Derek: Student of the Month

On friday Derek was honored as student of the month for the month of January! (Yes, that is Luke climbing on the stage for a close up view of the action.)

Dereks' donut of choice this time: a jelly donut.

It was also Dylan's first day back in school.  The twins were happy to be together again.

Congratulations Derek!  You are a terrific kid, and you deserve this honor!  It couldn't have happened to a nicer kid.  We love you.  Keep up the good work!

Bumpin' & Grindin'

Bright and early Saturday morning, I brought Alex and Nate to the church to participate in a stake youth service project to clean up the building, inside and out.  The boys worked hard shoveling and raking the grounds.  They love to serve, and I am proud of how much they did.  I took pictures - I really slaved over them.

Then we joined about 100 kids and parents from their middle school on a group hike up the Bump & Grind trail.  It was a huge group, and we could see the long line of us zigzagging up the rocky hill. 

It was an absolutely perfect day for hiking, clear and sunny, with a cool breeze.  You could see for miles and miles.

Alex slowed down long enough for me to snap his picture.  That kid is a hiking maniac!

Nate was so happy to make it to the top, where friends and teachers were waiting to greet everyone.  What a fun activity that was for the school to plan.  We absolutely love CMP!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

So while Dennis and I were back and forth to the hospital, life continued at as close to normal for everyone else, and a lot was going on.

The middle school had a special honor roll assembly, and both Alex and Nathan were recognized.  I missed it, of course, but I was there in spirit, and they both know how proud I am of them.

Nathan got a gold award with a GPA of 3.86.  Can you believe he missed straight A's by one B+?

Next time, for sure, Nate.  Not bad for his first quarter in middle school.

Alex got a Silver Award for his GPA of 3.71.  He, too, only missed straight A's by one grade.  We are so proud of him, as it took a lot of hard work on his part to make those grades.

Alex also got another another very special Character Counts Award for Responsibility.  That fits Alex to a T.  He is extremely responsible with his homework and schoolwork.  He comes right home, shows me what he needs to do, then gets right to work.  He is organized - something he did not inherit from his mother, and works so hard.  I am so proud of him, and am grateful that a teacher recognized this trait in him and recognized him for it.

Also, Caleb had an Indian pow-wow in his Kindergarten class on Tuesday.  I was absolutely exhausted Monday after getting home from the hospital.  When I found out Caleb needed an Indian vest for the next morning, I was ready to just cut arm holes in a brown paper bag and call it good.  But Caleb was less than thrilled by that idea, so I pulled myself up by the bootstraps, and helped him make his own Indian vest with a scrap of faux suede I dug out of the garage.  He decorated it with Indian symbols.  He was thrilled with it. He wanted to wear it to bed and was so excited to go to the pow-wow.  Now I am so glad that just I made the effort to do that for him.  I know I would have regretted it if I hadn't.  The whole world doesn't come to a screeching halt because one kid is sick.

There was also a belt test for taekwando while I was away.  Caleb got his orange belt, Dennis got his senior green belt, and Nathan got his red belt, which is a really big deal.  Dylan would have received his red belt too, if he wasn't tied up in a hospital recovering from surgery.  Poor Dylan.  He'll be up and kicking soon enough.  Unfortunately I have no pictures of the belt test, since I wasn't there to take them, but I am proud of my guys, and I know they did great!

Students of the Month

We had not one, but two students of the month in October.

Caleb got student of the month in his Kindergarten class.  He was so excited!  On the drive home he held his certificate up to the window so everyone could see his award.

Of course, the student of the month ceremony means only one thing - donuts.  Caleb passed up a rainbow sprinkled one for this big chocolate glazed, showing his mature taste.

Dylan got student of the month for 4th grade.  He chose a peanut topped donut since the rainbow sprinkles and chocolate donuts were long gone by the time he got his major award.

Luke got only a little donut hole, and that put him in a bad mood!

Congratulations Caleb and Dylan - Regal Eagle students of the month!

Boo Bash!

On Thursday evening we went to the Boo Bash, the annual fundraiser at the boy's elementary school.  Caleb decided on a last minute costume change and went as a dragon.  Because I didn't want to be bothered with Luke's cowboy costume, he went in his Chinese outfit Dennis picked up for him in China.  He refused to wear his Chinese cap with the long black braid down the back.  He doesn't look very Chinese.  Oh well.

We were only there a few minutes before Caleb won himself a fish.  And at home the fish was in the turtle tank only a  few minutes before it became some tasty turtle sushi.  Poor Goldie.  Poor Caleb.  But he'll always have the memories.

So we buy tickets and pay to get in, and do the kids want to play at all the booths, go in the spook house, or eat?  No.  They go straight to the playground and play.  This is the same playground they can play in every lunchtime for free.  Here is Derek on the swings, after his hat and wig went flying.

