Times at School

Mondays are busy, so I can't believe I'm sneaking in a blog post on a Monday!
For the past 5 school days, Braylen's been doing the morning announcements. This involves reading some words of wisdom for the day, along with leading the school in the pledge of allegiance and character pledge. Not only does his voice reach everyone inside the building, but I can hear it outside too. On his first day he asked me to stay and listen in the car while he did his thing. I liked listening to him so much I've stayed all 5 days. :) Next school year he won't be at this school anymore, so I want to soak up all I can with him until then. I've also been blessed with the opportunity to help in his classroom on Fridays. It's so much fun! A few other moms come and help too, and we play math and literature games with the students. I've known these kids for 6 years now and so it feels a bit like a family. :)

Every Monday morning I spend an hour with Kaleb in his classroom. I lead a guided reading group called "The Wacky Khaki Cactus Club." His teacher makes learning so much fun! Besides reading with these 3rd graders, it gives me the chance to see Kaleb in his element. Like Braylen's class, this class has been together since the first day of kindergarten. They are pretty close, and I've loved getting to know these kids over the years. I'm even starting to (finally) tell a set of identical twins apart. :) Kaleb still lights up when I come to his room, and it truly helps us get over our Monday morning grumblings. (Remember, Kaleb and I are not morning people!)

Every Monday afternoon I spend an hour in Aaron's classroom! I've LOVED watching these kindergartners learn to read. I can literally see the lights go on in their eyes when they're sounding out a new word in a story. I'm not a teacher, but I can understand why people want to be teachers! How rewarding! My favorite part of it, of course, is when Aaron comes to the reading table and scoots his chair as close as he can to mine. Then he leans on my shoulder and says, "Hi Mommy." Some days he'll even give me a big hug and a kiss--right there in his classroom! I know from experience that it will not last, so I'm loving it while it does. I've had fun getting to know this new group of kids. Some of them have older siblings in Braylen and Kaleb's classes, but most of them are new to me. It's amazing how much I can learn about these kids by being in the classroom for just one hour per week.

I love being a part of my kids' day at school. :)

Baby it's Cold Outside

Last weekend my mother-in-law offered to take the boys to an eagle viewing center. Since Kaleb loves eagles, and since Derek and Braylen were deer hunting, I took her up on her offer and invited myself to come along. :) The eagles didn't disappoint us. We must have seen dozens! Some would swoop over the water, and some would glide above the trees. One even perched on a branch a bit closer to the viewing windows, so I snapped a picture of it. 

We used binoculars to see the other eagles. I learned that Aaron preferred using his binoculars from home rather than the high-powered sets provided at the center. Why? They were easier for him to hold up! The others were heavier, and he had a hard time holding them still against his eyes. On our way home we noticed the snow was just beginning to fall...

Our first major snow event of the season brought us 10 inches of snow, a snow day, and a 2 hour late start. Yay! I love being snowed in. My boys, however, would rather be out in the snow. With their daddy of course. :) They shoveled, built forts, and went sledding on the big hill.



Ginger the snow dog in her blue snowman bandanna LOVES to play with her boys!

Once I made my kids come inside to warm up, we played cards and Sorry. They watched GI Joe cartoons and I enjoyed some down time at home with my family. It's my favorite way to spend my day. No running around town, no shopping, no list of things to get done. Just staying cozy warm at home. :)


our football theme supper in honor of the BCS championship game

 Today was our first full day of school since our snow storm. In my opinion, we could have used another day to stay warm at home. See how cold it was on our drive to school this morning?

I actually saw -11, but by the time I got my camera we'd warmed up one whole degree. Winter is officially here. Well, it's time to go pick up my little popsicles from school. Stay warm everybody!

Believe

Derek and I wondered if this past Christmas would be the last time Kaleb believed in Santa. I just didn't know his belief would disappear 8 days into the new year.

