Vacation Bible School

What would summer be without vacation bible school? It would be just a summer vacation and not a magnificent summer vacation. Faith spent Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at a near by church learning about God's love for his children. She spent each day in different centers. Some of the centers were music class where they played handbells and sang songs, Bible story class where they learned a lesson based off of a story in the Bible, recess, water play, art time where she made a tie-dyed towel, CD picture frame and yarn octopus. After the first day Faith told me that she wished she could go to VBS all day everyday. It was at that point I realized how much she enjoys this activity each summer.

Magnets with Dorothy

Dorothy is our neighbor who lives behind us. She is Andma's age and loves kids. Faith visits Dorothy once or twice a week. Today she built with magnets. Magnets are so cool. The possibilities are endless as far as what one can build. She made a pyramid, cube, and an octagon. It is nice to Faith sit down and do activities because so often when she is at home she just wants to flip around the house.  Dorothy has two dogs, Abby and Marley, both of which are good tempered dogs who love children. Faith thought it was funny when Marley ate Bob's peanuts from the table. I don't know of many dogs who eat peanuts but those two loved them. They are both poodles and are brother and sister. Sure is nice to have Bob and Dorothy as neighbors. They are such nice people. We look forward to many years living here as neighbors with them.

Pay day

Friday was payday for Faith. She earned five dollars this week as she washed the sunroom screens with a scrub brush and soap. It was a job that I did not want to do so the five dollars was well worth it. She continues to help around the house with clearing her place at the table, putting away laundry, making her bed and her brother's bed, walking the dog and caring for him, and being a good listener. The last few weeks have been hard for her until Bud and I sat down and talked with her about the fact that there will always be someone telling her what to do for the rest of her life. It is up to her to take that direction and not complain but just do as she was asked. It is an important lesson to learn and at the age of 6 she needs not question so many requests and just do as she is told. She was happy to go shopping at Five Below where her five dollars would buy her anything one thing in the store. After she had picked out yet another stuffed animal, which would give her a grand total of 40, she discovered Bella Sara. What I like about Bella Sara horse cards are that she can take the codes, plug them into her account on the computer and earn horseshoes so she can go shopping more in order to decorate her online cottage. She really enjoys caring for her online horses. Five dollars bought Faith four packages of horse cards and 400 horseshoes.

The puppy tooth fairy

Faith has put Tucker's tooth under her pillow tonight in the hopes that she will trick the tooth fairy into thinking it is hers. I couldn't believe it when I seen it in her room. We found his tooth on the floor this afternoon after playing tug of war with him and seeing some blood on his stuffed dog. She included a little note to read, "Dear Tooth fairy, this is my tooth. Love, Faith." She so wants a visit from the tooth fairy. Poor thing. Her front tooth has been loose for over a year now. It just doesn't want to fall out. She is super excited about it getting looser over the past few weeks. Faith came home a few weeks ago and told me that she hopes that she gets the same tooth fairy as her friend because she got $20. She said was she was not sure what her friend's address was or whether it was close to her house. I guess their are several million tooth fairies each with their designated areas to patrol. Tonight though, it is the puppy tooth fairy making a stop here to deliver a milk bone dog biscuit. I can't wait for her response when she wakes up.

End of the year banquet

Faith and her "big sister" Lyndsey

Faith and friend Jackie

Faith gets her trophy



All the pre team girls and coaches

The gymnastics competition season has drawn to an end and Faith celebrated on Monday with an awards banquet. She was so excited to dress up pretty and see her friends. She was congratulated and awarded a rainbow colored trophy with her name on it. She says she is going to compete again next season and looks forward to this summer when she can work on her tricks and get strong.

You've got a friend in me

Who is there when you need a good night hug and kiss? Who is always there to ask you for your waffle each morning? Who is always there to lick you when you get home from school? Who is there to chase you when you run? Who is there to lay with you and watch t.v? Who is always there to clean up your paper napkin when you leave it on the floor? Who is always there to pick up your shoes when you leave them on the floor? His name is Tucker and Faith just loves him

Last days as a first grader

     The last few days have been busy with school and friends. Faith's last day of first grade was today. I'm a little sad. My little girl is just growing so fast. I wish she would slow down. She has changed so much since that first day of school. She was scared, butterflies in her stomach and just a little shy. Today she leaves first grade as one of the friendliest children in class, one of the best classroom helpers and all around a positive example to those around her. She loves her teacher Mrs. Davis and I'm so happy that she had her as a teacher.

