is so good about including everyone and wanting everyone involved

Gabriel got an all around academic award for having an "A" in all subjects all year.  He also got the "amazing reader" award for his love of a good book (as his teacher put it "reading one, writing one, and sharing it with your friends")

We missed getting Taylor in the picture but after awards were done we celebrated by all going to get some Chick-fil-a.  Now it's on to summer!

Easter/Spring 2022

As it always seem to do, Easter, spring, and the end of school seemed to come upon us quickly.  We did lots of fun Easter things and egg hunts so here are some snapshots of that

Coloring eggs and an egg hunt with the Canales family.  We did this last year when there were very few community Easter things due to Covid, and the boys remembered and asked to do this again.  Each of the kids got their own color of plastic eggs to find and it worked really well

The boys friend Aela's mom is in charge of family and children's ministry at her church.  They were having an egg hunt and she invited people from school.  It was fun to see friends, do activities, and hunt eggs.  It was so cold though.  It was snowing that morning before the hunt.  This winter has been weird. 

Corban, Gabriel, Aela, and Aiden

Corban's class did a project to make a resurrection scene.  They had a pot for the empty tomb, made the three crosses out of sticks, and then planted grass seed all around.  It took a while for the seeds to start growing, but he was really proud of what he made.  Corban's teacher has continued to be awesome at sending out pictures almost every day of what they are doing in class (also, for whatever reason, Corban loves that shirt)

Decorating cookies

On Easter morning there was an early outside service at church (which the boys and I did not attend because we just couldn't get ready in time).  Afterwards there were donuts and drinks before Sunday School.  It was so nice to gather in this way, which we hadn't been able to do in the past couple years.

Easter Morning at church

Last Easter we had dinner at the Blacksburg Tavern, which is a family style restaurant in an old house.  The boys asked to go there again which was delicious and easy.  They both think that "family style" meals are so exciting.  Some Saturday mornings they have gotten out multiple bowls and filled them with different cereals and then did "family style" breakfast where we could pick from different cereals to eat

The boys love to give us gifts from their belongings.  Our night tables are getting a little crowded but some of these things have even been gift wrapped and given to us, while some they have picked out for us when out with Gammer.  The tables are crowded but I love that they like to give us things that are important to them.

Taylor's side.  Some happy meal toys, Lego figures, Spider Man, a Gandalf stuffed animal Gabriel picked out to buy Taylor, and a goat that the boys picked out for him when we were getting him a present because they know that he thinks that mountain goats are fascinating.  There is also a stuffed Piglet hidden back there somewhere (when Corban got his set of Pooh stuffies he gave Tigger to Gabriel, Piglet to Taylor, and Eeyore to me.  He kept Pooh)

My side.  Link stuffed animal that Gabriel bought with Gammer, a rock that he painted purple with glitter, a Lego girl and boy that he made playing chess (he gave it to me taken apart in a bag and he drew his own instructions on how to put it together), a small Elastagirl figure, a small toothless stuffed animal from Corban, a creation with building materials that Corban made that is a larger cat and a smaller mouse.  There is a small Iron Man Lego with a robot that Corban took apart, but in a zip lock bag, and gave to me with a sweet note.  He then showed me how to assemble my present.  I also have my stuffed Eeyore and two other small stuffed animals in the storage space below and a Star Wars Lego book that Gabriel wrapped up for me.

Baseball!  We didn't play last year because the covid restrictions were going to be ridiculous (wearing masks while playing, sitting spaced in the dugout, parents not allowed in the stands).  They ended up not following any of those rules so I'm kinda sad that we didn't play, but if they had enforced those things it didn't sound like a very fun way to play a team sport.

Gabriel missed the "coach pitch" years and went straight to player pitch.  There are some kids on his team with a lot of experience, but he has made some good friends and he has had very supportive coaches.  He only has a couple games left, but I'm so proud of how hard he has been trying.  He's gotten on base multiple times and has really enjoyed being a part of this team.

Corban has been playing T-ball and really enjoying that too.  One of the boys who lives right across the street is on his team and it's been fun to see them playing together at the games and also just randomly coming and knocking on each other's door to play catch on other days.  Being able to carpool to some games has been nice too.

Mother's Day.  The boys both made me presents at school.  Corban made me a picture with his handprints and Gabriel decorated a card for a plant. I also got a wallet that I had really liked when we were out as a family doing some errands one day.  Taylor had to leave town after church that day but the boys and I got hamburgers and watched Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (we just finished reading that book together)

Boys doing random things:

Gabriel reading to Corban

No idea.  They were doing something involving rolling down the hill in the backyard.  Then they started putting their legs in the same shirt and rolling and wrestling while attached to each other

We went to an event at the nature center near us with our friend Aela and her mom.  The boys touched snakes, went on a scavenger hunt looking for birds, made a clay bird and bird feeder, drew pictures of their favorite birds, and dissected owl pellets looking for bones (they even found a couple of skulls)

The boys made me breakfast one morning.  Yogurt, a couple of cereals, mini m&ms, chocolate, toast with a peanut butter "M" on it, and coffee.  I didn't eat it all, but I sure appreciated the thought (the boys helped me eat the chocolate - shocker, right).  Corban has gotten really good at making some perfect coffee.  He even told me one day that he looks closely at the color when he's adding half and half.  I've enjoyed the coffee service on slower mornings at home

We went to see both a piano and violin concert and some Renaissance Singers at the Moss Arts Center this spring

Playing at Aela's church while her mom does some work.  No idea what they are doing but they look like they are having fun.  I think that Aela has become like a sister to both of them, but especially to Corban.  And there is Corban wearing that shirt again.  I think if the boys could wear whatever they wanted and not have to worry about weather Corban would wear a short sleeved shirt and athletic shorts.  Gabriel would wear long sleeves and jeans.  They both always want socks on, even with sandals.  I guess their feet don't get hot

Fun in a tree at the park with Dad

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Corban is going to need some dental work done this summer.  We went for a consult at a pediatric dentist in Roanoke and found a cute ice cream shop very close by.  Corban found his favorite ice cream, vanilla, that comes in stripes of different colors

Gabriel trying out some Star Wars treat making from a cookbook from Uncle Aaron and Aunt Tiffany.  He was having his friend Aiden over and wanted to be able to make treats together.  Gabriel made the cookies, Corban made some vanilla ice cream in the ice cream maker, and the three boys made them into ice cream sandwiches and rolled them in sprinkles

Youth Group hike

After the hike.  Who knew that they could actually get tired enough to fall asleep in the car

It's summer and the $2 Regal movie is back this year!  Getting ready to watch Lego Ninjago!

I'll do another post soon about the end of 1st and 3rd grade!