Summer is Here!!

Finally- the last day of school!  

So happy!

  That last month about killed me.  But we made it through. Emma still has to take her ACT's, but other than that we are golden.  We had wonderful teacher's this year.

  Joseph's teacher was absolutely perfect for him.

And so was Max's.

Sam had a few wonderful teachers.  At the beginning of the school year his Science teacher's oldest son was killed in a car crash.  She made it through, she said, with the energy of the children.  She really was such a positive influence on Sam and she adored him- which helped.  She ended up giving him two awards- one for his and his friend Damon's catapult project

and one for Scientist of the Year.

He also got the Presidential award for his grades (3.5 or higher for their entire middle school years) along with about 1/2 of the 8th grade.

I was amazed with how many good kids are in the school.  I don't know why, though.  Military kids tend to be "tops" or "bottoms", not much "in-between" people. 

 He got up a couple more times for some other awards.  

At the very end of the (half) day, the 8th graders did a parade through the school and all the little guys came out and watch and cheered and high fived them.  It was super cute.  Joe's class held all the flags at the end of the parade route.  Joseph got to hold the Army flag.

Right now the 8th graders are off celebrating at a local pool, their "graduation" to High School.

Emma skipped the whole last day of school, because her teachers told her to.  They said, "you think we want to see you on the last day?  We don't!  In fact, if you do come, we will send you to the food court.  Don't come to my class!"  So, instead they went shopping for a friend's birthday party which is tonight.  

And so begins summer!!

Prom Pictures!

These are for posterity, Emma and Grandma's- all the important people!

Emma went to Prom with a bunch of friends who convinced her to go.

They really had to beg, though, because her stalker had asked her. Panicking, she told him that she couldn't, because she was already going with someone else.    That someone else, (the one guy she knew she could get away with using his name without freaking him out) happened to have a date, already.  Hence, her not wanting to go at all.  George- the guy in question- was decidedly not put out and extremely happy to have two dates to Prom (neither of which he paid for- one being an independent kind of woman and Emma who wasn't really going with him.)

As you will note, Emma's dress was slightly on the long side.  It should have been taken up about an inch.  Unfortunately, I have been so busy, I forgot it was Prom until she told me on Friday night.  Oh, well, put some heels on and it won't be too bad.  Our world was turned upside down on Saturday (DoP- day of Prom.)  I went on a bus three hours away with Sam to an athletic event, while Rob stayed home to do a birthday party- someone else's, even though it was on Max's actual birthday, and Prom.  Only one of those pictures is Rob's.  After that he said he couldn't possibly follow all those silly women around taking pictures.  All the girl's came to our house to do hair and make-up, but Rob stayed away for that, too!  Just a little different from last year, when she went with someone she really liked and Mom was there helping her with hair and make-up and taking a ton of pictures!

I was afraid, with all that, Emma would be asking to come home early.  But she didn't.  They ended up having lots of fun and George saved her at least twice when said Stalker came calling.  He told her that she owed him for those saves, so she said she would make him cookies.  She asked our neighbor to make cookies for her.  They not only made them for her, they took them over to him and told him that they were from her.  I don't know how she gets away with this stuff!!  She really must be her father's daughter!  I am so glad she had fun at Prom!  

Yep, that just happened!

Yep, that just happened.

Sam set this up- 2 girls and himself and one other guy friend.  Another guy they knew saw them and joined, but before that it appeared suspiciously like a double date!  Don't worry- it wasn't.  Meredith and Kendall are some of Sam's favorite friends that he plays with all the time.  Kendall is quite the tomboy and loves to play soccer and throw the football and is just the life of the party.  Meredith enjoys Kendall, so it's all good.  The next day, we decided to go to another movie- there just happened to be two back to back that we wanted to see.  Sam didn't go with us, because he wanted to play with his friends, instead.  Rob was flabbergasted.  Sorry honey- it has begun!  Friends now rule in Sam's life.