Spring Piano Recital 2011

Off to School

Even though my kids are older,

getting them to cooperate for a group photo is still a chore.

At least Emily was willing to smile.

This year, Peter and Emily are in the same class.

Emily is in 7th grade, and Peter is in 4th.

Laura started 2nd grade today.

Everyone had a good first day!

The beginning of summer...

is not off to the best start.

The kids got out of school last Thursday. Friday, after being told he couldn't play on the computer or Wii anymore (as he'd already done so for over 2 hours), my son announced, "I'm bored." Before I even had a chance to respond, he said, "And, no, I don't want to read a book, or practice piano, or do a chore." Boy - he knows me well. That was the exact response I was going to give!

Today, Emily and Peter went bike riding with friends who live across the street. My mom and I were planting Laura's birthday garden - which Laura was so excited about but didn't really want to help with - that I didn't realize how long the kids had been outside. without. sunscreen. Emily got quite the sunburn.

For dinner tonight, I decided to make potato soup, since I had an entire gallon of milk that expired yesterday to use up (problem #1). I burned the bacon (problem #2). As Emily talked to me, I poured in twice as much flour as I needed to make the roux (problem #3). Thankfully, I had another cube of butter to throw in and the meal tasted just fine (I threw out half of the roux before I added in the milk).

I tried to relax with the kids and watch a "watch instantly" movie from Netflix. We had seen half of the movie when it stopped "streaming." I tried everything my non-technical brain could think of in order to fix it, but no go. We'll have to try again tomorrow.

To top off the night, someone's car alarm has been going off for the past TWO and a HALF HOURS! I called the non-emergency police line fifty minutes ago, so maybe they won't be too busy and will be able to come out and get the alarm to stop.

I'm going to go to sleep with my fingers crossed and my prayers said and hope that things go better tomorrow!

P.S. As I went to export the above photos, I discovered that all of the pictures Emily and I took of the last day of school did not upload. And, of course, we had hit "delete originals," so I have very little hope that the pictures are still on the memory card. URG! Maybe I should go to bed right now, before anything else can go wrong.

*** I promise that my next post will be happy and without a single complaint. ***

*** However, you might have to wait till December for me to be able to do that. ***

Gingerbread Houses

The kids' piano teacher invited us over for a Gingerbread House party. Peter and Laura had been begging me to make gingerbread houses, and this gave them what they wanted, without my having to put forth a lot of effort. The kids had a blast making houses out of graham crackers and then covering them with candy.

Of course, we all know that the best thing about making gingerbread houses is eating all of the candy off of them!

It warms my heart

The other day Laura said to me, "You know what my favorite kind of Christmas music is? The kind that talks about Jesus being born." (By the way, we start listening to Christmas music the first of November, a tradition we adopted from one of Shad's college roommates.)

Yesterday, Laura asked Peter and I to write down things we are thankful for at Christmas time. I wrote down delicious food, hot chocolate, and beautiful decorations. Peter said, "I don't have to write anything down. The thing I'm the most grateful for at Christmas is Jesus."

Eight Weeks Later

We just finished our 8th week of school, and we're all still alive, though sometimes it doesn't feel that way.

Emily started off the year working for 4 weeks on a science powerpoint presentation about Scientific Method, Science and Society, and Science and Ethics. She partnered with her friend Rylee, and they put inordinate amounts of time putting together an amazing presentation. Ms. Heather had told them that she wanted them to "set the bar" for the rest of the class's science presentations. Well - they did! After 4 weeks of 20 hours of homeschooling a week, the science project was done, and the girls received Advanced marks.

Peter and Laura are doing well in their class, too. Laura's reading is taking off. She's in chapter books now and loving it. Peter is flying through the division unit and is already in the Personal Commenting reading group (usually a 4th grade unit).

I'm holding on by the skin of my teeth. I teach 12 hours a week, but my work week is about 48 to 52 hours a week. I am learning to appreciate our teachers even more than I already did. You pretty much have to give up your life to be a teacher at Family School. I've decided that that is NOT something I want to do. I'm halfway through with my long-term substituting assignment, and I'm really, really, really looking forward to getting back to normal life in December!

On a lighter note: Laura informed me that she does not like the desert. I agree with her, but her reasoning is rather unique. She doesn't like the desert, because if she didn't live in the desert she wouldn't have to put on lotion after her shower.

First Day of School

Thursday was the first day of school and Family School finally has its own beautiful building. It's an amazing facility.

Emily is back with her beloved teacher Ms. Heather

(she taught Emily from 1st through 3rd grade),

and Peter and Laura are in Ms. Chantel's class.