Lukie was running around so fast I could barely manage to get a picture.  It took a lot of work to finally drag him, kicking and screaming, away from the playground.

Then Luke discovered this dancing/singing skeleton and he was completely enthralled.  He wold not walk away.  He stood there for a long time in utter amazement!  Every time the skeleton started dancing he would cheer and point like he had never seen anything like it before.  What a funny little man.

This is Alex.

Alex and Nathan weren't with us as we made our rounds through the carnival because they were both volunteering in the spook house.  They were so good and kind to serve their community my jumping out and scaring poor little kids half to death.  Those are my boys, always serving their fellow men.

Here is Nathan.  I had to go through the spook house with Luke in tow, so I could get pictures of my boys doing their thing.  As I walked through I had to keep calling "No scaring, please."  Luke was still scared by Alex in his mask.  When Alex lifted up his mask Luke was so happy "Its Alex!" he cheered - but he still wouldn't get close enough to take a picture with him.  

Luke was much happier in "Trick of Treat Lane," the un-spooky house for the little ones.  It was really darling.  

Campaign '08

The campaigning was fierce but the people have spoken.  Campaign '08 is finally over (ya, don't we wish!)  Of course I am talking about the student council elections at Ronald Reagan School.  Both twins decided to run for office, Derek for Treasurer, and Dylan for V.P.  The boys told me that they were pushing for an all LDS ticket: Tre' for president, Dylan for vice president, Bailey or Danielle for secretary, and Derek for treasurer.

It got down and dirty at the twins campaign headquarters - our kitchen table.  It was a grassroots effort, the whole family worked for the cause, especially the candidates,  and yours truly, their campaign manager/mother.

It was not easy being the campaign manager, as I am not as in touch with the 9 year old base as I should be.  I learned quickly that Campaign '08 is not about the issues, or the personalities, but is completely and solely about the STICKERS!  Campaigns are won, or lost on stickers, apparently.

Here is Dylan's sticker.  They were very popular the first day, but by the second day my little candidates informed me that the polls came out that would-be voters were bored with these stickers and wanted to shake things up with NEW stickers.  I told them to tell their demanding constituents "tough."  Looking back, that might have been a fatal strategic blunder.  But I was not going to design new stickers.  I thought these were very cool, and the kids could deal with the same stickers for the whole length of the campaign season - one week.

This was Dylan's poster.  It said  "How do you spell Vice President?  D-Y-L-A-N."  Unfortunately the posters didn't have much of a role since all posters could only be hung in the MPR so kids couldn't destroy them, but the kids couldn't see them there either.

Derek made his stickers out of old monopoly money.  Once again, his stickers were popular, especially the $500 bills (we saved those for the swing voters - and the $1 bills went to the non-voting 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders).  But after a day or two, the voting public were crying for new stickers.  Our timing was just wrong in this campaign. We started out strong, but then support waned as the week went on.  We should have held back, and flooded the public with the cool stickers at the very end, a Thursday Surprise. Hey, I'm still learning here.

This was Derek's poster.  it said "Get in the Game.  Vote Derek for Treasurer."  I thought it was pretty cool.  Too bad nobody saw it.

I had other ideas besides stickers and a few posters.  After all, I was elected to student council several times as a kid.  My campaign strategy - lollipops.  I passed out lollipops that looked like stop signs that said "STOP vote for Shelly SIGNS."  I used the same strategy every year.  It always worked.  But times have changed, and campaign reform has been put in place.  Now bribery is frowned upon, so we had to run a clean, sticker only campaign.  Bummer.  "Dirty", or should I say "sticky" candy-based, campaigns are so much more fun - and effective.

On Friday, the boys gave their campaign speeches.  They each took about 15 seconds.  Don't we wish politicians would follow their lead with super short speeches.  Dylan finished his speech with a high kick saying "I will fight for you."  Derek was going to throw out monopoly money to the audience, but the principal put the nix on that idea.  But another kid did threw money.  He must have had the principal in his back pocket.  

In the end, after the polls closed and the stickers had all been thrown away, both Derek and Dylan lost.  Happily, a few on their ticket did win.  Congrats Tre' and Danielle!  We are so glad our voices will be heard up in the student council.     

We are already putting together our strategy for Campaign '09.

