Row Captains

C and K both got off the bus today absolutely ecstatic. They had both been chosen as "row captains" in PE. It is a new thing this year, but every six weeks the PE teachers choose one student from each row to be the captain. The captains, as far as I can tell, are the row leaders. They take care of the equipment, keep the other students in their row in order, and get to be "taggers" and such in the PE games. Both of them aspired to this title at the beginning of the last six weeks and both weren't chosen. They were so bummed as they thought that they'd been extremely well behaved (the major quality of a row captain). This morning, C could hardly wait to go to school to see if he got it. How exciting that they both did at the same time. They also each get a goody bag full of coupons for free meals and such as a reward for the title.

K's Third Grade Play: "Whether the Weather"

Last night was K's third grade play entitled "Whether the Weather." It was a very cute little musical about meterology and all types of weather. K had the lead.

I was shocked when her teacher said that she had the lead as I didn't even know that she'd tried out. In Kindergarten she was too scared to try out. In first grade she tried out, but didn't get a part and she was sooooooooooooo nervous. In second grade they didn't really hold try outs, the teachers nominated a few kids and they then tried out just to see which part they'd get, although they were guaranteed a part of some kind. Her music teacher said she was shocked when K tried out as she is usually so shy and quiet, but that she did such a great job that she had to give her the lead.

K was so excited that she memorized all her lines the first day! She did a great job last night. She didn't forget a single line. She was a little less animated than in practice, but that was just the nerves part. We were so proud of her. We took her to Sonic and let her choose whatever she wanted and the rest of us didn't get anything. She thought that was very special. We might have to make it a tradition! C was a little jealous at first, but quickly calmed down when he realized that it was important to celebrate with K.

Here are a few pictures, but in the cafeteria is one place that NEVER turns out good on any of my digital cameras. One is really blurry, but...it is all I have (except for video, but that's not digital).

I am so excited!

I am so excited! DH had a wonderful idea earlier this year to skip the traditional Christmas presents for our family and give ourselves a wonderful vacation instead. Well, we recently decided that the big vacations that we'd like to give for Christmas really aren't in our budget. We'd have to save a little to go on a cruise or to Disneyworld. So, DH had another wonderful idea...going to a luxury cabin for Christmas and having fewer presents, but still some. I thought it was a good idea, but I was certain that Christmas day, itself, would be booked. Surprise! Our favorite cabins are available! These are NICE: Here is a description of one we might get:

What would you like to do first? Soak in the hot tub and relax your worries away? Take a steaming cup of coffee out on the front porch and rock in a rocking chair? You’ll definitely want to light a fire in the rock fireplace that stands in the middle of the living room. Also on the list, should be a leisurely bath in the double jacuzzi tub upstairs or star gazing on the back deck.
If you’re a kid, you’ll want to race around the wrap-around deck until you’re delightfully dizzy or scramble back and forth on all fours across the towering catwalk stretching across the living, dining and kitchen areas. Perhaps you would prefer to challenge someone to an exciting game of air hockey out on the deck. The upstairs loft is a perfect kids retreat with a Foosball table, games galore, and a variety of books and movies for all ages. The kitchen and dining areas are ideal for lively family meals. A fire-pit in the yard is great for campfires, roasting marshmallows and sharing stories.

Doesn't that sound SWEET?!? I am hoping that we do decide to go over Christmas. We would have to be all done shopping and ready for Christmas on Saturday, go to church Sunday, drive to the cabin on Monday where we'd have a nice leisurely Christmas Eve, just our family and thoughts of the Savior. We'd spend Tuesday opening presents and celebrating the holiday, and Wednesday we'd play, relax, and go home. Perfect! However it works out: I am so excited!

Clean-up!

This has been a crazy week. A really crazy week. One of the crazy days partially involved watching my friend's young children while she had a baby. They, combined with LD, were on a destroy-my-house mission. It was a big mess. But...I had two wonderful helpers, C and S (K's friend that I watch before and after school) who cleaned it all up for me in about half an hour while K was at activity days and I cooked dinner. They did such a good job that I paid them each a dollar. Amazingly they were so excited about this dollar that I might have to "hire" them again. $1/half an hour...not a bad rate for me, the employer. Hmmm...I wonder if my employees at the Clinic would like that as much!

Family, Pumpkin Patch, Halloween, and Catch up.

This is a catch-up post. We had so much fun with my sister and her two kids (E-three years and S 20-months). Here is our week in pictures:

Don't I have a cute niece and nephew?

Girl cousins! We're ready for the Pumpkin Patch!

Here we are on the hayride. E was a little scared of the tractor and held on very tight to my hand.

It's Fall 2007 (LD, K, and C at the Pumpkin Patch)

All dressed up for the local school carnival. S was a basketball player, C a Jedi, K a snow princess, and E Tinkerbell. They were very cute!

After church on Sunday I was surprised by a horse entering my kitchen with three riders! My sister's husband, P, is a great sport!

DH's birthday was on Monday. It was a little crazy to get ready for that and have my sister here and everything. We even got our hair done that morning for my birthday present to her. See my last post...isn't she cute?!? Anyhow...this is the cake that I made for DH. It turned out very good and I even impressed myself!

Goodbye hugs. It was so hard to say goodbye. I even took K and C out of school for an hour to say goodbye. They loved their cousins and their cousins loved them. It was so cute.

Here are some pictures from Halloween: LD is Darth Vader.

K is 100 months old! Can you believe it? It goes by so darn fast. She is a wonderful girl and it makes me happy to be her Mama.


Last of all....is this a model boy or what? This is the outfit my sister brought for LD's birthday. It is soooooooooo cute! I hope there are many more chilly days to come over the next couple of months so that I can dress him in this outfit again! :)