Les Kermesses 2011

Or End-of-the-School-Year-Parties...

They're usually before the last, last day of school.

They're a way to raise money for the school.

The kids usually have some sort of dance/song (very likely with coordinating costumes) prepared to show the parents.

It's a social event for the parents usually taking up an entire evening or even a Saturday afternoon, with food and drink (champagne and wine, anyone?) and fun.

Zachary's and Lily's kermesse(s) were both last week. Zachary's event didn't follow all these school-party rules, but that's probably because his little "school" is basically glorified babysitting (his "classmates" are 6 months to three years old). But for the event, Zachary's school yard was turned into a little petting zoo, with small farm animals brought in for the kids to touch and feed. Goats, chickens, pigs, and bunnies- the little kids loved it.

Lily's event took place on Friday night. There were games set up for the kids to play (the fund raiser part) and then everyone settled in to watch each class perform their song and dance on stage.

As I watched Lily on stage, I had tears in my eyes (every Mom does, right). She was so full of confidence (where does she get that?), so elated to be in front of an audience, dancing her little heart out. Her class dressed up like cave-men, and for the ages of the kids, (3-5 year olds), it was an impressive effort.

After all the classes had performed, most families stayed around for the bbq dinner and social hour.

We brought our American grill and Phil volunteered to help cook the 400 sausages. Of course everyone was amazed at the size of the grill...to us (americans) it's nothing big at all...but you would have thought Phil was Bobby Flay the way they went on and about it. I think he like the attention. Oh, and did you know the drink of choice for men bbq-ing in France is pink champagne??? I had to take a picture of Phil "drinking with the boys". "When in Rome," he told me, shaking his head.

I kept having "Look How Far We've Come" moments during Lily's party. I distinctly remember going to Lily's kermesse at her old school last year---I went alone with the kids, no one talked to us, and I barely made it to the car before I burst into tears. Oh what a difference a year makes, and maybe a new school too. This year, we were right in the middle of the action, Phil chumming it up with the PTA moms as he bbq-ed, Lily running around all night long with her big group of friends, and me, totally relaxed, talking to other Moms about summer plans. We left late this year, (soooo many people to talk to), and my heart was happy and full, appreciating to the deepest levels feeling a sense of belonging. (That's right, Lily's in kindergarten, but my social skills and needs are still at a high school level :)