Last Day of School

Another school year wrapped up lickety-split!
I'm always amazed at how many things happen during a school year.

There is a reason my eyeballs start to burn right around spring break

and I wonder if I can make it another day before the Summer break starts. 

Maybe that is why I always welcome Summer.

I need a long mental snooze before I can do it all over again for 10 months. 

Before we could get to the last day, I needed to prepare 6 high school graduation gifts

for the kids in our ward.

Part of my bishops wife duties. 

Rusty was getting a special award in the school assembly.
He killed 6th grade and I can't believe he had only 1 more day left before he moved on to Jr. High!

A very bad picture of Lindi sitting with her class. 

Even though she had her graduation, Ms. Suzy planned a water day

for the official last day of preschool. 

I will miss seeing every kid piled on the tree swing
 waiting for their moms to pick them up. 

Our last school morning of the year!

Della soaked it in well as you can see:)

Next year will be a rude awakening getting
 everyone out the door ready and on time!

Last day as a "Freshy"

I try to make it exciting with decorations and a Summer themed breakfast. 

I guess I didn't sign up to help with class parties!
Rusty on his very last school bus ride.

His teacher made each child in her class this special gift.
Teachers that go above and beyond are so appreciated. 
That is one of the hard parts of the last day, having to move on from something
that served your child so well.

 

Banquets, Recitals, and Graduations

Lane finished up his Freshman season of baseball!
He loved being on the team.

He mainly played short stop and started every game.

Every time I would see him in his uniform on the field I couldn't get over the fact that

 I have a high school man child. 

It didn't help that his elementary school backed up to the wall behind the outfield.

He was just in Kindergarten! 

They had a banquet and I was in charge of dessert.

We will see if these purple and gold sprinkle containers last me through all 4 children!

Coach Figueroa 

And coach Bandura with the JV team. 

Tuck and Tumble recital!

Della is on the far front left.
Just look for the cutest buns:)

Lindi is in the middle

Major plus that 2 cousins were in her class this year!

The hardest one to stomach of all... our last preschool graduation!

What a blessing Ms. Suzy was to Della.

She genuinely loved having her in her class.
Della loved her Monday, Wednesday and Fridays with her friends. 

And I loved having her preschool only be 4 houses down the street!

The sang us some songs.

She had a little speaking part.
" When I grow up I want to be a mom".

They had their walking ceremony and received her diploma. 

Officially ready for Kindergarten!

 

Last day in Philadelphia- Visiting Casey's mission.

I was excited about this day!
We were going to visit where Casey served his mission.
He never served in the heart of the city, but about 1.5 hours away in the outskirts.
Quakertown, Allentown, Amhurst, and Bethlehem were some of the

towns he covered. 
(Also parts of  Delaware, but that was much further away).

He loved his mission very much and met such wonderful people.

A certain family, the Ramsdens, were one of the families that took
 him under their wing while he served there. 
As newlyweds I heard much about them and their children.

We were able to take a trip out to visit before we had any kids, and it

was a pleasure to meet them in person.

I even stayed friends with the mom, Donna, on Facebook over the years. 

 It was wild to take 2 of our children back to visit them once again, 16 years later!

We let the Ramsdens know we would be visiting a few weeks in advance.
They gave us their church time.
What a sweet reunion with them!
They hadn't changed a bit. 

We were in the halls visiting with members Casey had remembered after church

when I saw a familiar looking lady.
It clicked for both of us at the same time.

She was the sweet temple worker who helped us sneak in!!

What were the chances?!!!

 We hugged and became pretty quick friends.

I could have talked to her for hours.
Heavenly Father is so kind.

What an added touch to the memories of the
 trip that made it more special. 

I wish I would have thought to take a picture with her. 

The Ramsdens so generously invited us over for lunch after church.

Oh, on Mothers Day none-the less!
I had forgotten that part. 

While they were in Sunday school, Casey drove us around and showed us his

old stomping grounds. 

Lots of small, windy, country roads. 

Cute little Christmas tree garden. 

I had forgotten how beautiful his mission was!

When we first went to visit it was Fall and everything was orange.

It was fun to see it alive and green in the Spring time. 

The Ramsdens home.

 Just as cute as I had remembered it!

The side garage with the star on top was a new addition.
That is where we had lunch. 

Since it was Mothers Day they invited another single lady over, along with
 some of their own children. 
She is on the left side with glasses, I cant remember her name.

Casey said she has never been married and had lots of cats.

So she was named the cat lady:)
But every week she took him and his companion to Boston Market for dinner. 
You never know the impact you have on someone.

I need to step it up!

This is their son in law, Danny.
Funny because his wife is Danielle! 

He has 3 daughters, so I think he was excited to have some male
company and a challenge at ping pong!

Mark and Donna Ramsden.
Every time we have the missionaries over to our home I think about them.
Grateful they were so kind and loving to my future husband.
I hope to be like the Ramsdens for the missionaries serving in our area, and that our children someday

make connections with wonderful families on their own missions. 

Our time flew by and we needed to drive back to the city to catch our flight home.
Leaving Philadelphia behind in the sunset.

I came home to a Mothers Day surprise!

Pretty sure the girls loved their week with Amber while we were away.