Tom finishes Primary School

Tom finished 7 years of Primary School on Wednesday with the last 2 years spent at Pittwater House. It was quite a big decision to move him and academically he has done brilliantly.  Our jury is still out on Pittwater House but Tom will stay there for year 7 and we'll then see how we feel.  At the Junior School Prizegiving Tom was awarded the Ashley Wren Memorial Prize which is a Character Strength Award for inspiration and positivity.  I cried.  A number of teachers and parents came up to us afterwards and said what a perfectly fitting prize that was for Tom.  I cried some more.  

 Tom with his trophy

 End of year celebration burrito at Chica Bonita

On Wednesday evening Tom had his graduation party at Bayview Golf Club.  Sadly I didn't get any photos of his group of friends but they all had a lovely time.  

At the start of the party

Tom and one of his closest school friends, Levi - a good looking pair!

Tess made a gingerbread house from scratch again this year and very kindly let Tom decorate it with her.  They really are quite a labour of love with the dough making, dough resting, bread resting, icing making, etc etc.  The day after it was finished I came home from picking up Tess from a friend's house to find that Ted had helped himself to a little corner.  Tess was almost in tears.  With a bit of judicious trimming we managed to save enough of it to share with the Mennies when they came for a pre-Christmas dinner.  

Tess, Hunter, Tom, Fletcher, Darcy

Tom left for the National water polo competition on Sunday afternoon which is being held in Orange.  The house is very quiet without him but Tess and I have some fun activities planned and I'm very happy to get to spend some time with her without her being wound up by her brother.  

I love this photo of surfer Tom chilling out in the back of the car.