Gymnastobeans

Jillian has loved every second of her gymnastics class this year.  She is always dying to go back and is constantly showing us what she learned.  We were so excited for their recital where she got to show off a little routine they had learned.  

Looking so cute and ready for her big day!

Jillian with her class - she had fun with these girls, especially her friend from church, Cora.

Proud mommy and daddy ready for the show.

The girls did a routine to a song called "Up, up and away" where their coaches helped them fly and also do their gymnastics skills

Her backwalkover was one I hadn't seen before (since it does take a coach's help) but there was also a part in the routine where each girl came across the stage and did a cartwheel.  Jillian has been working on hers all year - so I had seen it 3,000 times, so I was expecting one thing....then she did it and it was the best cartwheel she had ever done - I was so impressed and proud of her and so excited for her that she did it!

This girl can do a mean bridge!

Saying goodbye to the audience.

So proud of her ribbon!

And we couldn't miss out on celebratory frozen yogurt!

First Grade Field Trip to Lowe's Fams

Every kid loves a field trip and Meredith and her first grade friends are no exception.  This year, their class went to Lowe's Farms to see all the fun farm animals and then they had lots of time to play at Stovall park.  

I sometimes wonder if you could just take the kids on a bus ride and call it a day - they love riding the bus!  And Meredith was super excited her bus partner was her friend, Mirabel.

Ready for the animal visitors with her friends Kyler, Addie and Mirabel

This tiny goat was born the night before our field trip - it was so cute!

There were so many animals to pet - a donkey, a pony, a pig, chickens, bunnies, and goats.  Plus, there were horses, a peacock and other animals all there for the kids to see.

Checking out the horses with Hannah.

 There were also some fun activities for the kids - there were fun games first, but they also got to see how things would have worked long ago - including rolling their laundry and pumping their water.

A group picture of Meredith's class

The hayride was a hit!

Me and my girl ready to go play at the park.

Jillian stayed with Bubbie while I went on the field trip.  After we got over to the park, I heard Meredith shouting for me, I look down - and she has found Jillian!  She and Bubbie had just decided to go to the park and happened to end up at the same one we went to!  Jillian loved getting to play with Meredith and her friends.

Jillian's Science Fair

When we got the announcement about Jillian's science fair - Jillian knew just what she would do!  The project for the pre-k kids is to bring in a collection.  What better collection to bring for Jillian than her pressed pennies?

Jillian also answered a few questions about her pennies and we typed them up.  Then she picked all sorts of funny animal pictures to dress it up.  She couldn't have been more proud!

Final Zoo School Monday

Another page in this chapter is coming to a close.  Jillian had her last day of zoo school, which included a family hike and we also got to go into their class to see an animal visitor.  She had such a fun year with her teacher, Miss Holly and learning all about the animals.  I am so glad we were able to have this be a part of her last year of preschool.

Posing with Miss Holly, who has inspired Jillian to want to be a zoo school teacher when she grows up.  

We, of course, used the time after zoo school to do our favorite things!

Lunch next to Salty the crocodile - we ate here every Monday.  

Posing on the Tortoise before going around to see some animals. 

Lately, her first desired stop is going to go see Miss Holly - after she is done with Jillian's class, she works at the Nature Traders store.  Jillian loves to go in to see Miss Holly, check out the stuff that you can trade, and then we go into the learning room, where we sit down to read books together. In order to get here, though, we do always make sure to take a ride in the stage coach (aka princess carriage that takes us to the ball), sing "Five Fat Turkeys are We" as we pass the turkeys, jump on the swinging bridge and say hi to the otters. 

A ride on the train (and of course the carousel, too, where we as always took the carriage and pretended to throw carrots and apples to the horses in front of us to make them go faster!)

Visiting Mustard and Senley

Checking out Bowie and Belle - the baby Elephants!

Oh, and of course....we all knew this one was coming!