2nd Grade Storytelling Festival

Katelee participated again this year in her school's annual Storytelling Festival.

The book she chose this year was

What Moms Can't Do

by Douglas Wood.

Maybe I'm biased, but she is so stinkin' cute!

She did a great job, and was chosen by her teacher as one of the best in the class.  She got to represent her class at the grade level, and tell her story to all the 2nd grade.  

She got a little shy (understandably) in front of all her peers, but she still did a great job.  I was so proud of her!

I forgot to turn the camera on at first, and missed the very beginning, but here is most of her performance.

Gerald's Birthday!

 We had a wonderful day celebrating Gerald's birthday this year!  Katelee had the day off from school, but unfortunately Gerald did have to work.  So, we drove to his work and took him out for a fun little lunch as a family.  That evening he opened a few gifts, and we took him to dinner.  We also invited the nearby family over for a cheesecake birthday celebration!  We love Gerald so much.  He is truly the best husband and father a family could ask for, and we hope he felt loved and spoiled this year for his birthday!

These cute 'best buds' cousins helped me out by licking off the beaters. Blake is working on perfecting his "CHEESE" smile whenever he sees the camera.  ;)

 

Bonnie and Gerald blowing out their birthday candles.  Since they have birthdays so close together, we celebrated both of them together!

Snuggle Puppy

We read a lot of books at our house.

 Both of my kids decided at pretty young ages that they had favorites that had to be read 

every.single.day.

For Katelee, it was Goodnight Moon.  She had other favorites, too, but Goodnight Moon HAD to be read every single night before she would go to sleep.  We memorized it pretty quickly, and I can still recite it from memory.  :)

For Blake, it is this adorable book his grandma sent him for Valentine's Day last year:

He LOVES this book.

Which means that we all have it memorized.

And read it to him every.single.night.

Lately, the nightly singing of Snuggle Puppy has turned into a family affair.  We hear daddy start to sing and we all come into Blake's room to sing along.  It's become a nightly routine that I treasure.  And there is no question that Blake feels loved.  :)

*****

Other books that Blake loves:

• Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle
• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. (this was one of Katelee's favorites, too!)
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
• The Wheels on the Bus by Paul O. Zelinsky
• Any touch-and-feel or lift-the-flap books

100's Day Poster

Katelee had to make a 100's day Poster for the 100th Day of School this year. 

Remember when she did this same thing back in kindergarten?

Aw, she is so little and SO cute!  :) 

This year, the teacher's requirements for the assignment were:

• Has to include exactly 100 items
• Has to be creative, artistic and neat

Katelee's personal requirement for the assignment was:

• It must be something that nobody has ever, ever done before and that no one else will think of doing!

Which meant that we couldn't just copy someone else's cute idea from Pinterest.  

Bummer.  :)

We started digging through the crafting drawers and brainstorming.  When we got to the yarn, inspiration struck!  Katelee wanted to put

100 strands of hair on a poster!

Yarn hair, that is.

Pretty cute, artistic and creative, if you ask me!

Just like my sweet Kate.