     After a half day yesterday at school filled with a picnic and games, Faith had her best friend Ellysa over from class. I have never had the house so quiet before. Faith and Ellysa remained in her room or outside at the weeping willow for the majority of the afternoon. These two girls are just meant for each other. Ellysa came in half way through the school year. I'm sure that Faith just had a sense of what it must feel like to move to a new school and not know anyone. She quickly took her under her wing and they now wish they were sisters. I hope that even though they will not be school this summer, they will still remain in contact. We went to the Metro Park later in the afternoon and enjoyed some time down at the water's edge and at the playscape. Some friends of Faith's can be bossy or rude, but Ellysa is just a very nice little girl.
   Faith made Mrs. Davis a stepping stone for her garden. It was just beautiful. It had a D in the middle for Davis. Faith loves to give Mrs. Davis hugs. Sometimes I think that she would give her 10 or more hugs a day. Will she like her teacher next year? I don't know. I sure hope so. I sure hope that next year is as good as this year. Until then today was the last day Faith would ride the bus until Fall. Now I just need to figure out a plan for summer time to keep her busy and pleasant to be around.

A loving soul

Faith has the most loving soul of any little girl. She made her own little clipboard the other day and took it out on our walk. She was bound and determined to write things down as she walked. She told me that I could not look at them. She was going to share them with her daddy and not me. Not that it was intended for him, but that it was concerning me and didn't want to let me in on the secret. I just couldn't help myself. At the first opportunity I was given to catch a glimpse of the note, I took advantage of it. I was quickly reminded of just how sweet she is. This note says it all. Before I read the note but before we came inside she had visited her friend Dorothy our neighbor briefly and came running home for supper with her hands behind her back. She was yelling at her brother to not show me the surprise. As she got closer to me she pulled out from behind her back the most beautiful bouquet of daisies. For you mommy because I love you. Champ gave me his small bouquet too. I felt loved. I don't think they'll ever know how special they are to me and I don't think that I will ever really know how much love a child can have for their mother.

Field day

I know it must be hot playing outside for a 15 minute recess when it is 90 degrees out but I can't imagine spending all day outside for field day. Field is comprised of 18 different stations in which all of the classrooms rotate throughout the day. Each station is about 15 minutes and none of them require the use of the bottom sitting. I stopped in for an hour or so last Friday and was excited to see Faith having so much fun. So often the kids are sitting in class. They have to in order to learn but what can you learn from playing outside that you can't learn from sitting in the classroom. Some of the fun activities Faith and her friends participated in were potato sack races, sponge bucket filling, parachute ball games, walking path, flag circle tag, jumpy bounce house, firetruck blow up crawl through game, obstacle course over the playground, popsicles, water sprayer soaking, and so much more. She absolutely loved it. I wish I could have stayed longer however the heat was just too much for Champ considering he is so little. He was really so hot that he didn't want to play anyways. Faith finished off her morning with a picnic lunch with her friends and headed inside for some cool air. Her favorite part was the popsicle station times three.

Bad Kitty

I'm not quite sure what makes the Bad Kitty chapter books so interesting to a 6 year old but Faith is becoming a fan of them. I know one of her friends likes them at school also. We recently read two of the books but tonight she sat down with the book with her Andma Pat on the couch and cozied up for an entire night of reading. Tonight was Bad Kitty and the Birthday Party. Evidentally it was the Puppy who took Bad Kitty's presents. Faith just found that hilarious. See, puppy is jealous of bad kitty. They don't like each other. I think that this book series reminds her of her own life since she has a kitty who is unhappy majority of the time and a puppy who does nothing but bother the kitty. Faith read the entire chapter book to her grandmother. I was so proud of her. Her reading has sky rocketed this year due to the fact that she has matured enough to enjoy reading on her own. Since March she has read almost every night in her bed. Her other favorite books series is the Disney fairy books. She will sit and read these in the car and in bed. 

Faith and Andma Pat read Bad Kitty

Such a funny book