Last Day of School

                Last day of school. Normally this is a much anticipated break until school starts again in the fall. But this year, it was different because you have to leave St. Michael and go to a new school in the fall.

Unfortunately, when mommy lost her job this year we had to make the difficult decision to take you out of St Michaels. We knew it would be hard for you leaving your friends and all the great teachers at St. Mikes. No one wanted to see you go. Most of all your best friend Nora. Nora's parents were so worried that she would be devastated about your leaving, that they don't plan to tell her you are leaving until late summer.

We had mixed feelings about this. You were afraid to say anything about leaving because you didn't want here to be upset. We were upset too, because you didn't get to tell your other friends and have a chance to say good-bye. You amaze me little girl with your kindness and compassion for others even when it makes it hard for you.

You had a wonderful year! You accomplished so much. You love reading now and are reading at a third grade level, you do great in math, but timed tests still cause you a bit of grief. You created some amazing artwork, especially the self portrait you made into a calendar for me for Mother's day. I love it!!! You definitely have your Daddy's artistic talent. :)

First Communion was the highlight of the year. You also loved the winter and spring concerts, the fieldtrip to the art museum and of course field day.

I know that next year will be different but you have an incredible ability to make friends wherever you go. In no time at all, you will have tons of new friends and have won over the teachers like you always do. Hannah you have a joy and zest for life that is simply contagious and lights up the world around you. Don't ever lose that light baby girl, it is truly a gift that will carry you far in life.

We love you and are so proud of you!

Field Day

Field Day - Go Africa! June 5th was field day at Hannie's school. This year she was on the Africa team. She was ecstatic because in three years she hasn't been on the Africa team and this was her last year at St. Michaels so she really wanted to be on the Africa team and win!

The event began with the "athlete's" oath in the gym. Then the kids were off to their events. First up for Hannah, the obstacle course. She was off quickly, around the obstacles and under the ropes (helps to be small)in record time. That is until she got to the huge red landing cushions (the ones they use for track). She had to get a running start to make it up on the first cushion and pull for all she was worth to make it to the second one. Despite the "red mountains" she made it in record time. Go Hannie!

Next was the hoola hoops. Started out strong but just didn't have the right hip action today. Then onto jump ropes where she had a respectable showing. Finally it was time to create a team cheer while the judges tallied the scores.

Unfortunately, Africa didn't win a medal but they did win for the most team spirit. The team was a shoe in for the spirit award with Hannie on the team. With the heartbeat of Africa in her soul that amazing spirit just flows! :)

Athlete's Oath

Great Wolf Lodge

Once a year, Great Wolf Lodge is taken over by Girls Scouts! This year, our troop joined the fun. Fun that is if keeping your eye on 13 little girls of various swimming abilities in super crowded wave pools is your idea of fun! So thankful to the wonderful parents who volunteered to go along and share the chaperone/life guard duties. :)

We checked in around 4:00 pm amidst chaos, think over a 100 super excited little girls running all around a very crowded hotel lobby. About 20 minutes later we had room keys and water park passes in hand and headed for the rooms to change into our swimsuits and head down to the water park.

Next, we lined up to get each of the girls measured and another bracelet that showed which slides they were tall enough to use. Needless to say we had a small melt down when Hannah missed the green bracelet (all slides) by 1/4 of an inch.  All the other girls in our troop were tall enough to ride all the slides.

She soon recovered and it was on to the wave pool. The girls played a bit and then some serious waves started to form. These were fun but as they got bigger, someone on the shorter side needed a bit of help to stay above the waves. :) After the wave pool, Hannah and I checked out the slides together and picked the biggest slide someone of her stature could ride. We climbed the stairs (lots of them!) with a huge two person inner tube. Hannie tried to help, but it was three times as big as she was! Finally we got to the top and started to get in the tube. I got in fine but Hannie's little butt kept falling through the tube! So we hooked my legs under her arm pits and she hung on tight as we shoved off. The slide was so much fun and she stayed on the tube. Yeah!