Yesterday he woke up early for school because his tooth was really loose. Being a nice and thoughtful son, he insisted on pulling it himself. :) A few minutes later--success! Putting his tooth beneath his pillow last night, he asked me what the tooth fairy does with all the teeth. I reminded him of the books we've read on that very subject and told him to pick whichever explanation he liked best and assume that's what happens. By the way, we're quite a bit more specific with our theological explanations, but I digress...

This morning he woke up and found his tooth fairy gift: two quarters taped to a package of gum. He said, "These quarters look just like the ones on the computer desk. They're the same years and this one has an apple on the back of it." It's actually a peach, but...I was busted.

He asked me, "Are you the tooth fairy?" Since Aaron was not in the room, I confessed. He thought about it for a few seconds and then he said, "Are you Santa Claus too?" I really didn't want to take away his belief in Santa. The tooth fairy is one thing, but Santa? Out of all our kids, Kaleb has loved the idea of Santa the most. But I knew I couldn't keep the charade up anymore. He's getting too hard to trick. So I came clean with that too. I explained how Braylen helped me keep the secret and now he needs to help keep the secret for Aaron. He asked how long Braylen has known the truth about Santa, and I really don't remember. I told him he was probably 9, just like Kaleb is now. Feeling a bit like I spoiled his childhood, I said I was sorry that Santa isn't real. In truth, I really do wish he was real. I'd love for him to pay for all the presents! Kaleb's response to my little apology was, "That's okay Mom. It was fading for me anyway." Well! Okay then! I guess his childhood isn't ruined after all. :)

This must have been the morning for these types of questions because later Aaron asked me if the Polar Express is real. I told him it's a book and a movie, but no, the Polar Express isn't real. His eyes got real big and he said, "But Alex told me he rode the Polar Express with his family!" Then I remembered our town had a Polar Express event with trolley rides and hot chocolate and such, complete with a visit from Santa. We chatted about that and he let me know he wants to do that with his friends next Christmas. I think the confusion is straightened out for now.

Watch out Easter Bunny--you're next. :)

Already 2011

Today my kids are back in school and Derek's back at work. I guess I should be back at "work" too. Groceries, bills, cleaning, etc... Instead, I'm pretty much doing nothing. Derek would say with a sarcastic tone, "That's weird." Hey, I think traveling over a thousand miles in the car (with three kids and a large dog) over Christmas break entitles me to a slow morning. :)

Reuniting with my extended family for a week was so great. I love Derek's family, and I'm grateful to be in town with them. But it was SO NICE to be with my family. I've decided 2 years is way too long to go without seeing my brother. Derek reminds me we have Skype and I should use that more often. I remind him that Skype is not the same as being face to face.

Favorite memories from this trip:

• Laughing uncontrollably while we played The Game of Things
• Playing Clue as a family with Braylen old enough to figure the game out
• Watching football and HGTV without wondering if there was anything else I should be doing
• Catching up with my cousins, aunts, uncle, and grandma
• Meeting Bill and Dawn for supper in downtown Chicago (so thankful we could use my dad's car and his I-Pass)
• Watching Braylen learn how to snowboard
• Playing with Ginger in the same house/yard I once played in with Sonja and Misty
• Shopping with my mom and sister-in-law in a mall that has everything I'd ever want or need
• Learning how to knit. My mom and her family are pros...I must take after my dad's family. :)
• Watching mom and Aaron bake cookies together in my old Easy Bake Oven
• Despicable Me was our movie of the week. The boys sure love those minions! I love hearing them repeat favorite lines from the movie.
• Treating Dad to lunch at Tony's Cafe and Mom to lunch at Panda Express
• Staying up past midnight talking and ringing in the new year with Eric and Amber
• Clinking glasses of bubbly with the kids at supper on New Year's Day

I'm sure I'm forgetting a thing or two, but those are the highlights. Derek would add several trips to Cabela's to that list, but these are my highlights, not his. :) Now that we're back home, I've been thinking about what I'd like to work on in 2011. I'd like to be more organized, but what should I be working on that has an eternal value? I'm thinking on that.

Some pictures of the fun we had at Christmas...turn on your speakers if you want. :)

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