Yes, that's her teacher standing with her, and yes, she's just a tad bit on the petite side. Look at how Hannah's face has changed. Ignore the fact that she's letting her bangs grow out and looks a little worse for ear, but the shape of her face is lengthening and changing....our baby is growing up! And she's officially a 4th grader!
Ah, finally.
Today is the last day of school for Hannah. The last day of the 3rd grade! Where the year went, I don't know. At times it felt as though the school year would never end. Perhaps it was the adjustment of the transitioning from year round school schedule to modified traditional school schedule. The adjustment from having had 3/4 of the school on site to having the entire student body always present on campus. Whatever it was, I'm glad we're at the end.
I am sad however another school year has come and gone. Hannah's teacher has been a great one this year and a real pleasure to work with. Hannah made friends with new classmates and progressed well.
We look forward to what the new school year will hold, when it begins, Tuesday, August 4th. But once that school bell rings today at 2:15, we'll enjoy the few weeks we have of our break!!
No body was happy that our school was given an extra seven days added to our school year. But our wonderful teachers are doing their best to do fun things this week at school. Attendance is voluntary and you can see the difference on the playground when I drop Hannah off at school, so far Hannah hasn't asked to stay home, who wouldn't with it being fun everyday? LOL.
Hannah's teacher came up with a schedule for the week:
Her teacher gave each of the kids a set amount of money (plastic money) to spend. They could buy from their fellow producers and then sold their stuff as well. Hannah sold 13 pictures at $1.50 each! Her product was the most expensive one being sold, therefore her profit was the greatest! 
I worked in Hannah's class during this time and I was impressed. All the kids did such a great job at their business signs, their products, and all of them were having a lot of fun while still learning what it takes to run a business, do simple math calculations, etc. Most definitely a fun activity that the teacher had never done before. 
On Thursday, the Science Day, after lunch, we're going to be making ice cream for our year end ice cream party using milk and ice and rock salt, etc. Kids are bringing in toppings and that looks like to be another fun thing once again!
This evening was the advancing to a new belt in Karate. Hannah was promoted to a Senior Brown Belt, which means she is only one belt away from being a Junior Black Belt! The instructor talked her and Daddy into sticking with it another quarter, so we are in Karate at least through the end of August....Here in another week or two, it'll be three years since Hannah began Karate.
We started our Father's Day celebration just a tad early this year, on Saturday night. Our Sunday mornings are sometimes hectic as Steven leaves for church around 7:00 for set up, not returning home until after 1:00. And the girls each had their gifts they made at school and were chomping at the bit for Daddy to open them. Rachel has had hers for two weeks and I think the only reason she held out so long in Daddy opening it was because I hid it the day she brought it home from school knowing she'd not be able to wait. But anyways, we had a nice dinner on Saturday and followed it up with Daddy's gifts.
Today, we went to church as usual. And then went to my brother and sister in laws house for a mexican feast of carne asada and chicken tacos. We celebrated the day with my Dad and Mom as well, and enjoyed the time spent together as a family!
For the past four years, by this time of the year, Hannah is usually out of school for the school year. But last Fall, our school changed to a modified traditional school year from a year round school schedule and now the entire school ends mid-June.
Because we're normally out of school by now, we were out of the loop when they started planning a small class performance for the Magnet Open House, which is held the first week of June. This is the first year that we've been around to participate!
Our school is a Magnet School that still emphasizes visual and performing arts in their curriculum. So today, the school hosted an Open House for parents and grandparents and friends and neighbors to come onto the school campus and see what the school does in regards to the visual and performing arts.
A few weeks ago, much to my great excitement, Hannah was chosen to play the role of Minnie Mouse in the small play her class and another would be doing. The teacher worked really hard to put together props and costumes and it all came together really well. 
I thought the school organized this event very well. Events were spread out all over the campus and there were art galleries on display throughout the campus, as well as the individual classrooms. This was the 3rd grade art gallery and one of Hannah's piece of work.
If I had had more time today, I would have liked to have visited some of the other events of the morning, but time was limited today and all I saw was Hannah's play and the 3rd grade art gallery and a quick peek into her room. It's hard to believe that next years Magnet Open House we'll have two kids' work to check out!
