Schooooooollll's.....OUT. FOR. SUMMER!

P.T.L! Whew-I wasn't so sure that I was going to survive this last week. The kids were a mix of well-behaved and bouncing off the walls! It was a busy, busy week with lots to do! We started off the week with our end of the year field trip to the Purdue Union bowling alley. I go every year with another first grade teacher. We divide our classes up into groups, invite the parents, and get our bowl on for an hour in the morning. They even turn off the lights, put the black and neon lights on, and crank up some Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift. The kids absolutely love it! It's definitely a good time for them to enjoy themselves and all the hard work that they've done throughout the school year. Once we got back to the school the kids went out for recess, while some of my parents and my room mom set up the room for a pizza party. You would think with as little as those kids are that they would get full quickly but some of those kiddos had 2 1/2 pieces of Papa John's pizza, some strawberries, and a KinderEgg from Germany! And they were still hungry.

Let me get sidetracked for just a second and talk to you about this KinderEgg from Germany. Oh my goodness! I had never heard of them before but they are one of the most creative/delicious pieces of awesomeness I've ever experienced! They are a chocolate egg that the kids "crack". Once the egg is opened, there is a small pod inside the egg with a toy! It's unreal the kinds of toys that can fit in those tiny pods! They kids were in heaven. Such a great surprise from one of my parents.

On Tuesday, we started our 1st grade memory books. Wednesday, we finished our memory books and the kids started helping me take down stuff in my room since I'll be moving next year (more on that later). On Thursday, we attempted our first school-wide field day with all grade levels doing their own "stations" of activities, but about halfway through we got rained on.  I wasn't complaining much because it gave me more time to use those little eager hands to help me clean, tear down, and pack up. It's amazing how much faster things go with 23 little 6 & 7 year olds there to help you.

I held it together the last day of school better than I expected. I'm a pretty emotional person so that's good for me. I will definitely miss my kiddos but it was a long, draining year.  I'm already looking forward to and planning for next year.

Before I leave you to get on with my summer I want to give my thoughts and prayers to the people of Oklahoma and Texas. Both places are dealing with great tragedies. I can't even imagine what you all are going through right now. Stay strong! In an effort to help those in need I donated to two great causes!  What great ideas!