Jolee’s 4th Grade Field Day

Right before school was out Jolee had her big 4th grade field day. 

Her morning started out wet! The kids took turns, if they wanted to at the Fun Flush and of course Jolee got in on the action

Her friend hit the target and water came shooting down right on and she yelled out a big belly scream.

Soaked like a wet dog, lol

Then it was time for snow cones

Field day is not competitive but instead the kids just show off their physical fitness skills

Then it was time for a break 

Allie came to support her and cheer her on

Pizza race

Then it was time for some tug of war.

 They won the first tug and then lost the second time

Then we broke away for lunch. We got hotdogs at the concession stand and then the kids went back to their home room to cool off because it was HOT.

Allie and I left to go pick up Jaina. She had a dentist appointment across from the school.

After her appointment we were back at the school for the second half of field day and boy was it HOT

It was so hot that the kids were starting to lose interest in the fun activities. 

Jaina did not go back to school instead she came to cheer on her sister.

After the long jump we all decided we had, had enough because we were all so hot and miserable. So, we checked Jolee out and headed home to swim in the pool. 

Another fun field day in the books

Goodbye to Girl Scouts

Well, another chapter is ending for us, Girl Scouts is officially over. After 6 years we are done......for now. 

This past year in Scouts was good. Jaina really enjoyed helping Mrs. Christi teach the Brownies but towards the end of the year Girl Scouts got pushed to the side once baton competition took over her life. She has decided she is done with Girl Scouts and that's okay! I really didn't see her going into High School still being in Girl Scouts, lol. I actually didn't even see her staying with it in Jr. High, but she made the choice to continue. She wanted that experience as a leader and community service hours for her college applications. She fulfilled her time, made some good friends and great memories. She got to experience a lot of things that she normally would not, like camping, staying the night at 2 different zoo's and on a WWII ship, learning how to be an entrepreneur by selling cookies, learning how to set a tent up, learning CPR and survival tips and so much more over the years.

Jolee, I think is done with Girl Scouts as well. She was begging to quit halfway through the year but then these last few weeks with all the fun things that has been going on in Girl Scouts she has wanted to stay. She says she wants to do it one more year, but I told her we were not going to commit to anything until the end of summer. Jolee has always been a little harder to get motivated about doing things She also says the meetings are boring. I told her it was her decision to make, and she did not have to go every week if she did not want to so it will be completely up to her, so we will see. She really wants to get into 4H and if she doesn't want to attend Girl Scouts again then I will probably put her into some guitar lessons or something. So, who knows. But for now, we are done!

We attended their last meeting for the year which was a fun day at the park. There was a splash pad, and we ate pizza. 

The girls circled up one last time. Jaina said that made her a little sad.

Then Jolee and Jewell played on the splash pad

Jewell was having a blast, lol

We stayed for about an hour and then told everyone bye. I was a little sad to say goodbye to the moms too. I've made friends with several of the moms over the years. We went through Covid together, I helped one Mom out when her dad died, went through a pregnancy with them, they heard me snoring on many overnight trips we've taken and made lots of good memories. 

I told them Jolee, and I may be back next year but wasn't sure, so it wasn't a total goodbye, just see you later kind of bye. And who knows we may take the year off and then I may stick Jewell in it when she gets into school. So, it's all up in the air. I'm not going to worry about it, I'm just going to see what happens. 

Jaina’s 8 Grade Graduation

Allie, Jewell and I went to Jaina's awards and "8th Grade Graduation" on the last day of school. I was off from work, so I was able to attend. Jaina received an AB Honor Roll certificate, a ribbon for UIL and a medal for band. 

Here is the class of 2027!

All 187 of them 

Jewell and I waiting on the awards to start

Waiting is hard, lol

Once they started the awards each student walked up and got their packet. Then the speaker announced the students name, followed by 8th Grade Graduate and then what awards they received. Then the kids got to fist pump their teachers. It was a little chaotic and I couldn't really hear but it was fun to watch her receive her awards. 

Jaina and her best friend Storie

Jaina with her boyfriend Brody

Once the awards were over she was done with Jr. High for ever. We left and went to pick up Jolee

Then we headed to Freddie's for lunch. We got back home and chilled the rest of the day. 

Jolee's 4th Grade Awards

Jolee had her 4th grade awards the day before school was out. I got to take one more picture for the year of dropping her off for school. She was excited because it was awards day. I could not attend because I had to work but Allie went and saved the day! He went and watched and took pictures for me.

Allie said Mrs. Larremore handed out awards and then they watched a cute video she put together of all the things their class did this year. 

Jolee received two awards. She received the AB honor roll award

and she received the Wonderful Worker award!

Her class was also celebrating summer birthdays so she got to take her favorite Loft House cookies to school and share them with her class. She said they all sang Happy Birthday to her 😊

We are so proud of you!

Smiling with all her friends

Here she is with Mrs. Larremore.

 She was such a wonderful teacher for her this year. 

Tonight, after school was out, I heard Jolee crying in her room, so I went in and asked her what was wrong, and she said she really missed her teacher :( 

And that she didn't want to go to 5th grade because she heard all the 5th grade teachers are mean. I told her not to worry and we would pray that she gets a nice teacher next year and we were going to focus on having fun this summer. I also told her she could always walk down the 4th grade hall next year and go see Mrs. Larremore :)

Closing this chapter of 4th grade and moving on to bigger things in 5th grade next year!

Last Day of 4th and 8th Grade

Today was the last day of school. I can't believe it! I swear it felt like they just started. We were so busy this year it just seemed to fly right past us. In fact, we've been so busy that we needed a break from everything and are so ready for summer break! 

