Archive for September, 2006

School woes

Wednesday, September 20th, 2006

Christian is having a more difficult time adjusting to school this year.

Yesterday he had to call me at work during recess because he pinched his friend and hurt him (not intentionally though). So he lost three recesses and had to write a letter of apology.

Then it came out that there is another kid on the playground that has been teasing him and his friend Lauren. His feelings were really hurt yesterday.

Now today, Brandon had to be pulled out of preschool at one point because he wasn’t paying attention.

What a week!

I hate politics

Saturday, September 16th, 2006

I’m sitting here staring at my ballot for the primary. The only thing I know my position on is the city EMS funding proposition. While I had to do all of this research, I figured I’d post it 🙂

Here’s my voting approach (as scary as it is LOL):

The judges are easy. Here’s a website:

http://www.citizenreviewonline.org

If they refused to answer the survey, they don’t get my vote. If their response sounds bizarre, they don’t get my vote. Check out Joel Penoyar, who wasn’t on my ballot anyway:

As a lower court judge, he allowed a convicted sexual predator released from jail for a weekend fishing trip. (Source: The Oregonian, 2000)

The PUD Commissioner position was harder. This article made sense (even though it was written by a candidate):

http://www.edmondsbeacon.com/localnewsletters.html

I tried to find information on Michael Plunkett, but he appears to be an average politician. I’ll go with the environmental science guy.

Now the Senate position was much harder. First I had to decide if I was going to go Democrat or Republican. Being one that can never remember which is which, I had to Wikipedia both of them. I’ve discovered that at the moment, I’m leaning Republican. Here are the candidates:

http://www.metrokc.gov/elections/pamphlet/pamphlet.aspx?cid=17190&eid=1214

First, I had to employ my method of ‘If they don’t have a website, they don’t get my vote’. That ruled out most of them, actually, although some of them had some entertaining information on the web. Check out this site for (?) Gordon Pross:

http://www.struat.com/justin/gordonpross.html

This guy seems ok… I do like how many issues his website comments on. From the ‘pamphlet’ site above, though, it astounds me that he says he is ‘a full time law enforcement officer’ was a ‘Major and Pilot in the Army National Guard’, is a certified teacher, a graduate of CWU’s paramedic program who ‘worked in the medical field’ AND a licensed minister… how old IS this guy?

http://www.bradklippert.com/core.htm

Massoudi didn’t really leave much issue information on his site:

http://www.ussenatecandidate.com/issues.html

So we’re down to McGavick:

http://mikemcgavick.com/default.asp

I still hate politics.

ABC’s of God’s Grace

Wednesday, September 13th, 2006

Crystal forwarded this to me and I really like it:

A-lthough things are not perfect
B-ecause of trial or pain
C-ontinue in thanksgiving
D-o not begin to blame

E-ven when the times are hard
F-ierce winds are bound to blow
G-od is forever able
H-old on to what you know

I-magine life without His love
J-oy would cease to be
K-eep thanking Him for all the things
L-ove imparts to thee

M-ove out of “Camp Complaining”
N-o weapon that is known
O-n earth can yield the power
P-raise can do alone

Q-uit looking at the future
R-edeem the time at hand
S-tart every day with worship
T-o “thank” is a command

U-ntil we see Him coming
V-ictorious in the sky
W-e’ll run the race with gratitude
X-alting God most high

Y-es, there’ll be good times and yes some will be bad, but…
Z-ion waits in glory…where none are ever sad!

Preschool and Sketchers and Soccer

Saturday, September 9th, 2006

Brandon’s first day of preschool went well! He had fun using scissors and glue on a little freestyle project to bring home. His other favorite part was singing songs during the closing circle time… If you’re happy and you know it, and a squirrel song, and Head Shoulders Knees and Toes. He didn’t really like the goodbye song when everyone sang goodbye to him… I’m not sure why he doesn’t like people to use his name. It seems like he’ll have a great time when he starts regular class on Monday. He gets to be the first snack kid on Wednesday, which means he gets to help place the weather and day of the week pointers during circle time and he gets to bring show and tell!

After preschool, we ran some errands and picked up a pair of school shoes for him. Little did I know, having Sketchers shoes is a really big deal (at least to him). I picked them, he tried them on and loved them, and when he was putting them back in the box he must’ve recognized something on them because he got really really excited, “Mommy, these are Sketchers!!!” I guess he’s seen too many commercials 🙂

Christian’s first soccer game was today, a preseason game. His team got creamed. Somehow I don’t think his is a championship team this year. He was disappointed, but he does get to go to a Sounders game tonight, so that’ll be fun. He’s going with Crystal and Joy.

Future schools?

Friday, September 8th, 2006

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/284299_futureschool08.html

This is an interesting article. I’m not sure I’d trust Microsoft to completely design a school from the ground up, but the implementation does sound really interesting.

