I love ending each week thinking about all that I have to celebrate. Join Ruth Ayres who shares a Celebration Link up on her blog each week. As always, thank you to Ruth for the inspiration.
This week, I am celebrating for two weeks as I was away with my family last weekend. Springtime in Vancouver is magical. And April is a beautiful month to . . .
#1 Take an Easter trip with my family
Over Easter, we spent four nights away at our favourite beach house to rent in the San Juan Islands. I treasured this time away with my family – to read, to play games, to talk over long breakfasts. And to walk on the beach and explore.
I did many walks with my son in the first few days when my daughter and husband were ill.
And then my daughter recovered and the three of us had wandering beach adventures.
I celebrate our conversations and time shared.
#2 Have a birthday
While we were away it was my birthday but I began celebrating the day before when I received this beautiful book from my class.
Thank you to Miriam who works with me for putting this together (she covered an old Dick and Jane reader to make the book). I had tears opening it up with the children and read it many times over the weekend. It is something I truly treasure. Each page is covered in little notes, pictures and words from the children. The messages are full of love and the little touches from Miriam are so thoughtful. Notice the title which is a take on the name of this blog and the author (The Curiosity Racers) is the name of our class blog (representing the children in our class).
#3 Launch a class book of stories
Thanks to the Writer’s Exchange (amazing, amazing, amazing), my students got to work with volunteer mentors over a 4 week period to write a creative story. In our stories, our characters transformed into a different version of ourselves and had a bit of an adventure. During Spring Break, the stories were published into a class book titled The Other Side of Me. Each child received a book to take home and we had a book launch party on Wednesday morning.
Some children were brave enough to read their story aloud to their peers while everyone followed along.
These sisters were very excited that Mom came along to celebrate!
I am thrilled to celebrate the pride my students feel being published authors!
#4 End Friday afternoon with outside yoga
We are so fortunate in our classroom that Miriam teaches us yoga. On this beautiful Friday, we headed out and did yoga in the sun with cherry blossoms all around.
Stretch
Balance
Reach
Breathe
Wishing everyone a wonderful week with much to celebrate!
There's a Book for That 
Happy Birthday! Palju õnne sünnipäevaks! What a sweet gift you got from your students. Time spent with your own children is precious.
Thank you Terje. It was a lovely birthday week with time with all of the children I adore – my own and my students!
A trip…a birthday…and publishing a book…it’s been quite a week. I loved every word. Great pictures too! Thank you for sharing these amazing celebrations!
Thank you Michelle. It was fun to share so much in pictures – it is a gorgeous month to appreciate so much that is beautiful in nature! Our book celebration was certainly a highlight!
I love your celebration post this week Carrie. Your students and Miriam are very thoughtful and the book looks wonderful, what a sweet gift. The class book is amazing! What a fantastic project. Spring indeed, looks beautiful in Vancouver. We are starting to see a bit of spring here in Maine. we were on vacation this week so I got to enjoy some of the springy weather. Enjoy your day!
We are very lucky to have absolutely gorgeous spring landscapes! Our school is surrounded by a sea of sky pink with all of the cherry blossoms! Miriam is many kinds of amazing and the book she put together for me with the students meant the world. Glad that you got to have a little bit of spring weather – it is very energizing.
So much to celebrate! Time with family away, a birthday, a special gift, books and more books, and deep breathing. Sounds perfect!
Yes, much to celebrate! I feel very blessed. And it was beautiful to end our week stretching and breathing together in the sunshine!
I don’t know which wonderful thing is my favorite, Carrie. I guess they all deserve huge applause for being so special. Happy Belated Birthday! Love hearing about your beach time, and seeing the book your students created for you. That indeed is a treasure. And then the book of their stories, just wonderful for each of them to remember the writing time and each classmate for this year. Thanks for sharing all that’s been going on in your life!
Many thanks Linda. It has been a wonderful few weeks with many things to celebrate. And the beautiful spring weather certainly doesn’t hurt! I really did love my beach walks with my children and then the cozy reading we often did after that.
Oh my goodness – what a treasure from your students!! Happy birthday! I love the pictures from your Easter weekend. 🙂
Thanks Holly. It was a lovely weekend away with my family.
So much to celebrate. I love walks on the beach. That book looks wonderful. What a treat to have outside yoga. Thanks for sharing.
Outside yoga was an absolute treat – one we hope to replicate often over the next few months!
Wonderful celebrations! Great pics! Happy Birthday! And the kids must be so proud having published a book! We’re going to have a Yoga Storytime outdoors at our store soon! Summer can’t come soon enough!
Yoga in the sunshine is a pretty wonderful thing!
All of your celebrations are great but I LOVE THE IDEA of a CLASS BOOK. I used to do that…but it has been years,,,,,Thanks for the reminder.
The children are very proud of being published!
Happy BIrthday! This celebration post is so filled with family, student and book love. I especially like seeing kids reaching and breathing with blue skies all around.
It was such a wonderful way to end our week. Sunshine and community!
What wonderful celebrations! Happy Birthday!
Thank you for the birthday wishes!
SO many wonderful things to celebrate, Carrie. Happy birthday too!
Can’t wait to read your post about the book project your kiddos did with the Writers’ Exchange. (Speaking of which, I’ll be chatting with Jennifer tomorrow.)
Thanks Stacey It will hopefully be finished in next few days. I have some photos that need to get finished before I can publish! So pleased you will be talking with Jennifer. Such an amazing organization!
I just got off of FaceTime with her. She’s wonderful. Thanks for putting us in touch.