SCHOOL'S OUT!!!

It's been a great school year for all three of my little darlings but we are all very excited to be starting our summer break today!!  Here's a little recap of the last few days for Nora & Charlie.  I didn't get any pics of Graham because 6th graders are way too cool for moms with cameras.

 headed to kindergarten graduation in style!

his moment at the mic

starting out the candle tradition with a candle in his quesadilla!

 I've been meaning to make my kids these shirts for the last day of school since Graham was in kindergarten.  I FINALLY did it!  Charlie had a great year!!  We are REALLY going to miss his AWESOME, ADORABLE, AMAZING teacher.

 Nora had a great year too!  STRAIGHT As ALL YEAR deserves a candle in her spaghetti for sure!!

We took these jars of chocolate covered pomegranates to the teachers on the last day.  I tied on a little chevron scoop from Sucre Shop and I confess it was really hard for me to give those adorable scoops away.  I'll be ordering a set for myself right away.  Aren't they the cutest?

 

HAPPY SUMMER!!!

LET"S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!!

© 2012 paperdoll designs

Instagram/Phone Photos Week in Review

It's been a BUSY week!   The last few weeks of school always make me a little cRaZy and I think I'm still recovering from Camp Charlie!  I'm so excited to be taking next week off of work so I can just concentrate on my little darlings and all that they have accomplished this year.  I think there are parties and/or awards ceremonies going on EVERYDAY next week. 

My Mother's Day was awesome. 

We went to church...the kids dressed themselves in color coordinating clothes (not on purpose but what a treat for a picture day)...we got a decent picture with me in it to prove someday that they had a mom.  I'm never in pictures because I'm always the one taking them!

 

 They got me the wallet I'd had my eye on!  I heart it!!  Isn't it pretty?

It was a beautiful day!  We spent a lot of time outside. 

I cut some roses from our rose bush...

 We do not have green thumbs here so this is an accomplishment!!

 

We had to take down the tent.  I was sad to see it go.  I thought it was fun having a tent in the backyard and the kids loved it.  It was funny to watch Nathan try to get that huge tent back into that little bag though.

 

 The 6th Grade Awards Ceremony was this week.  My heart hurts that this boy is going to be in 7th grade next year.  He is growing up way too fast!! 

He's really grown up this year...right before my eyes.  He's turning into such an amazing young man.  I've really loved watching him take off in middle school.  He's gained so much confidence this year and really grown spiritually.  He's awesome.  He's our little scholar so imagine our surprise AND HIS when they announced that he was the 6th grade boy chosen to have artwork at Mayfest this year!!  So we are off to Mayfest this weekend to find his art.  So proud that maybe he has a little creative gene in there somewhere!!  He gets all his math skills from his dad but just maybe there's a little of me in there somewhere!!

 

The week was so busy and filled with so many activities that I did most of my PaperDolly work in the wee hours or in the car.  I did my books in the school parking lot waiting for the kids.

 

I'm feeling a lot stressed as we head into dance recital/Mayfest/Nora's birthday/middle school finals/kindergarten graduation/last week of school.  I'm SO ready for summer!!!

 

That's my instagram/phone photo week in review.

Follow me on instagram if you want to see all this exciting news as it happens live :) Haha!

mypaperdolldesigns on instagram

© 2012 paperdoll designs

My Little Cheerleader & Cupcakes

Nora had a cheer competition on Saturday at Frontier City in Oklahoma City.  We pulled into the gates at 8 am and spent the ENTIRE day there.  It was a long day but it really was fun.  Her squad did AMAZING and got 2nd place. 

Early morning pic of my sweet girl BEFORE all the make-up!

Nora & her friend Macy all glittered up with way too much make-up...but that's they way they do it these days.  Cheerleading has changed...

