Jesstine worked really hard and was one of three kids in her class to participate in the all school spelling bee. Each grade level sent three participants to spell in front of the whole school! She was one of those three AND took first place! She was super excited and proud! She can spell blue really well (it is the only one she missed in her classroom), but don't ask her to spell little or yellow! Here are a few photos and videos.
Kidnergarten spellers from left to right: Kennedy, Riley, and Jesstine.
First place trophy and certificate with ribbon!
Mangle was tame this year, but we found him in some new and funny places this year:
"Have a happy day! Love, Mangle" on the mirror.
One of the last days of school before Christmas break, Jesstine got to wear pajamas to school! We also brought her teacher a Christmas gift.
As you read in an earlier post, I lost a dear friend suddenly to cancer. She was the full time music teacher in the school where I teach. Since her death, we have had a long term sub that my entire team and a majority of the teachers in my school grew to love very much. Unfortunately, she has to do her student teaching this upcoming semester. The principal at my school wanted to fill the position before next school year, so she interviewed some other candidates. I was shocked but excited when I was asked to sit in on the interview process. We interviewed four candidates. The fourth was the one we chose and she was kind of a last minute add on interview. Before we had come to the decision as a group (which consisted of the principal, librarian, one PE teacher, myself and the curriculum coach for our school), the person we hired started to ask me questions about where I had taught other than my current school. It came to all of our attention that she was once a student of mine when I did my student teaching!!!! Not only that, but back then I thought her name was easy to remember because I had a friend from High School and Middle School growing up that had the same last name. So I posted about the position being filled and this friend commented that her sister was just hired to work at Franklin. I later found out that she was the younger sister of my friend from HS and MS!!!!! I also came home and looked at the t-shirt I had framed from my MS student teaching placement. I found her name very quickly.
Jesstine got a little tikes princess cozy coupe for her first birthday from her wonderful aunt and uncle. I had seen on pinterest that people had made some really cool makeovers on them. Since Jesstine is a little bit to big for it and Emmitt loves to ride around in it, I thought it was time to repurpose it for his use! So I did a cozy coupe makeover. Here is what I came up with:
No people were harmed in the making of this vehicle. I did have a neighbor come over and offer me some cardboard right after I had put the first coat on it. The damage had already been done to the street though. So, when we woke up the next morning the neighbor had a little fun with the red paint stains:
We had a visit with Santa at the church fellowship dinner the week before Christmas. And Jesstine was invited to a birthday party of her classmate, Kennedy.
My sister and her family came to stay with us the Monday before Christmas. It also snowed the Sunday before, so we had a white Christmas! I got a few pictures of the kids playing in the snow both before cousins got here and when cousins were here!
Emmitt would run up with a handful of snow (snowball) and place it on me. Then he would giggle with delight as he thought he was getting me with a snowball!
We didn't have any Christmas cookies, so we left Santa a donut and milk. We also left the reindeer some oats and carrots. Jesstine was mesmerized as usual at the sight of her video from Santa. You can see it in the link below these pictures. My sister and her family decided to let us have the house to ourselves Christmas day. So they were gone at 8 and didn't come back until 8!!! It was nice to have the day for the kids to play with their new toys from Santa. As you can see below, the car was a HUGE hit! Jesstine got a personal invitation from Sofia the First to come see the Princess and Pirate Adventure. She also got some of the stuffed animals she had been asking for. Emmitt got a train set and the coolest Hulk! Both kids were pleased!
The Haul:
On the morning after Christmas, we went to my mom's house where we got the surprise of a lifetime. My brother who is stationed with the USMC in Okinawa, Japan walked up the stairs after we walked through the door!! Emmitt came home from Grandma's with some new Hulk hands! He is one happy boy!
This picture cracks me up! He is driving with one hand (Hulk hand) hanging out the door.
We said goodbye to cousins.
Emmitt: "I take a nap with big nigh nigh car AND liddle nigh nigh car!"
Later that night and for the next few days, we went over to Grandmom's and spent some time with the Hutchins cousins, Aunt Jenni, and Uncle Seth.
After all of the festivities, I decided to hit some sales. Jesstine has grown so much she has already outgrown the shoes she JUST started wearing in August! They are really well worn too, so we went shoe shopping! She couldn't decide between two pairs, but ultimately decided to go with the pink ones (of course!). Because they were buy one get one half off, I decided to get her the other pair in a half size larger in case her feet grow rapidly again! Here are her new shoes:
I think that is about it for now. Today is catch up on groceries and house work. Later Daddy and Jesstine are going to see a movie. Then tomorrow, Stephen will be smoking a brisket! Mmm!
In Him,
The Hutchins Family
