First and last of first, second, and fourth

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER!!!

What an amazingly awesome year this has been!  

I began a new job as a Teaching Assistant for my little's school- it was THE best year of my working life! After all the years working at Wal-Mart, I can honestly say that I never had as great a year as this past year! The only thing that I don't like about my new job is the uncertainty of the future. School jobs are on a temporary contract so I don't know from year to year if my position will still be mine... LOTS of prayers are requested that I get to keep my amazing job in this upcoming year!!! Thanks in advance!

Enough about me...

Jonathan and Bella began the year as 1st graders- Jonathan was in Mrs. M's class (the same 1st grade teacher we had for Xander a few years ago). Since Jonathan looks so much like Xander, she often called him by his brother's name- LOL! He absolutely loved her; in fact, he said yesterday that she has been his favorite teacher of all time so far!! Jonathan learned so much this year. He tested "high enough" on his math testing that he, along with a few other 1st graders, got to go to the 3rd grade class to learn some basic multiplication! He loves this because Asher hasn't even learned how to multiply yet! He loves to learn so much that it is almost to a fault. He tends to rush A LOT through his assignments where I know that if he would SLOW DOWN he would do so much better. He received the Tiger Cub award (kinda like a Student of the Month) and also received in-class awards for excellent leadership!!

Bella was in Mrs. U's class (the same 1st grade teacher we had for Asher last year). Although they don't like to admit it, she and Asher are a lot alike, so I was glad that she had the same teacher- Mrs. U already knew what to expect :)  She was excited because her two besties were in class with her again this year! She learned a lot as well. This year was a struggle for her as she tends to get easily frustrated with things when she doesn't pick it up right away. I wish I knew how to help her not get so frustrated sometimes! Anyway, overall she had a great year and has come so far from where she began! She also received the Tiger Cub award in her class this year!

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Asher began this year as a 2nd grader! Our school does something differently in 2nd grade- they rotate classes. While they are assigned to one teacher for homeroom, they essentially have 3 different teachers: 1 teaches math/science; 1 teaches reading/social studies; 1 teaches writing/penmanship. For Asher's homeroom teacher, he had the same teacher that Xander had for his 2 years in 2nd grade: Mrs. L. (we love her)!! Asher struggled a little bit this year with his shyness- more so than last year- so we had to work on that a little bit. This was his first year of actual A-F grades, and he got straight A's both semesters- YAY! He also received the Tiger Cub award in his class!!

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Xander started this year as a 4th grader. In our community, the elementary schools only go through 3rd grade, so he got to move out of the littles' building and into a whole new school! The new place is for 4th-6th graders, and it is called an Intermediate Grade Center (IGC, for short). He loved the IGC because the 4th graders were in their own little community- on separate sides of the building from the other grades. He made many new friends as his homeroom class included not one person from his old school! He made straight-A's for 1st semester and A/B honor roll for 2nd semester. He, like Jonathan, tends to rush through his work... how do I get them to slow down!?!? At some point during this school year, he hit 5'2" in height... Uh-Oh... he's almost up to mommy!! AND he got a girlfriend! When did my baby grow up?? The girlfriend is someone he has been best friends with since 2nd grade, but this year they both agreed that they liked each other as "more than friends." When I asked what that meant exactly, he said, "You know, you hang out and talk on the playground and sit together when you can!" So, if that's what it means, then I am okay with it! LOL! Her mom is pretty cool too, so I told him that if they end up breaking up, they have to stay best friends because I don't want to break up with her mom {giggle}! Xander ALSO received Tiger Cub for his class along with Top Artist and Top Speller!

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Needless to say, these kiddos make me so proud! I love how much they have learned and how smart they are! Every one of them challenges me to learn more just to keep up with them!! I can't wait to see what 2nd, 3rd, and 5th grade will be all about for these guys!! 

Until next year!!