I gotta brag on this girl right here. First of all look how much she has grown this year. She's becoming to sprout into a little lady :) She has worked so hard in school this year. She made all good grades this year. Her teacher bragged on how she always turns in her work on time and never has to remind her to do things. She is a nice and quiet student who listens and tries really hard. I don't worry as much about her in school as I use to. She is caught up with the rest of her peers and fits right in with the other students. I could not imagine sending her into middle school next year, 5th grade next year is right where she needs to be. We are very proud of her and all the things she did this year. Way to go Jolee!

This chick, look how much she has matured! Like into a real teenage girl! I cannot believe she will be in High School yall! I feel like I was just in High School. I can picture myself with my friends in 9th grade like it was yesterday. How in the world is our little girl going to be a Freshman! It just blows my mind. 

Time is a thief!

Jr. High flew by in a blink of an eye. It seems like yesterday she was starting 6th grade in the brand new Jr. High and now it's over. This year flew by for her. Baton, UIL, Cotilion, and Band kept her busy. She managed to keep up her grades even though at times Justin and I had to get onto her about them. She had some boyfriend and girlfriend drama this year and I'm glad we can put all that to rest now. And she got to hang out with her best friend Storie all year long. 

We are super proud of her and all she has accomplished. Now off to High School in just a few months. 

Now let's get summer started!

Twirlies Competition

A few weekends ago we attended Jaina's last baton competition, the Twirlies competition in San Antonio. We were super busy the week of the competition. We had Jaina's band concert, multiply baton practices and the High School Showcase, and then the competition that Saturday. So, with everything going on we decided not to stay in San Antonio Friday night that we would get up super early in the morning and drive. Jaina could sleep the 2 hours there while I drove. We had everything packed up the night before and got into bed early. I was determined with everything going on to make it to San Antonio on time. Saturday, we got up at 4:45am and left home at 5:00am. We were making good timing, we were already an hour into our drive, no traffic, Jaina was asleep in the back, I was sipping on my coffee when I started going down my mental check list to make sure we had everything and when I got to the batons........I just knew we did not have them in the car! I quickly pull over wake up Jaina in a panic and sure enough they were not in the car! OMGosh!! I knew at this point we were going to be late, and she would not have time to get ready and she would miss her first event. So, I call Justin to meet me in Salado and I would grab them from him, so we turned around. By the time we got to Jarrell her coach called and said Jaina could use her batons. So, we turned back around again. By the time we stopped for breakfast and gas we got to San Antonio 3 minutes after they started. I rushed Jaina in to change into her costume and I had half her hair curled for her first event. So needless to say, she did not have a good start to her morning, but she got out there and still did a great job!

As you can see, she has a new costume on. This is the costume I had professionally made just to fit Jaina's measurements. We waited on this costume all season long and it came two days before we left for San Antonio. With everything going on that same we I still had to stone her costume. Yall, Friday night trying to stone a costume was just too much. I got what I could done but it wasn't anywhere close to what it should have looked like.

Here she is ready for her first event, which was modeling and best appearing. 

Then she quickly pulled her hair up into a bun for the rest of her events.

I had her model her costume for me

Then she practiced her two baton

This competition was busy. There were lots of girls competing and over 165 events and 7 lanes. When you check in for any competition you have to get your lane assignments, so you have to pay attention to when your child's event is coming up. It can be very chaotic! 

Jaina participated in 7 events. Modeling, best appearing, marching, pageant marching, solo, pageant solo and two baton.

There was not as many girls competing in her age group, so she had the upper hand in this competition.

Jaina and Kylie :)

Kylie's mom Kari. She has been a life saver for me this past year. She has helped me out a lot when I needed her.

The lady in the back, her name is Katie, and her daughter is Audrey. Katie is super sweet and soft spoken. We have all become great friends this year.

This is the program with all the lane assignments in it. It's a lot of fun trying to navigate this thing, haha!

Then it was time to change into her solo and two baton costume. She chose to wear her original costume she did not get to wear at the beginning of the season when the stone flew off at the first competition in Emory. I was able to fix this costume and re-bead it for her since she wanted to wear it. I think it turned out great and she looked so cute in it AND not one bead flew off this time. I'm a beading queen now! LOL

We did have a little drama at competition. Jaina is very hard on herself when it comes to twirling. She gets very frustrated really quickly. She learned her two in one class lesson and then had to go out and perform it. She was having a bit of a meltdown right before going out in front of the judges but guess what? Once she was out in front of the judges, she knocked it out of the park!! She did an awesome job because two baton is almost like trying to learn how to juggle. It's not easy trying to move both hands at the same time!

Here she is fixing to perform her solo.

After all her events were over and we were getting ready for awards Jaina got a surprise and was called out onto the floor for a twirl off! We were all so excited for her. She did not win but we all had fun watching her.

Then it was time for awards

She ended up winning two medals and a plaque. Jaina was very happy with her results. She got 1st place in basic modeling skills, 2nd place in marching and solo, 3rd place in strut, 6th in two baton and 9th in best appearing. 

Overall, as stressful and as long as this competition was Jaina did great!

Very proud of all her hard work

Haha, I told the girls to make a funny face.

We finally got out of the event at 7pm. It was such a looong day. We all event out to eat at Mamacitas afterwards and then headed home. We got home around 11pm and went straight to bed. Thankfully Grandma Carolyn came down to spend the night with Jolee and Jewell. She was a life saver. Not sure what I would have done trying to entertain them while everything was going on. Competition season is officially over.....thank goodness, LOL. It was a lot and we both learned what to do and what not to do for next year. Jaina will have one more event for twirling at her end of the year party and then she will be officially done for 8th grade! 

Whew!! We are sooooo ready for a break!