 

We ended up having so much fun.  Nora rode her first roller coaster...and hated it BUT I was proud of her for trying it.  Graham got to spend the day like a big kid walking around with 2 of his friends.  He had a blast.  Charlie was a little unsure of some rides and a lot exhausted by the end of the day but did great.  My Fitbit LOVED all the walking I was doing.  The little face on the screen smiled at me all day!

 

When we were all done with glitter and roller coasters, we headed to Bricktown and stopped by one of my favorite places ever! 

Pinkitzel!

This is by far the CUTEST cupcake/candy store I've ever seen.  I LOVE it!  This store speaks my language!  Chandeliers, cupcakes, black and white and pink, CUTE gifts and all sorts of candy!!!  It was the perfect way to end the day!

 



© 2012 paperdoll designs

This isn't so bad after all...

Thank you so much to all of you that have sent such encouraging emails about our little home schooling adventure. It truly makes my day to wake up to an email from someone telling me that they are thinking about us over here in our little "school." I have to be honest, a few days before "school" started, I was having HUGE regrets about our decision. I cried. I felt like this was going to be the worst decision EVER. When everyone went to Meet The Teacher, I felt like someone was having a big party and my kids were the only ones that didn't get invited. I listened to everyone talk about what teacher they got and I made a million lunchboxes and bag tags for other kids that were going to the big "party." I had a little pity party and wondered what in the world led us to this decision. Then school started and I prepared myself for the horribleness (I just decided that was a word.) Guess what? It's not horrible. I'm kind of enjoying it. I like planning. I like color coding their folders by the day of the week. I like finding out that Nora loves math and I would have never guessed that. I like that she suddenly LOVES to read and gets so excited when I tell her it's free reading time. I like that Graham is actually teaching ME geography because apparantly he studies maps in his spare time. I love that I get to teach him cursive and that he thinks it is so cool. I like that I am spending more time with them than I really have in a long time. I love that they have great friends who haven't forgotten about them just because they aren't at school. It might get old. It's only been a week and a half. I might be desparate for alone time. I might get tired of the fact that my errands are now group outings. I might get sick of having a dirty house because no one has time to clean it. But either way, I think I will look back on this and be glad that we did it. Thanks for all the encouragement.

Oh, and Charlie got in trouble today AGAIN at preschool. There was a long list of naughty things that he was up to. His teacher is the sweetest. I think she'll learn to love him despite his flaws.

A PaperDoll Newsletter just went out. Did you get it?

© 2009 paperdoll designs

Meet the Teacher

Today was the famous "Meet the Teacher" day at school. Charlie is one lucky boy. His teacher is fabulous! She's the same teacher Nora had when she was three. She loves those kids to pieces and is the sweetest teacher ever. Charlie is going to wear her out! He's my sweet baby but that boy's got some energy. I can't wait to see how he handles "big boy" school! I forgot to tell you...he is officially potty trained! Just in time...

Let me tell you about Graham and Nora's teacher. She's a first year teacher. She has zero teaching experience. She didn't even get her degree in Elementary Education! She's never written lesson plans, she doesn't have an official classroom...just a big closet where she is storing all the "school stuff" and she is the first to admit that she feels totally unprepared for the school year! That teacher would be ME and this homeschooling journey officially starts on Friday.

© 2009 paperdoll designs

HAPPY EASTER!

I only raised my voice a tiny bit when trying to get all three to look at the camera and smile. Aren't my babies beautiful? We had such a great day!

Here's a sweet bunny cake...she's so fancy...she's wearing earrings and a necklace. Guess who made her AND decorated her? Nora and her daddy!

Little Birdie Sippy Cup

Bye Bye Butterfly!

I'm a little panic stricken just thinking about the next few days without my laptop but I think I can survive! Maybe I will get to bed before 3ish for a couple of nights...imagine that!
Miss me...

p.s. Can you add to this list?

See ya later, Alligator
After while, Crocodile
See ya soon, Baboon
Hang Loose, Mother Goose

The three little darlings love to play that game and it gets a little old when we haven't added a new one into the mix for a while...