Happy summer.

Today, we said goodbye to preschool AND kindergarten.  It began as a normal, crazy morning, in which I gamble on an extra 15 minutes of sleep, before remembering that I had to write 4 thank you notes and wrap something in cellophane.  You know what they say--your day never really begins until you wrap something in cellophane. 

And then, of course, I had to photograph it.  Because if you craft until 12:30 a.m., but fail to blog it, did it ever really exist? 

For Big J & L's kindergarten teacher, I painted a small, square canvas, and wrote the saying "live what you love" with a sharpie.  I did something similar for Mike on Valentine's Day, and I really love all the blank space with the saying at the bottom.  Teachers, I know you all probably LOVE gift certificates.  I've heard this debated quite a bit, but I have to tell you, I am just not a gift certificate giver.  Sorry.  If I give gifts, they are damn well going to be personal and heart-felt.  Probably handmade and not from Einstein's bagels.  The sincerest outpouring of my thankfulness, love and appreciation is the time I put into creating something, and hopefully, if you don't like the actual product, you'll love the effort it took to get there.  If not, no problem, I won't be offended if you don't want to make out with me, or anything.

Little J's four preschool teachers (yes, FOUR), got summer-starter buckets.  Nothing too fancy, just a fun magazine and some flip flops and some nail files.  I fell in love with the idea of the fun bucket, and then realized it takes a helluva lot to fill them.  Note to self:  begin researching teacher gifts prior to the last 24 hours of the school year. 

Pictured:  Big J and L with a few of their friends, and their teacher, Ms. R.  This was Ms. R's VERY FIRST class, and I am especially thankful that she will probably remember these little hooligans as the very start of her long and distinguished career.  We loved, loved, LOVED having her, and are so incredibly blessed to have started this adventure with her.  If we do end up switching schools, we will no doubt miss seeing her in the halls at Bristol.

And then.  There was the end of preschool.  We've been here for THREE YEARS (with Big J and L before Little J).  The way they structure their classes, kids stay in the same rooms for the duration of their preschool years--and we've grown pretty attached to it, and to the teacher's we've seen and loved everyday.  I, myself, have grown pretty attached to my wonderful little boy, who has become such an awesome kid.  But I am losing my baby to kindergarten in a few short months, and there is a growing lump in my throat at the thought of letting him go.  All of them, really--Little J just happens to mark the end of an official era.  He is the last of FOUR, so most days I am running through his routine half-distracted and frazzled, but every now and again I take a hormonal punch in the gut when I see him all big and burly and joyful.  Man, is that kid happy. 

I know MANY of you are wrapping up the school year and heading straight for summer.  We are right there with you and I am simultaneously shouting for joy and hyperventilating.  But it's gonna be great.  Life changing and epic and frustrating and dirty and GREAT.