Northside 3rd grade honor's program

So the day after Katie's 7th grade honor program, Emma had her 3rd grade program.  Just like Katie, we are so proud of how well she has done in school and all her accomplishments.  One thing Emma is very competetive about is winning AR (accelerated reader) - where they take tests on books they have read for points.  She won first place last year in 2nd grade, and this year she got 3rd place.  The first and 2nd place winners were also 2 of her good friends, and teachers' kids as well.  They are in a few of the pictures below.  Emma received A honor roll for A's all year, and the top student in Math, English and Reading.  So very proud of our Emma-bean!

 

 

Emma's class waiting for awards to start;  can you find her? (ha - ha)

Mrs. Desmarais, Emma's teacher, Mrs. Ivaninsky (librarian) and Senora Gonzales (her Spanish teacher):

Emma receiving her 3rd place AR award:

Emma and her bestie - Addie:

Emma and her proud dad:

Emma with Mackenzie and Addie:

Emma with Carson (her AR nemesis) and one of her best friends:

Emma and Cameron - first place winner in AR and also a good friend:

DSJH honor program

Katie had her 7th grade honors program yesterday at school.  It is so nice to be able to go to these b/c my senior students are gone.  She received an A/B honor roll award and recognition for participating in the Youth Legislature program.  We are very proud of her:



 Katie and her best friends since Kindergarten: Annie, Jessie and Ali (all teachers' kids):

Katie Carroll and one of her newer friends - Katie Ferrell (no.. really!):

Mother's day at the New Orleans zoo

Last year, for the first time, we went to the New Orleans Zoo for Mother's day and had a great time, so I told Mark I'd like to do that again.  We were hesitant b/c of the weather, and we did get sprinkled on a little bit, but we put on the Disneyworld yellow ponchos and persevered!  We only needed them for a few minutes so it was actually kind of nice and overcast and not too hot.  Here are some pics.  Once again, I can not reemphasize enough my childrens' inability to take "normal" pictures.  Also, Katie decided after the first crane pose picture that she was going to imitate every statue animal picture she could find - thus the following:

 Not sure why, but they had a giant macaroni in the middle of the zoo - some promotional thing I assume:

Easter Beach Trip

The Carrolls do very little vacation wise in the Spring b/c of Mark's schedule, but this year the girls and I decided to make a quick jaunt to the beach b/c... well, I deserved it!  Teaching AP this year has taken up most of my weekend time and I decided I needed a little getaway.  I am always getting emails for specials and such, so we spend a few nights in Orange Beach.  Mark joined us for about 36 hours, and we ended up having a great time.  It was a little cold when we first got there, but we got plenty of sun and the girls even got in the freezing water:

We had to do our traditional egg dying in the condo:
 

My beach beauty!

Once again, normal pictures are hard to come by:

Emma and I discovered "Patrick" down the beach from our condo.  I originally thought he was plastic.. until he moved!

A rare sweet moment between sisters:

Our attempt at an Olaf in the sand: