Back To School Celebration

I have to completely give credit to Stephanie Nielson for this idea.  I've followed her blog for a couple of years now.  She's an amazing woman and mother.  I admire her determination to do all she can for her kids.

My middle daughter Ava starts kindergarten tomorrow.  A couple of weeks ago I shared this idea of having a Back To School Party.  They all love parties and heartily agreed it sounded like a great idea.

They're like me and love the idea of a theme.  I let Ava take the lead since this is her kindergarten year.  She wanted an Under the Sea theme with mermaids and seahorses. 

Great I thought.  So we dug out our kid cookbooks and I said ok, you guys get to come up with the menu.

They looked at all the pictures and came up with fruit salad, seaweed, sushi, pita sandwiches, oh and rootbeer floats. 

I totally spaced on that one when I made up the menu last night... I thought we said smoothies.  They made sure to correct me today while we were out shopping for the things we still needed.

I was going to draw up some designs for the menu and decorations, but Ava beat me to the punch.  
I LOVED what she came up with so we scanned the drawings and I used them for the menu and she taped them around to decorate the table and window.  Her crown with the glitter designs and adorable mermaid are so much more memorable than anything I would have done.  She was so excited planning and getting ready.  And quite honestly I love that they did it mostly all themselves.  
I was just there to help.  

Jackson's crown is based of Aquos the water sign from a game he likes to play.  Audrey did make a crown, but it hurt she said and since she is a 'real' princess the princess crown was more appropriate.

The thing they were most excited about was making our own sushi.  We never have. 

I got the bamboo rolling thing at World Market.  While we were there I found cute little chopsticks made easy for kids.  Oh and the chalkboards for their names. 

I chose a theme scripture for the school year, 

"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, 

but with actions and in truth."  

1 John 3:18

To us this scripture is going deeper, to the heart.  It's easy to say I love you.  It takes more from you to show it in action.  We want to encourage them to be slow to anger, helpful, appreciative of what they have, and of the people in their lives.   

As a parent I want to lead by example showing that it's important to give of yourself, your time and resources.  That these are ways to show the love of Jesus to others.  One of the hardest things I think for kids to understand is that it's important to do for others even, and especially when we don't feel like it.  So these are some of our intentional goals to focus on this year.

But today it was all about the celebration of a new school year. 

I am excited for them, but am slightly sentimental tonight as I think of my little Ava Grace going to kindergarten.  How is it possible this day has come?  I pray for her a year full of growth, health, learning and new friendships.  I pray she'll hold onto her creativity and blossom in confidence.  I pray most of all she'll grow in her love for Jesus and always find her strength and identity in Him.