Topsy Twirly

Madelyn begged and begged and BEGGED to do gymnastics this summer, and she is loving it! Her goal was to get her cartwheel perfected, and she has been working real hard get it just right!

But she has realized that gymnastics is more than just cartwheels! She loves the rope, and twirling on the bars. I even told her about the the days when I was in gymnastics and how the uneven bars were my favorite!

Piano Recital - Summer 2014

Madelyn participated in her second piano recital, and she was amazing! It's fun to see how much she's learned since her last recital in November. Her biggest accomplishment, aside from sight reading, is playing chords. And you know me, I have zero talent when it comes to music, but I do know that the songs she plays now sound great! She's in Level 1 of the Piano Adventures series.

Here's a little clip of the three songs she played, followed by some pictures from the afternoon.

"Little River"

"The Haunted Mouse"

"Classic Dance"

"N-E-R-V-O-U-S"

Summer Sleepover

We always enjoy having Isabelle over, but there's something extra special about having a sleepover in the summer! I always feels like there's so much more to do, and so much more time to do it. :)

Madelyn recently got a new Lego set, so the girls spent some time putting it all together. I loved just sitting and watching them work together, laughing. Boy did they laugh. I sure do wish I could bottle those giggles forever!

Since Isabelle's family was moving into their new house this weekend, we were delighted when her parents said she could stay for TWO nights instead of just one! YIPPEE!

The girls had so much fun, but spent most of their time in the pool!

Yesterday we decided it would be fun to go get pedicures at our favorite nail place. The girls had fun choosing colors and telling the nail artists exactly how they wanted their nails painted. ;)

Hula Hoop Girl

A few months ago, Grammy found a hula hoop at an estate sale, and got it for Madelyn thinking she would love it. Madelyn was really excited to get it, but was easily frustrated every time she tried it because the hoop always fell right to the ground. Fortunately, she didn't stop trying and has now mastered it! I could watch her for hours! I don't know how she does it with such little movement!

 

Kindergarten Graduation

Okay. So those of you that have known me for a long time, you know that I really don't like the idea of kindergarten "graduation." I don't have a problem with celebrating a fantastic year of fun-filled learning; I just don't like that it's called graduation. I get it though. And if I look at the definition below (taken from dictionary.com) I can see how number 3 sort of fits the bill with the level thing. I just think that with more and more graduations, by the time you get to high school, or college, it loses some of it's excitement. But that's just me. And I happen to know a lot of high school graduates that would say I am dead wrong!

Having said that, I was THRILLED to be a part of Madelyn's kindergarten (eh-em) graduation. It was a sweet program that truly did showcase the kids and their accomplishments this year. It was adorable. And no matter what you call it, it was emotional for many of the parents (including us)! Our kinder babies are now first graders! Holy cow the time flies so quickly!

Miss Madelyn, forever my little bug, you are an amazingly smart, talented, beautiful girl who has such a bright future ahead of her! I cannot wait to see the great things you will accomplish!

Proud Parents

Amazing Mrs. M!

Grammy & Papa were so sad they couldn't be here to see the show (because they were in Indiana celebrating an 8th grade graduation - Congrats, Ethan!) so we promised we would record it for them. Unfortunately, I am having trouble getting the video to load on our computer so I'll include some pictures instead. (Grammy & Papa, we'll share the videos when you're back in town!)

Now there is one thing that I firmly believe we should celebrate, and that's our amazing teachers! I have said it lots of times before, but I'll say it again! Mrs. Mussleman is an outstanding teacher! She runs a tight ship that floats on high standards and lots of love. She knows how to encourage these youngsters and creates an atmosphere of respect and kindness. When I visit her classroom, I don't want to leave! She works endless hours creating activities and lessons that engage her kiddos and make them want more! She incorporates humor and hugs, and doesn't let a day go by without reminding them how smart they are! We absolutely love her! And although we know first grade will be another great adventure, we will miss her dearly!

We wanted to get her a special gift that showed our appreciation for all her hard work and dedication. But what exactly might this be? Well…when Mrs. Musselman made a house call over Christmas break to pull one of Madelyn's teeth during the Packers/Bears game, we noticed she was missing some serious fan gear. I mean, really. You cannot have a proper rivalry without a jersey! Duh. So Chris and I plotted a little, and we even messaged her daughter on Facebook to get some of the finer details, and a personalized jersey was the result. I had to share the pictures of her opening her gift because they are truly priceless! And listen. I only want to share her expressions; this post in no way supports the Bears.

This is my favorite picture. :)

"Shut Up!"

We LOVE you, Mrs. Musselman, even though you're a Bears fan! And we look forward to another great teacher/student rivalry next season! Maybe you can even wear your new jersey to our house for another brat! ;)