It was literally 30° out. She only lasted about 10 minutes…if that. Did I win? 🙂
Category Archives: Kids
The kids finally broke me.
When I imagined being a parent, I never thought I’d have to argue every damn morning about whether the kids had to wear a coat. Owen thinks a sweatshirt is fine. I mean, he stuck his hand outside and it wasn’t cold so that proves he doesn’t need a coat, right? When it’s windy and he has to stand at the bus stop for five minutes. 🤦🏻♀️
By the end of the day I’d actually decided that it was up to them to decide what to wear. I told them I wouldn’t care if they were cold, we would not come home to get a coat/hat/gloves, if they missed out on recess (or whatever else—I don’t know what rules the school might have) it was their tough luck. They thought that was grand and skeptically asked over and over if they could just wear the sweatshirt/light coat/hoodie. Like they couldn’t believe their good fortune.
Stay tuned.
Student-led P/T conferences!
This was a first for us—spring conferences are lesmd by the students! Katie was first and took us to different stations around the room where she showed us the computer work they did (typing, recording voices, and drawing), some games they played, and all the sight words she could read… Ending with a review by the teacher.
This was her computer project. Her voice was recorded answering the question that she also typed out.
“What do you want to be when you grow up? when I grow up I want to be a artist becus i rillee want to eony [enjoy] make rille good pic chrs.”
Her teacher said she was doing really great. She knows all the sight words, she is right on par for her reading level, and she acts responsibly in class. They even have to do a self-evaluation (and the teacher marked her better than she did herself!). We won’t get to see the paperwork until it comes home who-knows-when.
Artwork from the classroom and halls (unrelated to the conference).
Then it was off to Owen’s school across the street. He had to lead us through his workbook as well, with the teacher directing him. He did well for his first time having to do anything like that. He also had a self-examination and he also rated himself lower than his teacher did. She said he’s a great kid and has really grown (he speaks up a lot more in class now).
A fraction rainbow.
Waiting for her ride.
Every once in awhile the neighbor takes the kids to school for parent drop off. Katie loves it.
A present tucked in for Daddy.
Katie left this on Tom’s side of the bed.
Owen played football today!
Well, he took part in a youth football league practice session at Northwestern University with the coaches of the league.
He has never played football before so it was totally new but he did really well. He wasn’t shy at all with the whole field of kids and immediately went up to them and started playing.
Post-football dinner with Dad.
She’s definitely my daughter.
I did this at her age, too…
#swimsuitsinwinter
#justbecause
#itlastedfiveminutes
A nice day means burning wood, playing outside, and s’mores
It was a nice day so Tom was burning some scrap wood and playing football with the kids…
And a little dance:
Which meant when I took a break from my Facebook party, I was sitting out there enjoying the smell. And getting the coals ready (I’d already run to the dollar store to get marshmallows for roasting).
But before s’mores there was a costume change:
And then it was time.
I love Befores and Afters…
Except it makes me want to look like that every day… 🙂
Before I took my After photo, I came downstairs like this:
Katie did not like my eyebrows and called them creepy. I think her actual words were more like “MOM! What happened to your eyes? Your eyebrows look soooo creepy!?”
Granted they did get a little too much color in them…but still…getting my makeup application critiqued by a 5yo? Hoo boy.
She wore what I picked!
She likes to wear season-inappropriate clothes most of the time so I was amazed she wore what I picked out. I love Owen’s shirt on her… And it won’t fit for much longer…
She also LOVES the new high tops I got her that have jewels on them and light up. I loves me a resale shop.
I hate to wake a sleeping kid…
But it was time to get up and start getting ready for school.
This was outside our bedroom door tonight.
A present from Katie…
She came downstairs in her PJs.
Goofball.
Our little bendy girl
Charlie helping Katie do homework
Owen’s class had a guest today.
Owen came home from school excited to tell us they had a guest in their class today who was a sports reporter (that was a family member of friends). Later I saw this Facebook post.
Can you spot him?
Katie’s spring kindergarten picture day!
Have you ever heard of a box maze?
This is the most insane box maze. When I first heard about it I thought it would be something simple like boxes taped together. Not even close. This is an annual event with a week-long prep with computer drawings and major construction and tons of volunteers and it’s amazing and so well worth a visit. There are slides and tunnels and stairs and rooms and moving parts and fireworks (LEDs on the ceiling) and people throwing “rocks” in certain rooms… They provide knee pads (soccer there’s a lot of crawling) and flashlights (which I laughed off but it gets pitch black in areas). I just wish it was easier to get pics inside (there are lots of kids and people and you follow each other through so if you stop you hold everyone up). Tom and I went through twice and didn’t even see half of it. We let the kids play for over an hour (we saw lots of friends there) and they would have stayed longer.
These two pics are grabbed from the Facebook event page.
And the computer layout they had posted on the wall.
When Daddy is responsible for makeup removal.
Daddy was responsible for Katie’s butterfly makeup removal this morning so he left just her eyeshadow for a picture. 😂
It’s not Miss Anne’s face painting but she’s happy.
We took the kids to Rainforest Cafe for the first time tonight and they had a face painter there so of course Katie wanted it done. I could tell the quality wasn’t going to be what we were used to from Miss Anne (at Halley) but Katie was still thrilled. She even got a jewel stuck to her forehead.
That said, we won’t be going there again—the food took forever, was mediocre at best, and was way too expensive for what it was (we only went because the kids got free meal vouchers at Katie’s school event last month). But they got to experience it once so we’re good.
Sticks make perfect fishing poles.
Hat Day in honor of Dr. Seuss.
I’ve given up on getting her to match leggings. 😂
Owen’s first concert performance!
The entire third grade class presented a concert tonight. (This is actually only half the students—the other half went an hour earlier!) They sang a few songs together and then each class sang their own song while playing instruments. It was much of what you’d expect a third grade concert to be but they all looked like they were having fun and were proud of themselves. 🙂
After the concert we wanted to find Owen’s self-portrait (all the third-graders had done them and they were lining the gym). Owen had to point it out—I don’t think I ever wood have found it on my own. 🙂
She’s well-trained!
She saw my glass was empty and did this all on her own. 🙂
Why does it always seem to end in tears?
The kids were sitting together on the stairs of their own free will so of course I wanted to take a picture. This is what happened in quick succession.
Katie always manages to get bonked accidentally during their roughhousing and has a fit even though Owen apologizes immediately.
#NationalMargaritaDay
Me: Owen, put your Lego robot away.
Owen does nothing and wastes time.
Me: Owen, put all your Legos on a tray and put it on the other room.
Owen: Why do I have to?
Me: Because it can’t stay in the middle of the floor right where everyone needs to walk. Put everything away on a tray.
Again he does nothing.
Me: Owen. Legos. Tray.
I see him moving stuff around.
Me: Owen, did you seriously just push everything in a pile against the wall? GET. A. TRAY.
Jumping again!
A friend invited us to the local jump place and the kids needed to get rid of some energy on their day off…
Reading Dick and Jane
Gramma gave Katie this book for Christmas—it was the same book she learned to read on. We finally got it out and she is blasting through it!
Owen was alao reading at the same time.
A brief snapshot
His hair is getting crazy.
