Who's the proudest Mom? I AM!

Alyssa and her second grade teacher, Mrs. Bloom

Calvary Christian Academy held their annual end of year Academy Awards on Friday evening. Alyssa was anxious to see if she would be receiving a medal for straight A's all four quarters and a medal for Christian Leadership all four quarters. As I walked her into her classroom before the awards ceremony the smile on her face said it all.....two bright and shiny medals sitting on her desk waiting for her to wear into the school-wide awards ceremony. She worked hard all year long for those medals. I have to digress for a moment, a few days prior to the awards ceremony I received an email that stated Alyssa had been nominated for the John Loving Round Table Award. What's that you ask? I had no idea either. It was new to the awards ceremony. But the mere fact that the email said it was a blessing to be nominated made me think that there was no chance in hell (pardon my non-Christian language) that she would win. So as the ceremony progressed I was just so very proud that she was one of only 4 second graders to earn straight A's all four quarters (and may I just add, insert bragging here, she's had straight A's two years in a row). Once the second grade awards were finished I put my camera down and prepared myself for the remaining awards that did not include Alyssa. Then the big moment came. The John Loving Round Table Awards. The principal of K-8 described what the awards were and who made up the voting panel. The description of the second award was announced and I thought if Alyssa is going to win (which I honestly didn't think was the case, as you will see I didn't even change the lens on the camera) they announced and the winner for K-5 is...... Alyssa Serrano! The reaction on Alyssa's face was priceless! She stood up from her seat and made the walk all alone onto the stage to accept her trophy. She looked so young and little up on the stage. The pride gleaming from her was a beautiful thing to witness. She works so very hard at school, getting good grades and being a great student are very important to her. It is definitely reflected in the awards she won at school.

She is entering her final week of second grade. Of course she is sad and already talking about not wanting school to end and not wanting to leave Mrs. Bloom. She is the only kid I know that cries on the LAST day of school. In this house, Mom is the happiest of all that the school year is over. If she doesn't need summer vacation, I SURE DO!

Congratulations, Alyssa! You are an amazing student and friend to your classmates. We are all so very proud of you and love you so very much! Keep up the hard work and determination in third grade! Love you!

On stage (l to r Sophie O, Makenna and Lis)

Alyssa and Makenna

I tried to upload a very blurry shot of Alyssa accepting her award to show how unprepared I was, but it won't upload. Such is life!

On stage receiving her tropy

In the photobooth set up at school

Happy Birthday, Sebastian!

Happy Birthday to the best dad and hubby! We celebrated after soccer practice at the Tavern and Bowl. Celebrating on a Wednesday night with the kids, probably not the best idea, but SO much fun!

These iphone users sort of let me be in their iphone picture

Jakey and Isa testing out a new strategy

Lissy takes a great picture

checking out the scoreboard

Unfortunately, it was time to go home. Alyssa was the event photographer.

(I always wonder if the pictures truly show how much fun we have)

East Coast Spring Break - Alyssa Turns 8!

We enjoyed a wonderfully long vacation during spring break. We visited my sister and brother-in-law in Maryland, made a quick stop in Philadelphia, spent a few days in Williamsburg and Alyssa, Kelley and Michael took a quick side trip to DC. It was definitely planes, trains and automobiles on this trip. Thank goodness both kids did amazing on the flight and really well on the train and in the car. We were non-stop the entire trip and they handled it like troopers. Rather than me go into great detail about the trip, I've posted several pictures.

Pictures are not in chronological order because, well, I'm just too lazy.

We went to Intercourse, PA so I could gawk at the Amish. So fascinating!

When there is a handwritten sign posted on the side of the road that says, "stop here for homemade rootbeer." You HAVE to stop to check it out. We drove down this road off the main street to have some rootbeer.

When you come to the end of the road, the sign on the shed says it all.

This is what you get for $2. Not super tasty, but totally worth being able to go inside the shed and pick up a homemade bar of soap while I was at it.

You can take a ride in a buggy in Amish country. I so wanted to, but it was pouring rain and not sure Jakey would have sat still in there for the 45 minute tour. Totally doing it next time!

We visited Chocolate World in Hersey, PA. The kids are working the Hersey kiss assembly line.

Uncle Mike took Sebastian, Alyssa and Jake to the B&O train museum. Mom and Auntie K had some shopping to do. Jake had so much fun. He is still telling me the trains were old and are just resting.

We're not afraid to take the long way home from Williamsburg. And when I say long way, I mean adding 3 additional hours to the ride. But we got to go on the longest underwater tunnel. Can anyone say claustrophobic? And along the way home we rode this pulley ferry. We pulled up at 5:27 pm and the last trip was at 5:30 pm. Whew! Close call!

Williamsburg was so cool! We saw glassblowers in action. Of course I had to buy something from their store and bring it home.

We also went to Jamestown.

Beautiful old church on the settlement.

James River. They are currently digging right along the water and discovering remnants of the first structures. So cool to see something so historic.

The river looked exactly how I pictured it when reading history books in school. Super choppy, brown water.

One way to have them be still

Jake is super into Jake and the Neverland Pirates. He loved being on the ships like a pirate.

We toured 3 old ships.

Marching down the street in Williamsburg

I need one of these at home

Poor Jakey was so tired!

We were supervising! (and explained that you never put things around your neck. EVER!)

Each ship had someone dressed in character providing historical information

We were all in Dylan's Candy Bar, but Jakey couldn't take his eyes off of the train going around the toy store

Alyssa made candles (you can see by her shirt that she finally made it to Georgetown Cupcakes)

Alyssa turned 8 on the trip. Auntie K and Uncle Mike had a little birthday celebration for her. Cake and Justin Beiber.

Birthday girl on the morning of her big day!

Spent a day in Philadelphia. We visited Betsy Ross' house, and saw so many historic places in Philadelphia. What a cool city.

Sebastian loves coins so we visited the US Mint. Very cool!

Jakey doesn't love us taking pictures together or hugging for that matter.

Liberty Bell. Sebastian was a little disappointed with the size.