End of School Year, part 2

Guess what I'm avoiding right now.  Besides sleep, that is.  Go ahead: guess.

Making a grocery list. 

Did you guess it?  It's swiftly becoming critical that I perform this task, since someone is having a birthday soon, and because a bunch of someones couldn't get their act together, the someone who is having a birthday decided to have a party.  And invite 5 of his friends.  To spend the night.  Day after tomorrow.  I think they're gonna be hungry at some point.  *sigh*

So, instead of making my list, I'm bringing you the long-awaited part 2 to the End of School year saga (click here if you missed part 1).

For AKD, it wasn't just the end of the school year: it was the end of elementary school.  It blows my mind that my baby will be 11 in just a few days and is off to middle school in just a few short weeks.

Why didn't anyone tell that boy to take his hat off before going up to get his certificate?  Yes, I shed a tear or two...or a hundred...but who's counting...as Ms. A called my firstborn forward, marking the end of his elementary years. 

But first, we "celebrated learning," whatever that means, followed by a picnic lunch and a "fun activity," which turned out to be various Minute to Win It challenges.  A bit chaotic, but I think the kids had a good time.

 Here's MC stacking blocks on Bri-Guy's head.

 Here are various 5th graders, including AKD, flinging their shoes at me...I mean, at a table.  AKD was the first to land both of his shoes on the table without them sliding off--he's so talented.

 One of the favorite end of school traditions is the staff/parents versus the 5th graders game--you can see various 1st, 2nd, and 4th graders milling about in the foreground as the staff/parents and 5th graders compete in the background of this picture.  Sawblock had been looking forward to this day for 5 long years.  I still don't know what they were playing, or who won, but it really doesn't matter. 

In the couple of weeks before the last day of school, AKD and his class participated in the district-wide field day, took a field trip to the zoo on the hottest day of the year (well, hottest up until that point--we've got that beat now), and hosted a poetry coffee house (and I solidified my standing as not-mother-of-the-year by not getting pictures of any of these activities).

AKD, Sawblock, and Grandpa Blue headed off for a fishing trip as soon as school was dismissed.  Here's a couple of my favorite pics from their trip:

 Big Rufus went along on the trip as well...

And that's it.  Now, off to bed, and on to the rest of the summer!