Little Sister's parade

Little Sister just completed a unit on transportation in Pre-K last week. To celebrate, the teachers had students make a vehicle of their choice and march around the school in a parade.

Every child made a different vehicle, and the collection was awesome. Including, but not limited to, a pink VW bug, a (large!!) school bus, police car, monster truck (with working lights!), camouflage tank with turret, and fighter jet. AWESOME!

Little Sis decided she wanted to build a purple steam locomotive, so we did just that. We used a box from the Book Fair for the body (score for the PTO mom!), and raided our recycle bin to make the chimney stack, cab windows and pilot. Completing our supplies were purple paints, construction paper, hot glue, duct tape, and many, many stickers.

Little Sis is pretty handy with the scissors and foam paint brush, is she not? I helped with the bigger cuts by using a box cutter. Okay, okay... And reminded her once or twice that if she kept the purple paints separate, and maybe painted some sections light and some dark, it would look pretty slammin.' But then I let her do that herself, and had her help me glue it on or hold spare parts while I was taping, cut or trace along lines I'd drawn lightly in pencil, etc.

It took quite a few mornings together to complete the process, but it was quality time. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Sis is so proud of her train she asked me if we could put it in the dress-up box.

Except that it is as big as the dress-up box...

The entire school was lining the halls; clapping for and paying compliments to this sweet parade of kids. Little Sis was shy about marching to enthusiastic applause, so we held hands.

Except for when she saw her Big Sister and friends cheering her on, and then she let go and got a little strut going.

We then proceeded to the gym, where the kids sang a few songs, complete with dance moves. It was incredibly sweet. And yet again I felt so completely thankful that we are able to prioritize our girls (our family!) and I can attend all these events, hold our girl's hand during her parade, cheer her on, and volunteer each week with all these great kids! I. LOVE. my. job!

And then she wouldn't let me take a picture of her if I didn't let her take a picture of me. (With the stinky pocket digital because our nice camera is acting questionable and needs a tune-up--bleck!) So I obliged.

But only for that sweet girl in coordinating purple shirt and bows.

Meanwhile, Daddy was learning to repel from a Black Hawk and was unable to be there. He's having a pretty good workweek, as well!