Create Your Canvas

One of our Pre K 3 teachers has announced her retirement and while I'm sad she won't be a part of our team (she's wonderful), I'm glad that I've had at least one year to learn and laugh with her. She showed me SO much about the program and practically held my hand through the many events and traditions I needed to learn about our school.  We decided to celebrate her moving on with a painting and wine party. These places seem to be popping up all over the place ad I can see why! It's something different, interactive, and a great time.  How it works: customer chooses a painting from the site before the night of fun. Artists sketch it out on canvas. You come with snacks, wine, or whatever you'd like. Artists have everyone set up with palettes and "cheat sheets". You paint and enjoy! It's basically the grown up version of paint by numbers. 

Congrats to Tracy as she moves on from teacher life to a life of ease! 

Arts and crafts by day...Picassos by night! 

                      Team PreK 3!

                  Happy Retirement!

Happy Mom's Day!!

Sometimes I stop and realize, "Wow. I am my mother."...and I couldn't be happier.  Happy Mom's Day, Mamas! Pamper yourselves. You've got a big job. #lovetothemamas #mothersday

The older I get the more I realize how much my mom has done for our family.  I love you so much and your nurturing ways, patience, advice, and friendship mean everything to me! 

Thank a Teacher

I'm still digesting the kindness that I was shown during Teacher Appreciation week. Families that acknowledge the work of teachers make everything worthwhile. I will treasure the cards and gifts and work through the abundance of cookies by having them for breakfast,lunch, and dinner:). Remember to thank a teacher any day of the year as the encouragement keeps them going!

Fort Myers Take 2

Even with just a 2 hour drive and 1 night away we can still embrace vacation life and we needed it!  Will and I both love the slow pace and casual feel of the gulf side of FL so we were eager to join Joe, Suz, and a few of their friends for a night of their getaway to the sunshine state to thaw out from the never-ending cold that has been the Midwest. We fought the rain for most of the day but still enjoyed some greasy food, Mojitos, and catching up.  The condo they rented was next to a pond of sorts and Will and I spent a good hour warning them that their really could be an alligator in there (but really) and they needed to make sure all doors were locked. Then I realized how paranoid Fort Lauderdale news has made us. What happened to the leave it to beaver life? :)

There's nothing like the comfort of family and familiar faces. 

Cousin brothers.

The constant concern of the possible alligator. 

Eavesdroppers

The La Tortuga music festival was a couple weeks ago and we joined some friends in trying to eavesdrop using their neighborhood beach to get up close and personal.  We were all too cheap to buy tickets (a good line-up on the beach turns out to be pretty pricey) but fun was still to be had. Security kindly shooed us away from the places we could actually hear anything but the worst case scenario was eating and hanging out in the sand. I'll take it!