ConGRADuations and the End of the Elementary Era

What's up, players.

Today marks the definitive end of the Houghs' Elementary School Era.  Abby graduated from 5th Grade today, and, in doing so, ended her tenure at Chestnut Hill Elementary, where she's attended since starting Kindergarten there back in 2015.

Kris took the day off in order to be able to attend this occasion, which, thanks to Covid-19 (again), was a stripped-bare affair held outdoors, one classroom at a time - a totally different experience than, say, the big production that Alayna got when she graduated from 5th grade two years ago.  She made sure to drive her to school this morning, too, in order to get the traditional picture in front of the school sign (see above.)

Kris also managed to snap a pic with Audrey (Mitch's youngest) and Jackson (Morgan's son.)

Anyway, the 'ceremony' (if you could even call it that) took place at 9:30am, about an hour into the school day, and the whole thing was super quick and pretty bittersweet (since the school had their hands tied with safety protocols, and there was only so much they could do for a graduation ceremony.)  Afterwards, students had the option of leaving for the day with their parents, but Abby - like several others - opted to stay at school and finish out the remainder of her school day so she could hang out with her friends and enjoy one, final day of elementary school.

So here you go, folks - the End of 5th Grade:

Mrs. Reinhardt's class marches out in front of the school.

You can see Abby, in a white-and-blue dress, half-way down the line.

Awaiting her turn to step forward and accept a 'graduation envelope.'

One thing that pissed me off about this whole process was no one announced the student walking forward to accept their graduation stuff - the students just walked forward after the kid in front of them walked away.  How f***ing hard is it to announce each student to the assembled crowd?  It's a graduation, for crying out loud. . .

Abby ends 5th Grade.

(As always, Kris films with her phone while I handle the SLR.)

After each student in her class received their diplomas, certificates, and whatever else was stuck in those envelopes, kids and parents ambled about taking pictures with various people and in front of various things.  Abby wanted a picture in front of the Chestnut Hill building with a couple of her friends, Abigail (left) and Isla (right.)

One with her teacher.

One with all the girls in her class.

One with Papa John and Grandma.

And one final one in front of the school sign out front, with Abigail and Isla.

Each student received, in their envelopes, a personalized class award.  Abby, as you can see here, is the class Bookworm.  She comes by it naturally.

- Brian

A Mighty Noise

Hey gang.

I'm pretty sure I've shared all this before, but the Cannonball took it upon herself to join yet another extra-curricular activity this year.  Aside from her involvement in Choir, the Recycling Club, Safety Patrol, and Girl Scouts, she's also a member of the Chestnut Hill Orchestra.  She's picked back up the violin - which she used to play when she was little down in Orlando - and has since taken to it pretty fast.

Granted, it's still her first year and she more or less still sounds like she's skinning a cat, but she's improved a lot and Kris and I are both grateful that she didn't opt for the Band, where she'd end up playing something like the frickin' tuba or clarinet.

With Christina and Makara

Her sister Abby, by the way, wants to play the coronet.  We'll see what we can do to dissuade her from that shit-show when the time comes.

Anyway, the Orchestra gave a performance alongside the Band and Choir this evening, with choir going first, then Orchestra, and then finally Band.  This meant that we got to watch Alayna in two different capacities, which was cool. . . buuuuut then we had to sit through an entire band performance that had nothing whatsoever to do with my kid.

My kid's not in band, I didn't need to be there.  I tried to leave, but Kris wasn't having it.

Of course.

So first, here's a couple pictures Abby took using Kris' phone:

The Choir, belting out a couple jams (Alayna's towards the right side of the stage, wearing a cream-colored dress, in the front.)

After two songs, the Orchestra took the stage.  Alayna's at Far Left, now.

(You could tell she was pretty nervous.)

This is Alayna's Orchestra teacher (forget his name), who taught these kids how to play their various string instruments three days a week for a half an hour before school started.  He was pretty funny, and the kids clearly like him a lot.

Still, he CLEARLY has an identical twin.

This is what I do now at these events.  I got sick of shooting in gym lighting, and the videos of these events are more fun to look at later, anyway.  And yes, we nabbed front/center seats.  'Cmon, now.

Watching the Band perform.  The Choir only had two songs, and the Orchestra and Band each played for about twenty minutes.  That band performance was a loooooong twenty, people.

Alayna and Dwight

And now here's the show, folks:

- Brian

The Heist

What's up, Internet.

