Let the Summer Begin!!!!!

The girls had finished preschool in the middle of May, but we were waiting to really celebrate the beginning of summer for when everyone was finished with school.  So, Sam finished the First Grade (can't even believe it, the first grade is over and done with!) on June 6th and we took the traditional last day of school pictures, just as I had with the girls a couple weeks before and headed off to school for the last time as a first grader.  And next year Anna will join him at the "Big School" too!  Sam was disappointed that I could not pick him up from school on the last day.  It was a half day and I had just taken off two days before to help with Sam's first grade picnic.  I was disappointed that I couldn't be there too, and boy does that boy know how to make hsi mommy feel guilty.  I had arranged for his good friend, Cole's mom to pick him up and take him home where the nanny and his siblings were because I thought it would be fun for him.  I also made a huge sign that said, "Welcome to Summer" for the nanny to hang on the front porch to welcome Sam home to officially start summer.  All morning I felt so bad that I couldn't be there.  I couldn't concentrate.  I was really going to regret not being there.  So I left work early and headed over to the dollar store to buy fun little "welcome to summer" trinkets for all the kids.  Of course I took a little longer picking out some special gifts and was running late to pick Sam up.  I rushed over to Ella Street, parked the car, took off my shoes and started sprinting in the rain to the school.  Luckily, I made it before Sam came out of the building and was able to surprise him.  He looked so happy that I was there, and I was so happy that I had went.  Afterall, these precious moments you don't get back and way more important than anything I would have done at work that afternoon.  The kids were thrilled with their summer gifts and were excited to learn of what special treat Greg and I had prepared for them to celebrate.  We attempted to go out to dinner, to Max and Erma's.  They had a difficult time staying in their seats.  Sam did awesome but the girsl and Andrew were just not there just yet.  When we went home we unveiled the "candy cake."  The kids deem this cake the best cake ever.  It was a chocolate cake with chocolate icing, kit kat bars the whole way around it with M&Ms and crushed up peanut butter cups on top.  They LOVED it!  Most importantly, we celebrated them and all that they had accomplished thsi school year and how much they have all grown.  We are just so proud of their accomplishments and can't wait to see what the next school year brings!  Welcome to Summer!!!!