After an hour of swimming, it was back to the rooms to enjoy pizza and cake that one of the parents brought to celebrate one of the kid's birthday. Thanks Marivic! Once their tummies were full, we grabbed our towels again and headed back to the water.

We played in the wave pool, rode the slides and the floating dragons until it was time to get out. Then back to the rooms to change into jammies. On the way back to the rooms we saw that they had a dance party in the lobby so of course we had to go. With jammies on, it was down to the lobby to dance the night away! The girls danced and sang their hearts out and the moms got into the action too. It was a ton of fun!

Finally, it was time to hit the sack. We settled the girls into their beds and let them read for awhile hoping they would conk out quickly. Unfortunately we had a couple of night owls in our bunch and this tired Girl Scout leader called lights out at midnight. Sleeping with Hannie was another adventure. Despite the nightlight, she was still scared and reached out to pat me about every 15-20 minutes through the night. Not super conducive for sleeping. :(

Morning arrived and one sleep deprived leader got up, showered and left her co-leader in charge of the sleeping girls as she set out in search of some much need provisions: COFFEE! I located a Starbucks (love you Great Wolf Lodge) and purchased lattes for Sarah and me.

Reinvigorated (caffeine fueled) we set up breakfast in the room and gathered the girls to eat. Afterward, we cleaned up, packed and reassigned the girls to their PARENTS and then took my charges and headed out. I dropped off Edith and Alana and we arrived home about noon. Then one pooped mom and leader kicked back the rest of the afternoon to rest. :)

Done for another year!

Check-in



Ready to hit the waves



Roommates



How do I look?



Hannah

May Day

May Day is celebrated at Hannah's school with the crowning of Mary, a May pole dance and a procession by the second graders in their first communion clothes. The mass was beautiful and it was lots of fun to see the May Pole dance performed by the third graders.

Happy May Day!

Character Matters!

       Hannah's school spring concert this year was titled Character Matters! The kids sang fairy tale songs rewritten to stress the importance of good character and doing the right thing.

Hannah played the first princess. She was really cute and did a great job with her lines. She even sang all the songs! In past concerts she would get distracted, watch the other kids and forget to sing. :)

As usual, the school saved the best for last. Hannah's part of the program was reward for sitting through 45 minutes of the beginning band's performance. :)

1st Communion

On April 13th, we celebrated Hannah's first communion. She began preparing for her first communion back in September as the children learned about reconciliation and God's love and promises of redemption for us. After making her first reconciliation in December, she began preparing for first communion.

The kids met in small groups to learn about Jesus' promise of being with us when we celebrate the Eucharist. We had large group sessions in the Church where the children learned all about the church, the parts of the mass and the Eucharist. To compliment these sessions, we completed lessons and rituals at home as a family that reinforced the things she was learning and to share her faith journey as a family.

Finally in early March we were nearing the end of our preparation and began to plan for the big day. That meant a trip to Nordstrom to try on first communion dresses. We went with her best friend Nora and her mom, Margie. At first the girls only wanted to try on the same dresses. Sensing Hannah was bowing a bit to peer pressure, I suggested she try a few other dresses and encouraged her to pick out a couple to try on. The sales clerk also suggested a dress. She tried them all on but wasn't really in love with any of them. She declared them all too poofy!

We looked online and ordered a couple of dresses to have shipped to the store. The next weekend we went back to the store to try them on. First up, a beautiful little dress with a little poof. She looked adorable, but wasn't thrilled with it despite the oohs and ahhs of the sales staff and customers. Next up, a tailored satin dress with a beaded belt. She loved it! She was still worried about picking this dress because everyone else seemed to like the other one. I told her she needed to pick the dress she liked best and her little face lit up. She picked the tailored dress. :) We added a veil that would work with the hair style we planned and a cute little pair of white sandal heels. Yes heels! She was in heaven. :)

When she got dressed the morning of her first communion she was so happy. She loved her dress and she looked absolutely beautiful. This little girl has great taste in fashion and has a talent for knowing what would look best on her. Hannah, always go with your gut baby girl and never be afraid to stand up for yourself. You have great instincts and opinions, don't let anyone stifle that ever!

