I seriously do not know how teachers do it. Everyday. All day. All that kid energy! Whew, exhausted just thinking about it!
Our school had it's first field trip this week. We took 75 K-3 kids to the freaking ballet.
Granted, it was a 50 minute performance of Alice in Wonderland that incorporated ballet and hip hop and it was geared specifically for young audiences, but wow quite an adventure for our first outing.
I was in charge of four kindergarteners two of which were mine. Man four kids is a lot. (yes, Linds, I was thinking about you all day)
It really wasn't that bad except the walking all 75 kids from the theatre to the park in which we planned on having lunch. It was 5 or 6 blocks through downtown at lunchtime. And then finding half of the "Occupy" protesters camping in our lunch spot. And then the scowls we got from the regular occupants of the park as 75 kids descended screaming and hollering as if they had been forced to sit nicely and watch a ballet for an hour. It was fun.
I find I am much more relaxed when it comes to the safety of my own kids, you know as opposed to the safety of kids that don't belong to me. I was terrified that one if my charges would get lost, abducted or run over by a car.
By the time we got back to the school I was done. My whole being was exhausted. Ms Kari said field trips are really exhausting and that the everyday is much easier. That being said, as room mom I'm buying her a case of wine for her holiday, birthday, and teacher appreciation week gifts. A case for EACH!!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Kindergarten
It has been quite a struggle getting the boys launched into kindergarten. I spent so much time researching, agonizing, and visiting schools. I spoke to parents, principals, and teachers. I finally made a decision and then the school closed, just seven weeks before school was to begin.
Needless to say there was panic, stress, and then some. I e-mailed and called and visited my second, third, fourth, and some new choices. I crashed parent meetings to get our names on wait lists. I then heard
that out of the ashes of my first choice a new school was rising.
The rest is a long and tedious story of waiting, literally the Thursday before our second choice school started our school found a location. Ten days later our school opened. Let me say this again. They found a location and in ten days a group of hardworking and dedicated parents cleaned, painted, moved furniture, set up classrooms and had the school opened.
We are now in our fourth week, and while driving 500 miles a week is already old, I am sure the boys are where they were meant to be.
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Needless to say there was panic, stress, and then some. I e-mailed and called and visited my second, third, fourth, and some new choices. I crashed parent meetings to get our names on wait lists. I then heard
that out of the ashes of my first choice a new school was rising.
The rest is a long and tedious story of waiting, literally the Thursday before our second choice school started our school found a location. Ten days later our school opened. Let me say this again. They found a location and in ten days a group of hardworking and dedicated parents cleaned, painted, moved furniture, set up classrooms and had the school opened.
We are now in our fourth week, and while driving 500 miles a week is already old, I am sure the boys are where they were meant to be.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, September 12, 2011
After the boys of summer have gone...
They head off to kindergarten.
But before I let our last summer of complete freedom slip away the boys and I had adventure after adventure...at a glance.
The beach x2
Legoland x3
Disneyland x2
Being that we are obsessed with Star Wars and Darth Vader at the moment, this was a particular highlight of our trip to Disneyland, as was the two rides on Star Tours. I had to use Mommy Mind Tricks to get both boys up on stage as the Jedi Master was choosing his young apprentices.
Sea World
WIld Animal Park
This Cheetah Kiburi was in the nursery and we went to visit him several times a month, watching him grow, and running in front of his cage so he could run along side the boys. Ryan in particular, loved the little guy and would want to play with him forever if Evan would let him. He was heartbroken when Kiburi was no longer in the exhibit. This day we happened to be leaving when Kiburi was coming out as his new role as ambassador! Ryan was so happy to see his old friend, and I was really glad our timing was just right to see him.
Soccer started
Birthday party
And that was just the last three weeks.
And today we started kindergarten.
Thoughts on the whole school thing to follow. Both mine and the boys.
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But before I let our last summer of complete freedom slip away the boys and I had adventure after adventure...at a glance.
The beach x2
Legoland x3
(oh and do I have a story about this last trip to Legoland and the ride home,
but it is a story for another day.)
but it is a story for another day.)
