On Art. And Writing. And Last Days of School.

This is the time of year when all the things happen.  ALL.  THE.  THINGS.  The calendar has been a little ridiculous.

We got the "end of the school year" party started at the end of April with a cute little drop-in art show at Erin's school.  I took both kids, and they both really enjoyed searching for Erin's art, and also checking out Erin's classroom.  Oh, and eating cookies.

Erin's pointing way up, at her polar bear picture.

There it is.  "Polar Bear Ice Fishing"

Here she is in front of her Self Portrait, that she did way back in September or October.

And then all the classes did a lovely piece of art on canvas, that were then silent-auctioned off at the end of the night.  They were impressive for preschool-assisted art.  Erin's class did the sheep.

Then last week we went to Dexter's school for the Young Writer's Fair.  I love taking him to this, because he is SO EXCITED to be the tour guide at his school, and to look for his writing sample, and then to read it to us.  His book was a non-fiction piece, "All About Cheetahs."  Erin loves going, too, because 1) she loves Dexter's school and 2) she loves books.

So excited to have found his book!

There's the famous author

And here he is reading his book.

Erin had her last day of school on Thursday.  She is now officially on Summer Vacation.  I was sad to leave her teachers, who were also Dexter's teachers.  But I know she'll be in good hands there again next fall.

Here's Erin's first day of school (left) and her last day of school (right)

Also on Thursday (ALL THE THINGS) was a Volunteer Tea at Dexter's school.  It's a nice breakfast for volunteers, and then the kids from first and second grade classes come in to perform on the stage.  It's a fun morning.  Dexter came in with the entire First Grade Downstairs, which I think is six classes of First Graders.  They were last - so they did a couple "Good-bye" poems.  HERE"S A LINK to the video.

And here's Dexter with a bunch of kids in his class.  Don't ask me their names.  I've been in there volunteering, but kids, man.  They all look the same.

Then on Friday was Erin's End of School Celebration, when all the classes got on stage and did some singing.  Erin's class is a bunch of 2.5 - 3.5 year olds.  The M-W-F kids, taught by the same teachers, are 1.5 - 2.5 years old.  Cuteness.  Erin did an excellent job.  She said "I didn't want to sing too loud, Mama, because I didn't want to hurt anyone's ears."  HERE'S A LINK to a video of her class.

After we got home from her singing and the picnic that followed, we played outside with Nonna for a while.  It was lovely on Friday - finally not raining.  And we checked out our blooming rhododendron bushes.  So here's a few pictures of Erin by the pretty flowers.

Finally, although art and painting are REALLY not my thing, I got talked in to attending a painting night Fair Hill fundraiser.  It was entertaining, and my painting kind of sucks.  Clearly, as Jeanne says, I needed more wine...