1st grade play and award ceremony...

Seth looks so excited to be playing the role of Willy goat in the first grade production of
The Three Nanny Goats Gruff. He actually played the exact same part that Josh played when he was in Mrs. Flanagans class. He did a fine job, thank goodness the girls had the majority of the speaking parts.

After the play his teacher gave out awards to every student in her class. I am a little concerned that Seth and one of his best friends received the "Great Thinker Award!" I am not sure they always "think" their plans completely through. As long as they use it for good they will make a great team.

( *Josh and Seth)

*It does cause some confusion in our house :)

We are not doing well with the natural world...

Saturday May 28 we decided to take trip up to Oak Glen, a cheap, fun, family excursion...we thought! We had a great time and even commented that it was nice to be able to do that without the kids making us a miserable with their whining. It was a couple of miles round trip. The trail is marked with what birds to watch for, trees are labeled, nice ponds, a lovely stream, and noxious weeds. I even took the time to point out the stinging nettle. A couple of minutes later the kids were racing up the walkway when Seth decided to hop over a small curve, directly through the middle of a patch of stinging nettle. He landed on the other side, writhing and screaming. That was just the beginning...

The next day Josh woke up complaining that his neck was hurting. I assumed it was from the dodgeball with the neighbor the day before. He told me had a bump on his head but I didn't bother investigating any further, chocking it up to drama. Fast forward to Monday, he complains that it hurts even worse and the bump feels really weird. I finally decide to check it out. It is always a little shocking to see little legs hanging out of your kids head. Stupid deer tick made our inexpensive weekend trip much more expensive with a little trip to the ER because we left his head in Josh's scalp. I need to find myself a little scalpel set for future tick encounters.

On Wednesday, Seth's class had a super fun day planned. We had an assembly, awards presentation, picnic, and sprinkler party. Right after the picnic his friends ran up to me and told me that he had been stung by a bee. He was completely calm, more than usual actually, and told me he was fine. I didn't take him too seriously and figured it was their over active imaginations. I was clearly wrong. We have been teasing him that he has a "Popeye Arm!"

The next day when I took him to school I told the teacher that I was aware of his arm. She asked if I had given him an antihistamine. Of course that hadn't even crossed my mind. CPS really may need to be called.

You're a wizard...

Seth
Congratulations to my little buddy Seth for recieving the Math Wizard award for his first grade class. It was the only award with the name wizard in it, a couple of his friends got the humor of that. His teacher issued a little challenge a couple of months ago. The first five students in her class to complete the Math Facts computer program would get a McDonalds gift card. She didn't realize how much we LOVE McFlurries.

Preschool Graduation for Paige

Congratulations Paige and friends!!!

(Cora, Peter, Brooklyn, Braxton, Paige, Skye and Mighty Max)
Paige has had a wonderful year with great teachers and great friends. This was our fifth and final year with our parent coop preschool group. This has been a huge blessing in my life and the lives of our children.
I have been super excited to end this phase of our life. As I tell people how excited I am to be finished I feel bad because Paige reminds me how sad she is because she will miss her friends. We will just have to schedule some playdates.

CPS may need to be called...

First crime - slapping Paige across the face during church
It all started while sitting at church listening to a wonderful sacrament program. We had the pleasure of sitting in the front row directly in front of the "its all about love" lady. She even goes so far as to wear glasses that are in the shape of hearts. I was quietly enjoying the program when out of nowhere my finger got chomped! Gut reaction...slap across the face of the person in charge of the teeth. I leaned over to Paige and asked "What in the world did you do that for?" She looked up at me with a look of horror on her face and said "I didn't know that was your hand!"
Second crime - punching Seth in the face
After dinner we decided it was time for a game of balloon volleyball. Teams were divided up, much to the dismay of Seth he was put on my team. The teams are amazingly even and the score is tied most of the game. Of course this makes the competition more fierce. The serve is hit, we volley a few times, the balloon comes to our side. Seth dives across the floor just as I lean forward to smack the balloon. Seth's face and my hand make contact...ten minutes later we resume the game but Seth is to distracted by his fat lip and we lose this round!
Third crime - Paul jams Josh's fingers
We have to play best out of 3 because my player was distracted, therefore unfair conditions. A few plays are made, the game is not as close, but it is more competitive than before. We hit the balloon, Josh dives for it, Paul kicks (which we have deemed as completely fair earlier in the competition) and again contact is made...again not with the balloon. Josh instantly screams in pain...Game Over!!! He said his finger was not in the right place and he pushed it back. We're not completely sure what happened, but it is definately swollen.


I wonder when they will play with us again...

100 pts...

Both boys were able to get to 100 pts. for the Reading Counts program at school. Josh has both of his medals in this picture, for second and third grade. Seth has made a point of letting me know that he is ahead of Josh because "Josh didn't get one in first grade!" What he doesn't know is that I had to bribe Josh to get it in second grade.
Josh is completely capable, he just doesn't care. Towards the end of second grade I realized Josh was close to getting 100 pts and was excited for him. He was not. We talked for awhile about it and I finally told him I would pay $15 if he did it. He was able to do it within two weeks of the wager...
Seth worked for his this year. At christmas he was not at a high enough reading level to take the tests. That all changed with Ricky Ricotta. After christmas I asked Mrs. Flanagan to recheck him. He had improved 5 levels. Let the challenge begin. The only problem was not having enough time in class to take the tests for all of the books he was reading. I arranged to come in with him after school. Paige and I would hula hoop while he took several tests. He did it in no time.
Unfortunately, the day they handed out the awards Seth was home sick. We went later to see Josh get his and they ran out...

But its not my birthday...

Today I surprised Paige by taking her to Legoland all by herself. We have a deal with the kids that they can have a birthday party one year and the next they get to go somewhere fun, alone! Last week I took Seth, upgraded the pass for $10 and got a second day. Paige has not been since she was about 18 months so I figured it was her turn. This was a complete surprise to her, she had no idea until we pulled into the parking lot at Legoland. This is not an easy feat to pull off. She was being very difficult while I was trying to rush her out of the house. All she wanted to do was pick up Dobby, the kitten, from the vet, which we can't do until Friday. She insisted that if we can't pick him up then we MUST go visit him. It is comforting to know she loves him so much, but her stubborn side can be a pain to me...
She was a bit apprehensive on the first ride, Bionicle Blasters. SeaWorld injury is still very vivid in her mind. After this, smooth sailing...faster, bigger, better. We did Technic Racers 3 times.

Waiting in line for the Indiana Jones ride. We were next to get on and they closed the ride.

This was a little too slow for her taste.

We had a long talk about the water park section. She had to be brave because I was not going in. Too bad the big water park wasn't open, she loved it here.

She is even snoopy here!

She just had to have a picture of herself inside the shark.

This is for grandma and grandpa. We saw "KA" at the MGM last summer.

The best part of treating her as "Queen for a day" was the ride home. I think she said "Thank you, this was such a fun day!" at least ten times.