Trees and Treats!

The day before graduation was our last full day of school and we had lots to do! Thank goodness it was mostly fun stuff!

The kids helped me in the morning prepare for graduation by cleaning and packing up all the big furniture!

After we finished the  final packing and cleaning we went outside to enjoy an extra few minutes of break. Millie ALWAYS loves break time!

It was a gorgeous day out so the kids were pumped to have some extra time outside.

Naps on the sliding rock.

Dalton looks pretty reflective sitting outside his little school house.

 Silly.

Millie joined in on the napping. 

In the afternoon it was time for some special end of school traditions. Many of you already know that we have this very cool tradition at our school that we always plant a tree on our island for every student who graduates from the Monhegan School. This year we have two students "graduating." Although Quinny is only in sixth grade, this will be his last year at the Monhegan School. That being said, it was only appropriate that a tree be planted in his honor.

Usually the kids have some input in what tree they would like planted in their honor. Quinny chose a chestnut tree. It is big and strong and it wiggles in the wind. Quinny also loves throwing chestnuts at his brother and there is a really big chestnut tree right outside his bedroom window, so really, it was a perfect choice.

Dalton and Quinn's grandmother has always been in charge of getting the trees for the kids. She came to school in the afternoon to help us plant the trees in specific locations she decided upon.

She chose to plant Quinn's tree behind the school house because it will be a great tree for the future school kids to play on and under and because Quinn has been such an important part of the Monhegan School for the last eight years.

Someday Quinn can bring his own kids back to this place and show them his tree!

Quinny helped dig the hole and planted his tree safely.

Millie helped too.

Someday this tree will be wayyyy taller than him!

Quinny and his grandma!

Family shot!

School shot!

Once Quinn's tree was planted it was time to take a ride in order to plant a tree for our graduating 8th grader, Mr. Dalton Lee!

Can't help but be all smiles on a special day like this.

So cute riding in the back of the truck!

The plan was to plant Dalton's tree at the head of the Cathedral Woods trail because it is one of Dalton's favorite trails on Monhegan.

He chose to have a Tiger Maple planted in his honor which is pretty perfect since the tiger has been Dalton's favorite animal for as long as I have known him. Also, Dalton  wanted a tree that was different than the trees that had been planted in the past.

A Tiger Maple is special and unique, just like Dalton.

It was time to plant.

Everyone got to lend a hand.

Some were more helpful than others :)

Time to give his tree it's first drink in it's new home.

Then Millie wanted a drink too.

She liked Dalton's tree a lot.

Proud parents.

Proud grandma.

I love this tradition so very much.

Good looking tree and a good looking boy.

It was a special day.

And it kept getting better. After our tree planting it was time for another end of year tradition... ICE CREAM AT THE NOVELTY!

Since it was my last time ever bringing the school out for ice cream I told the kids they could get whatever they wanted... 

Which obviously meant the boys got the largest, most delicious sizes possible.

Margaret was sensible and got a small, but by the time I paid and went outside to snap a picture of her enjoying her delicious treat it was almost all gone!

Then it was time for a photo shoot.

It is hard to tell, but they really love me.

My boys.

No really, they love me.

See!

This is when they started getting sick of me.

And this is when I started getting emotional.

Quinn just wanted me to go away!

But at least I still had the cute Miss Margaret to snuggle with.

Millie was just mad because no one got any ice cream for her!

After we filled our tummies we dropped Margaret off and the boys and I had one final hike to the back side as "the Monhegan School."

It was gorgeous out and so nice to just has some final time together.

What a long journey we have had, the three of us.

Dalton has grown up so much in the last five years. He has truly grown into a kind, compassionate, intelligent, hard working, charismatic young man. He is going to go into the world and do great things. He is so ready.

And then there is my Quinny. What an amazing kid. He has made me smile every day for the last five years. I know his next adventures will be so cool because HE is SUCH a cool kid.

And I sure am grateful that I have had a golden retriever by my side every step of the way. Between Miss Maya and my sweet little Millie I have had the best companions during my time on Monhegan.

And the kids have had the BEST school dogs.

It was a very quiet and sweet ending to a very wonderful last official day of school.