Sad to see them all go.

Both AM and PM Class lined up and ready for the field trip!

Since this was my first year teaching preschool, I really did not know what to expect on our last day.  While I'm proud to say I didn't break down crying as each little kiddo came and gave me a goodbye hug, I was extremely sad and feel a bit empty knowing that there are few of them that I'll never see again.  Thankfully about half the class will be going to the local school here in Trout Creek so there is a good chance I'll see them while I'm subbing there next year.  And better yet there are still a couple of kids from this year's class that are too young to start kindergarten so they will be in our preschool again next year. 

We had an amazing last day, minus me being sad at the very end.  The woman who lives right across from me raises horses and ponies volunteered to give the kids pony rides on our last day of class... and come on... who doesn't love pony rides?  The kid were ecstatic and rode those ponies over and over again.  Shannon brought three different mounts over and plenty of helmets to go around.  Even the kids that were nervous at first when being placed on top of the taller of the ponies ended up with a huge grin on their face about two paces in and would immediately get off and go back to the end of the line which seemed endless.

Meredith also blew up the bouncy house for the kids to go ballistic in.  I'm not sure where she picked up the house from but we've used it at every preschool party and these kids never get tired of it.  I wish I had a 10th of the energy they do.  I know that when I was their age I did.  I can remember going to my friends birthday parties at Peter Piper Pizza in Cheyenne (basically a knockoff of Chucky Cheese) and running around in their bouncy house and ball pits without ever getting tired.  Where does the time go?



I do have to say though that my energy level has increased dramatically over the last year.  Of course shedding 70 lbs in that time might have something to do with that.  As a matter of fact the principal at the local school asked me to be one of the teacher/chaperones for the bike ride at the end of the year.  She said I looked plenty active and wouldn't have any issues with it.  It wasn't until the day before the trip that I found out that this "little" bike ride was actually an 18 mile mountain bike trip up to Martin Creek campground and back.  Never one to back down from a commitment I put my best foot forward and actually ended up surprising myself.  This rag tag group of 12-14 year olds should have been just demolishing me and putting my big toushy to shame but I actually ended up leading the pack over hill and dale and had more energy than they all did at the end of the trip.  I'm so happy to be back in shape and not feeling tired and worn out over the silliest things.  I figure if I can do 18 miles that easily on bike I should be able to do more and plan to over the summer.

Anyway I digress... back to the preschool end of the year party.  We also had amazing food brought in by all the parents and kids.  I was very proud of two of the little boys in my afternoon class that brought in food that they had actually helped make.  One brought in elk meatballs (so yummy) that he proudly told everyone how to make who said they were good and the other brought in brownies (right up my ally) that he insisted his mother didn't help him with.  She actually confirmed that he made them all on his own.  Pretty impressive for a 4 and 5 year old.  Maybe they will be our next generation of chefs. 

Catapiller Cupcakes.... so fun and delicious!!

I have had an amazing year with this group of children and certainly hope that I've helped teach them somethings that they will remember for the rest of their life.  Whether its me singing the "Buffalo Song" to them or teaching them the colors of the rainbow and why they are in the order they are in or why the leaves change color in the fall I hope I've made some impact in their lives because they have certainly left a lasting impression in my heart.  I will miss them so much over the summer but I'm already looking forward to the new group of kiddos I'll meet next fall.