Tuesday, June 22, 2021

June 13-19, 2021

The last week of school for Becky, 8th grade graduation, gymnastics party and paint ball. What a week.


Ally on our way to the memorial service for River’s dad Thom. Ally stayed out until 11pm hanging out with River, his best friend Zach and Mia. All 4 of them grew up as toddlers and young children and it was really healing for Ally to spend time with them.


A nee fab fit fun box came on Monday.

Ally loves the silicone face brush.


Ally’s dinner one night.


I got my haircut!


Graduation was Wednesday 

Thursday the new cushions arrived for her couch. No more fur!!!


This year the gymnastics banquet was outside, a movie theme. 

There was even an ice cream truck!


Ally with her team. She’s going to miss these girls.

Saturday Sophocles’ mom Angelita planned and arranged a bus trip to paint ball. 



The coveralls are not designed for short people. Not only did Ally and Cata need to roll the arms and legs they had to cinch the back of the suits!






Taking a lunch break.

Team photo, Ally is in 2nd row on the right. Her face is behind the gun.



Ally was victorious as one of the last 3 standing! 

Must be all that Call of Duty!



Thursday, June 17, 2021

8th Grade Graduation

Yesterday was Ally's formal graduation from middle school. They had an outdoor ceremony to hand out diplomas and will post a video next week with speeches and a film of the ceremony. 

It was a lovely day.  Each student with two guests and just a handful of teachers. Following the ceremony parents hosted a picnic at a local park for the entire class.

Ally had a half day of school and had 2 of her friends come home with her for the hour before they had to be back for the ceremony. 



Ally all ready before she put on her gown. 


Ally with her friends  Juli & Brianna. 

They squished in the back of my car for the 5 block drive to school. We had planned to walk but we’re running late. 

A family photo!

Ally & Erik. 


They went to preschool together and attended all 10 years at Amigos together. That is them at their Jr Kindergarten orientation 10 years ago. Ally is going to miss Erik next year. 



Parents picture.


They 3 girls, Ally, Brianna and Juli met up with their pal Penelope. These 3 girls have been really kind and supportive and good friends to Ally this year. 


Ally & Ellie

Olive & Ally

Ally & Daniela

The crazy scene of 8th graders and their families. 

Students all lined up. Ally is next to Lexie and Simon.




Receiving her diploma from the mayor. The students were allowed to decide how they wanted to be announced. Nickname, middle name, etc I asked Ally what she chose and she could not remember but we all smiled when Alejandra P.-l-mer was read. 


After the ceremony there was time for more pictures. Nelson was one of the teachers aides in Ally’s JK class 10 years ago.


Jim was Ally’s kindergarten teacher. He retired after Ally’s class.

Chris, another classmate from JK. Back then his older brother picked him up everyday. His brother was a Sr in high school then and he and I would chat a bit waiting for school to get out. Now his brother teaches 4th grade at Amigos! 


Clemens & Ally

Sophocles & Ally

And one more without gowns with Juli.

The cake!

Ally with her 1st grade teacher.

Ally played lots of volleyball and even soccer for a while. We were some of the first to arrive and the last to leave. That’s what happens when you’re the room parent. I’ve been room parent for 10 years. Lots of people thanked me for my organizing and communication over the last 10 years.  I never thought way back in JK when I signed up for room parent that it would have been something I would be doing 10 years later. It’s been a long run and I’m ready for it to be over.  Today I used the funds I collected from families and bought teacher gifts for the end of the year. My last act as room parent. 

We got home around 730PM. Exhausted but it was a good day.


Ally had a couple of gifts to open.

She was so surprised with Great Aunt Martha’s & Great Uncle’s Phil’s check. 



And happy to get a new necklace from her moms, a gold butterfly. 


And finally this picture of Ally. I took this on my phone before we left for the ceremony. Her friends were rushing to get ready and she humored me with a quick picture in front of our house. 

She is so beautiful and so very strong. She didn’t win any awards and her struggle the past two years was done in private. But I could not be more proud of her. She has worked so hard and continues to work hard everyday and I will forever be grateful that I am her mommy.


Saturday, June 12, 2021

June 6-12, 2021

It was a hot week and one with some more sad news.
This week 2 grandfathers and one father passed away; 
Ally’s cousins’ grandpa in Cleveland,  our Guatemala Girl friend Roxie’s grandpa and our friend River’s dad Thom (mom Summer and sister Lila) passed away after a tragic climbing accident.

That’s a lot of death and sadness. We talked about how when we have love and connections in our lives that sometimes that means we have some tragedy too.  We talked about Thom and our memories of him.  Today we attended his memorial service. Lots of tears for Becky and I and Ally took some time to reconnect with her friends from childhood. 


Monday night. Chatting before bed.


Tuesday’s try and be as cool as possible at school despite the 95 degree heat and no working air conditioning.


Cloey looking sad.


One last snuggle before practice 

And Ally was so happy with her haircut she agreed to be photographed for the salon’s social media.






She loves her layered cut.


We celebrated our family day a few days early. It’s June 13 but we had the Memorial Service then so we celebrated on Friday with dinner from Shake Shack and watching a movie together, Yes Day. 


We had a small gift for Ally. It was a Daisy ring!



On Saturday Ally didn’t feel well enough for practice so she and I did a puzzle. Cloey ate 2 pieces! 

And ended the night with froyo from Ally’s favorite place.