The Class of 2026

Friday was Kindergarten Round-Up and oh boy was Jentry excited.  She got to go meet her new teacher and classmates while the parents got some great information about what to expect next fall.  Sutton Public schools did a wonderful job organizing the morning and I have to say that Kindergarten has certainly changed a bit from 1988!

Firstly, Kindergarten is an all day event now filled with many different types of curriculum:
Phonics, Reading, Music, PE, Show and Share, Book Share, Math, Guidance, Ipods, Science, Social Studies, Library, Art, Quiet Time, Language, Spanish, Snacks and of course Recess. Three different recesses to be exact.

Secondly, the teacher is young and her energy even made me a bit jealous.  It was quite obvious that Mrs. Ramer truly has a great passion for children which made this mama very excited to send my baby to Kindergarten.  She even managed to send Jentry a personal letter in the mail the very next day.  The letter contained a picture of Jentry coloring in the classroom at Round-up and a picture of her new class all together.  I was more than impressed.  She spends lots of time posting pictures of their activities on her teacher website and writes a weekly newsletter to keep the parents in the loop.

My Kindergarten teacher was much older and not nearly as much fun.  In fact, most of us were quite scared of her punishment.  It may seem like the stereotypical mean teacher of the olden days story, however I honestly recall her slapping a student on the arm with a ruler.

Thirdly, the class consists of 31 students and has been divided into two rooms.  Jentry will have 16 classmates versus the 12 or so TOTAL students in my Orleans Kindergarten class.  I was happy to see that six of the girls in class are good friends from daycare and/or church.  There are also two boys from her preschool class that will be in her room, so hopefully these familiar faces will help smooth the transition a bit.

When we finished at the school, I let Jentry pick the our lunch menu.  She wanted chicken nuggets and French fries so we drove to the new McDonald's here in Sutton.  OK, so not really...I don't think there will ever be a McDonald's in Sutton and that is probably a very good thing!  We did however go to the local grocery store and purchased some frozen items to bake at home.

It was a BIG day! A very special day.  A milestone kind of day and I could not be more excited to see what my little girl will accomplish in Kindergarten.

2026 seems like many moons from now, but as everyone keeps telling me it will be here in the blink of an eye.  Therefore, I am going to go tape my eyelids open now.

The Little Things

This may seem like small potatoes to some, however to me it made a world of difference.  Since I moved into our home last April I have wanted new storm doors and yesterday my dream became a reality.

Old front door:

New front door:

Old back door:

New back door:

This past year we have made many large and small updates to this beautiful old house, but it has truly been the little things that have made the most impact. Now if I can just keep the glass sparkling clean....

Christ the Lord Is Risen Today

Easter in Orleans was absolutely fabulous!  The weather was wondrous the food was fantastic, the eggs were extravagant and the sweets were sugarific.

Dying Easter eggs in Grandma's new kitchen

Ready for an early Easter breakfast at church.  Can you tell which kiddo is not exactly a morning person?

Where could those eggs be?

Nathan was the last to find his basket.  Where was it you ask?  Well of course, that smart bunny hid it in the old tractor.  If I were Nathan, that would have been the first place I would have looked.  It was so funny watching him try to open the planter unit.  Even Papa teased him about not knowing how to work the contraption.  Hopefully Nathan wasn't too offended by the teasing and considers the harassment as family love.

      

Isaac perked up a bit after the big hunt and I quote, "This was the best Easter I have ever had!"  One out of five isn't too bad.

After all the Easter festivities, Isaac and Jentry played with the water hose in the back yard and finally there was room for me to ride along to the farm.  Three kids usually take up the extra seats in Papa's pick-up, but this time I got a prime seat next to Miss Anna.  She just loves to help Papa with the cattle chores and let me tell you she knows the routine.  She was able to tell me just what to do. 

I could not help but think of all the trips I took in that very same, orange, feed truck with my dad when I was Anna's age.  It certainly brought back some fond memories and made me wonder where all the days have gone.  I am sure that my mother has a very similar picture of me standing in the feed bunk with my dad telling me all about his love for cows.

When we arrived home from our fabulous Easter weekend, Jentry wouldn't stop singing, "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, Alleluia"  She couldn't remember the next verse, so she just kept repeating it over and over again.  To some this may be maddening, however to me it was music to my ears.

Long before I ever understood Christ's atoning sacrifice or appreciated his glorious resurrection, I formed strong associations with Easter. Sure, the candy and family gatherings created fond, joyous memories. But it was the music...the same songs every year in the small Presbyterian church...that has grown into a much deeper meaning in my heart.  My hope is that my daughter will develop those same Easter memories and she too will have the true meaning of Easter blossom in her soul.