Firework: From Kindergarten To First Grade

Dear Moo,

You did it!  Congratulations, you have officially graduated Kindergarten and will be advancing to First Grade this August.  I'm so proud of you and all the hard work you put in.  Your first year of school did not get off to a great start, but you hung in there.  You were such the determined little trooper.

This past school year you overcame so much including the Mean Girls, adjusting to having three different teachers in one school year and coming out of your shell.  Speaking of coming out of your shell, you blossomed into quite the social butterfly this year.  It was great to see making friends with kids your class.  I think that was hands down the highlight of your school year.

The second highlight of your school year were the fieldtrips!  You got to go to a farm to pick pumpkins and visit the petting zoo.  And you had your first trip to Discovery Place Kids.  You really enjoyed Discovery Place Kids and have been asking to go back.  I can't say that blame you because there was so much to see and do there.  I'm sure we'll fit it into our summer plans.

Your favorite elective class was art.  I wasn't surprised because you're my little firework.  You have tons of artwork and I can't for to look back on some of the pictures you made when you're older.   Gym was your least favorite elective.  You were not a fan of all the running and walking they made you all do on the track.

I already knew you were very bright for your age, but we discovered that you're quite the math whiz!   You won the Excellence in Mathematics award all four school quarters.  I'm hoping this continues to be the case as math only gets more complex the higher you advance.  You aced all of your end-of-year goals and tests.

My highlight of your first year of school was becoming the class mom.  It was fun getting to hang out with you in your class and accompany you on fieldtrips.  We were able to get in lots of mommy-daughter bonding time.  I got to watch you in action interacting with your friends.  I have to say that I'm very proud of the friends you've made.  You've aligned yourself with other kids who are passionate about learning and who believe in showing compassion to others.

Partners in crime forever after Moo's kindergarten graduation

We both disliked that your school had uniform policy and were super excited when you finally got to pick out an outfit that showed off your personality for your kindergarten graduation.   You'll be going to a new school this upcoming school year.  We'll be keeping our fingers crossed that some of your friends will be joining you at the new school.  I can't wait to see all of the new memories you will make.

I'm beyond proud of you.  Keep showing 'em what you're worth my little firework!

A Day At The Farm

Moo reached another milestone last week.  She went on her first official school field trip!  My baby is growing up y'all!  Seriously, can somebody freeze time?  Anywho, I chaperoned and we had a blast sharing in that experience together. 

Her field trip was to The Hunter Farm in Weddington, which could pretty much be considered part of Charlotte (in my opinion).  Sadly, parents weren't allowed to ride the bus with students.  That was such a bummer because it was her first time riding a real school bus and I thought I'd be able to get a shot and maybe some video footage of her on there.  (Yes, I'm that mom!)

However, it didn't take long to get to get Hunter Farm.  I thought I was going to be in for at least a 40 minute drive, but got there in under 30.  It took the teachers a while to get the buses loaded and I ended up waiting an extra 20 minutes before they arrived.  If had known I had that time to spare, I would have hit up the Target that was up the street.  Now on the important stuff- the pictures!

When the kids finally arrived, they split us into groups of 3 classes.  Each group got their own tractor pulled wagon and guide/driver.  We loaded up, went over a few rules and then we received three special tasks for the kids to do: collect milk from the cow, find a chicken egg (this was not easy because the chickens had made a run for it overnight) and flick dried kernels of corn off its cob. 

Our first stop was to visit the milking barn, where we got a demonstration on how to milk a cow.  Of course, I've seen my share of cows milked having grown up in the country.  We also learned that freshly expressed milk is 100 degrees.  Hmmm...I wonder how warm breastmilk is? Definitely nowhere near that.

Before we left the milk station the kids learned that when you gotta go, you gotta go.  They were all tickled pink and overcome with a case of the giggles when the cow started pooping.  Two chaperones from one of the other classes excused themselves because they couldn't handle the smell.  In all honesty, it was strong at first, but then the scent died down a little bit.  The kid's then went from tickled pink to grossed out after the cow got one of her hooves messy by stepping in her own poop.  

