Endings

And so it is over.

Joseph has finished Kindergarten and is ready for full day school.
Aubrey has finished elementary school and is on her way to middle school.
Bailey has finished middle school and is headed to high school.

And I am glad that the school year has wrapped up successfully (along with all the busy activities). And I am sad that my kids are growing up.  And happy about the amazing people they are becoming.

I snapped a few pics on the last day.
Joseph after his last day of school, with his best buddy Alex. Kindergarten was so awesome.
Here is a funny side note about Joseph. Bailey and I tried in vain throughout the year to get a good picture of Joseph running into his kindergarten classroom as we dropped him off on the sidewalk in front of his classroom. Each day he waited until no big scary older children were around (older, like 8 years old or something) and then he ran at breakneck speed from the van into the classroom. He always held his jacket over his shoulder with one hand and his backpack over his shoulder with the other. He never looked back or stopped until he was safely ensconced in the kindergarten classroom. On the second to last day of school Bailey got this picture of his panicked run, but he didn't have his jacket or backpack that day.

Aubrey at the end of her last day of school. She had an amazing year with a really great teacher. She was sad to have the year end, especially since she has been with the same group of kids each year (there is one class per grade in the challenge program and they move up together). They are really a good group of kids and were very close. Now the kids will be spread out among 3 or 4 middle schools.

Bailey as she left for her last day of school, which was also her 8th Grade Promotion. All the kids dressed up in nice clothes and walked across the stage in the Auditorium to receive their "diploma."  And parents weren't invited! I would have loved to have seen her promote to high school.  She wouldn't let me take any pictures of her all fancy (curled hair and cute outfit) so I had to take these pictures on the sly as she walked out of the car and met up with her friends.  

The day after school ended we hosted a party for Aubrey's school class. The theme of the party was "Elementary No More" and we held it at a nearby park. It was great for the kids to enjoy playing together one more time.

Ever organized, Aubrey had a list on her clipboard and she checked off each girl or boy as they arrived.

The kids exchanged email addresses and contact information.  Below, a group shot of all the kids who were able to attend.

Joseph invited a friend to the park with us. Their favorite activity was finding ways to bug the older kids. They were good at it.