Stella Graduates

This past Thursday the Kleenex factories in New York City were working overtime manufacturing tissues for all the weeping parents, teachers, and students attending the PS 39 5th grade commencement ceremony. And my little Stellie was one of the graduates!

Just for some historical perspective, this was the 138th annual commencement ceremony for PS 39 (it's a pretty old school).

Lisa, Marni and I got great front-row seats for the hour-long event, which started with a very cool and very entertaining processional.

Emotions ran high and pretty soon we were handing out tissues to some of the weepy graduates (and to each other). Even Stella succumb by the end of the ceremony.

When it was over we met in the school yard for more tears, hugs, and photo ops.

And, in the blink of an eye, 7 years of schooling at PS 39 is over for Stella.

It sure was a blast.

On the school steps before commencement.

Stella's class

Stella's friends.

My beauty.

More beauty.

Receiving her diploma from principal DePaz.

After the commencement.

Stella's kindergarten graduation and 5th grade graduation.

The Prom?

Well they don't officially call it a prom. The school calls it the Grade 5 Senior Dance. But I thinks it's a training Prom. A Pre Prom.

Whatever. All I know is that this is the only prom I've ever attended.

Stella and all her 5th grade classmates arrived at the Park Slope YMCA at 5:30 and rode the elevator up to the Penthouse, where their party was to take place.

No parents were allowed up. So, instead, a bunch of parents hung out a the bar/restaurant next door until 7:15.

Parents were allowed up to the Penthouse to observe the final 15 minutes of the dance. What we found when we got up there were about 60 sweaty, crazy kids running around, screaming and dancing. Thankfully, having a great time.

Two more songs were played (with millions of parent cell phones documenting every moment) and then everyone headed down to the street for goodbyes and picture taking.

We heard from one of the school staff chaperones that the kids mostly sat and stared at each other for the first 15 minutes or so. Then they got some pizza in them and the DJ turned up the music and that's all it took to get the kids moving. We even heard a rumor that a girl danced with a boy!

Did Stella have fun? Apparently.

Another right of passage checked off of the bucket list.

Stella and her posse, pre-Prom.

Last dance (Stella hidden in the middle)

With 5th grade teachers Ms. Rausch and Ms. Caron.

Jumping for joy. It's over!

Creative Arts Studio Dance Recital 2015

What more can I say about Marni and her amazing dance skills that hasn't already been said in 2012, 2013, and 2014?

Nothing. Except to point out that, once again, she crushed it!

But this year Marni expanded her repertoire to include drama. Take a look...

 

 

Rye Playland 2015

We had another beautiful day for the annual Rye Playland outing. Unfortunately, scheduling conflicts meant that we were missing some J-Girls and some Asanovic men. And Lisa Hill weaseled out of having to drink a Fish Bowl of Tiki Punch with yours truly.

But we'll get back to normal next year!

Stella and Marni thoroughly enjoyed themselves on the Playland Plunge with Lisa Stefanoff (thanks Lisa). And Daddy even joined in on the fun by going on the Log Flume for the first time ever (me no likey). And we're keeping the Popeye's chicken thing on the down low.

Another super-fun Rye Playland summer outing is in the record books!

Me and Stella after the first Log Flume run.

  

 

 

This is what Lisa Hill DIDN'T drink.

unBEARable

Last night, for the first time ever since Bear came into our world, Stella and Bear slept apart.

(Full disclosure... Stella and Bear missed a night together last year when he got lost while visiting with cousins Tyler and Delia. But that was not by choice.)

But, for whatever reason, last night Stella forgot to bring Bear with her to bed. And that NEVER happens!

She didn't realize it until I mentioned it to her in the morning.

Kind of a big deal. We'll see where it goes from here.

Christmas Vacation

We kept the ladies pretty entertained over the nearly two-week Christmas vacation.

It started on the 24th with the girls baking some awesome holiday cookies all by themselves at home. Usually Lisa guides them through the process, but this year they were able to do everything on their own. Pretty cool. Bravo to Stella.

On Christmas Day we drove up to Salem to spend the day at Karen and Glenn's house. Nana and Papa joined us. As usual, Glenn's meal was delicious. And the girls made out like bandits with presents.

The next 2 days were spent relaxing in Natick. Nana and Papa took the kids to see the Enchanted Village at Jordan's Furniture. And Stella and I worked on her "westward expansion" school project which was quite an undertaking.

Red Lion Inn

On Sunday we headed to visit Nana Audrey in Albany with a stop for a delicious lunch at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge. Monday began the girls' triathlon of adventure with a few hours of rollerskating at the world's largest indoor roller skating rink.

Tuesday was part 2 of the triathlon with a trip to Maple Ski Ridge (notice that they don't mention "mountain" anywhere). Last year they took a 1-hour lesson at Maple Ridge but were not interested in skiing after the lesson. This year they stayed on the slope all afternoon after the lesson. By the end of the day they were both pretty awesome skiers.

Wednesday they got haircuts in anticipation of their big New Years night out at Lisa's friend Amy's house. We watched Dick Clark's Rockin New Years Eve (minus Dick), but little Marni started to fade. She took a short nap between 10:15 and 10:45 and was woken up in time for the ball to drop. Their first New Years Eve party!

On New Years Day we drove down to Bear Mountain Ice Rink to join the Asanovics and Stefanoff/Imhoff families for our annual get together. Both girls did their best to ice skate with help from Stefanoff and Hill. This was the final leg of their winter triathlon. After skating we ate and hung out at The Stadium Bar and Restaurant. Pretty cool place.

The remainder of vacation included a Midget Model reunion, a visit from the New Jersey Hoffmans, and a trip to the movie theater to see Night at the Museum 3. 

The beginning of Stella's project

The end of Stella's project. Look at that proud smile!

Chillin with the hound at Karen and Glenn's

Standing in front of Karen and Glenn's tree

Red Lion Inn

Roller babes

Ski bunnies

Marni doesn't like the roller rink rules

Marni's kooky ski pal, Lisa Asanovic

Are You Ready for Some Football?

On December 21st The Shepards and cousins Marcy and Mitch headed to MetLife Stadium to watch the Jets/Pats game.

This was Stella and Marni's first NFL experience.

The temperature at game time was about 40 degrees, but we were well prepared. We got our snacks and took our seats on the upper level.

I was expecting that the cold and boredom would have us heading home by halftime. But the girls were really enjoying themselves and weren't really bothered by the cold.

The game turned out to be a 17 to 16 squeaker that went right down to the last minute and luckily ended up with a Patriots win.

Marni (the Giants and Jets fan) wasn't happy. But she just needs to stop rooting for losers.