Back to School

I was kind of surprised my the feelings I have had about my kids going back to school.  Usually I am thrilled about it, and count down those last days in August.  But this year was really different.  I liked having them around and having an open schedule everyday.  It was free, and easy, and though my house was never quiet or clean, it was nice to just hang out with my gang.  Maybe this summer was different because I didn't feel trapped.  If I had to get groceries or just needed a break, I could leave them with Alex.  I didn't do a lot of that, but just knowing I had the option, helped my sanity tons.  I am sad to see that all end.  And though we did a lot of fun stuff this summer there was so much more I wanted to do with them.  I'm going to miss them, and sad to have to say good by to my gang, and hello to my taxi-driver/ homework enforcer day job again.

 First out the door this morning were Alex and Nathan.  This is Nate's first year in middle school, and he was a mix of nervous and excited.  Last year when Alex headed off the middle school, I was a nervous wreck.  It is a hard thing sending your precious child into the eye of the pre-pubescent storm.  But this year I was cool as a cucumber.  It is a great school, and I have confidence that Nate is going to have a great time there.

Notice this picture is in front of our house.  They convinced Dad to take them to school, before mom, with her camera, could walk them to their 1st period classroom and make them take pictures with their new teachers.  Of course I wouldn't dare, but I couldn't resist the torturing them by threatening such a thing.

Next, Derek and Dylan, were off to their 4th grade class.  They are together again, and seem excited about it and about their teacher.  They were good enough to indulge their dear mom with a few photo ops.  I'll take it while I can still get it.  One stipulation, though.  I was not allowed to take a picture of them with their teacher.  "Mom, we don't know her."  Oh, but they will.  They promised me a teacher/student picture on the last day of school - but I am going to push for a shot at back to school night.

Of course the big story of the day is Caleb and his first day of kindergarten.  He has afternoon, and an amazing teacher.  This morning, though, when we were bringing the twins to school, he saw all the kids in his classroom and couldn't understand why he couldn't go in too.  He even had his backpack with him.  He didn't quite understand why we were leaving campus when it was the first day of school.  At home he came to me, with his backpack, every 15 minutes, asking if we could go please go to kindergarten now.

When the time finally came he was thrilled.  Unlike his brothers, he not only let me take his picture, but he wanted me to take lots of pictures.  Finally, a child who understands me!  When the time came, he kissed me - on the lips, in public (that's kindergarten, the most precious year when they aren't afraid to acknowledge you and show you affection in public.  I know it won't last, so I'll savor every peck, hug, and wave he wants to give me this year.)

Then he lined up with his classmates (he is definitely the tallest, and one of the youngest in his whole class. Who's surprised?), and they all filed into their class.

I went home, put Luke down for a nap, and took a nap myself.  I NEVER get naps, and I won't make it a habit, but it was a long summer, and I was tired.

No More Elementry for Me!

By Nate

Friday the thirteenth was a lucky day for me - it was the last day of elementary school . Mrs Watne was my teacher from September to December, but she had to move to Utah for her husband's work. She was a good teacher and my whole class missed her. She came down here to go to my class' graduation to sixth grade. I felt really happy when Mrs Watne came.


The man in the picture next to me was my other teacher Mr. Sakemi. He was not as good as Mrs Watne but he was still good. It was kind of funny at the graduation because at the end they had a slide show that had everyone's baby pictures. But my picture was totally the cutest. At the end of the graduation I said good-bye to my classmates and my teachers.


After that my dad, my mom, my grandma, and I went out to lunch. Even though it was Friday the thirteenth, it was a great day for me (But not for my mom because she got in to a little car accident on the way home.)

No Longer a"Big Tot"

"Pomp and Circumstance" played and the graduates marched slowly and solemnly up the aisle. All those months of hard work, patience, and struggle would finally pay off. (I am not talking about the graduates, but the preschool teachers. How much work did it take to get all those 4 and 5 year olds to walk in slowly and solemnly like that anyway? They must have worked on that for months!)



It was the first of many (hopefully) commencement exercise Caleb would march in, but he probably will never sing "Monkey Mambo" in a mortarboard cap again. But then again, he might.
As the names were read, they announced the future professions of the graduates. It was impressive! Caleb was graduating with future professional princesses, pokemons, and a coconut climber- the new greatest generation, no doubt.

His teachers, Miss Kristen, Miss Tamra, and Miss Marian, were wonderful. They really went all out for these kids, and their love for them was obvious.

Mom and Dad, brother Luke, Grandma Signs, and his buddy "Kelly Thomas" (he calls her that, 'Kelly Thomas') came to celebrate with him. He was so glad to have them there on his big day! His two buddies, Luke and Walker, graduated with him. I'll miss overhearing their conversations with each other when I drive carpool. And I'll miss the excuse to visit with their moms everyday at drop him off. Mostly, I'll miss the wonder and magic that only comes at this tender preschool age when everything is new and exciting. But time marches on a lot more quickly than these little guys marched up that aisle.

Congratulations Caleb! We love you!!!