Quote of the Day

...comes courtesy of Devynn

"I wish I was a cloud."

Following....

in Jess and Andrew's footsteps is little Miss Rylee Belle!

High Flyer!!
All smiles!

If she looks a little stunned, you'll find out why below!

She got the "High Flyer" of the week award this morning at the Friday Flag Assembly! :) Her teacher informed her yesterday that she would be receiving it, and sent home a note to us explaining the drill (she obviously doesn't realize that we're THE SMITHS and already know the drill...been doing it since the first year French Valley opened its doors!) Rylee was so excited to tell us yesterday, and was even more excited this morning while getting ready for school.

So, this morning at the school, the assembly began as usual. Flag salute. Song. Announcements. "Minute to Win it" game. And finally the whole reason we were there...the awards. They began with the 5th graders. You could see Rylee's excitement building as she was sitting there. :) 4th grade. 3rd grade. Man, this was taking forever (well, not really, but to a 6 year old waiting to hear her name, a minute feels like an eternity!) 2nd grade. And finally, 1st grade!

Announcer: "And from Ms. Sumner's class..."

I could see Rylee starting to stand up.

"Angel Blahblahblah!"

WHAT?!

The look of sadness and disappointment on Rylee's face will forever be etched in my brain. It actually brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it now. My poor little baby sat back down while looking at me with such a lost look on her pretty face.

The announcer continued through all the kindergartners, and then handed the microphone over to another teacher to perform the French Valley cheer, which marks the end of the assembly every week.

This was my chance. I walked up there (I'm sure Andrew was embarrassed to see his mom storming the stage area, but I didn't care. That look on Rylee's face was enough motivation for me to take out whoever I needed to in order to get this straightened out! ) The announcer, Mrs. Gradstein (who actually knows me since Andrew was in her class for first grade) was a little surprised to turn around and see me there, but seemed very happy nonetheless.

Mrs. Gradstein: "Hi! How are you?"

Me: "I'm good, thanks." (This isn't what I was thinking but I didn't want to be completely rude.) "Can you please check the list again because my daughter was supposed to be High Flyer and you called someone else's name?"

Mrs. Gradstein: "Of course. Who's her teacher?"

Me: "Ms. Sumner."

Mrs. Gradstein: "Oh my gosh. I skipped her! How did I do that?! (I don't know and I don't really care at this minute, I just want it fixed!) I called out the teacher's name and then read the name of the student from the class below. I am so sorry!"

Me: "That's ok, but can you please call her name out now?"

Mrs. Gradstein: "Of course, of course!"

Me: "Thank you!" (Again, not what I was thinking but still trying to be polite.)

I turned to walk back and made eye contact with Rylee. I was hoping to convey through my look to her that everything was ok, so I gave her a big smile and a thumbs up. I don't think she was buying it, though. Poor thing was thinking she had just been robbed by some student that wasn't even in her class!

By this time, the cheer was ending and all of the students were standing up and getting ready to leave. Mrs. Gradstein grabbed the microphone and said "Everyone hold it right there! Please turn back around. I made a mistake! I left one of our High Fliers out. No one deserves to be left out (Especially not MY Rylee Belle!) so I need everyone's attention up here. Please give a big round of applause to our High Flyer from Ms. Sumner's class...RYLEE SMITH!!!"

With that, my little sweetie got to go up there in front of everyone with the ENTIRE school applauding JUST for HER, like she deserved! :)

***On a side note, Rylee's teacher, Ms. Sumner, happened to be out today. If she had been there, I'm sure she would've fixed everything quickly, but there was a substitute who had no idea that there was any mistake made. It's ok, though, because my monkeys got to witness Mommy zip into action and get things corrected. No one messes with my monkeys! (even if it was just an honest mistake.)

Student of the Month

Today at school Andrew received the first "Student of the Moth" award for the year. He has been working really hard (as usual) to earn it, and was so excited. :) At the Friday morning assembly, they announced the students (one from each class), who all got to come forward and receive a sticker they get to wear all day. Then, when the assembly was over, they got to sit with their "adults" and enjoy a special treat (it used to be cookies, but since the schools have all adopted the special nutritional guidelines, it was teddy grahams.) When he was finished we got to go back to his class, where he received his award, a certificate for a free meal at Islands restaurant, a bumper sticker, and a big round of applause from his class. His teacher, Mrs. Crabtree, read a special note that she had written for him:

"Andrew...you have been soaring high since the minute you entered 3rd grade. You
show responsibility, respect, friendship and compassion to everyone...everyday.
Thanks for making room 35 a wonderful place to be!"

Afterwards, she told Ryan and I that she meant every word she had said. She told us he is an awesome student and child, and she thanked us for doing such a great job with him. :)

Andrew's Big Idea

The other day...

Andrew: "Mom, can I bring my skateboard in the house?"

Me: "No, you can't skate in the house, only outside."

Andrew: "But some people have skate parks in their houses."

Me: "That is true, but we don't"

Andrew: "Well, can't we build one in our house?"

Me: "We would need a lot of money to build a house that's big enough to have a skate park. Do you have enough money to build one?"

Andrew: "No."

Me: "Well, you better get a job and start saving all the money you earn."

Andrew: "I'm too young to get a job! I know! I will have a lemonade stand!"

(He revised his menu after learning that we didn't have any lemonade in the house.)

I lovelovelove that he is a problem solver and thinks creatively to come up with a solution.

Is this what Dora is teaching kids?... ;)

Devynn: "Mom, repeat after me."
Me: "Ok."
Devynn: "You. May. Kiss. The. Bride."
Me: "You may kiss the bride."
Devynn: "Ok, now we kiss."

**kiss**

Devynn: "Ok, now you're pregnant."
Me: "What?!"



Where does she learn these things?! Should I be worried? At least maybe it will keep her from kissing boys for a long time! ;)

Devynn's Quote of the Day

"Mom, 'Jingle Bell' and 'Taco Bell' rhyme!"