I'm not normally in our first day of school pictures, but this year I will be a long-term substitute for one of the Family School teachers while she's on maternity leave. The baby is due in two weeks, but we're not sure she'll wait that long. I'll be teaching for 3 months, and at this moment, I'm scared to death and

wondering why I ever agreed to be her sub.

Will wonders never cease?!

I just got home from book club and received the nicest surprise. Shad works graveyard and so Emily was in charge. All night I kept waiting for the phone to ring, expecting Emily to call because the younger two weren't behaving (it hadn't been their best day). Happily, though, there were no calls. When I got home I discovered that Emily and Laura had finished folding the laundry I hadn't gotten to yet, and the kids had tidied up the house! Emily was able to report that everyone behaved and all had gone well. I am so grateful!

Beaten

Peter has been sick with some sort of stomach bug. Last night he threw up about 9 times within 2 hours. Today he's had a fever. So, all we've done is hang out around the house. 

I was going to go to the grocery store today, but I didn't want to leave Emily babysitting a kid who might start vomiting at any minute. Our pantry is pretty empty - I was away at girls camp most of last week, so no one has been grocery shopping in a whole week. Amazingly, I was able to scrounge up a dinner. 

Emily got a ride to Activity Days; Peter didn't have Cub Scouts; and I skipped out on YW to stay with my sick kiddo. 

He asked to play Monopoly, and so we pulled out the old board game. If he wasn't feeling better before, he is now. He beat Laura and me by over $2000! 

He said he wished it were real money. Me too. I'd ask him to pay rent.

Last Day of School

I don't know how it happened, but the school year has ended. The kids had a fun last day of school...

launching water balloons,

hanging with friends,

reflecting on the year gone by,

displaying great reading ability,

getting awards (Emily received an award
for being an inspiration to the class),

signing yearbooks,

and being adored by a classmate's little sister.

Peter and Laura with their teacher, Paula.

Emily with Rita and Dorian, the student teacher who worked with the class for the last half of the year. This photo is taken after Emily's
end-of-year class performance last week.

(Yes, I know - I'm behind in my efforts to keep people posted about events in our life.
So sue me.)

The Way Kids Play

Laura loves Littlest Pet Shop toys. She got quite a few new ones for her birthday (like 15). She and Peter are playing with them at the table. The Littlest Pet Shop animals are in a war. The bulldogs are the bad guys. The butterflies are look-outs. Peter built guns and blasters out of Legos for the animals to use in their war. I doubt this is what the creator of Littlest Pet Shop envisioned his (or her?) toys would be used for.

Lost Tooth

Laura lost her third tooth the other day.

Although this is the 3rd tooth she's lost, it's the first one that she didn't actually lose. The first one fell down the drain in the sink. The second one came out in the Houston airport. We're not sure if she swallowed it or if it fell on the floor; we could never find it. 

So Laura finally got to put an actual tooth under her pillow for the Tooth Fairy. The other two times the Tooth Fairy just got a note explaining what had happened!

First Flight

After surprising the kids, we hopped into the car and headed to the airport. Here are the kids looking out the window at our tiny plane - there were only 3 seats total in each row on that plane, meaning there were 2 seats together, the aisle, and then one seat all by itself. I had to duck my head so as not to hit the emergency exit sign as I walked down the aisle.

Emily has been on a plane once before, but she doesn't remember it because she was only 18 months old. None of the other kids have ever flown on an airplane, so they were excited and a little nervous too.

The window seat was the coveted one amongst the kids. 

Personally I prefer an aisle seat so that I can stretch my legs out.

Our seats were the very last 6 on the plane, so when everyone else had disembarked the kids were able to hang out with the pilot in the cockpit.

For some reason the exposure on this picture was horrible, 

so I tried to fix it as best as I could.

We flew to Houston where we were met at the gate by my dad (on the right) and stepmom. Then my brother, his wife, and son arrived (they're the ones, to the right of Julie, bending down to greet baby April whom they had never met before). My sister and her hubbie and baby were the next to show up (they live right there in Houston). 

And of course, the fact that we were all there was NOT a surprise to Julie! I need to teach my brother-in-law how to keep secrets - my kids didn't know anything about the trip until I told them 15 minutes before we left! I think the only surprise was Julie's friend and old college roommate showing up. That's Liz - the one on the left holding the cup in her hand.

We all got to fly together to Orlando. Our seats were all together, except for Chris's seat. He got bumped up to first class - poor soul! Of course then he got to take the baby with him, which worked out great.  (Though I guess I'll have to stop calling her "the baby" soon; she's 14 months old already.)

Surprise!!!

We had kept our trip to Orlando for my sister's birthday a secret from our kids. We woke them up around 5:00 a.m. Thursday morning and told them to come downstairs. Then we revealed the surprise. 

Did you notice that Peter and Laura were about to cry about the idea of going on a plane? It wasn't until we told them where the plane would be taking us that they decided a trip would be fun.

We're going to Disney World!

Well, actually, we already went -- yesterday! My sister's 30th birthday was yesterday. Her husband wanted to surprise her (since his surprise of us coming with them to Paris wasn't a surprise at all) so he invited all of our family to come to Orlando for 3 days of fun. Julie is a Disney fanatic, and this year, Walt Disney World is celebrating everyone's birthday by letting you in free on your birthday! We flew down to Houston where we met up with my dad and step-mom, my brother, his wife and son, and Julie and her husband and daughter, and Julie's old roommate Liz. Then all 15 of us flew together to Orlando.

Friday we went to the Kennedy Space Center and Saturday we hit Disney World. Unfortunately only 14 of us made it to Disney World. My poor step-mom ended up in the hospital! They're still not sure exactly what is wrong - possibly pancreatitis - she's still there now and won't be able to fly home as originally scheduled. Nancy is so sweet - she knew how much my dad was looking forward to going to Disney World and so she insisted that he go anyways. We're glad she has good nurses taking care of her and pray she'll be well soon!

On the Jungle Cruise at Disney World, our boat driver told us a cute joke that the kids are still repeating --

Why does Tigger never walk?


Because he doesn't want to step on Pooh!

I was just doing my hair, and Laura walked into our room (we're staying at a time share resort and we have a double deluxe room - 2 full bedrooms and baths with kitchen and living room). She told me that we (Shad and I) are lucky because we get our own private room. I told her it wasn't really private because we have to share it with each other. She said "Yeah, but when we're not here you get to smooch and that makes it private." I guess she's got us figured out!

A new color?

The other day Laura was coloring with markers. I started to pick the ones up that had fallen on the floor. She told me to not take a certain brown marker because, she said, "It's as close to the color of rocks as I could get. It's a Beijing color."

I had to giggle, because, of course, she meant beige - not Beijing. I guess the Summer Olympics left quite an impression on her!

Remember that old commercial?

The other day I was talking to a friend on the phone. It had been a rough morning and I made the comment "All I want is for Calgon to take me away!" 

Laura was in the room and she asked me, "Who is Calgon?" 

With friends like that...

In the kindergarden math group, Laura and her friend J. are working on building, and then writing, numbers on a sheet of paper wrapped around a "dog bone." J. was about 100 numbers ahead of Laura. 

J. has missed the past 2 days of school due to sickness.

Today Laura said to me, "It's a good thing J. is sick and is going to be sick for the rest of the week. Now I can catch up to him in dog bone!"  

While the Parents are Away, the Kids will Play

I had an appreciation dinner to attend tonight for my volunteer work with AYSO soccer. My friend Leah watched our kids so that Shad and I could both go to the dinner. 

My kids and her kids are great friends. Leah and I met when Emily and Mitchell were 6 months old. Our kids have pretty much grown up together, so when they get together they have a lot of fun OR they fight a lot. Tonight,  it was a lot of fun.

I stole some pictures off of Leah's blog, but you'll have to go check hers out to see a video of the kids doing the "light saber limbo"!

Thanks Leah for helping our whole family to enjoy a night out!

Emily's 11th Birthday --- FINALLY!

Yesterday, after giving myself a pat on the back, I looked at my daughter Emily's blog. I then had to take back that pat on the back. Apparently, I don't do anything right as a mom.

Well, today I am going to try and rectify things by FINALLY posting pictures from Emily's 11th birthday last November.

Emily likes to wear socks while she sleeps. She complained once that all I ever bought her were boring socks. After that, I have tried to find more interesting socks for her. 

These look like mittens, but they are actually socks. 

Emily loves to read (just in case you're one of the 3 people out there who were not already aware of this fact). She was very happy to receive "If You're Reading This, It's Already Too Late." (Sorry - I still don't know the html code to underline book titles.)

Laura knows a picture is being taken.

Someone - I think it was my brother - made Laura's day by getting Emily a stuffed cat for her American Girl doll. (From Laura's expression, you'd think the present was for her.)

Birthday cake was a few days late, so that 

Omi and Grandma Gloria could both join us.

Emily was very considerate of Omi's chocolate allergy 

and asked for a strawberry cake.

Emily may think I'm a bad mom, but here's another piece of evidence that I'm not all that awful: I went to THREE grocery stores before I finally found strawberry frosting and strawberry cake mix.