Disneyland x2
Being that we are obsessed with Star Wars and Darth Vader at the moment, this was a particular highlight of our trip to Disneyland, as was the two rides on Star Tours. I had to use Mommy Mind Tricks to get both boys up on stage as the Jedi Master was choosing his young apprentices.
Evan using his Jedi Mind tricks.
Contemplative Padowan Ryan.
Ryan taking down Darth Vader.
Evan's turn.
Sea World
WIld Animal Park
This Cheetah Kiburi was in the nursery and we went to visit him several times a month, watching him grow, and running in front of his cage so he could run along side the boys. Ryan in particular, loved the little guy and would want to play with him forever if Evan would let him. He was heartbroken when Kiburi was no longer in the exhibit. This day we happened to be leaving when Kiburi was coming out as his new role as ambassador! Ryan was so happy to see his old friend, and I was really glad our timing was just right to see him.
Soccer started
Birthday party
Ryan requested a Moose Ear Hat, and a lightsaber.
And that was just the last three weeks.
And today we started kindergarten.
But first we had the opening our "cones". (For the second day of school they
would like me to make Harry Potter cones.)
would like me to make Harry Potter cones.)
Then we refused to pose for pictures.
We met our new teacher
She showed us where our backpacks go
...and we made ourselves comfortable.
...found some things of interest
"take a picture of me with the butterfly mommy!"
...and then we got down to business.
Culminating in a celebration after school with some ice cream and Legos.
Thoughts on the whole school thing to follow. Both mine and the boys.
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Thursday, September 1, 2011
Weather Geeks
I am not sure how this started other than pure genetics but my boys have turned into bonafide weather geeks.
The have latched on to the IMAX movie Tornado Alley as their touchstone.
I believe Scott was interested in taking the boys to see it and I was worried it might be a tad scary. Scott showed them a preview on his computer and they were hooked.
Since that moment they have been building TIVs (tornado intercept vehicle) out of Legos, drawing them on every surface and pretending we are chasing tornadoes every time we are in the car.
We did end up taking both boys to see the movie which has only turned up the obsession to 11. And I have begun answering to Sean Casey (IMAX cinematographer and creator of the TIV)
Last weekend their young dreams came true. (aside from becoming darth vader).
Yes the TIV was in town along with Sean Casey himself and we were there too.
We won TIV shirts because we brought in on Lego creations. (just an added bonus we brought them just to show Sean Casey and had no idea there was a whole Facebook thing going on)
We were able to climb in and around the TIV.
We were even interviewed for the local news (our interview never made it to air)(updated, someone saw us on TV so I guess we just missed the correct broadcast in the three hours of local news we TiVo'ed.)
Sadly I don't have a better picture of their Lego TIVs and the real thing, but it is pretty clear that they were in weather geek heaven.
Now if I can just convince them that they may NOT be storm chasers when they grow up.
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The have latched on to the IMAX movie Tornado Alley as their touchstone.
I believe Scott was interested in taking the boys to see it and I was worried it might be a tad scary. Scott showed them a preview on his computer and they were hooked.
Since that moment they have been building TIVs (tornado intercept vehicle) out of Legos, drawing them on every surface and pretending we are chasing tornadoes every time we are in the car.
We did end up taking both boys to see the movie which has only turned up the obsession to 11. And I have begun answering to Sean Casey (IMAX cinematographer and creator of the TIV)
Last weekend their young dreams came true. (aside from becoming darth vader).
Yes the TIV was in town along with Sean Casey himself and we were there too.
We won TIV shirts because we brought in on Lego creations. (just an added bonus we brought them just to show Sean Casey and had no idea there was a whole Facebook thing going on)
We were able to climb in and around the TIV.
We were even interviewed for the local news (our interview never made it to air)(updated, someone saw us on TV so I guess we just missed the correct broadcast in the three hours of local news we TiVo'ed.)
Sadly I don't have a better picture of their Lego TIVs and the real thing, but it is pretty clear that they were in weather geek heaven.
