Another School Year Coming to an End

It's always sad and happy when a school year ends.  Happy, because it means a brand new summer and NO SCHOOL!  (Although Abby is sad, she loves school.) 
Sad, because it means days of "I'm bored, Mom."  and "No t.v. until your chores are done" o.k. that one is all year 'round, but what I mean to say is that the kids are home and while it is fun to do things like swim, go to the park, etc., THEY'RE HOME.  Well, I have a few things that I'm planning to do with them, so I enjoy every day with them being home.  (Notice I didn't say every minute.  :)  Keepin' it real.
Any way, a few weeks ago, Abby came home with a book that she made of three reports she wrote about African American's.  
During the month a February, Abby's 1st grade class learned all about black Americans.  They all wrote letters to some of them in leadership of our Nation and Abby chose to write to Clarence Thomas and J.C. Watts.  In her letters to them she explained that her class was studying African American's and asked if they could send any information and a color photograph of themselves.  Well, they both wrote back and sent photos just as she had requested, (they even signed them), but Clarence Thomas went above and beyond.  He not only sent her a signed photo, but he also sent her a copy of a children's book called, "Marshall, the Courthouse Mouse, A Tail of the Supreme Court." (cute book) and wrote a sweet message in it just for her.  It read,
       "Abigail, Always do your best to be your best.  I hope you have a wonderful life.  Clarence Thomas"  She decided it would be nice to donate it to the school library. Then, her teacher got another copy of the book for Abby and photocopied the page that Clarence Thomas wrote on and put it in the book before she gave to Abby to take home.
Abby also wrote reports on two other people, Constance Baker Motley and Julia May Porter-Carson.  She did an awesome job and we are so proud of her.

Sorry these photos are a little blurry.

 This is the letter that Abby's teacher wrote to Justice Thomas thanking him for his thoughtful reply and book and everything he sent.

Here is Abby's class.  Yeah, class picture day would be on a day that I didn't have enough time that morning do a cute hair style. Oh well.

She loves her teacher and is doing really well in school.

On that note, Teacher Appreciation week was a couple weeks ago and my kids wanted to do something for their teachers to show that they were grateful for them.  So I went to the store, got some candy, plastic wrap, curling ribbon and table cloth weights and help the kids make candy lei's for their teachers.  Then, I printed out a picture from some thing school related. (Calvin and Elsa's was from the school carnival and Abby's was from a presentation that her class did for flag ceremony).  We Modge Podged them to the stars and I wanted to write something cute like, "You made me a star." or something like that, but they just wanted to write "Thanks for teaching me."  Oh well.  I guess, the message got out either way.

 Like the 'stache?