Spring Update

Do you all remember your Kindergarten graduation?  I really don't-I remember more clearly my preschool graduation.  I lived in Wyoming when I was in Kindergarten and I remember things about it but I don't recall a graduation.  I remember my sister's and brother's Kindergarten graduation because the school that became my hometown school liked to make a big old deal out of it and I still remember the often used "Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten" essay fill of wisdom like "wash your hands" and "share" and "take a nap".  The current version of that would include "outline a book and write a little report" and "deconstruct numerals in groups of ten" which are things Ben has done this year.  I wasn't even sure what deconstruct meant when I saw it on the report card but it basically refers to learning subtraction.  There is a lot of controversy about Kindergarten and whether or not it is too much.  I'm glad to say, at least for my first kid to enter the world of school, it has not been too much even though a March birthday apparently now makes him of one of the youngest in his class.  He is an extrovert to the max which probably helps.  I love seeing the papers he bring home and deciphering his entry level spelling.  My favorite was when he brought home a picture of an oval with a line coming out of it and it said "Sosaj Rap".  Hmmmm...well obviously it was a picture of his favorite lunch which is a Sausage Wrap.  Anyone could see that. Also, he loves to draw pictures of tanks and guns and he always chooses books from the "Military Missions" series at the library and one day he brought home his own "Milutaree Book" that he made. Sounds first, then phonics I suppose.

So, even though there are still a few weeks of school left,  the Kindergarten had their music concert for the year along with their graduation.  They theme was "A Day in the Life of a Child" and the songs were traditional folk songs and camp songs we all know accompanied by music class instruments like tambourines and drums.  In the grand tradition of events held in school gyms, it was crowded, hot and hard to see and the pictures from where I was sitting were bad.  Everyone was holding up phones and tablets to try to get a good recording so it was hard to see.  After the show the classes went to their rooms so we could take pictures with the teacher and get their "diplomas".

I love this tree on one of the streets near the school where I always end up parking because there is no parking lot except a small one for the teachers and staff.  It is huge.

I was worried about handling Milo during the concert because he's crazy.  I had suckers, candy and drinks in my bag do distract him.  He actually calmed down when the singing started.  He liked it.  

I shouldn't have worried.  The Kindergarten demographic is known for having preschool and toddler and baby siblings so there were plenty of other screaming, running, meltdown having kids around.  

Speaking of the "Milutaree" aka the Military, my dad has worked as a civilian at an air force base for the past 11 years and last week he officially retired at the age of 60.  I wish I could have been there for his retirement party.  It was a lovely send off.  

He received a flag and a picture of the plane that flew the flag.  I don't exactly understand this (was the flag on the outside of the plane?  Inside?  It's an Air Force thing).

He also received a medal for HVAC unit members which is pretty unique and had to be tracked down and one was finally located and sent from a AFB in Texas.  He received a custom made NDSU sign for the farm and a statue with a Viking because the airmen of the base refer to themselves as the Northmen.  

The coworkers had hashtags for him which are pretty funny and true.  #AGNEWS

Here is the Viking statue.  

Pretty fitting because I am convinced that my family must have Viking blood.  

Both of those items above deserve their own post but I just haven't had time to post regularly.  Calvin has been sick for almost a month now and is on a second antibiotic for an ear infection after the first round didn't work and it spread from one ear to both.  It has been hard to put him down and the house is in absolute shambles.  My neighbor's grandkids came busting in last week and the 4 year old said "it's messy in here!".  Yes, it is kid.  Get over it.  Of course, they then proceeded to make it even worse.  

I have been trying to pack and move things each weekend. After packing our bags there isn't much room left and it has taken two loads just to move our coats from the coat closet. The amount of crap is completely overwhelming.  On Friday I loaded the closet from h3ll which holds old Halloween costumes, not two but three lettermen's jackets and two grad school graduation robes with hoods.  Minimalism is the latest "thing" and most people would advise me to just throw it all away but guess what.  I don't want to.  I like having costumes around should the occasion arise.  I like my letter jacket.  It was a big deal to be in 9th grade and get to have one and I was proud of it.  Same with the graduation robes.  And many of the costumes were made by me.  Back in 2008 I made the flapper dress below by sewing fringe to a clearance Old Navy dress and the matching headpiece doesn't work anymore because the elastic is stretched out.  

It fell off the hanger in the car and this morning Milo was afraid to get in because he thought the big fluffy feather was a spider.  Hahaha.  If it was that would be a very terrifying spider!