Five For Friday

I'm carrying around such a mixed up bag of emotions! Do I sing or cry? I'm just not sure yet, but I'll let you know when I figure it out! I'm linking up (seems like all I've done this year is link up) with Doodle Bugs Teaching for FIVE FOR FRIYAY! (I think I just sang that!)

 One of my students had her last day today. She has been a delight to teach and have as a student. Her mamma just graduated from law school, so they are moving back home to her dad and brothers. I'm singing for her family being back together and no longer having to drive hours to spend weekends together. Her mom was an inspiration for many as she studied, worked, and mothered! This family has left their fingerprints on my heart!

I traced around her arm and hand leaving the fingertips open. Then we all used green paint to put our fingerprints on to make green leaves. I used three shades of green. I thought about putting a brown fingerprint on and making an owl somewhere in the tree!

I get to pick TWO winners! One will get a set of 12 Kwik Stix  and the other a gift card to Starbucks! Oh how I love giving stuff away. Congrats to the winners!!

 Three. More. Days. Water Day, Field Day and Last Day are all that's left. I just cannot believe how quickly this year has flown by. I'm hoping for really nice weather for Water Day. Come back next week to see what my kindergartner partner in crime and I think up!

 We are finishing up memory books to help us remember the special times we've had this year. I found THIS on TPT to help me wrap things up and put some closer to the school year. The details that some of my kiddos came up with were amazing! Here are FOUR pics from the books...

Look how long my arms are. They either got stretched out from carrying bags to and from home, or too much hugging!

We spent a lot of time thinking of the shapes we can see on our school and playground. I pressed them to add as much detail as they could. Our skies were blue most of May!

  

So many of my Owlets chose The Wild Robot as their favorite. It was certainly mine for the year!

Here I am again. This time I'm birdwatching...Imagine that! The artist said I was watching a Pileated Woodpecker! Made. My. Day!

 Five Eastern Bluebirds are getting closer to becoming fledglings. How I love sharing my love of birds! How can you NOT love these bluebirds? Since putting up ten boxes three years ago we've had nesting pairs in them each spring. Wouldn't it be awesome if they flew away on the last day of school?!  Take a quick peek before I close the box back up! Can you see the little hint of blue?

You can read about our bluebird house building project HERE!

Bluebird Boxes for Malauri & a Freebie for You!

 Last August a child who I have had as a student in music and computer classes died of a brain aneurysm. It hit me pretty hard as she was a classmate and friend of my daughter since preschool.She loved nature, and the last time I saw her was when I took her on a birding hike she had bid on and won at our school auction. She was so excited to spend the morning with me in the woods looking for birds. My only regret of the day is that I didn't bring my camera.We saw some awesome birds and enjoyed a lunch together, too. Malauri was always asking me questions about birds. Her mom told me that they found sketches of birds in her room with "Ask Mrs. Reck about...." I miss her so much.

Today we built birdhouses in memory of Malauri. Each multi-aged group put together a birdhouse kit that I found on Etsy. I also found a new friend. My friend Roger put together 10 kits for our school to build together. He is an amazing woodworker and worked with me through every step of the planning. If you ever need building kits, please consider checking out Roger's store. These birdhouses went together beautifully! The only thing that was missing was Malauri. She would have loved having her parents at school, building bluebird houses with her. She would have loved the cookies they brought. She would have loved watching the bluebirds build nests in these boxes. I hope that when I see her in Heaven I'm able to wrap my arms around her and tell her how much she was loved here on earth. I know that she is flying like the bluebirds and nesting in the arms of our loving Savior.

Ready to build

Some of the completed projects!

Malauri's parents making a house together.

Each child added to the project by pounding or painting.

Click above if you would like a bluebird ten frame!