End of School Years

It has been an intense end of school year this year.  Excitement has not barreled in yet.  My year ended with IEP's right up to my last minute of work.  The feeling when leaving was sort of anti-climactic.  Strange, for me.  Perhaps it has something to do with Simon still in school.  He is done this Thursday.

Norah finished before me.  I feel like I have been ending school years for about a month now.  It's a bit emotional and exhausting.  We said good-bye to preschool in high excitement. A bit of sadness for me, as early childhood is coming to an end.  Norah's Kindergarten year will be fun and exciting and I'll get half days with her.  After that, it is all day school and homework and reading and just different.  Norah's two very lovely preschool teachers have yet to receive their teacher gifts.  Just have to write the nice note and card.  Since Norah's preschool has a giant frog sign, and is affectionately referred to in our house as the "Frog Preschool", we found frog planters and chose a pretty plant to grow inside.

Since our sitter is fabulous and we get to take the summer off, hold our spot for next year part-time, and not pay extra - a small "Happy Summer" gift was in order.  We found a rain gauge yard decoration and a butterfly plant stick.  A lot of time is spent in their yard chasing butterflies and experiencing outdoor play.  No picture was taken.  Norah did stamp and decorate the sheets of paper for wrapping as well as colored the brown paper sandwich bag for the glass tube of the rain gauge.  Hope they feel appreciated!

Simon did not have great ideas for his teacher's end-of-year gift.  Simon grew leaps and bounds in his reading and his love of reading does not end, even at bedtime.  I like to make a handmade gift at the end of the year, but since I am making the VBS offering coin pouches, energy and time has been minimal.  Last night I scoured Ravelry for bookmark patterns, and found 3 adorable and easy bookmarks.  That, paired with a local used bookstore gift certificate, teacher gift is set.  She can pick out her own summer reading or boost her classroom library.  Whatever she wishes.

Just have to get Simon to write a card and a few things he likes about his teacher.  Never an easy task for my tight-lipped boy.  He likes facts, not the inferences.

Not one mug, smelly lotion, candle, chocolate, or apple this year!  Planters are common, but Norah was beyond ecstatic when she found them at "her" garden store (another local business).  Whew, I think maybe we did good.