We went to the church around 10:00 am and met up with the girls from our small group to get a couple of pictures before hand. Soon families and friends began to arrive and it quickly got crowded and a little chaotic with the kids racing everywhere and parents trying to take pictures. Eventually, the children were gathered and we got in line for the procession into the church. All through the mass, Hannah kept asking, when it was time to "eat". :) Finally it was time. She went up and received her first communion and did great. She remembered exactly what to do. Congratulations baby girl!

After mass it was back to the house for a small little party with Lisa, Ken, Grandma and Grandpa, Matt and the neighbors from next door. We had appetizers that included your favorites, quiche and red vine licorice and pumpkin pie. Yep, pumpkin pie! We got two packages of licorice because Auntie Lisa loves licorice too. Good thing we did, otherwise I think you two would have been fighting over it!

Hannah, we love watching you grow in faith and will always be here to guide and support you on your journey to live a Christ-centered life. God has great things in store for you little girl!
 


Dad and Hannah





Pretty Girl



Checking out her beads

Hannah

Nora and Hannah





Dad, Hannah and Mom



Hannah and Matt



Nora and Hannah

First Communion small group

 

Posing!

Prayer

Grandma, Hannah and Grandpa



Hannah and Mrs. Quibedeaux

Father Jim and Hannah

The kids and their teacher, Ms. Q.



A big hug from her brother



First Communion program

Party fixins

A new rosary!

Edith and Hannah checking out her charm bracelet



Hannah and her new Bible

Happy Easter!

Easter was a quiet affair in the Meader household this year.  Easter Bunny stopped by and left a basket full of goodies (insert Hannie squealing in delight). One thing I do love about this kid is that on all holidays that feature gift bearing visitors she'll actually sleep in until about 9:00am. So different from Kelly who was up at 5:00am pestering us all to GET UP!

 

We had a great egg hunt, I swear that Easter Bunny is getting more creative at hiding eggs each year.  After we found all 32 eggs (a few didn't survive the egg dyeing process) we got to work getting the Easter feast in the oven.  Dinner turned out great and Hannah helped with all the preparation too.

 

Good times with family and a special day to remember the enormous sacrifice made for us. 

 

Happy Easter to all our friends and family!

 

Hey... the Easter Bunny must like playing the piano!

Love my new bunny.

Easter Bunny is on the Way!

           Grandma's Easter box arrived today which means the Easter Bunny must be on his way! Grandma puts together the best holiday boxes and ALWAYS knows exactly what Hannie is into at the moment. This year a cute dress with room to grow (thanks Grandma!), cute baskets, awesome card, junior mints, jewelry, candy, crafts and books. Hannah's favorite was the Nancy Drew book.  :)

Funny to think how many little girls have grown up reading Nancy Drew. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for blessing our girl, you make the holidays special. She loves her holiday boxes!

Go Ice Panthers!

Hannah started playing soccer this spring with Oly United. She played on a U8 team called the Ice Panthers with 8 kids from her class at school. She loves soccer!

The kids were so funny. In practice they are assertive, dribbled well and had no trouble scoring goals. Come game time however it's a different story. Our kids are just too nice! When they encounter an opposing player, they stop and let them have the ball first. Needless to say we didn't win a single game this season. They did have fun with the exception of one game where the opposing coach was encouraged bodily harm. We did not have a single player that went unscathed that game. :( Some coaches need to play themselves rather than living vicariously through the kids! Our coach however is an awesome guy. Thanks Coach Camp!

We had a great end of season party and she got a trophy and recognition from her coach for her best played game of the season. Trophy equals one happy little player!

Hannah tracking the ball.

Taking it in for an attempt on the goal.
 

 

Waiting her turn during warm-ups.

Celebrating
 

Snack Time!

 

Go Ice Panthers!
 

Checking in with her best buddy Nora, the goalie.

  

Hannah getting in there to steal the ball.
 

Chasing the ball back up the field.
 

I'll just wait here and see how you guys do. :)
 

Ok, I guess you do need me.
 



Ice Panthers - Spring 2013