The (Not So) Great Pumpkin

It took this many years to come to this realization--I really, really do NOT like carving pumpkins!  I admire all those really neat designs that I see all over place, but the thought of trying to do one like that just makes me groan.  I don't really mind scooping out the guts.  No, it's not totally pleasant, but I can handle it.  I just do not like carving!  Maybe I don't have the right tools.  Maybe I should buy one of those little knives that they say work wonders and that kids can use themselves.  But I have a hard time believing a cheapo orange plastic handled pumpkin knife is going to out-do my Cutco serrated bad-boy. 

But I'm a mama.  And I do things because I'm a mama and it makes Kendra happy. So here you go...our pumpkin carving evening in photos, and the resultant Not So Great Pumpkin.

I carve, she designs on tiny pumpkins

The Finale Science Hat!!!

Our school has an annual tradition...the Science Vocabulary Hat Parade!  We always have it right around Halloween since they are lame down here and don't let kids have Halloween fun at school.  Oh.  Did I say that out loud?  I digress...

This is Kendra's last year to participate in the parade, as she is a fifth grader (sigh).  The word she was assigned this year is Natural Resources.  I think we did a bang-up job for her finale hat!

We taped a small box to a flat section of another box first.  Then, we spray painted the whole thing brown.  On the top is a piece of rock scrapbooking paper and an oil rig made from chenille sticks and slices of a black trash bag for the "gusher" effect.  On the bottom is a couple of trees made from tubes of brown craft foam and real crafting moss.  Then there is Kendra's favorite (and her brainchild, too)---a river made from glue we colored with food coloring, bordered by real rocks and pieces of wood.  Pretty awesome, if we do say so ourselves!

School Carnival

Our school has a pretty fun little carnival each year.  This year, Kendra had a decision to make.  The Activity Days leaders at church had planned a "field trip" on the same Saturday to a large cat sanctuary (lions, tigers, etc).  Kendra decided that she wanted to go to the carnival because it was her last year in elementary school.

It was a gorgeous day--sunny and about 80 degrees.  Perfect because most of our carnival games take place outside.  Here are a few pics to document the day:

Kendra's cute teacher in the dunk tank.  I narrowly avoided having to perch there myself!

Kendra with Ms. Latino North Texas, who is a mom at our school!

Kendra in line to try to dunk my partner, Mr. Hopkins.

There's my partner, Mr. Hopkins.  Kendra didn't dunk him, but lots of our kiddos did!  Glad he took one for the team!!!

Andy Armadillo from Texas Roadhouse paid a visit.

The Great Baileeny (a.k.a. our fantastic librarian) read Kendra's fortune.  She doesn't look thrilled...this one said she is going to a certain high school (the one my school feeds to..nope, she isn't going there!)

Leadership Award!

(My apologies to the two or three of you who are regular readers of my blog.  We've been running with our hair on fire since school started eight weeks ago and grading papers/cleaning house/grocery shopping/laundry isn't really post-able!!  But I have a few more things to blog in the next weeks so we're baaaccck!  :-) )

Our school gives report cards every six weeks, and with that comes an awards assembly.  We recognize students with academic achievements of all A's or A's/B's as well as perfect attendance.  This year we changed things up a bit and are also giving six special awards in each classroom.  We are honoring math achievement, science achievement, honor roll (exceptional grades or great growth), most improved, core values (a different one each six weeks) and leadership.  Our school has decided to adopt the Leader in Me model for leadership using the 7 Habits for Highly Successful People.  We have taught the 7 Habits to all our students and it is really awesome seeing them using the habits and recognizing those leadership qualities in others.

In addition to earning all A's this six weeks marking period, Kendra was chosen by her class to receive the leadership award!  Way to go, Boo!!!

We are giving out these neat "dog tags" for the awards this year.  The idea is that the kids will collect the dog tags and have a nice record of their elementary accomplishments by the time they leave our school.  I'm so proud of my girl...she really is a great leader and example to everyone--including her mom!