summertime, and the living is easy!

Today was Ava's last day of school...wooohoooo!!!

last day of school

first day of school

It is so hard for me to understand how she was able to learn and grow so much since September.  I loved listening to her teach Anthony what she had learned each day... it worked like the game "telephone", by the time the information went from the teacher , through Ava and then to Anthony it was hilariously distorted with Ava's dramatic spin on it.

I also learned a lot this year::  that I have a harder time sticking to the school schedule than the kids, that making friends in the schoolyard saved my sanity (thanks Holly and Trish), that leaving homework to the last minute really does cause a lot of undue stress,  that kids really do repeat EVERYTHING (I dread to think of the stories Ava regaled her class with if the stories that she brought home were any indication) and the list goes on and on.

For her end of year gifts Ava worked really hard on concept, design and decoration of all of her gifts ( I was the manual labourer throughout the process)

She chose to make a new mystery bag for her teacher

And pencil rolls and personalized journals for her good friends.  I just loved watching her creative process....very inspiring.

And now on to the summer!!!! 
We have already fallen into a very relaxed summer routine.....walk, library, local treats, art supplies and home for a movie....the perfect afternoon.
We plan to take it really easy this summer with tons of

swinging and park playing

picnicking

lounging

watching this new mom and her babes

and oh so much more!