Thankfully, it was time for us to move on our next station, which was the petting barn.  At the petting barn, cups of feed were passed out and the kids got to feed the mini goats (I loved them) and the sheep.  Moo was too excited.  In our second to last place, there was a barn across the street and the farmer had some mini goats.  Moo always asked to feed or pet them but I told her no.

So, she was chomping at the bit get to those goats.  The goats were beyond excited to get their snack and have some company.  A few goats even impressed us their climbing skills, but thankfully didn't escape their holding area.

The sheep were just as anxious to get some love too.  One sheep had been sheared and his hair had finally started to grow in.  It looked like a haircut gone wrong because the hair wasn't growing in at the same rate and Moo thought he looked weird.  That made her a little hestiant to get feed him.  Of course, it didn't help matters that his fur was two tone either, a dark chocolate mixed with a tan.

There were two rabbits- one brown and one white.  The brown rabbit was not a fan of having us in his space and curled into ball while giving us what I'm convinced is the evil eye.  So, we left him alone.  I didn't get a picture of the other rabbit because once they took him out for the kids to pet, it was hard to get a good shot through the hands petting him.

There were two pigs, some wild turkeys, a cow (I refer to her as Gentle Bessie, but her real name is Annabelle) and of course the chickens.  They had two horses in a separate barn, but we didn't get to have a closeup look at them for safety reasons obviously.  Horses are really powerful animals and when they're spooked they are dangerous.  They can run you over or kick you and well, depending on where the blows land . . . So, yeah, we got to see them from the wagon our way back up to the pumpkin field/patch area.

At the pumpkin patch area, the kids learned where food comes from and just how many products have corn in them- cereal, pudding, drinks, etc.  We also put the milk, egg and corn kernels to use by making cornbread batter.  We didn't cook it though.

Picture time in the pumpkin patch was next.  We all got to select pumpkins and they even let teachers take pumpkins for the students who weren't able to come on the field trip and we (the parents) got to get pumpkins for little siblings.  Moo's mission was to find the biggest mini pumpkin out there.  I'm pretty sure she came close to doing just that.

Overall, it was a great trip.  I had fun watching her in her zone and her element because she loves the outdoors and she LOVES animals even more.  She's been bugging me since she was almost three for us to live on a farm so she can get a horse, a cow and some chickens.  I was glad that she got to get a taste of the farm life and I got to work on my photography.

I'm happy to have had the opportunity to interact with her teacher outside the classroom and in a more relaxed environment.  We'll definitely be going back to The Hunter Farm so that JJ and the Mr can experience the wagon ride and the animals.  I'm already looking forward to the next field trip!

Back To School Snacking With Chiquita Bites

Disclosure: I received this product for free from the manufacturer to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the manufacturer of this product. 

Although, it's hard to believe that I have a preschooler and kindergartner this year, we're steady ticking off the days until school starts.  One of my main concerns for this school year is lunchtime and afternoon snacks.  Moo will be attending school for a full-day and JJ will only go a half-day.    I want to make sure that I'm packing them lunches and snacks that are: (1) nutritious, (2) portable and (3) don't require any prep work (kid/school friendly).  That's where Chiquita Bites come in.

Behold the goodies!

We recently got a chance to sample a variety of the Chiquita Apple Bites and they were a hit!  Even my picky eater, JJ, got in on the sampling action.  Our sample package included:

Peeled Juicy Red Apples (Single Pack)

These were Moo's favorite because they're peeled.  While she will eat the peel of an apple, she prefers to have the peel off.  It gets stuck in her teeth and that drives her nuts.  Like we seriously have to find her a piece of floss and floss the peel out before she will finish eating.

