End of School Events

Finally getting around to posting about the end of school events... yes, I know school was out on May 29th. We've had a couple of busy weeks and are getting ready for Nicholas' graduation next week and a friend of Wayne's will be visiting over the 4th of July. Both of the girls had great school years and made beautiful progress in their studies, friendships and extracurricular activities.

Before school was done Isabela and I went on a field trip to the Brookfield Zoo, in the rain on a cold day. The kids loved it but mostly because they weren't in a classroom. I can honestly say I wasn't impressed with the zoo but they were doing a lot of construction and well the weather may have had something to do with it.

Isabela and her friend playing games on the long bus ride to the zoo.

Isabela and I have something in common - we don't like our picture taken.

Gotcha! Over the shoulder and upside down... my skills are improving!

The kids in my group. All wet, cold and tired. We were only at the zoo for an hour and a half but that was long enough for us all to get chilled and soaked to the bone. The kids had a science project they were working on (the reason for the trip) and I don't think I've ever seen a group of teenagers finish a school project faster than these guys. Nothing like a little motivation - a nice warm school bus!

Leopard

Tiger

Snow Leopard

Polar Bear

Baby Geese wandering with Mom and Dad (out of frame of course) by the picnic grounds. The kids in my group had a great time feeding half of their lunches to all the Geese, Pigeons and other critters begging for food.

You may not be able to see it but this monkey (can't remember it's name) was screaming at everyone. Just running from treetop to treetop screaming at all of us. Made an impressive noise and had even more impressive fangs...

Monkey lounging in a nice warm monkey house. If the smell wasn't so hideous I think we would have stayed a lot longer in there.

Kids checking out the pitiful Camel exhibit. Poor things were laying in the only patch of sand they had. All and all it was a fun trip amazingly enough. The kids were really good and I got to know several of Isabela's friends and classmates. Can't wait for when Rhianna goes in a couple of years!

Our other end of school event was the quarterly band concert. They did very well and as always had fun with it. Mr. Hunter picks some good music for them to play.

Getting ready...

Isabela is right in front of Mr. Hunter.

She not only plays the Flute but the Piccolo too. She's had a couple of solos in the last concerts and she really likes it. I think she really likes hitting the very high notes and watching the dogs go nuts.

Piccolos squeak worse then Clarinets did you know that?

Not a large band but a good one!

Rhianna's end of school year activities included a field day, an end of our elementary years party and getting all signed up for junior high. She will be in band next year too. She tried out for flute and clarinet - guess which one will grace our household next fall??? Nope couldn't have been that easy on our pocket book we have to buy a clarinet. I think we definitely have a full band of our own at home. Rhianna is really looking forward to it. Evidently she had a great tryout and Mr. Hunter feels she is very talented. Nothing like being graced with musically talented kids. Now, if they would just get their homework done!