The past couple weeks of school have been a whirlwind of activities, especially since both Lauren and Becca are "moving up" to new schools (high school and middle school, respectively). Field trips, parties, dances, picnics, etc.

Unfortunately, Becca has been sick this past week with a fever and nasty cough, so she missed out on her picnic and "graduation." That sucked, because she received The President's Award for Educational Excellence, which is a big deal. So we didn't get a picture of her being awarded the certificate and pin by the principal.

With so much going on, it was inevitable that I would forget something or screw something up. However, I didn't expect to end up extremely embarrassed.

I was under the impression that there was going to be an 8th grade "graduation"/celebration like there was going to be for 5th grade, and that it was Wednesday morning at 8:30. I got up early, let Becca skip school to attend it, and dressed up a little. So Chris, Becca and I are sitting with the other parents, parents that I KNOW, when a mom I know asks how many kids are in the 8th grade class. I said I didn't know, so she turned around and asked another mom, who replied that there are about 200 kids in the class. I said to the mom that couldn't be right, because there were very few reserved seats for the kids. That's when she gave me a weird look and said that the seats were reserved for the Presidential Award winners, and showed me the list of kids in the program. Um, Lauren wasn't on it. Apparently, this ceremony was by INVITATION ONLY. And there was the White Family, sitting among the award winners as the program is about to start. We had to quickly leave in front of everybody (all the parents we're friends with and who are the parents of Lauren and Becca's friends), and the whole time I was DYING. I still am. And Chris and Becca are STILL laughing about it. Chris actually hauled ass out the door once realization dawned, dragging Becca with him. But I couldn't just leave without saying anything, so I confessed my faux pas to my friend Annette, who is probably still getting a little chuckle out of this once in a while.

Anyway.

The 8th grade field trip was last Thursday, and it was in DC. Thankfully the deranged shooter didn't pick that day to flip, because the kids were dropped off and picked up right in front of the Holocaust Museum. I drove separately, because I had to take Lauren back early for a band event. Nice way to travel for a field trip - in my own van, by myself, iPod cranked, iced coffee. Oh, yes.

I only got a few field trip pictures since I wasn't there long, but they are cute.

Lauren and one of her BFFs:



( More goofy girls this way... )