End of the Sea Dogs Season

Baseball season is over for the Sea Dogs. Thatcher had such a great season! He improved so much from the beginning of the season to the end. 

This is what he looked like at the beginning of the season. 

Towards the middle of the season he showed promising signs. 

And by the end of the season, everything connected for him. I love his stance! Talk about improvement!



One of the teams didn't show up for a game so we played a parents vs. kids game. Check out the Fallon boys! 

High fives from the parents. 

During the last practice it was parents vs. kids again and guess who stepped in for me?

Look at my boy AND LOOK AT MY GIRL!

While Sam didn't want to play Pony baseball again this year, she was asked to join a girls softball team. We steered her the other direction because we have just too much going on but a few weeks ago we watched her friends play a championship game and I am not sure we will get away with her not playing softball next year. I have to say, I was quite enamored with the constant cheering and chanting the players do in the dugout. It was pretty cute! ;) 

How cute is a five-year-old in catcher gear?!

Last high fives of the season. 

Pizza and trophy time!

So proud of you Thatch! 

Sports Day 2015

It was Sports Day last week at Peabody and guess who was in charge of Samantha's classroom banner?

Remember this last year?

Sports Day is a competition between the grade levels doing various sports activites along with a cheer and banner contest. Last year, Samantha's K class came in somewhere around last place for the Red Ninja banner because it was TOO GOOD. We learned after the fact that you have a better chance of winning when you actually let the children participate. Noted.  

So, this year's sign came out like this. I don't know about you but it doesn't look like a 7-year-old participated, right? 

Samantha is extra proud that her daddy is ALWAYS asked to do the creative volunteer work around school. Not sure how Daddy feels about this extra job especially knowing that there will be two at the school next year...

Getting ready to parade the sign during the Battle of the Banners. 

And guess what happened?! His sign got FIRST place! Our assistant principal, Mrs. Bolton, was the judge and I inquired about her choice because while I do think it was the best, it didn't look like any of the first graders helped. She said, "I chose it because you could tell the kids had a hand in helping and it was nice that all the names were included." I hope you are not insulted, Todd ;)

This year's cheer took second place. 

And now onto the sports…. 

My phone died at some point but I will reveal the results to you. Samantha's class blew away the other first grade classrooms. I'm happy to say it was partly due to their Tree Frog sign and also that her class is very VERY athletic. When it came to the handball competition, they were WAY above the rest of the classes. So much so, that the results were questioned. Guess who was the scorekeeper?  ME!  I swear it was fair. I had to defend the high score that they had with a bunch of first graders behind me backing me up! That was stressful...

On a side note, later in the day I noticed a name written in with a black sharpie. Poor Raul, we realized that we used an old class list and forgot him and several other names were no longer in the class. Oh well, the judge didn't seem to notice ;) 

I'm glad Todd won 1st place because I am pretty darn sure he will be making two signs next year ;) 

Academic Showcase

Last week, we went to the Academic Showcase at Peabody School. This is where current classrooms display all the great work the students have done throughout the year and the whole family visits. It is also a time to visit next year's classrooms and meet the teachers. This year was extra special because not only did we tour the second grade classrooms for Samantha, Thatcher got to take a walk through all the kindergarten classrooms. 

Thatcher is so SO excited to start kindergarten. 

Earlier that day at preschool, Thatcher did a science experiment with his teacher (the old Alka-Seltzer-olive-oil-food-coloring-in-a-bottle-trick = a lava lamp science experiment) so when I told him he'd get to go to a weekly science lab he was thrilled! 

The kid has no idea what the heck science is but he liked the idea ;) 

Thatcher is going to have a lot of friends at school already. He's known around the school as "Badger" due to several kids who actually thought that was his name! The name Thatcher is proving a lot harder for younger kids to say. Most recently I overheard a little girl calling him "Fat-Cho".  He responds to everything and I've stopped correcting. Oh well. 

