School DAZE: 5th grade field trip and 2nd grade school market

Is school over yet?  (no, according to the 2nd grade alphabet count down, we're on E day and have 22 days left.)  Every year I know the end of the year will be bad, but I always forget how bad.  It's a good kind of bad, but the busy-ness is just kind of over the top.

Before we hit jog-a-thon, field day, and talent show, I thought I'd catch up.

I wrote about Grace's math project already, so I'm making progress.  Grace also went on the big "5th grade field trip" a couple weeks ago.  APS sponsors EVERY SINGLE 5th grade class in the district to go up to the Sandia Mountain Natural History Center for a hike and some lessons on ecosystems.  It is a really amazing field trip.  I signed up to go, but they told me they had too many parents.  I was bummed, and then at the last minute, a bunch of parents backed out, so I got to go.  I am SO glad I did!  It was an amazing experience to have with Grace.
The field trip was scheduled for April 3rd.  David kept checking the weather for us.  It didn't look good.  Supposed to be cold and windy.  Well, what else is new in spring in NM?  I got prepped for a cold morning on the mountain with the wind chilling me to the bone.  We woke up to giant storm clouds hanging on the Sandias.  It did not look good.  I wondered if they would cancel it.  We got ready and headed to school.  I had good solid jackets and Grace and I were dressed warm, but at the last minute, I thought maybe I should grab a winter hat and gloves.  It seemed silly, but, just in case?

SO glad I did that.  We started driving out I-40 towards the mountains and it started to snow.  SNOW!  We haven't had snow all winter, and now we get it in April on field trip day?  It got really bad.  The bus driver was so nervous.  I thought she was going to pull over and turn around.  She couldn't see anything and the roads were super slick.  I couldn't believe she kept driving, but she was a trooper.  The 5th grade teachers were saying quiet little prayers with creases across their foreheads.  They definitely wanted to turn around.  I am always the party pooper when it comes to these situations and would have gladly joined them, but then, I looked around at the kids' faces.  They were mesmerized by the snow and SO excited to be going out in the storm.  I told the teachers that even if we hated it, the kids were going to love it, so we better just buck up and make the best of it.  I couldn't believe I said that, but I could tell it would be one of those days where the fun memories would trump the crazy.  Up the mountain road we went.

We got out of the bus with snow just coming down in huge flakes.  Grace was SO happy!

I was so glad for our hats and gloves, but hadn't given a second thought to shoes.  We had on trail shoes, but nothing waterproof, and definitely nothing good for the mud.  Most kids were in very bad shape - canvas shoes, little light hoodies, no hats.  We headed into the lodge for an ecology lesson.  I watched out the window as the storm turned into a full-on blizzard.

At one point, you couldn't even see the trees outside the window.  I couldn't imagine we would possibly hike in that.  One of the nature guys with us said "it will stop in 15 minutes and we will hike."  Yeah right.  I've been married to David Chapman long enough to know when a guy is telling a tall tale so that everyone will just keep on going with the crazy outdoor plans.

I'll be darned if it didn't stop snowing in exactly 15 minutes!  The wind was gone and the forest outside was sparkling in the sunshine.  It was like Narnia.  The kids eyes looked like Christmas morning.  It was worth a million dollars to see them so happy and excited.  Since the ground had been so dry, it wasn't even a tiny bit muddy.  The trail soaked up those snow flakes faster than they could fall.  We were set.

The trusty NM sun.  It never lets a snow flake last past noon ;)

lichen - old man's beard, growing on this tree... means the air is VERY clean up here

 The guides took the kids on the greatest hike, stopping for nature lessons all along the way.   We all learned a ton and had the best time.  Grace was in heaven.  I was so glad I was there to see all of it.  I was right.  Having those great memories of her last elementary school field trip made it so worth it.  I'm going to miss this kid next year.

Harriet has also had a busy month at school.  Like I said, they are counting down.  A day was art day and I went in and helped with the most insane messy art project ever.  There is a reason I am not an elementary school teacher.   But, her teacher did have a vision and they created the coolest stuff.  If you have the stomach for it, you can do some amazing things.  She also had the grand idea to host a class market.  She gave the kids 4 days to create store fronts and products to sell to their friends for class citizenship dollars.  It was a squeaker to get that project done, but Harriet LOVED it and was so excited for her store!  She and her friend, Adriana, did a jewelry store and sold beaded bracelets and necklaces as well as some rainbow loom rubber band bracelets.  Harriet planned every detail right down to the outfit she would wear to be a little business woman.  Again, super cute ideas, that I would never try to pull of with 24 seven year-olds, but they did it!

They sold all but 3 items.  Hattie thought it was the best day at school ever!