End of School. . . . Beginning of Camp. . . . And a Birthday!

The end-of-year highlight for the 5-6 class at the Taylor School is their trip to Camp Chingachgook near Lake George. They leave first thing Thursday morning and return to school around 3PM Friday. Before going, everyone tye-dyed a t-shirt to wear at camp. While they are up there, they do all sorts of activities, including archery

Phoebe and Juliet trying archery

 Climbing a rock wall

Phoebe waiting to climb after Kai

And lots of other outdoorsy things, culminating in a canoe ride before they come home.

Phoebe and Eesha

The 5-6 Class

Moving-up Day was rainy this year, but that didn't put much of a damper on things! Phoebe and a couple of other 5th graders were chosen to play instruments while the 6th grade class did their song. We found a cute dress for Phoebe to wear that had a heart-shaped cut out on the back--sadly, no picture of that!

This year, a second Phoebe joined the school, so we had to have a picture of both of them together.

Two Phoebes

All Moved Up--with Hannah and Mercedes

Waiting--with Mrs. Loiacono, the music teacher, and her husband.

Playing the Tambourine

The week following Moving-Up Day is Transition Camp at the Taylor School. The local public schools don't get out as early. This year, the camp had a science theme, and the kids went lots of places, including the Children's Museum of Science and Technology (CMOST), wildlife preserves, and state parks. There was a canoe trip on the Hudson River, hunts for salamanders, wildlife studies, and swimming.

Checking out a turtle at CMOST--Phoebe over to the left

At CMOST with Eesha, Cat, and Angeline

More CMOST

The entire group--Phoebe in the middle

Nature Study--Phoebe in the hat.

Swimming at Grafton Lake State Park

Exploring at Five Rivers

Catching specimens in the water

and from the air

Showing off what she found--with Merry

The next week there were no camps--rest of the schools weren't out yet--so we hung out while David was in California at a conference. One of the highlights was going to see Maleficent in the movie theater. We first read the Grimm Brothers' story and watched the Disney animated Sleeping Beauty to do a comparison of the three versions.

At the theater

Phoebe was most recently in a two-week ceramics camp, but her work wasn't ready to bring home yet--had to be fired--so we don't have any pictures--but she made a lot of stuff! Below is a promotional picture the Arts Center took for their Facebook page. While Phoebe and Mercedes may look bored, Phoebe told me they were intent on the lesson the teacher was giving them.

Ceramics Camp at the Arts Center

Most recently, of course, Phoebe celebrated her 11th birthday. We took in a local ball game, where Phoebe got to be the announcer for the 4th inning--calling the players' names as they came up to bat. She also got a foul ball which a couple of players signed for her. A couple of days later, we went up to SPAC for the ballet, and Saturday she had a party at a local bowling alley, which David won, and a sleepover with Eesha and Mercedes. She wanted a Harry Potter party, so we made bowling teams based on the four Houses at Hogwarts, and I made them t-shirts.

Since the sleepover fell on Pizza and Movie Night, we all watched Star Wars, which Eesha and Mercedes had not seen. Then they got to watch a bit of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire before they went to sleep.

Phoebe on the Jumbotron as she announced the Valley Cat coming up to bat

Hogwarts-themed Bowling!

Action Shot

Phoebe showing off her shirt

Sleepover with Eesha and Mercedes

Yesterday Phoebe started a week of Harry Potter camp, and next week she is off to GirlSummer at Emma Willard for two weeks. We are almost done with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which means she finally gets to see the sixth movie! She is also reading on her own to get $15 from her bank and a free book from Barnes and Noble. It has been a busy summer so far!