Juicy Red Apple & Grape (5 Pack)

These were her second favorite and JJ's favorite.  They both loved the grapes!

Juicy Red Apple With Caramel Dip (4 Pack)

I enjoyed these.  This was the first time either of them had tasted caramel and Moo was not a fan of the richness.  I don't think JJ knew what to make of the caramel sauce honestly, but again they loved the apples.

Juicy Green Apple (Family Pack)

Moo has an allergy to green apples, so I got to enjoy these by myself.  I prefer green apples over red ones.  So, this worked out perfectly.  And of course, JJ probably would have like these but the fact that he's used seeing red peels on the apples and not green threw him off and he didn't try them.  He just kept pointing at the green peel and then looking at the red apples like why are they different?

Juicy Red Apple (Family Pack)

 I've never seen my kids really battle over food, but since they both LOVE red apples, neither wanted to share these.  Thank goodness for bowls.  That solved the who gets to hog the bag problem.  

What I Love

What I love about all of the Chiquita Apple Bites is that the apples are very crisp.  I'm not fan of soggy or soft apples and neither are my children.  Even the peeled the apples were very crisp.  You could hear the crunch when you bit into them and I love that sound when I'm enjoying an apple.

I also love that these are pre-sliced because I suck at cutting apples in thin slices.  My slices always end up chunky for some reason.  They also pre-washed and ready to serve.  Each pack of the single serves provided the kids a half-cup of their fruit serving, which is great portion control.  I also love the singles because I can pack them fresh fruit for school now.

Apples will turn brown quickly and also absorb the odor from other foods if you pack them together when they're cut.  The singles will stop that from happening.  Another plus is that I can throw those single servings into my purse as an afternoon snack when I pick them up from school.  We can buy some to share with their classes (I'm thinking skip the lollipops for Valentine's Day and do these instead) without any issues.

I'm really excited that the family packs are resealable.  Having resealable packaging really helps to prolong the freshness once you've opened them.  I'm definitely going to be ruling and rocking when it comes to packing the kids' lunches now.   Speaking of ruling, Chiquita is hosting a Moms Rule Back To School Contest from now until August 25th.  All you have to do is 'Like' the Chiquita Snacking Facebook page and then comment on one of their Back To School posts sharing a tip or trick about how you make going back to school easier.  You could win a $1000 shopping spree and a years worth of Chiquita Bites!!  (See official rules and regulations here.)

Overall, I love that Chiquita Bites are nutritious snack options.  Healthy eating is very important to us and Chiquita is helping us to continue that even whether we're on the go or at home.  So, if you're looking for a healthy snack option for your kids, be sure to give these a try!

Before you go, don't forget to enter the giveaway below.  One of you will win a Thirty-One Thermal Tote thanks to the lovely folks at Chiquita!  This tote will be perfect for packing lunches or just to keep snacks cool while you're on the go.  Please note that the actual design/color will vary.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Back To Schooling!!

Year of the AstroBrights

This post brought to you by Astrobrights Papers by Neenah Paper. All opinions are 100% mine.

With summer vacation coming to close for many of us (kids & adults), it's time to focus on the next 9 months ahead.  For our children that means going back to school.  For us grown ups that means getting back to business with business.   As this 2012-2013 year jumps off, I want to urge you all to make this the year of the AstroBrights!

I was first introduced to AstroBrights papers about two years ago.  I was in my mom's office and just so happened to be looking for some nice paper to print a flyer on.  There on her desk was a shiny, new, unopened pack of AstroBrights. (True story!)  It was calling my name.  I answered and have been hooked ever since.

So, what makes AstroBrights different from other brands?  I would say quality.  This stuff is top of the line.  I have had inicidents where I've printed a report with a pie chart or table graph only to discover that ink has bled through and the paper is all wrinkled and wet.  None of that with this brand.