In Samantha's class we collected a huge envelope of artwork and she gave us a tour. [not my best photo]

Here are some of my favorites: 

Okay, and drum roll, Samantha's latest ceramics class piece: 

Yikes!

Samantha took me in the auditorium where this was on display and we laughed and laughed and cried with laughter. Samantha said, "It's the scariest thing I've ever made!" I agree. 

Mother's Day 2015

Mother's Day kicked off with school events for both kids. 

This was me and Thatcher's last Mother's Day brunch at Good Shepherd Preschool. He's holding back the tears can you tell? 

Thatcher and his buddy Lucas, both now five, only have a couple weeks left of preschool.  :(

We've opted to not send Thatcher to preschool for the summer. Most of his older buddies are not doing the summer program either. He's excited to do a few camps and I am excited not to drive him way out to Goleta. I will say that it does hurt my heart to think that the preschool chapter is closed. We've had such great years at GSPS with both kids. We will definitely be back to visit.

These boys are definitely ready for kindergarten!

Sniff sniff. This was his first Mother's Day at GSPS. Look at his baby face. 

And Sammy's first Mother's Day at GSPS :(  

On a side note, the woman in the background looks like she is being hit with a big gust of wind! 

We've been at GSPS for the past five years and we were lucky to have Laurie and her kids with us for some of those years. Thatcher and Jessie have become really close. I know Thatcher's going to miss protecting his little lady around school.

Way back when! Thatcher is probably in a stroller off to the side and Jessie is in Laurie's belly. 

My new magnet from Thatcher. 

And this sweet drawing. That's me on the left. Steer clear of me when you see me walking on the beach ;) 

I'm going to miss having a preschooler but looking forward to seeing Thatcher grow in kindergarten (not to mention one drop-off for both kids) ;) 

At Samantha's school, we were invited for tea and an art lesson. 

This is Samantha's pastel chalk artwork. That's me holding Sam as a baby in case you couldn't tell. I've got pretty makeup on. 

I love that she described me as "on task",  it sounds like she is writing my resume. And "athletic"?! If athletic means wearing workout clothes every day then I'll take it. She's seen me play sports, she was definitely being kind on that one.  

I do call her "Sozey" (Susie). It's my nickname for her. I don't know why I call her that but every once in a while she will say, "Mom, how come you just didn't name me Susie?" It wouldn't be as special if I did ;)

I had no idea she liked mashed potatoes so much. I think I made them once last year for a holiday dinner. I better get "on task" and start making her favorite food more! 

I know at some point helping in your child's class will become "uncool" but right now Samantha lights up when I'm in her class. I can tell she feels proud that I am there all the time. Once in a while another child will ask to sit next to me and Samantha will get a little bossy and tell that kid, "I want to sit next to her, she's MY MOM!" I sometimes say to those kids, "do you mind if Sam sits next to me? She's having a tough day." That way I get to sit next to her. She's my daughter ya know ;) 

That was a proud mommy moment for me! 

And this made me laugh the most with her hot yoga comment. I recently got into hot yoga and Samantha is obsessed with the idea of hot yoga and what goes on there. Apparently it makes her laugh so I will keep it up! ;)

A special lunch with both kiddos. 

And then on actual Mother's Day, I was finally able to open my REAL gift from Samantha. She was very concerned that I was going to open it prior to Sunday hence the note. 

Another special creation from ceramics class to add to my growing collection. 

Unfortunately, that is a sick Samantha holding her creation. 

Mother's Day didn't go off as planned but hey, I got some nice gifts ;)

All day we tried to get out of the house, hence the shoes, but she'd end up right back on the couch. 

And as if one kid isn't enough to have sick on Mother's Day….

try two! 

Thank you Lollipop for being the one kid to stay healthy.

We may have to do a Mother's Day redo as far as going out to a nice brunch or dinner but watching movies on the couch for the past two days with these two is not the worst thing in the world.