and she's no longer a second grader

Our second "graduation" this year;
Savannah is officially done with the 2nd Grade.














We had our ups and downs and I'd say she's no longer in the LOVE school phase, with a few trial runs of "I think I'm too sick to go to school today", but overall it was a good year.

Mrs. K was a fabulous teacher who helped tremendously to make us feel at home and I believe Savannah was truly blessed to end up in the classroom she was in.

I hope we are so lucky next year.

wednesdays

Wednesday evenings, for five weeks in the month of May and into June, the kids both have Upward camps at a local church; soccer for Sawyer and cheer for Savannah.

They've both had a great time for the two hours each week, submerged in sports they love.








































And Ryan and I have had a great time with a mini "date night" each week after we drop them off... two hours to have some grown up dinner time (yum- Thai!), challenge each other to games on the ipod, and just sit out on the grass under the trees watching the soccer field, enjoying the weather (and the cicadas. NOT.).


It's been fun to have a little regular "just us" time.

the 8th celebration

I still can't wrap my head around the fact that my baby girl is eight years old. EIGHT.






We celebrated by picking her up just a tad early from school that afternoon and headed over to the zoo. It was a beautiful day and with Jenn and Greg and little man Tate here visiting, Savannah had requested a birthday outing at the zoo. (she'd been feeling a little bit jealous since Sawyer had been there and she had yet to see the zoo in our new city.)
So we wrangled up a few presents and a chocolate chip cookie cake and headed over there after school.





























































Savannah's favorite and used-constantly-after-opening gift:





























And she took over 200 pictures some good pictures that afternoon...
(even if they're not all the most flattering angles)































































































































Hope you had a fabulous day, Savannah, with us celebrating eight fabulous years with our favorite little girl!!

the 8th party

*there are lots of pictures in this post and if you're viewing this in a reader the words and pics probably won't line up... click on over if you can!*

Savannah has been especially all about the Art this year... she, as she always has, loves to draw and illustrate and create things. More recently she's been looking forward to taking more art classes at her favorite hang out, and her favorite class at school is by far her art class. So when I mentioned an Art Party for her birthday celebration she was all over it.














I feel like I've been saying this about each new party as the years go by, but I think I had the most fun yet with this one.
I used some printables from here as a base for the decorations... lots of bright colors and splotches of paint everywhere!














For the cake I just (tried to) cut a large sheet cake into the shape of a paint palette (harder than I thought!), covered it with fondant and then put some bright spots of "paint" on it.



Instead of writing on the cake (which I always avoid if at all possible) I splashed a little paint on a small canvas and wrote a Happy Birthday on that to stand up next to the cake.


























We covered the party table in butcher paper and put out boxes of crayons for doodling.



































Of course at an Art Party, there was art to be made:























































Other art-y party activities included Pictionary,
Drawing a vase of flowers... with your foot!;
















































and a round of 'Pass the Portrait', where each artist adds one facial feature to the picture of you as your paper is passed around the table;





























We also set up a photo shoot of sorts complete with silly props and smiles!









































































































































These pics of the girls will be sent with Savannah's thank you notes. :)

My favorite part was the Ice Cream Sundae creation station...














so pretty and colorful and so yummy!



























Sorry, no pictures of their ice cream sundae creations... I was too busy eating mine!


Overall, I think it was a super fun afternoon. I think it helped that it was a smaller party, but the girls were awesome and so well behaved and loved taking home their art-y creations! I know Savannah had fun and she got some arts and crafts gifts from the girls as well to keep her occupied for the next few weeks!
Art Party considered a SUCCESS!

oh savannah

We've been having some issues with a certain just-about-to-turn-eight-year-old around here lately. A whole gamut of issues ranging from undesirable, frustrating behavior yuck as well as now more recently, some extra second grade drama and self assurance issues thrown in. Suffice to say, it's been a rough few months in our seven year old world.

You know, Savannah was such an easy, happy happy baby... such a well behaved, smart toddler... such an obedient, sunny preschooler. Really. I was spoiled.
And it seems as though now the universe is trying to balance out all those good years with the behaviors and testing and attitudes and stresses over the past few weeks. We're talking years worth here people. In mere weeks.
If I'm completely gray the next time you see me, you know why.
Can I just say, we're very much looking forward to a birthday soon... and using it as a springboard for older, wiser, happier choices, happier attitudes and happier days.

I decided Savannah (and I) needed a little extra "face time" one afternoon this week.
And to make it true face time, I pulled out the camera as well.

I don't even know the last time I just sat and shot pics of this girl.















Taking any time to focus on her laughing eyes and her sunny smile.



















Okay, so she wasn't the most cooperative and didn't especially love having the camera in her face on this particular day,















but how many pictures do I have of this grin with all it's second-grade gaps?

Not enough.













She's growing up so fast. I often don't feel like I even know who this kid is.

























I may just frame this one.

















Speaking of frames...
I had been planning on ordering these two prints from an Etsy shop (love all of her stuff by the way) for both my kids' bedrooms. I was actually thinking of it for Savannah's birthday coming up... and saving the son one obviously for Sawyer later.
But following a certain instance of drama and tears and specifically the bruised spirit we encountered this week, I suddenly wanted something for Savannah NOW, so I took matters into my own hands. I sifted through my papers, alphabet stickers and rub-ons and other random embellishments and quick put some of those ingredients together in an extra frame we had sitting around... and by the time Savannah was home from school, I had my own (albeit copied) version of encouragement hanging in Savannah's bedroom for her to be reminded of each and every day.



















































It's hanging across from the foot of her bed so it's the last thing she sees every night and the first thing she sees every morning.














Love that girl!