End of a "School Year"

Elsa had a wonderful year at Gabriela's playgroup this past year. And now she is enjoying three days a week every week with Jesse, Gabriela's wonderful counterpart (and mother of one of Elsa's playgroup friends), who is running a small summer group out of Gabriela's home while Gabriela is visiting in Romania.

In May, there was a lovely May Day celebration, complete with maypole and crowns and ankle bracelets adorned with bells.

And the last day of playgroup took place at a goat farm, about a 30-minute drive away. I took the girls and had so much fun. We took a walk through the woods, where Elsa took the path less traveled, avoided the makeshift footbridge, and splashed directly through the creek (love it). Elsa fed goats buttercups and took a turn milking one! We saw a one-day-old baby goat. And we watched a cheese-making demonstration (Elsa had a turn helping), complete with a taste-testing during our picnic in a field.

BFFs.

The whole group, with Jesse on the left (holding Avie), and Gabriela on the right.

Elsa has one more year at Gabriela's, and will start going five days a week in the fall. She started with two days a week at age two, and I have added a day each year with the thought that five days this last year will somewhat prepare her for a full-time kindergarten schedule when she is six. I think she and I both will treasure this last year in this sweet environment. And Aveline will join Elsa on Mondays this coming year, so I do have the joy of knowing I will now get to follow Avie through Gabriela's as well.