Teacher Appreciation Week

Teacher Appreciation Week is my most favorite volunteer thing to do within the PTO at Hopkins. 

I appreciate the teachers/staff so much and remember when I was a teacher and how small acts of kindness meant so much! 

Day One-  "Thanks for Keeping Calm and Shining On!"

We were able to get the teachers a Keurig Machine (I think their favorite part of the week) and little IKEA lanterns. I made the pompoms with tissue paper and found a free pdf for the sign here.

Day Two- "Thanks for Being Sweet As Pie" 

Every year we have had a pie contest where parents bring in their pies and teachers vote for their favorite. We gave out Village Inn gift certificates to the winners. 

Day Three- "Thanks for Keeping Our Kids Hopping"

Since we are the Hopkins Frogs, I used lots of green frogs to decorate. Panera graciously provided breakfast sandwiches and we made up a little yogurt bar to go along with the sandwiches.

Day Four- "Thanks for all you do. Please enjoy a BB-Q"

We provided a BB-Q lunch which was easily put together by purchasing everything from Costco.

Day Five- "Thanks a Latte For All You Do"

For the third year in a row, we used Executive Perks to provide a barista who made specialty lattes for the teachers and parents at the beginning of school. Its always a favorite!

 Another fun thing we added this year was DOOR DECORATING. I contacted classroom reps and others who were interested and we decorated the doors of all the teachers/staff. It was quite a project but the teachers LOVED them all. We had winners too:) I hope to continue this tradition every year. I just love that it gets the kids involved as well in saying "Thank You".

2nd Annual Science Fair

 The twin-ers participated in their 2nd Science Fair with J.J. again this year.

They made ELEPHANT TOOTHPASTE.

It was funny to watch their faces as they waited for results. 

 We experimented with adding different colors and different amounts of yeast.

 They got to show their project at the Science Fair. 

The school also had a traveling Planetarium come in- it was pretty cool. 

2013

2012

2012- It cracks me up that J.J. is wearing the same outfit a year later!!!! 

And the twins look so much older to me! 

San Francisco: ChinaTown, Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf, Lombard Street, Swan Oyster Depot and the Palace of Fine Arts

 Tuesday we hit up all the "local" flavor in San Francisco! (aka- the tourist sights) 

Chinatown was fun and very colorful! 

 We ate some fried seafood on Fisherman's Wharf while gazing out at Alcatraz in the distance. 

 We saw at the ships along Pier 39 and stopped to buy some sourdough bread at Boudin's Bakery. 

 Then we headed over to Lombard street and drove down it. It was scary and of course Mark had to screech the tires a few times (like the college boys who went before us) 

We didn't do the trolley ride since we were running out of time. Next time:) 

But we did have time to grab some fresh raw seafood right before we headed back to the airport at Swan Oyster Depot. I will most definitely be going back.

Right before we left, we were able to see some of that famous San Fran fog!

(the Gold Gate Bridge should be right behind that fog!) 

And if you remember the movie The Rock (about the breakout from Alcatraz with Sean Connery) there was a scene from the movie when he meets his daughter at this next set of pictures. 

I guess they actually made this structure for an art gala and then everyone loved it so much that they fortified it and made it able to stand the test of time, even after the art gala was done. 

It was beautiful! 

It was truly a WONDERFUL trip- one of the best vacations we've ever taken together! 

We most definitely couldn't have taken this trip without our awesome family and friends who watched the kiddos for us while we were away. Grandma and Grandpa. Chad and Melody. Matt and Janelle. Britta. We are so very grateful for the love you showed our kiddos while we were away. 

Thank you for giving of your time to our family! 

We appreciate you!