Cue the Alice Cooper track ...

Kieran and Kendall have successfully completed kindergarten! There was even an awards ceremony of sorts (but at least they didn't do that stupid graduation thing ... those just strike me as being ridiculous beyond belief, unless you're actually finishing a diploma or degree).

Every child got a reading award, as we'd spent the last three quarters reading a sent-home book every evening and signing off on a "we did it" sheet. Then each child got an award in a specific category: art, math, writing, or science, and four students from each class got a library award.

Kieran's award was in science. He likes to learn about and discuss things like robots, dinosaurs, bugs, and cause-and-effect. Kendall's award was in art, which is well-deserved judging solely by the number of works that she's done in various places around the house (different media - crayon, marker, pencil, pen - on walls, doors, tabletops, etc.).

Kendall with her Art award and Kieran with his Science award

Kendall and Kieran with their reading awards

We got totally and completely lucky in whatever draw there was to determine who got which teacher. Mrs. Crain and Mrs. Lewis are very different in their teaching styles, yet they are both quite effective and achieve fantastic results! They each ran different class schedules, yet were happy to coordinate activities (holiday parties and feasts, etc.) so that I could be with each of the twins at the right time, without having to choose one or the other. Besides being absolutely the best first school teachers we could have dreamed to have for Kieran and Kendall, they have gone far beyond and become friends as well. Ladies, a very special and heartfelt standing ovation to each of you for your warmth and loving and accommodation and caring ... and everything else.

Kieran and Mrs. Lewis

Mrs. Crain and Kendall

So, on to the great summer adventure ... our annual pilgrimage-in-reverse to England, where we will hang out with Mark's parents, visit Paris, travel to London for the launch of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, go to the seaside, and anything else we can dream up. We're back at school on 15 August for Meet The Teacher day, and then first grade *officially* begins on 16 August. Woohoo!