First day of Kindergarten

The big day has finally arrived!  Leilani is off to Kindergarten.  After months of debate and discussion, we opted to send her to a school in our district (instead of our neighborhood school).  She's been counting the days all summer.  

 

 She wanted to take a gift to her teacher for the first day.  I did too.  Poor Mrs. Nelson has NO IDEA what she's gotten herself into.  I wonder how long it will be before we get the call home telling us that Ms. Leilani has taken over the class.  It's just a matter of time. We decided to take her fresh picked roses from our yard.

Leilani was so excited to take her lunchbox to school.  We opted for a Bento style lunch system and then she and I decorated the carrier.  She was so proud of our artwork!

 First day of school lunch=  Butterfly shaped sandwich ("Mama. Food always tastes better when it's fun-shaped."), grapes and strawberries, pretzels and grape tomatoes.

 PS.  The Kindergarten Open House was the week before school started.  Leilani was the only student who had both parents AND grandparents. (You know Grandy and Poppy wouldn't miss it!)  I wonder if that's a sign that the Flowers Family is going to be trouble?!

Testing for her Blue Belt

Leilani and Rubie tested for their blue belts in Taekwon Do this week.  They are halfway to their black belts.  This time around, the girls had private testing.  It was just the two of them and their instructor.  Grandy and Poppy made the trip up to watch. 

Look at them crouched and ready for action!

 

Perfecting their back kicks.

 Listening attentively (That's Grandy in the background!)

 Preparing for one of her monster back kicks.  Look at that concentration!

 Leilani struggles a bit with her sit ups.  Even with Instructor Nick helping her along, she still can only do a few on her own. 

 What she lacks in sit ups, she certainly makes up for in "the thinking position" exercise. She can hold that position forever.  It makes my stomach hurt just watching it! 

 Breaking the board.  Each time, the instructor asks Leilani for a bad habit and he writes it on the board before she breaks it.  Last time her bad habit was talking back. This time the board said "Not listening."

 Instructor Nick with Leilani and her broken board

It's hard to imagine that those two sweet-faced little babies are skilled enough in a martial art to break boards with their bare feet.  

First football game of the season

Cheerleader Leilani was ready to cheer UHS on to victory at the first home game. 

She loves the school mascot.  The costume AND the real version.  But I think her favorite is definitely the real scotty dog.

Leilani loves it whenever her daddy lets her "ride high."  Even he was all dressed in his school spirit wear.

After the game with one of my favorite students.  Such a nice young man and he's ridiculously talented.  Remember the name Donta Abron.  That kid is going places!!