Honor Star Hannah

We had the Kids Award Banquet for our church on Friday night. One of the highlights of the night for this banquet is the crowning of the Honor Stars. These are 5th grade girls who have completed 3 years worth of Stars lessons in our Mpact Girls club. This year there were only two girls who finished although we had five in the class.  I'm the teacher for the honor star girls but for this night I got to be just the mom and enjoy watching Hannah go through the ceremony.

Waiting for the banquet to start. I had to get there a little early to finish getting badges ready

Let's get a more formal picture before we begin.

Our kids pastor, Pastor Randy, giving Hannah an award for BGMC in Sunday School

Miss Rosemary, the kids pastor's wife and woman in charge of our Mpact Girls Club, took over for me and handed out the awards for the Honor Stars.

Hannah and Dad watching a short video Pastor Randy put together of Hannah - it included pictures of her and a voice over by her talking about what Honor Stars meant to her this year.

With her Honor Star sash at the end of the ceremony

We are proud of her. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to finish this program.

This year, because there were only two, they got their names on the cake.

Graduation for Anthony

Anthony finally did it!  We had our doubts and plenty of stressful times but Saturday we watched as he walked across the stage and accepted his high school diploma. YAY!

Right before graduation

School sign above the stage

In case you forgot which school you graduated from

Graduates filing into the auditorium

there were over 650 students who graduated

recognizing the valedictorians

Anthony walking up to the stage

accepting his diploma

walking off the stage

getting formal picture

yes, it's really a real diploma

posing with Papa and Grandma

I'm still in shock - can you tell?

Rob and Anthony still treating it like a joke

O.k, we're happy now

the girls are excited too

New England trip

We spent the Memorial Day weekend in New England letting the kids have a mini vacation.  On our trip we went to Block Island, RI., Six Flags New England, and Coney Island, NY. The kids also got to go to the movies on Sunday afternoon so the trip was busy and fulfulling.

First stop, Block Island. It was gray that day but the smiles made up for it

one sign to show where we were in relation to other places

and one sign just so we know where we are

Then on to Six Flags

cooling off on a hot day

posin' with the superheroes

Last stop, Coney Island and a Nathan's hot dog.

 well we took in some water too but everyone waited for the hot dog

boardwalk before it was busy

quick stop at the NY Aquarium

and then boardwalk after it got busy

throw in a couple of rides

and a picture with a police horse and the day was complete