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

School. The Great Harbinger of Boredom

As The Hives are so good to tell us:

They say our summer vacation has come to an end.  
And that we simply have no more holiday to spend.  
They say no more barefoot no playing around in the pool.  
They say now it's time for us to go back to school. . . 

In what could very well be the crappiest First Day of School a tween girl could possibly have, Alayna woke up this morning with a horrifically swollen left eye.  She had been swimming in my dad's pool Sunday night, and throughout Labor Day it slowly began to swell.  We were assuming it was an allergic reaction to something she had come into contact with in the water - a bug bite, a scratch that got chlorine in it, something - but reassured Alayna as she went to bed the night before school started that it would look a lot better in the morning.  Rest assured, she was devastated when she woke up to this. 

An hour or so after waking up, shortly before Kris took the girls to school, the swelling had gone down a little, but not by much.  As a result, Alayna refused to take a traditional First Day of School picture (who could blame her.)

Abby, sans swollen eye.

In her classroom, excited to start third grade.

After school, Kris texted me this picture - the swelling had gone down further throughout the day, but Alayna was still pretty self-conscious about it.

Nevertheless, Kris was able to get her to take a sorta-First Day of School picture at the end of the day (though Alayna insisted on wearing sunglasses.)

Whatever.  I hate the First Day of School.

- Brian