So, in case anyone wanted to know, YES, I am still extremely sore from my surgery.  But that's not why I'm posting today.  No, I wanted to share with you an interesting find Kris and I recently stumbled across.

The other day, Kris wanted to take the girls shopping for Toys for Tots (you know, Season of Giving and all that - I'm sure she'll touch on that later.)  Since I was bed-ridden and all, she'd be handling both kids solo. . . which is just as fun as it sounds.  She wanted to take a camera with her to document the affair, and I wasn't thrilled with the idea of her lugging around our Canon T4i SLR through the Florida mall with two kids in tow.  Try as we may, though, we couldn't locate our smaller, much-more-appropriate-for-use-with-two-kids-in-public handheld camera, our Canon PowerShot.

We tore the house apart, and couldn't find it.  So, despite my grumbling, she ended up taking the more expensive SLR.

Days later, we found the Canon PowerShot somewhere that definitely raised a few eyebrows - Alayna's backpack.  When pressed for information, the Cannonball admitted to taking it to school on Friday to 'show her friends.'

Upon turning on the camera, we found the following pictures.

Enjoy:

The first shots are from Alayna's first grade classroom (no idea how her teacher didn't notice this was going on. . .)

She'll be glad she has this picture ten years from now, I'm sure.

Apparently this generation's never heard I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.  That shit's a classic, kids, c'mon. . .

Sweet.  I always wanted a picture of a bunch of kids' backpacks!

This is one of Alayna's friends who conveniently lives a couple houses down the street from us.  This was taken while Alayna was waiting outside to be picked up in the Car Rider area.  On this particular day, Alayna was being picked up by Kris' friend, Joy (as Kris herself was driving me to and from my Ball Surgery.)

Close-up of a plush Mickey doll (the kid in the background doesn't seem to approve of this.)

Riding in the back of Joy's van, we have ourselves another shot of Mickey (actually, there were close to a dozen, but I'm editing these waaaay down to save you from the all-out chaos that we found on our camera.)

One of many shots taken of this bus, on the way out of her school's parking lot.  For whatever reason.

There's joy.  Completely oblivious that there's a six-year-old thoroughly documenting her entire route from school to her after-school location.

The Cannonball gets artsy. . .

(Just in case you wanted to know where she was keeping her water on this trip.)

Here's a picture from her series, 'Random Tree on the Way Back from School.'

Selfie (no idea what the hell's all over her face.)

No idea who this kid is (these next ones are from her After School program.)

I hate kids.

- Brian

Teacher Depreciation Week

My wife works at a real, fancy school.

Regardless of the holiday, she always ends up coming home with tons of loot. Christmas, Valentine's Day, President's Day - I don't care what the event may be, she brings home the gift-bagged bacon.

Me? Not so much.

Now, I've got nearly 120 students under my command. She has, oh, 23 or 24. Something like that. While her van can barely contain a day's worth of "thinking of you!," the plunder I receive from my school and my students - throughout the duration of a school year - can usually fit into my pocket.

This was once again illustrated last week, which those in the loop call 'Teacher Appreciation Week.' Preggosaurus works with adorable scamps, and these scamps have parents who can afford to pay the $250 a week daycare costs associated with an upscale daycare facility. As such, these parents aren't afraid to sling about $50 gift cards and mind-blowing gift baskets like 'scuse me ma'dam. Teacher Appreciation Week this year was no exception: gift cards, flowers, chocolates, lotions, candles - general chick stuff in general, but none of it cheap.

An impressive haul, to say the least.

...And what'd I get from my school and my legions of 'adorable scamps'? Check it out:

Gift #1: A Rock

Awesome, a rock! Oh, wait - the rock has a rub-on label on it: "Our Teachers & Staff Rock!" I get it - that's hilarious!! Plus, with a label loosely affixed, the rock is magically transformed into a paperweight! How clever!!

Gift #2: Pad of Paper w/Pen.

Thanks for doing your job. Now here's some things that you can use at home to remind you of doing your job. But at home. Enjoy.

Gift #3: Pen (with a Hand)

Plain ol' pen? I don't think so! This one has a hand where there would otherwise be some sort of convenient clip of some sort. Man, I'm gonna write with this sum'bitch all the time!

Thanks for the appreciation, dearest employers, parents and students. F.Y.I., - next time, I'll take the gift card.

Depressed,

- Brian