Did I mention AstroBrights comes in 23 colors?  23 bright, bold, vivid colors to be exact. I'm talking about hot pink, neon grean, deep blues, warm yellows and more.  Whether your son/daughter is looking to decorate his/her science project display or you want spruce up some business brochures, AstroBrights has got you covered!  They "believe ideas are important, thoughts aren't shy and we are not afraid to stand out from the crowd."

You can make sure that your kids are covered and stand out from the crowd by entering the "Give a Bright Year" sweepstakes.  You can help your child's (or any) elementary school win $30,000 in school supplies and cash prizes.  It's really simple to enter.

1. Visit and 'Like' AstroBrights on Facebook.
2. Click on the "Sweepstakes" tab.
3. Click on the "Go to App" button and fill out the entry form.

Looking for even more AstroBrights goodness?  Join their family-friendly "Make Something AstroBright" design challenges.  I encourage you all to put down the cell phones, computers and remotes and get the family together for some crafting and bonding time.  You can share your projects through pictures and videos for a chance to win AstroBright paper and other cool prizes.   Don't forget to use the hashtag #GoAstroBrights if you decide to share them via Twitter or Pinterest.  Happy crafting!

How does your family prepare for going back to school/work?

Random Thoughts

Ok, I have been totally slacking on my blog posts this week.  I'm kind of mad at myself for missing my Wishful Wednesday post too.  I mean I had written something really private and touching out, but somehow never got around to typing and posting it.  Yes, I still prewrite the old fashion way with a notepad and a pen. Somehow, I just feel like my thoughts flow more naturally without the click and clack of the key board to disturb me.  Not to mention, I can't see all those red lines that lets me know how bad my spelling has gotten since I graduated from JWU.

Anyways, I will back next Wednesday with my Wishful post. But today, was just wonderful.  I love, love, love family. And mine is the coolest.  We have our moments when we can stand each other like everybody else, but at the end of the day we love each other to death.  And today was a cause for celebration.  My niece, Miss O, graduated from Pre-K!!!

Yes, it's very exciting I know. Just being back in that school made a rush of memories explode in my head. I remember going to Pre-K and Kindergarten there and my graduation.  Although, my graduation from Pre-K was bittersweet.  I was excited because I was moving up and becoming a big kid, but sad as looked at the empty chair next to me where my first best friend was suppose to be.  During our Spring Break, he was killed in a hit and run accident down the street and around the corner from where I lived. 

My parents knew I would be heart broken and couldn't break the news to me.  So, my aunt, who was also my teacher, told me the last day of our Spring Break.  I was devastated.  Actually, I was beyond devastated.  For two days I turned into a mute and couldn't go home.  So, I stayed with my other aunt (Lill), who was my 2nd mommy, for a week.  I remember her asking me if I wanted to go to the funeral and I shook my head no.

She asked if I was sure and said that she didn't want me to regret it later.  I still said no. Over the course of the school year, Bill had become more than my first bff.  He was the first boy I kissed and fell head over heals in love with.  Yes, I was in love at the ripe age of 5. LOL.  I can't explain it, but I was very intelligent and mature for my 5 years of age.  Somehow, I knew it was love that I felt for him and that it was different from the love that I felt for my other friends, my family and my parents.

And the fact that he was white and I was black with a mixture of Native American and white didn't matter to us.  Probably because we were kids and we both had parents who didn't see color but people and raised us the same.  To this day, I don't regret not going to Bill's funeral.  I know that he wants me to remember him the way was and not have that image tainted by death.  Years later when I was junior high school, I penned a few poems in memory of him for my English class.  Even now that I'm older, have a child of my own and somewhat of a relationship with another man who has captured my heart, I still find myself thinking of my departed friend.

I wonder what if he would have lived?  Would have been high school sweethearts?  Hell, would our love have even survived past the summer before our Kindergarten year?  I never got to find out.  But if God allows us to see another lifetime once the coming of Christ has happened and the Earth is rendered empty, I pray that he gives us the chance to find out.