Now if I can just convince them that they may NOT be storm chasers when they grow up.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Book Club: Faithful Place
I just finished reading my third Blog Her Book Club selection Faithful Place by Tana French. It was a great mystery/crime novel that I had a tough time putting down! My review is up over at http://www.blogher.com/bookclub/living-faithful-place-can-be-murder
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, August 22, 2011
This has been bothering me for a long long time
...and I finally remembered to write about it.
I'm not sure how it became okay, or rather good, for every restaurant to have televisions. I understand the sports bar, duh, or even in the bar, but why is it that nearly every restaurant has a television in the dining area.
I am an admitted television junkie. I mainline primetime. I understand how hypocritical it is of me that I have had my children be virtually television free ( with the exception of a few sports, because we love sports, and Dino Train while I cut their hair) for the first five and a half years of their lives, while as soon as they are tucked in to bed Scott and I zone out and watch the loads of shows waiting for us on our multiple TiVo's.
While I make no judgements, I am personally happy that my kids don't watch television and they don't even really know to ask for it aside from asking when we can watch hockey again. I love that most of their pop culture references come from books and what Scott and I have told them, not from television programmers and ad executives.
However I find it more than disturbing that we cannot seem to go out to eat *anywhere* without television monitors in every corner.
What happened to dinner conversation? What happened to looking at your companions and enjoying being with them?
Look around you it seems to be everywhere, from so called family restaurants to major chains, to the mom and pop corner eatery. It makes me sad that it has been decided that we as a culture would rather stare in to a monitor rather than those precious faces sitting across from us.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I'm not sure how it became okay, or rather good, for every restaurant to have televisions. I understand the sports bar, duh, or even in the bar, but why is it that nearly every restaurant has a television in the dining area.
I am an admitted television junkie. I mainline primetime. I understand how hypocritical it is of me that I have had my children be virtually television free ( with the exception of a few sports, because we love sports, and Dino Train while I cut their hair) for the first five and a half years of their lives, while as soon as they are tucked in to bed Scott and I zone out and watch the loads of shows waiting for us on our multiple TiVo's.
While I make no judgements, I am personally happy that my kids don't watch television and they don't even really know to ask for it aside from asking when we can watch hockey again. I love that most of their pop culture references come from books and what Scott and I have told them, not from television programmers and ad executives.
However I find it more than disturbing that we cannot seem to go out to eat *anywhere* without television monitors in every corner.
What happened to dinner conversation? What happened to looking at your companions and enjoying being with them?
Look around you it seems to be everywhere, from so called family restaurants to major chains, to the mom and pop corner eatery. It makes me sad that it has been decided that we as a culture would rather stare in to a monitor rather than those precious faces sitting across from us.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Friday, August 12, 2011
Holding Pattern
We are just a few weeks away from the start of school, and my life is so up in the air! I wish I knew where we were going to go to school in the fall (three weeks).
My first choice is looking like we are going to be in a fantastic location, 45 minutes from the house. That is at least three hours a day on the road. That is less than ideal.
My second choice, is just that, a second choice.
My first choice looks like it will have great hours 8:30 to 1:45! Just over five hours. The location sounds fantastic. Big open spaces, room for a huge garden. The philosophy of the school is still fantastic, even more so, with talks of full sustainability, solar panels, gray water capture, trashless environment.
My second choice, has okay hours 9-3. The location is nice. The philosophy is similar, but different.
I just wish, wish I knew something for sure.
My first choice is looking like we are going to be in a fantastic location, 45 minutes from the house. That is at least three hours a day on the road. That is less than ideal.
My second choice, is just that, a second choice.
My first choice looks like it will have great hours 8:30 to 1:45! Just over five hours. The location sounds fantastic. Big open spaces, room for a huge garden. The philosophy of the school is still fantastic, even more so, with talks of full sustainability, solar panels, gray water capture, trashless environment.
My second choice, has okay hours 9-3. The location is nice. The philosophy is similar, but different.
I just wish, wish I knew something for sure.
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