Christian’s reading!

Thursday, September 7th, 2006

Christian brought home a Scholastic book order sheet and I went through it and marked all of the ones that said ‘Early Chapter Books’ (that seems to be about where he’s at, even a little above where he’s comfortable reading). We went through it together and I was completely shocked at how many series he looked at, got totally excited and said ‘I love those books!’. His order is up to $65! Yikes! The good news is that his teacher is fairly new (this is her 2nd year), so she needs to build up her library. I figure it’s worth it to help her out (she’ll get points she can spend), and when Christian is done with them, we’ll donate them to the classroom.

On a side note, we’re thrilled to finally have a teacher that prefers email! The last two teachers he has had would read email and respond with hand-written letters 🙂

Angie, are you shocked yet that I’m posting again?!? 🙂

The first day of school… part II

Wednesday, September 6th, 2006

Aside from Christian’s bus breaking down (presumably before any kids were boarded), resulting in him getting home 15 minutes late, he had a great first day at school. He likes his teacher, and he’s happy Gabe is in his class again. Oddly, he says there were only two other kids from his Kindergarten class in his new class. None of his TBall friends are in his class either. I’m not sure how all of that is possible, but oh well. There are only 3 Kindergarten classes and 3 first grade classes. But he did make a new friend today as well. He was also helpful and told an adult that a new boy from his bus stop, Charlie, is a Kindergartener.

Christian’s favorite part of school is still recess (all 3 of them), especially now that he gets to play on the whole playground. He also enjoyed math today, when they played with some kind of links and made a huge chain. We went out to dinner at Applebees tonight and he and Brandon both cleaned their plates, ate some of our fries, and polished off dessert. (Alyson kept swiping fries from my plate too.) Theyr’e all getting awfully big (and expensive to feed LOL).

The funny thing is that I’m the one that got all of the homework. He brought home a huge stack of papers for me to go through, fill out, and write checks for (a lunch money check, a PTA check, and a check for a school directory). What fun.

Side note: the kids know what they want to be for Halloween. Christian wants to be a ninja. Brandon wants to be a ninja AND a race car driver LOL. Brandon is going to have a race car birthday party. I’m not sure what Alyson’s party will be… maybe Tinkerbell.

Anyway, I think that’s the complete update!

First day of 2nd grade

Wednesday, September 6th, 2006

Christian had his first day of 2nd grade yesterday. How was his day? Fine. He said he knew 2 kids in his class, but it turns out that he knows 3… still not very many in a class of 25. I think his favorite part of school is still recess 🙂 So far, I don’t know much more than that. Curriculum night isn’t for another few weeks.

We had Brandon’s preschool orientation tonight… wow, a lot of information in 40 minutes. We’d better stock up on snacks… he has to bring snack every time his name comes around the list again (and we’re of course at the top of the list). It was nice to find out that his teacher also has asthma, so if there’s an emergency, he’s in the best hands (not that we expect any problems – he’s barely used his inhaler outside of gymnastics). A few fun things… there will be a grandparent day in the spring, where grandparents will be asked to visit (hint, hint). There will be a field trip to the pumpkin patch (Bill might take the day off of work to go to that). I’m looking forward to taking him for his first day on Friday… it’s a one hour class where the parents have to attend the whole time.

Alyson WALKS up and down the stairs by herself. And it seems that she climbed out of her crib this morning! And her favorite thing to do (aside from cuddling her favorite blanket) is to color… all over EVERYTHING! The kids have had lots of practice washing walls with the Magic Erasers lately!

The Fair!

Saturday, September 2nd, 2006

Well, we just returned home from our annual adventure to the fair, $200 lighter than when we left (yikes!). We had to park at the absolute farthest parking area possible, so we all got our exercise! We all had a great time, though. Uncle Ed was kind enough to join us and he took Christian for a little while to the bigger kid area. Christian won a big green mouse stuffed animal and a blow-up stick. He also bought a plastic trumpet which he and Alyson both loved, but it sadly was a casualty today – it disappeared at some point (shhh… he hasn’t noticed yet). Brandon and Daddy had some time to themselves too and had a blast going on the little kid rides. Brandon also won a fish! So of course, we had to buy the tank and a second fish. The fish are currently named Max and Braden (who knows how long those names will last). We have to pick up fish food at the store tomorrow. Brandon also won a big blow-up hammer and two stuffed puppies for Alyson (although one of these was also a casualty today). Alyson and I wandered through a couple of the animal barns and the exhibit areas. She tried to win a fish too 🙂 She brought home a Dora beach ball and carried it all over. We really enjoyed the shaved ices this year – we had to pick the hottest day of the weekend to go! Well, there you have it… another year into the history books.