Boots

Caught the kids helping daddy get off to work. These photos says it all!

Teacher Christmas Gifts

The kids and I gave homemade gifts this year to their teachers...
Yummy cranberry cookie mix in a jar, a quilted potholder, and cards made from my left over scraps.

They turned out pretty cute.

12 Days of Christmas

 We started a new Christmas tradition this year in keeping with the true spirit of the season. I created this calendar for the 12 days leading up to Christmas. Behind each number is a good dead that we did that day. The kids helped to come up with simple tasks they could do to make others feel good. For example:

• Smile and Say hello to everyone you see.
• Leave change in a vending machine
• Give 5 compliments to 5 different people
• Take some treats to the animal shelter
• Leave a gift for the garbageman
• Find the house with the best lights and send them a note

A Happy Breakfast

My attempt to get the morning off to a good start

First Snow

First snow of the year arrived yesterday.

Ironically, we were planning to leave town early tomorrow morning.

Here's what it is doing now.

Happy Halloween

A Bit of Boasting

The first quarter of school will end on Friday and I just found out this afternoon that Bro has the highest grades in his class and the most A/R points. Another teacher informed me this afternoon that C has been using his some of his recess time to "tutor" other students in his class. His teacher rewards him with treats and REACH cards (our school's currency).

A Beautiful Fall Day

We had some gorgeous fall weather this week. We took full advantage of it with a trip to the pumpkin patch followed by a visit to a friend's orchard for some apple picking.

Slideshow made with Smilebox

Our Weekend

A Day at the Fair

Riding the Quads

Day 4

It's the fourth day of school and Bro is home sick.

He was up a lot in the night with stomach aches and a fever, 102.7 at midnight.

The fever is just over 99 this morning but he still feels dizzy and looks awful.

So it's a day at home, resting on the couch away from all those germ-carrying imps.

First Day of School

Today was the officially first day of school, although Sis did Kinder academy a couple weeks ago which consisted of a week of half days.

Sis woke up raring to go.

"Are you really going to Kindergarten?" I asked. "I'm ready Mom," was her reply.
When I took her to school she paid her lunch money by herself and disappeared while I was helping with PTA in the hallway. I found her in her classroom beginning her daily routine. She was so at ease she barely told me goodbye, though I insisted on staying through the reading of "The Kissing Hand".

Bro was not so enthusiastic however. He suggested perhaps homeschooling for the year.

By the time I picked them up Bro was a changed man. "My teacher is really nice," he told me with a grin. Another perk is that he gets to pick where he sits and currently has a desk next to a friend from around the block.

When I picked Sis up I learned her day didn't go as smoothly as planned. She had trouble finishing her lunch in the time allotted and got left in the lunchroom while the rest of K-2nd went to recess. She sat unnoticed through the older kids lunch(over 20 minutes) until the end when she started to cry and a 5th grader alerted a para-pro who walked her back to class. The teacher and I were both raging mad. After I talked to the principal about the incident he apologized profusely to me and gave Sis some balloons, which apparently mended all. I'm seriously considering tying one of the balloons around her waist so she'll be impossible to miss!

My day went quicker and was easier than planned. I watched Landon during Heidi's appointment and then baked a surprise for the kids that they were pretty excited about, a brownie cake in the shape of a pencil.

It Finally Happened!

Bro lost his first tooth finally! Dad pulled it with some floss and tissue.
The tooth fairy was quite generous but she has been waiting a long time!

Back to the Zoo

A friend was heading over to the zoo this week so we hitched a ride.
We had to meet those cubs that were born on Bro's birthday.
And if you want more animal photos here's yet another slide show.
(This Smilebox thing is a bit addicting!)

Another scrapbook by Smilebox This is the cub's father. I'm rather proud of this photo.

More Summer Play

Photos from a fun trip to Prosser to play with friends.

Swinging
A Princess in her element
Any Relation?
I love the summer!

More Water Fun

We decided to check out a nearby waterfall this weekend.
We were expecting a hike but it ended up being a 200 yard walk instead.Sis decided to wade out to touch it.
She ended up wearing my shirt home!
We ended out adventure with a little sand play!

Hops Festival

We spent Saturday at the hops festival.Starting with the parade.The kids loved the dancing horses best.
I'm not sure that the kids know that when we say hops we are referring to this:
And not this!
What fun!